Addendum to Part One - Brigade Day One

Oops!  Folks, I missed telling you something in the previous post so I am going to tell it now.  Sorry about that ... during my time in Evangelism on Brigade Day One, in the afternoon, after speaking with Antony, the 7-year-old boy who stole my heart, I had the opportunity to get to know Alejandro (Alex).

Alex is 15 years old and he was part of a gang.  

I could tell that he was full of pain and sadness.  He came to the Brigade because he didn't want to be on the wrong side anymore.  He told me that he had tried to do what was right but that he had done a lot of bad things and that he had disappointed his mother greatly.  Even though he had "quit smoking", his mother didn't believe him and when he went anywhere she would give him a hard time as if he was going somewhere to "get in trouble" or "do wrong".

  

My heart was beating really hard in my chest and it seemed as though the air conditioning stopped working and it was 100F degrees in the room.  I'm sure my face was beet red!

I leaned really close to him, my throat tightening as if there was a knot in it and I told him with tears welling up in my eyes, "I have a son ... a little bit older than you."

"My son has gotten into trouble ... he's done things I never, ever thought he would do ... I've been really disappointed."

"Your mother, ... she still loves you ... she's just afraid ... she cares about what happens to you."

Alex's eyes were wide and intent upon me.  I don't even remember the translator speaking for me or him.  It was as if we were the only two there.  He said he wanted to change.  

I talked to him about Jesus and he knew it all in his head ... but it was in that moment that he wanted to embrace it in his heart.  I prayed with him and for him; he confessed Jesus as his Lord and Savior; he asked for guidance and strength; I prayed that he would persevere and that his mother would recognize the new Alex and that she would be pleased.  When we were done praying, we looked up at each other and his face was awash by the tears overflowing from his eyes.  It was such an amazingly heartfelt, yet draining moment.  

Please pray for Alejandro (Alex) ... pray for his life and for the power of God to remain strong in it.  He could be a powerful witness to other gang members and Honduran men.  

Afterward, I asked for the photograph shown above and I let him know that I would be praying for him.  I hope you will too.