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Gaudi Basilica Door carving

Terror in Barcelona

An Alliance worker couple reflects on what it means to be safe following a recent terrorist attack in their host city.

The following was written by an Alliance international worker after the recent terrorist attack that killed 13 people. He and his wife will arrive in Spain later this month.

I had just finished swimming with my kids and some friends who served alongside us in Barcelona. I was walking into the house when my wife rushed over to tell me there had been a terror attack in that city. As I reached for my phone, the number of messages was enough to confirm that something horrible had happened.

It was hard to believe the images we were seeing. As soon as I heard “La Rambla,” I knew it would be bad. If you’ve been to Barcelona, you know the amount of people who are on the Rambla at any given day of the year. And this is the peak of tourist season.

We quickly checked with the team there and our friends, and we thank God that everyone is safe.

We could very well have been there if our departure to Barcelona had not been delayed. We were scheduled to be there on July 19, but we changed our flights due to visa and housing complications.

As I am writing this, I am struck by the contrast of our current living situation here in the USA and the situation we are heading to. For the last several weeks, I have enjoyed living with my in-laws in a nice, quiet house on the lake. It is so safe here that you can leave the door or your garage unlocked and nothing will happen. Actually, just yesterday I asked my father in-law if there had ever been reports of boat robberies. His answer was, “I have never heard of any; I actually leave the key in the boat.”

Wow! I thought to myself. It’s so nice to live in a place where you feel safe.

Today’s events in Barcelona have brought to my mind the sharp contrast of our situation here and the one we are heading into. We are only 10 days out from heading back. As I watched the videos and heard the reports, I felt the temptation to doubt and fear. Questions began to rush to my mind. Are you sure you want to take your family to a place like that? That’s not safe! Why don’t you stay here? Here is safe.

And then I remembered that all year long as I have been visiting churches, the message I have been sharing was to not be afraid, to not allow hatred to control us, to be willing to go wherever God calls us to go.

Basilica Door
A carved door at The Basílica i Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Família in Barcelona, Spain, contains the name above all names.

Suddenly, I realized that this message is for me. God is once again asking me not to fear and to trust in Him. The safest place is not underground, hiding in a shelter, or on a remote island far away from everyone. The safest place for us as believers is near Him, walking in obedience, going wherever He leads us. And the most dangerous place is the place of disobedience.

Today’s events are a reminder that lost people need Jesus. North Africans need Jesus. Spaniards need Jesus. People in Charlottesville, Virginia, and in your city need Jesus. That is the only hope they have!

Our prayer is that God will turn these evil events into good—that He will turn people to Himself and open the eyes of our Spanish and North African friends to realize their need for a Savior—the only one who can bring peace, healing, and reconciliation.

Please pray for us and that we will walk in obedience.

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