When They Crawl Out

“Hermana! You will take me to church tonight right?” He asked me Thursday morning. I smiled and gave him a high five. Three months ago he left the rehabilitation center and went back to the streets. He now had a chance to go talk with the director about going back.

A few short hours later I passed by the street corner and saw him with three bottles of glue. One in each pocket and one pressed against his nose. “Lord Jesus have mercy!” I prayed. My heart sank as I saw the darkness surrounding my young friend. I saw his desire to leave the streets and also the hard reality of the addiction keeping him there.

At 7pm we showed up to bring him to church but the other boys said he was gone. I knew he was hiding under the bridge, too high on drugs to go talk to the director. I felt a deep ache in my heart. “I trust you Father” I whispered. Two other boys decided to come to church with us that night. As we worshipped I prayed, “God, your love is strong. You can make kids who are high on drugs crawl out from under concrete bridges.” One of the boys sitting next to me poked me and pointed. I turned around and saw him walking towards me with a smile on his face. God in his great love pulled him out from under the bridge.

Last week this 19 year old boy went back to the center. And God reminded me that His love is strong. He is at work. He gets the glory! His love is reaching these kids in such a beautiful way. Please pray for these kids who have become our little brothers and sisters. Pray for this young man that God would work in his heart and help him to stay in the center. Pray for the other kids who are still on the streets. And please pray for our team. We are needy and God is our strength. We cannot save these children. Only God can truly make them crawl out from under dark bridges and draw them to Himself! He is calling us to shine His light in the darkness.