Soul Patrol

Every Friday night we meet at the Higher Grounds Coffee House to pray before heading out for "Soul Patrol". Soul Patrol is our evangelistic outreach to the community and more specifically Central Park in Antigua. The park is the gathering place for youth and adults who often are just sitting on a bench waiting for someone or just enjoying the evening. We ask the Lord to direct to people whom he wants us to talk to and we try to follow his leading. It is always an adventure as we never know what we will encounter. I have had a variety of experiences as have other members of our staff as well as people who join us for the outreach. Last night I talked with a young man, Juan Carlos, who is 22 years old. His father died when he was only 10 years old. Juan's father was only 36 at the time of his death which was caused by drinking too much alcohol which is a common problem in Guatemala among men. His father's death was tragic and Juan was in a state of depression for 3 years. I asked Juan if he had accepted Christ as his personal Savior and he said that he had and that without his faith in God he never would have been able to survive the hardships he has faced in his life. We had the opportunity to pray with Juan that the Lord would help him find a different job. He works the night shift at a nice hotel, 6 days per week and does not have the opportunity to attend church on Sundays because of his work schedule. He would like to go to the university to continue his studies. He has been trained as an accountant but has not been able to find a job in this field. It was a privilege for us to be able to talk with him and encourage him in his faith walk. God has people waiting for us to minister to if we will only take the time and trust him to guide us to those he cares for and desires to bless.