The Bridge Kids

 La Iglesia Que Te Ama shared the love of Jesus with some kids that live under a bridge. In the picture below, they were letting them try out the drums:) These kids range from 11-18 years of age.

 The picture below is a good picture of how they live. Do you see the bridge above? They live under that in cardboard boxes with a tent-like structure. These are their private homes so Greg didn't take pictures. Pray for these children.

 Our good friend Carlos reading to them from God's Word. These kids don't know anything about trust. For the most part, their parents are drug users and alcoholics themselves. One kid told Greg that he would rather live under this bridge with these other kids then live at home with his parents and their abuse. They do get fed at least once a day, Greg was told. They steal for everything else. They tried to steal right in front of Greg. They don't know any better. They are desperate to take care of themselves.....desperate to use drugs......desperate to drink alcohol.  They have left their families because of these things and they have become just like their parents. What's worse......is that they are having babies and growing families under this bridge as well. Can you imagine? I mean....maybe you can.....and maybe I "used to" be able to imagine it when I saw it on the evening news but now that I see it face to face. It is just unacceptable to me!

 Satan is having his way with them and it makes me so angry! These precious children do not deserve the life their parents chose for them. Now they are choosing the same path for their children and I'm certain they don't even realize it because they are just "surviving". I wrestle with this....I wrestled with God during my fast over this very situation. Some people say that these kids have made their own choices, yes, they have in a way but were they ever taught right from wrong in the beginning? Then how could they "know"? I'm certain they hear the gospel at least once a week or maybe just twice a month, I wonder what it feels like to be them and hear of a Savior that they are being asked to trust in and that if they don't trust in Him they could live eternally in Hell. They already live in Hell.

 So what can we do? Pray. Not just pray at the end of this post and be done with it. I mean really pray with all your might! Put these faces into your mind and your heart and carry them with you and pray for them. The national churches here can provide cooked meals for them and show them Jesus' love and we can pray that the Spirit moves within each one. The picture above is a little baby that lives under the bridge also. Her parents (I think) are in the picture below with her. Please pray for their safety and the health of this precious child.

 Gina (the pastor's wife) is talking with this young man about salvation. She is talking to him about what is in this world vs. what life could mean for him eternally with a Father who loves him....unconditionally. He's never had someone to love him in that way. He's never had a Father who looks at him and sees a perfect child......He's never had a Father that shows him unfailing love......and more than those things.....He's never had a Father who wanted a deep meaningful relationship with him the way that God does and ohhhh how I want him to "feel" these things and hide them in his heart forever. I want him to BELIEVE that he was fearfully and wonderfully made! 

I would have loved to have heard what she told him. She is so full of the spirit and has a passionate heart for young people and this is her life....God is using her to bring them into His kingdom....one by one. One young man did want these things, his name is Mario.  I don't have a good picture of him but God knows who he is!  He cried and wanted his life to change. He is so weary of living this way. He asked Jesus to come into his heart. Please pray for him....and I mean REALLY pray for him. He lives under this bridge with all of these other kids. He has no positive influences in his life and no one to walk along beside him in his new Christian walk. Pray for these churches nearby that they will take him into their flock and disciple him. Pray for him to seek the Lord in everything he does.....everywhere he walks.....and to cry out to Him when he is feeling desperate. Please my friends....pray for all of them....ask Him to heal this land.