Beach Reach article part 1
Last
month I had the opportunity to participate in an event called Beach Reach. This
event brings hundreds of students from across the United States together during
spring break for a week of ministry. Throughout the week we gave out free van
rides and breakfast to thousands of spring breakers (students partying on the
island). However, throughout these activities we also shared the Gospel as well
as prayed for the students.
There
were moments throughout the week where God just showed up in such a miraculous
way that he just blew our minds. I believe that the name of our van was no
accident.
Before
going out to South Padre each group is supposed to define their van by naming
it and writing it on the windows along with the number to call for students to
receive a ride. Our team decided on the name Miracle Whip and boy did we
see some miracles. God used our van in such a mighty way that we honestly
couldn't believe that we had been chosen to be apart of such amazing God
moments.
Tuesday
March 14th is a day that I hope I always remember. Our day began around noon
because we had had a late night the day before. After we had eaten lunch we
headed to the beach to pass out cards advertising our free rides and breakfast.
We walked along South Padre beach ready to see God move. Before going out I
asked God one thing, to bring a young girl across my path. Once we had arrived
on the beach our team walked across the white packed sand, passing students
sunbathing, families enjoying the water, and fisherman out taking a chance at
the cool water. We walked toward the edge of the beach handing out cards till
we reached the stretch of sand that held the spring breakers that were partying
hard at 2pm. The sight that lay before me was heart breaking. Yet, to those
students it was a fun occasion. Looking at the drinking, drugs, and partiers
around me my brain couldn’t quite comprehend everything that was happening. I
couldn't figure out what made the craziness in front of me seem so much fun.
Was it because they were doing it with friends? Was it because they were on a
beach dancing like crazy in the bright Texas sun? I will never know.
As
I walked through the crowd I just kept feeling this great pressure around me.
Something I honestly can't describe. What I can say is that it made me want to
curl up into a ball. Because it just was something that bothered me so greatly.
My buddy and I walked in and out of that crowd twice. Each time we walked away
from that crowd it was because the force was to great. The way that we had been
describing the students on that beach has been with the word broken.
That the students in that crowd were partying because it would bring them
instant and temporary satisfaction. There were probably some who were also
running away from their problems. But also, there were some there looking for
trouble, and I believe that the force I was feeling was all of that combined.
After
we finished facing that crowd we began walking back to our van. We were just
about to reach the point where the road meets the sand when one of our guys
noticed a young lady who had slowly fallen to the ground. Him and another one
of our girls went over to talk to her and see if she was ok. It turned out that
she had collapsed from being too drunk and from losing her cousin. She was
crying loudly how her cousin was mad at her for losing her phone, and how she
now couldn't find her. Our group offered to help her. We prayed over her, and
then the miracles began coming in like clockwork. As we were trying to comfort
her we mentioned Jesus and how He was going to help us find her, how we would
pray for protection over her cousin and that everything would be fine. It was
within all of that she began to ask heart breaking questions. She asked if God
was mad at her for losing her cousin. If He was mad at her for her actions. We
could only reassure her that he wasn't. As our team kept praying for her when
out of nowhere her friend comes walking up to us. He was drunk as well, but not
to the point where he was incoherent. We began questioning him as our pastor
was bringing the van to us. Her friend helped in giving us their hotel
information and information about the cousin we were looking for. One of our
girls also was able to get the girls moms number for some extra reinforcement.
The crazy thing that happened was that as my friend talked to the mom we found
out that the girl was from a Christian house hold and had been running away
from God. The questions that the girl had been asking were beginning to make
since to us. Once our pastor met us with the van we took the young girl and her
friend back to their hotel, and came across the next miracle. The manager at
the hotel confirmed that we were indeed at the right hotel and then called up
to their room to see if perhaps any of her other friends were within the room.
By God’s grace the cousin we were looking for was in the room taking a shower!
We were able to reunite the family and make sure that the girl was taken care
of. It was amazing how God just worked out the whole situation from beginning
to end. As a group we believed that if we hadn't helped her that some other
person would have found her and things could have been a whole lot worse for
her.
This
story is just one of many amazing God-things that God did over the course of
spring break. Next month I will tell of another God-Thing that God did, but did
in me. I hope that this article reminds you that God is always working. You
don’t have to go to a beach or on a mission trip to see Him work. He can use
you in a mighty way right where you are. Just open your eyes and look around.
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