Finding Courage to Risk and Hope
July 21, 2011
While most of our team has been working in a teacher training project, three of our team (Todd McCombs, Ryan Donovan, and Jovon Tyler) have been working to explore the possibility of fostering the development of small business initiatives in impoverished neighborhoods like La Paz. Todd McCombs is a successful business man in Houston, and he came to help us explore some relationships where business expertise from Houston might help advance business development here.
We've have several meetings that are filled with possibility, and we are exploring them in the same organic and intentional way that gave birth to the education initiative that is unfolding between Harbor and Cuidad de Refugio.
This morning we met with Rudy. Born in Guatemala he describes his dad as a sperm donor. His mom died before he was six. He came illegally to the U.S. with a group of Guatemalans and was arrested as a gang member at 14 years of age. He served a stint in "juvy" in Houston and then was arrested as an adult for attempted murder and armed robbery. He served 14 years in TDC and was deported back to Guatemala.
Rudy had a life-changing encounter with Jesus while he was in prison, and when he returned to Guatemala, he started a ministry to reach gang members. He is filled with passion and a rugged determination to help young people avoid the life he lived. He's gotten a college degree, is married and has two children. Recently he and his wife adopted an 11-year-old girl.
Rudy has a ministry in which he regularly spends time visiting prisons, reaching out to family members of gangs, and helping those who leave the gangs find work.
Because virtually no one in Guatemala will hire a gang member, Rudy has started a business to employ those he is reaching. His dream is to launch a line of clothing. Right now he has a small workshop with eight sewing machines where they make and sell t-shirts and children’s blouses.
Despite his determination and good work ethic, Rudy is struggling to realize his dream. He’s never started a business. He has passion, energy, and knows a trade, but he doesn’t know business. So, that sets the stage for the conversation we had today.
After nearly an hour of conversation Todd gently said to Rudy, "I don't think your dream will ever be realized unless you can learn to trust some folks who know some things that you don't know."
Rudy said, "I've trusted people before and it always goes bad. I can’t risk hoping again."
Todd gently challenged him again, and Rudy got defensive. He said, in a tone of defiance, “You want me to trust you? Come live with me in my house for a week. See what my life is like. Then I’ll trust you.”
He told two stories of people from the U.S. who had come to Guatemala and offered to help. They had spent a lot of time and made a lot of promises. Then they went back to the U.S. and never followed through. I could see that Rudy was hurt and bitter over these experiences.
I was sitting next to Rudy. I put my hand on his arm. "Rudy," I said, "I want you to hear this."
Rudy look straight at me. I said, "I'm so sorry that people from my country have hurt and disappointed you like this." As the last words came out of my mouth, tears welled up in my eyes and my voice choked.
Rudy is a tough man who has been hardened in several ways by the life he has lived. He said in a dismissive tone, "It's no problem bro."
"No, it is a problem." Tears still in my eyes, I said, "Please don't dismiss this my friend. You can't even see it, but the hurt caused by unkept promises is standing in the way of a possible opportunity to see your dream come true." Then tears welled up in his eyes.
So, we had a conversation about how hard it is to trust once trust has been violated. We wondered with Rudy if he was willing to allow God's to bring healing.
Todd said, “If I was in your shoes, I would not trust us either. But, give us a chance to demonstrate that we can be trusted. We are a part of a community in which we really take the keeping of our word seriously.”
When the meeting came to an end, we prayed for Rudy and his work with these gang members. His love for these kids is so clear, and the hurt he has experienced in trying to serve them was on full display. We are pondering what God is up to here. We are asking God to make it clear if we are to partner with Rudy.
I think we could make two mistakes. We could commit to raise money to help support Rudy because we love his heart and passion and we see the need. But, if we do that, he will always be dependent on our ability to keep raising money. Or, we could walk away because there are some significant obstacles that he will have to overcome to be a success in business.
Would you join us in praying for God’s discernment? Pray for a breakthrough in Rudy’s world? Give thanks for his love and passion for these young men and women, and ask God to do the work needed to see Rudy’s dream come true. Ask Him to help us see what our part is in this journey, and pray for willingness on our part to respond quickly to God’s leadership.