"He's my prodigal brother," Marcelino said about his friend Apolinar. "He went away for a long time, but now he's here working with me. He was lost and now he is found!"
Apolinar was glad he could work on the church building again and Marcelino was saying how close they had become and how well they worked together.
Marcelino has changed dramatically since his conversion last fall. He talks about the Lord and about the church a lot while working and he keeps the radio on a Spanish Christian station. Apolinar admits he is interested in Marcelino's experience and because he has so many problems to face in his life, he is leaning more and more toward God. Marcelino is sensitive and caring. Just a word of encouragement here and there, understanding that Apolinar needs to come to a decision on his own. What he needs most right now is a friend.
Apolinar went away from his family and was in the United States for four years. He has never seen anything wrong with drinking and partying; and on his return to Mexico he left his wife and family and took another woman. So Marcelino's words had double meaning. Apolinar really has been the prodigal brother.
We're sure that with continued prayer and Marcelino's good influence, Apolinar in time will completely surrender to the Lord and be saved. Marcelino's words held so much feeling when he said, "He's no longer lost, my prodigal brother has been found."
How many people do we know that are lost and without God? One day we'll rejoice and say that our prodigal brother has been found!
The photo shows Marcelino on the left and Apolinar on the right with Lloyd between them.