Every Friday we take a group of students out to one of the barrier islands off the Gulf coast called Ship Island. This week our group included ninety people. The plan was to take the 2:30 ferry back to the mainland, but two students didn't show up on time to the ferry, so three of us stayed back on the island to look for them and then take the next ferry back at 5.
We found the two students right away. Tim, their youth leader, gave them a quick talking too, while Luke and I sat in the shade next to one of the buildings. While we were sitting there, one of the employees at the concession stand came over and started talking with us.
He was an interesting man...to say the least. His name was Stoycho, and he was from Bulgaria. He told us stories from his past and deposited words of wisdom to us as we real talked for an hour or so, here are a few of the high lights...
...Back when Bulgaria was under communist rule, he was a member of the underground church, and that was where he came to know the Lord....While he was going to school, he spoke out against the communist party and for that, he was thrown in prison. He said, "this isn't like prison in America, this was communist prison". He told us that he shared a small cell with five others and was fed only beans and bone worms and that he said that he barely survived the experience...
...it turns out that he came to America because he was an opera singer and he does performances in the winter. He sang for us and then gave us his demo CD. We listened too it, and it was beautiful, and I don't even care much for opera...
...The most beautiful thing that he told us was a commentary on American culture. He told us that in his opinion, America was about two things, love and money. He told us, in a strong Bulgarian accent that was simply poetic, that in Europe, there are three types of love, Love If, Love Because, and Love In Spite Of... He said that Love In Spite Of is "European Love"...
"...Love If... He will love her if she has dinner ready every night at 6. She will love him if he makes her breakfast in the morning...Love If...that is no kind of love...
...Love Because...She loves him because he has a successful company. He loves her because she is beautiful...Love Because...that is no kind of love...
...Love In Spite Of he explained a little differently by using a metaphor...
...Small wood ovens have a small door on the left side to put the wood into. Sometimes you get a log that is a bit crooked and doesn't fit very well. So the saying goes, he is a crooked log, but he fits just right for my stove...that is Love In Spite Of...That is love...."
As he shared this with us it made me reflect on how God loves us and how we should love one another. It reminded me that Love is a choice. To truly love someone you have to choose too because if you only love them IF they do what you want or BECAUSE they provide you with something, what happens when things change?
It was refreshing to hear profound truths about love from a stranger from Bulgaria, on a beach island in the middle of the Gulf, while we waited for the ferry, because two students lost track of time.
-chase
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