Possible

“Grace is love that cares, and stoops, and rescues.” John R.W. Stott

I first met Moises (he's the one in the middle--my husband is on the left, Moises' stepson is on the right) a couple years ago during a week-long mission trip to the Dominican Republic. We were at a church and the pastor asked the guitar player in the worship band to be his interpreter. Moises, in a Jersey accent, translated the sermon into English for us gringos and afterward my husband and I shook his hand and thanked him. He was humble, but friendly and quite American. I left curious about his story and God wouldn’t let me fah-getta-bout-it.

About a year later, not long after we moved to the DR, my husband became friends with Moises and I had the opportunity to interview him. His story could be a movie on the big screen and Mark Wahlberg would be my pick to play Moises, if anyone wants to know. In a nutshell: He was born in the Dominican Republic, but his family moved to the Bronx when he was six and later to New Jersey. It was there, at age 13, that life took a messy turn when Moises discovered drugs. By age 16 his parents divorced, he became a high school dropout and, not long after that, an addict. Years later, at age 38 and after several run-ins with the law, Moises was deported back to the D.R. (He hadn’t been there for 32 years!) He says when he got off the plane he thought to himself, “Where the ---- am I? Africa or somethin’?” For months he roamed the streets of Santiago stoned out of his mind until finally he sought help and went to rehab. There he was reintroduced to Jesus and decided to surrender to Him.

Moises grew up in a Christian home, in fact his dad was a pastor, but it wasn’t until he was in his late 30’s that he acknowledged God and gave Him his life. The Lord was faithful to pursue Moises even while in his lowest state. And now, because of the Lord, bada-bing, bada-boom, Moises has been drug free for 10 years. He serves God through G.O. Ministries, in his community, and as a husband and stepfather.

I’ve interviewed many people here with amazing and often heartbreaking stories like Moises’. Hearing their testimonies, I see God’s hand—His persistent hand—and it moves me to pray for the “impossible.” Jesus is big enough, loving enough and faithful enough to woo and pursue those we love who need Him, no matter what shape their life is in.

"For nothing is impossible with God." Luke 1:37