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He came to us one-and-a-half years ago via his friend Fabio, looking for help. He noticed how Fabio was changing. We shared God's Word with him, and he received Jesus. He joined our discipleship group once in a while for Bible studies, and one morning he came with a stolen cellular phone. He showed it to us as a cry for help. We found the owner and returned the phone with the appropriate apology.
A year of sporadic contact followed, off-and-on involvement in our church and a six-month stint at a rehab centre. When we visited him there, we saw a changed young man, happy, excited about the Lord and rattling off memory verses. However, an argument with the director in a soccer game led to a severe punishment which he thought was unjust--so he took off.
He came to us. We counselled him and got him back into the centre. He lasted a weekend and then took off again. He soon returned to his old ways: stealing and armed assaults. As a result, many enemies began looking for vengeance.
One day, he came to us with a fresh bullet wound through his right arm. A week later, he returned with almost the same injury in his left arm. Both were attempts on his life. He asked if he could stay for a week to try to get his life back in order. A week turned into two months of counselling, praying, crying and Bible study.
At times, he seemed to desire to change, but something was missing. He was too easily influenced by friends from the barrio. In June, 1996, we had to ask him to leave. Shortly afterward, he was lying in the hospital with major knife wounds. He blamed us. He convinced himself that if we had not asked him to leave our home, this violent attack wouldn't have happened. We helped him again with his medical expenses.
From then on, he visited us once in a while. But we were losing trust in him and didn't invite him in the last couple of times.
On Wednesday, Sept. 11, he and a couple of friends were waiting for me as I went to pick up our boys from school. They stopped me at gunpoint and forced me to return to the house. They tied us up and proceeded to load our Jeep with the stereo, computer, printer, camera, microwave, mountain bikes, compact disks, small kitchen appliances, watches, clothes and other items, including a motorcycle belonging to one of the other young men who lives with us.
We tried talking to him. He said he was offended that we were no longer helping him and that we didn't trust him. We told him that we continue to love him and pray for him but that we couldn't condone his actions. He began to cry, but the tears did not stop him from robbing us.
We prayed hard against him and Satan. However, we have to regard it as a victory for Satan. It was a black Wednesday.
But we did see God's hand protecting us, and later that night the police called to inform us they had found the missing Jeep and motorcycle in a very dangerous neighbourhood. They instructed us to get there by 9:00 p.m. to pick it up.
Four of us went to retrieve the Jeep: a friend who drove us, Einer (the owner of the motorcycle), Enrique and myself. En route, the vehicle's transmission fell apart, forcing us to catch a taxi. But the address turned out to be wrong. We called the emergency hot line twice, but nobody answered. Nor could we find a policeman anywhere.
We gave up and went to the local police station, where we found our Jeep, somewhat wrecked. After filling out reports, we had to leave the Jeep there and catch a taxi home. It was after midnight, and we got stopped at a police checkpoint. They detained me because they said I didn't have proper identification. Somebody mentioned the possibility of jail. It was all designed to get me to pay them off. Corruption reigns in much public business.
I feigned ignorance, sat down under a tree and waited. After a while, they let us go, still threatening us. By this time, it was too late to catch a taxi, so we were forced to walk home four kilometres.
Two days earlier, I had taught a mission class on prayer and the importance of regarding life as a war. Some battles you win; others you lose. I can accept the losses only because I know we will win the war. I announced at the end of the class that the next class would be "The Supremacy of God in Missions Through Suffering". I evidently had some lessons to learn on that topic.
This was a hard blow for us, since we felt we had done so much for Marvin. Only God understands. We appreciate the prayers of so many who have lifted us up to the Lord in this season of adversity. Our ministry with people like Marvin, Enrique and Fabio will continue. There are times when we feel disappointed, but, not giving in to depression, we are moving forward with stronger commitment. In addition to all who have supported us in prayer, God has given us some dear Colombian people who have comforted and blessed us.
Trever, Joan, Aaron, Silas and Kenia Godard serve with Mennonite Brethren Missions/Services in Cali, Colombia.
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