What a day on the streets with the cross. It has been our prayer for years to have some Latino partners. It has been very difficult to reach people in the Latino community because of the cultural differences and language barriers. These two couples in the picture came to help us. They have never carried the cross before but were curious about how it worked. They seemed a little hesitant to believe that people would actually be drawn to it. I told them hungry people would come out right away. Now, how that happens might look a little different!
We stood around the cross and prayed and then took our first steps. I noticed a guy about 20 ft away looking at us angrily and very animated. To be honest with you, he kind of looked like a gangster. I don’t understand Spanish but he was mad throwing his hands up in the air. Not a great way to start a cross outreach…or was it? The guys on our team walked up to him to talk. Apparently, he was very angry about a white guy carrying the cross in his community and felt that I was disrespecting the cross. The guys on our team proceeded to tell him our hearts and motives for carrying the cross and he eased up. Turns out, the guy is from the same city in El Salvador as one of the guys on our team! They all ended up talking for a long time and then he left to go get his wife because he wanted her to meet them. This guy is so excited to know our team and he wants to be discipled right away. He also wants to help reach others in this community. It was crazy to see him go from such anger to wanting to change his life and reach others!
While all that was going on, the other half of our team hung out with the addicts who surrounded us, asking for prayer, sharing each others stories, and some even wanted pictures with the cross.
As we wrapped up and headed back to the truck, a man drove past us and saw the cross, but he didn’t stop because he was taking his wife to the medical clinic. After he dropped her off, he came back and got out of his car to ask for prayer and said that he was ready to follow Jesus.
Quite a day of miracles and we are so excited about our new partners! It truly opened up many doors and opportunities to start a new work in the Latino community.
So good Kyle! God keeps showing up!