The Mexican Gang Is Growing.....

The gang is growing…
When you hear the word “gang”, what goes through your mind? A gang typically is united around a common identity, and seeking a sense of belonging to something bigger than themselves that can take them further than they fear they could go alone.
We regularly have individual gang members attend our OSY camps and on occasions a strong representation of a gang or gangs.
A sizable delegation of a street gang from the Mexico City area arrived at one of our Evangelistic camps. There were close to 25 from this gang at this camp. They participated without problems during the camp and I am sure many even made decisions to follow Jesus Christ as their personal Lord and Savior.
This gang, like most, practices “tagging”. Walls, benches, signs and abandoned cars can all carry their secret or overt messages. It has become very obvious that their encounter with Christ is making an impact on this gang.
The graffiti messages now make statements like, “God we don’t really know You, but we thank You for your love…” That doesn’t sound too tough to me, but it does sound like something continues to happen in the lives of these young men.
A hunger has been stirred in their hearts, a hunger to know God and to study His Word. This common bond is uniting them. They are finding strength and a purpose as they pursue a relationship with God.
I just received a report from a local church in Mexico City that these 25 gang members showed up for church. They showed up with questions following the camp.
Today they have grown to more than 40 of them attending this small inner‐city church. They are still a gang and they still hang out in front of a pharmacy that has video games. But today the storeowner is not afraid and he is not chasing them off.
Today they no longer linger in front of this store in order to deal drugs. But if you were to drive by you will see them sitting together with their Bibles open and asking questions and seeking to know this God that they feel they do not know. But they do know that this God loves them.
Thank you for helping us to be here in order to share that message of God’s love and to introduce a gang member or perhaps an entire gang to Jesus Christ, the Son of God, the Savior of the world.
What a God! What a story of transformation. The Gospel – it still changes lives!
Allen Owen, Camp Director - Highlands Camp, Mexico