Salvation comes on a dirt road!

COLONIA MONTES OLÍMPICOS, TIJUANA, MEXICO.

 Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”(Acts 4:12 (NIV) 

For several years we had a TLCCM bible club in a shanty town called Montes Olímpicos, in Tijuana, Mexico. We had no building available to us.

Alejandro and Obdulia, a very precious couple graciously offered us to use their home to teach and feed the children every Saturday morning. It was a one room shack built on the side of a cliff. Their front door was about a meter from the dirt road. The kitchen was outside on the side of the house, with just a metal roof, no running water, and no cupboards. All they had in their kitchen was a used propane stove, an old table and a few pots and pans. A single lightbulb hung from a 2 x 4. 

But this beautiful couple loved the Lord and loved children. This area was in a very poor neighborhood. The kids loved our program, and they came faithfully every week. They were always excited to sing and learn memory verses. Their enthusiasm was amazing. We always enjoyed spending time in that colonia.

At times, the one room shack could not contain all the kids attending. On those occasions, we would go outside and use the dirt road as “our classroom”. It was not a busy road but at times during our bible study we would have to move all the kids against the fence to let a car go through, then we would resumed our position on the dirt road. 

On one occasion, we had visitors from Ottawa. Montes Olímpicos was one of the shantytowns we absolutely wanted them to experience. The menu was hot dogs and nachos because the kids had requested that specific menu the previous week. Once again, using the dirt road as a classroom, we had our time of worship and our bible lesson. Afterwards, our visitors and a few moms helped us serve the kids. Everyone was having a great time.

While we were feeding the kids, we saw an old red truck turn the corner onto the dirt road. Immediately Roger told the kids to line up against the fence, so the vehicle could pass. But the driver drove into the driveway of the house next door. The kids immediately proceeded to take over the street and continue to eat and play.

A few minutes later, the driver made his way toward us. He was obliviously very drunk. Roger went to meet him as we had no way of knowing exactly what to expect. With help from the moms and visitors, I got the younger children inside the shack and moved the older children near the fence and away from the drunk. Once, the kids were at a safe distance and being supervised by the helpers, I made my way towards Roger and his “new” friend.

In his drunken state, this poor man mistook Roger for a priest. Although he was a man of God, my husband did not look like a priest. Nevertheless, even in his drunkard stupor, this poor guy felt something different about my husband. He asked what we were doing in this area. Roger explained to him that we came every week to teach the children about Jesus and to feed them a meal.

Upon hearing this explanation, the drunk immediately fell to his knees in front of Roger and asked for prayer. Roger motioned me to join him, along with our visitors and some of the older children. We prayed for this poor drunk who was kneeling in the middle of the dirt road wanting God to help him. 

Roger laid hands on this man and lead him through the salvation prayer. The Lord worked on this man in an immediate manner. To our complete amazement, our drunk had suddenly become stone sober. He sat in the middle of the dirt road and shared details of his life with Roger.

He had led a very rough life, starting to use drugs at a very young age. He had been a drug pusher and finally a drug cartel drug enforcer. But, after beating up some drug addicts and killing a few, he fled to Tijuana to get away from the lifestyle and from the drug cartels. He was now working as a construction worker. He drank a lot to try to erase from his memory all he had done wrong in his life until now. Roger reassured him that Jesus had completely forgiven him and starting then & there...on that dirt road, he was now saved and also free of his past. They stayed in the middle of the road talking for quite some time. Roger always had a lot of patience with hurting people.

Meanwhile, I explained to the kids that this man was now a Christian. I told them that Jesus is willing and able to save anyone if one repents. They were also very excited to have participated in praying for this poor drunk.

After a while Roger brought him to me and I gave him a plate with a hot dog and nachos. One of the kids came forward and offered him a glass of punch. This is certainly one situation that the children, our visitors and I will never forget. For Roger, this precious episode touched him to the depth of his soul.

Conclusion: It really does not matter who you are or where you are, Jesus is waiting for you and yes, He will meet you on “your” own dirt road.

The following verses are from Steven Curtis Chapman’s song: Jesus will meet you there: “When you think you’ve hit the bottom, and the bottom gives way, and you fall into a darkness no words can explain and you don’t know how you will make it alive, BUT JESUS WILL MEET YOU THERE. 

Sincerely,

Denise