Walking the Walk
When I think about what “good news” really is, it’s the Gospel that manifests itself in a person’s life. As believers, how can we not be encouraged when we hear about God Almighty taking hold of a person’s life and thwarting their plans to carry out His purposes? Sometimes it takes a desert storm or a bleak circumstance to allow God to shine even greater through a person. When I see someone possessing noble traits like patience, gentleness, humility, peace, faithfulness, etc., I see the evidence of the work of God. That’s what compelled me to interview Alfredo Gonzalez and share his story. He’s a 43 year old man who walks slowly with a brace and a cane, but in his heart, he’s running this race to win.
Alfredo was born in Cuba, a Communist country. Growing up, he had limited exposure to Christianity. He only attended church for special occasions such as weddings, baptisms, or funerals. He regarded Bible stories as fairy tales and his view of God never went beyond a decorative figure.
By the time he turned 16, he considered himself an atheist and attributed his ultimate existence to evolution. As he looks back on this period in his life, he remembers suffering from depression. Doubts and uncertainties clouded his perspective and his view of life lacked purpose and meaning. He no longer wanted to live and decided to take the fate of his life into his own hands.
Right before he turned 17, he made the decision to end his life by jumping down from a three-story building. As much as he thought he had control over his future, God had other plans for him. He made the jump, but God spared his life. He did, however, end up breaking his back and losing mobility and strength in his left leg.
Alfredo thought that this “jump” would end up being the last event of his life, but God in His sovereignty somehow used it to open the door to a different worldview. He still didn’t understand who God was and the meaning of the cross at this point, but he began questioning his existence in light of a greater truth, which he was determined to find.
For almost a decade, he struggled through many questions, rejecting many non-truths that bombarded him. Eventually, God began sending Christians in his path who ministered to him about Christ. Shortly after he moved to the U.S. in 1992, he finally accepted the truth of the Gospel and gave his life to the Lord at the age of 26. From that moment on, Alfredo recalled feeling “an infinite and indescribable sensation of joy.”
He shares, “I thank God everyday for allowing me to keep persevering in His Work and promises, and for giving me a second opportunity through the life of His beloved Son Jesus Christ. Giving up is not an option for me anymore, and now life has acquired a new and completely different meaning, which I am determined to honor until the last day of my existence.”
To this day, Alfredo still undergoes constant pain that radiates from his left leg. It ranges in severity on different days, and overall, pain is a daily battle for him. But rather than live in grumpiness or bitterness, he humbly shares, “I would lie if I say that I don’t have moments of weakness and doubts, but I find strength in the Lord every day, when I bend my knees and pray for Him to give me the courage and the motivation I need to continue the road he has designed for me to walk. I still struggle with physical challenges, but I see them as the furnace that God uses to forge my character and mold my spirit, so I can finish the mission He has prepared for me to accomplish on this earth.”
Although Alfredo is physically limited, he doesn’t let that hinder his desire to serve God. This past summer, he had a chance to go on a short-term mission trip to Mexico with his church team. One of the team members who roomed with him told me that he witnessed firsthand how much Alfredo has to go through just to function on a daily basis. What takes 5 minutes for the average person takes Alfredo half an hour. But even through the difficulties, he doesn’t complain. Rather, he humbly accepts his thorn and continues to serve God with what he has with an attitude of gratitude and peace. He draws strength from John 14:27 which reads, “Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
Alfredo couldn’t have predicted that he would end up walking around with a cane and brace that day when he decided to take the final jump of his life. He may be physically walking with less ease and more difficulty now, but in God’s eyes, he’s walking better than he ever has. He doesn’t take this life for granted because he knows that each step he takes is a borrowed step that God has given him. And that’s the peace that enables him to continue walking with joy. 
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Alfredo Gonzalez currently resides in Linden, NJ and works as a software developer for the ARC project. He is currently engaged and plans to get married in spring/summer 2010.