The day the Father brought him home

It’s amazing to witness God’s miracles.This week, I got to see firsthand the saving power of the Lord, and I think this is definitely a story to be shared. It’s the continuation of Herman’s story, after he left and chose to be in Los Pinos. Throughout the week, he had many talks with Tony and I, but he was never ready to commit to leaving Los Pinos and his past behind. Until Friday night. Herman called me so many times that day to ask how everything was and to tell me he wanted to talk to me in person. So finally that night, I drove into Los Pinos to talk to him one on one. The conversation started like many of the previous ones had. He was happy and telling me about his time in Los Pinos, and he was proud to say he’d been clean for the last three days. He told me about his day, how he did some volunteer work with an organization in Los Pinos. He was really excited and told me that he finally believes he can do it, live in Los Pinos and be without drugs. He told me about his plans, as Tony had suggested to him before, about being the person to boldly go before the government and tell them about his life in Los Pinos, because they certainly know nothing about it. He wants to help his community and do work similar to Tony’s to help more boys around him. Now up until this point in the conversation, it was a good conversation, but nothing had really changed from the past. He has big plans and that’s awesome, but he still feels like he has to do it all on his own, and he feels like he has the strength to be in the same area as his past without falling into his past. Then I feel like God started to move in him. He took out his picture album which he carries everywhere with him, and started flipping through the pictures. Each picture, he told a story of how that person affected his life or how he’d seen their lives transformed.  He recognized the changes in the other boys here, especially in Fernando. He even said sometimes they are stronger than he is, and that he needs to find the same strength they have. He then started talking about how he doesn’t want to be in Los Pinos full time. Even if Tony would only let him come out a couple days a week, he wanted that because he knows he needs that to be strengthened. He wants more time with Tony so that he can keep growing in his own faith so that he can someday do work like Tony’s for other people.  Honestly at this point I was a little confused, because I’d just heard him so confident that he can do it on his own, no problem in Los Pinos surrounded by drugs and violence. But here he was, sounding more and more desperate every second that he wanted to return to the property and to his family there. He talked a lot about Tony’s story, and the fact that Tony had to leave his family and friends in the States to follow God’s plans for his life. He said he needed to do the same. He loves his family so much, but he said that now he realizes his faith is more important, and that he needs to do what Tony did. So he decided he would talk to Tony the next day and ask if he could return to the property. He wanted to share his plans, and he said that when he packed his stuff in Los Pinos to move back with us, that he would bring absolutely everything. He doesn’t want any part of him in Los Pinos anymore. He doesn’t want Los Pinos anymore. He realized he would miss his family, but his faith is more important. He told me that when he’s in Los Pinos, he feels like he’s been shot, like he has no life, no strength, and that he feels that he’s in chains (his exact words). In the property he feels life. He says that it is possible for him to continue changing in Los Pinos, but it is so slow and every step takes so much time and energy. And in reality he said, he doesn’t think his faith will grow at all in this place. He didn’t want to come back to the property because he missed me or the groups, he never once said that. Finally he wanted to come back for his faith, and to save his life. At this point in the conversation, I’m just kind of in awe of everything he’s saying. His maturity, his wisdom, and his determination to escape his past are all things I’ve never seen before. It is so clear that the Holy Spirit is all over him at this point because he has never been able to think this clearly in his life. When we’re getting ready to leave, we’re talking about the night and about him going to talk to Tony the next day about his decision to return. I told him he needs to be really careful because it’s Friday night in Los Pinos, and he knows how dangerous that is for him. I told him it’s just one more night he has to fight to be clean. He said he can do it and he knows how dangerous it is. As we were driving back into Los Pinos about 10:00 that night, we passed so many people doing drugs everywhere, so many people just staring at us with the hard faces of Los Pinos. Herman’s demeanor kept getting darker and darker the farther we went. When I finally stopped to let him out, we sat in silence for a minute until he finally said he’s scared. He’s scared of this place and he doesn’t think he can do it. He doesn’t want to go back, he can’t. So I suggested we call Tony and ask permission for him to stay the night at the property then talk in the morning. We did, and Tony knowing nothing of the conversation, situation, etc, only knowing the fear Herman had of going back tonight, said yes, just as the Father was doing to Herman at this same moment. The wave of relief over Herman’s face was incredible to see. He didn’t say much, but the tension slowly faded away from him. When we we’re almost home, he had me pull over because there was something he wanted to tell me. He showed me a picture on his phone of his nephew and he said that’s why he wants to return. His nephew follows everything Herman does, wherever he goes, and even what clothes he wears. Herman realized this and said that he has to be an example for him. He can’t just live doing whatever he wants without consequence because he doesn’t want the same life for his little nephew. Herman doesn’t cry much, but I swear I almost saw a tear fall when he was talking about his family. He wants to be an example for all of Los Pinos, but first and foremost for his nephew. When we got back to the property, the biggest smile swept over Herman’s face. We sat in the car for a minute and I prayed over him, for his new life and for everything. When we started walking up the hill to the house, and I’ll never forget this moment, he literally fell on his knees in the grass, arms stretched out, and just took a huge deep breath and lay on the ground. In this moment I think Herman FELT the freedom that God has been waiting for him to accept. He felt the love and the peace and the freedom. He confessed in front of the group that night about his time in Los Pinos and he poured out his heart to them. Of course he was welcomed back with open arms. I feel so honored to have been able to witness this rescue. I said nothing that night, just listened and watched the Holy Spirit do the work. Seeing the change in Herman is incredible and I think this was a major, major night in his journey of faith. This day meant so much to him that he’s said that with Tony and Nidia’s permission, he wants to get the date, 7-27 tattooed small on his arm so that he always remembers the day and the feeling. Herman is a new Herman, 100%. Even just the fact that he no longer wears his pants rolled up and his hat like he usually does. He’s acting like a brother to the boys, its all just a little bit different than before. I can’t even describe it; it’s something you just have to witness. He’s encountered to Lord, felt unconditional, constant love, and learned that he is able to live in the freedom that the Lord has had for him all along. He can rest in Christ. I’m so glad to say that the devil is angry tonight because God stole one back from him. And God’s never going to let Herman go.