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The Salvation Bracelet

Posted on September 9, 2014     Leave a Comment

This is a salvation bracelet.  Blessed by the children’s prayers of New Hope Coban.

The bracelet as a whole symbolized the world.

Green – our journey here on earth

Black – our heart before we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior

Heart – Jesus Christ heart that he gave for us

White – our heart cleansed and pure after we accept “him” as our Lord and Savior

Gold – the highest level of enlightenment, heaven

The note attached was from a beautiful girl I met on a plane, Karlee.  A stranger that would soon become a friend…

I had 2 flights to catch that day coming back into the country with a connection in TX.  I was reading The Power of Habit, Chapter 5, and it talked about how Starbucks’s training program saved an employees life, Travis.  The chapter explains the physical ailments and the lifestyle of Travis’s parents who were heroin addicts and how it affected his childhood and adult career.  Starbucks training and education program changed his life by teaching him how to live, focus, and master his emotions.  This story would lead to his promotion over time to upper management and eventually running his very own Starbucks.  This chapter couldn’t prepare me for what was next.  Coincidence?  Sign?  You decide.

I stopped at the end of that chapter and switched planes in Texas.

As soon as I sat down I overheard the young girl speaking on the phone just two seats beside me.  She was almost to tears and from what I could gather speaking to a close friend explaining how she missed them and could not wait to be home.  She explained how the feeling was surreal that she was going home and was ready to see her family and friends.

(I got excited because I thought that maybe just like me she was returning home to see her family after traveling abroad somewhere.)

After she wrapped up her conversation over the phone I chimed in, ” I’m sorry but I could not help to hear your conversation and I was just wondering if you were traveling overseas somewhere?  I’m just getting back from Guatemala and I can’t wait to see my family and friends!”

She looked at me with a sadness in her eyes and replied a soft and short,” No, I’m coming back from treatment.”

I immediately felt embarrassed for asking and being so naive but I rolled with the conversation anyways.  I apologized.  She assured me it was ok and then asked about my trip to Guatemala.  I happily changed the subject and told her about my recent volunteer work abroad and all the beautiful children and people I met and came to love there.

At some point we exchanged names and she opened up explaining her story.  She said she had been kicked out of the treatment center she was in and was on her way home to visit with her family and friends.

Karlee was a heroin addict but you couldn’t tell just from outward appearance.

Side note:  I’m don’t like for anyone to be sad around me and I will do whatever it takes to put a smile on their face.  I began focusing on the positives of her treatment, the good that came out of it.

Karlee and I talked the whole flight which was two hours.  We played pranks on the flight attendant and enjoyed a good laugh.  We talked about music, life, places we have traveled.  We talked and talked and talked some more.

At the end of our flight I wanted to give Karlee something very special and dear to me.  The bracelet pictured above.

I was given 2 extra bracelets from the parents of the children’s home I was at in Guatemala.  The told me God would speak to me when the time was right on who I should share these gifts with.

Karlee was one.  I gave her this bracelet and told her that if she ever gets scared or sad to squeeze that bracelet and know that the children’s prayers are protecting her.  “Everything will be alright,” I told her.  I witnessed to her and I will never forget how special that moment was.

Two months later I received the message above.

I can’t explain how Guatemala changed me because no one really understands.  The children’s home I resided at for 3 months was the closest to heaven I have ever been.  The children are pure and good and full of light and love, God’s love.  They taught me so much that I now have to share with the world.

Continue your journey by showing God’s love which is eternal.  It’s focusing on the light.  It’s helping others in any capacity.  It’s love.