Every Thursday, teams from YWAM Mazatlan go out to participate in our weekly local ministries -- or small, grassroots, staff-lead ministries designed to reach people right here in Mazatlan.
I have recently been a part of a local ministry called "homework club" located in the poor neighborhood of Monte Bello. We typically drive out to the neighborhood and spend a few minutes playing with the kids before sitting down to help them with their homework. On this particular Thursday, however, something out of the ordinary happened -- something I will never forget.
At first, everything proceeded as usual. It was a hot afternoon and the sun beat down on the clearing. Children ran out to greet us, laughing, grabbing our hands and speaking in rapid-fire Spanish. As I walked around helping the kids get started on their homework, I suddenly noticed a man approaching us -- a man I had never seen him before. I went over to him and asked if there was something I could help him with. He replied, "Yes. I need to learn from you."
It's not unusual for us to have adults ask us to help them learn more English, so I asked him if that's what he meant. Then he responded with a question that took me aback, "You're the God people, right?"
Confused, I wondered if I had somehow misunderstood his Spanish, and I told him I would go and get my Spanish-speaking friend to come and talk to him. After she helped me get the kids organized and back to their assignments, she went to go speak with him. I kept my eye on them to make sure she was alright, but it seemed to be going fine. The last time I glanced over at them, they were praying together. I was curious, but I kept my focus on the kids.
Later that evening, as we all sat around discussing how homework club went, she joyfully declared, "A man was saved today!" She went on to say that the man had approached us asking if we were Christians. Then he asked about what we had that was different than everyone else, and said he wanted to be a part of it. He wanted to help with our ministry so that he could learn from us by working with us. He had been going through a difficult time in his life and felt like he needed to come talk to us at the homework club. There, under a tree, in the heat of the day and still in his work uniform, God met him.
Sometimes evangelism seeks us out. We don't realize that serving God can lead people to want what we have. The joy that comes from serving the Lord overflows from us, and His presence shines like a beacon in the dark.
For more blogs like this one check out the links below!
The Ministries of YWAM Mazatlan!
5 Quotes That Will Inspire You to Do a Ywam DTS
Evangelism: It's Easier Than You Think