Teaching former street kids English.
Walking up to well known gangsters in the most dangerous city in Honduras.
Playing games with young children in a detention center
who were swept unconsious off the streets from all the paint thinner they’ve inhaled.
Translating testimonies from Spanish to English for former gangmembers.
Hugging and loving on teens who used to hold people at knifepoint for their next high.
Experiencing Jesus’ mercy and grace at every streetcorner.
This is what I’ve been doing the past two weeks.
This isn’t some documentary.
It’s not a news article you read in the paper.
It’s not a two minute clip on CNN.
This is someone you know doing these things.
Bring it a bit closer to home?
I hope so.
Guys…this stuff is huge. It’s real. It’s here.
Right in our backyard.
I’m not surprised that your surprised.
I was too.
A lot of times people say to me:
“Zach, your so brave for doing this.”
or “I would be way too afraid to do anything like that.”
I’m sure even while you read that you were thinking something like,
“Wow, I hope Zach stays safe, because I’m afraid for his safety.”
But lately I have been thinking…
What the hell are we afraid about?
Yah, these are my boys. I’ll keep their names for privacy if ya don’t mind.
Kids just like these cover the streets of Tegucigalpa, Honduras.
Most of them start sniffing paint thinner
and smoking weed at 8 years old and up.
Most of them either have no parents or just their mother.
Fathers are a rare thing.
Kids like this stroll the streets looking for victims to assault
in order to steal a cell phone and some cash to pay for their next
supply of paint thinner.
As they grow up they form gangs that horde drugs and kill for territory.
This is a court where hundreds of youth and street kids came
to play with some gringos and consequently learn about Jesus.
It was absolutely amazing.
But look in the back at the men under the basketball hoop who came too.
Those are the city’s gangmembers.
True thieves and murderers.
So of course I walked right up to them and started sharing Jesus.
I know what you’re gonna ask.
Were’nt you scared though?
Here’s my answer.
How in the world could I possibly ever be scared.
Ya know what?
They should be scared of me.
I have my Father’s anointing.
I have the Holy Spirit.
I have eternity.
They don’t.
How could I be scared.
How could you be scared?
For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. (Philippians 1:21)
We have the Maker of Heaven and Earth in front of us.
What do they have?
A damned costume they dance around in
to hide behind their fear.
I’m gonna say this again.
We have eternity.
They do not.
To live is Christ and to die is gain?
Sounds harsh?
Nothing truer has been said.
What worlds would be changed if you let go
of your pointless fears and allowed the Holy Spirit
to work through you.
I’ll show you one.
This boy used to be a typical street kid.
He’s been clean of all that for half a year now.
He’s still one of the roughest kids I’ve ever met.
But now he bakes cookies and wants to start a bakery when he is older.
And He loves Jesus.
And hugs constantly.
These are the things that make me cry.
Oh, and the cookies are delicious.
You do not need to be scared of any person or thing.
You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by following Christ.
Nothing important to lose, anyhow.
Do you think the Holy Spirit would lead you into danger?
I’ll answer that carefully.
Maybe.
But if through that danger one more lost orphan of our Daddy’s
welcomes his Father’s arms?
Then why not listen?
There’s no excuse.
You have eternity already.
You can not die.
You have the best gift anyone can ever receive.
And your only job is to give it to someone else.
You do not need to be afraid of them, whoever they may be.
They need to be afraid of you.
You are a Warrior of Christ.
Raise your banner. Storm the Enemy’s gates.
He’s got nothing on you.
_______________________________________________
The World Race
Catch me on Twitter at NinjaZachWR
or see my pictures on Instagram at NinjaZach.
____________________________________________________
If you would like to check out my new blog, with everything from the World Race and all my missions since then and even now in Japan, please click on this link for my blog The Vagabond Missionary. Thank you always for your support!
