La despidida de Octavio

Last night we had a going away party for my friend Octavio at church.  He has been good to me since I first started attending my new church.  He is friendly, caring and kind.  Over the past year I have watched him grow into a prayer warrior.  Before I went home in July he said he felt called to go to the US to spread the word of God.  By the time I got back he had tickets and legal US residency!  (It helps that he has lots of family already living there.)

First we gave him a gift - a bilingual bible.  Then we each expressed how much we are going to miss him. Octavio is a big presence in the church.  He constantly raises his voice in song or prayer.  His famous quote is "ALELUUUUUUUUUYITA!"  He says that every time he walks into the church.

I am going to miss him a lot.  I am sure people who know him better will miss him even more.  There will be a vacancy in our church without Ocatavio.

He is the perfect person to go to the US, for precisely the same reasons that I will miss him.  His voice will proclaim his love for God everywhere he goes.  In a place where people are so quiet about their beliefs, in an effort to avoid offending someone, Octavio will be raising his voice in praise of the God he loves.  Being politically correct is not important to Octavio.  He will not be quiet when it comes to expressing his joy in the Lord.

After a time of prayer, anointing and commissioning, we ate pupusas and then we said good bye.  Octavio will be in Miami, at least in the beginning.  He is going to stay inside the US until he has citizenship.  I look forward to seeing how God uses my brother in Christ, Octavio.  I am blessed to have known him.

Here are some photos I took:

Pastora Ruth gave Octavio a bilingual bible

He read each of our messages to him

Wise, loving words for Octavio from Ricardo

Octavio listened intently

Pastor Paysen being goofy with Octavio

Octavio returned his copy of the church's key to Pastora Ruth.
Pastora Ruth gave the key back for Octavio to keep.
Octavio held the key to his heart.

We prayed

And commissioned Octavio to go to the US as a missionary
from Alas de Aguilas

Blessed and ready to go!

We'll miss you Octavio!