As a short-term missionary walked down the pot-holed streets of a Latin American city, he breathed in the air from the nearby sea and took in the sights and sounds of the historical city that told a story of struggle. His company included two welcoming house church leaders who were prepared to bring the light of the gospel to their neighborhood with the help of their American friend.
They came to their first stop – the home of Luis.Just like the city, life had taken a toll on Luis. Years of hard work and alcoholism had left him run-down and exhausted. However—just by looking in his eyes—the missionary could tell that Luis was searching for something more.
As the gospel of Jesus Christ was shared with Luis, his countenance began to change. This man, broken by the decisions of his past, became eager as scriptures were shared with him. His eyes begged for repentance as his heart was softened by the Spirit. Then all at once, he took a step of faith to trust Jesus as his Savior.
He proclaimed to the missionary and church workers, “Last night I asked God to kill me in my sleep, but today I have new life!”
The church leaders helped Luis check himself into a rehabilitation center and are still meeting with him regularly. His life is forever changed by the power of the gospel and the obedience of believers and is now waging war against alcoholism.