(Picture is of Felix and me at his new place)
Puerto San Juan is an extreme place. I arrived, hopped in the car with Felix (our host and ministry contact) and immediately noticed his pistol in the front seat. I quickly realized that this is not a safe or comfortable town, but from the moment I jumped in the Pacific Ocean with all my clothing on I felt right at home.
Working with Felix is wonderful. He is crazy passionate about God and about helping street kids. His ministry is called Abdeel, which means God’s servant, and he has taken in about 60 kids who have come from volatile living situations. Gangs, violence, murder, drugs, and crime, filled Felix’s youth but a few years ago God radically changed his life. Now, at the age of 22, he is pouring his life into the next generation and serving as a role model and father figure for them.
Felix used to live in a small three bedroom home with all the kids. Recently he decided to shut down the ministry for a few months in order to prepare for his upcoming marriage, find good staff to disciple the youth, and get the new property ready.
The new place, which we helped him move into this week, is a huge beautiful ranch on 14 acres about a mile from the ocean. Felix’s dream is to use the mansion as a Christian retreat center and build another place on the property for the youth to live in. It’s got everything, a giant swimming pool (with no water yet, but hopefully soon) a church, a full basketball court, a soccer field, a pond complete with geese, 7 acres of coconut, mango and banana trees hiding in the back.
Our team has been helping to get the property ready. We have spent the last few days painting the outside and inside of the house and church. It’s been wonderful to be a small part of the vision that God’s given Felix for this place. Our off time has been a blast because Felix, who used to be a professional choreographer, has been attempting to teach us rhythmically challenged Gringos how to Salsa dance.
Please pray specifically for Felix and Abdeel ministries.
· More staff to work with and disciple the kids.
· Finances to get this place up and running
Our group is trying to help pitch in enough to get the pool running if anyone is interested in helping out.
· Wisdom and peace for Felix as he prepares to get married and run a ministry.
