Last week I met a guy that we’ll called Adam, this is part of his story.

Adam grew up in a wealthy family by Nicaraguan standards. His father owns two pharmacies here in Granada. Growing up Adam had an older brother that he looked up to and admired. In his late teens his brother began to use drugs and when his father found out he was using, he kicked him out of the house. Adam remembers letting his brother come in at night to borrow clothes and sleep under his bed. Things began to look up for Adam’s brother when he met a girl. He stopped using as much and was beginning to build back the trust and love that his father once had for him.

This all changed when Adam’s brother found out that his girlfriend was cheating on him. He began to use heavier than before and within 20 days he hung himself. After this happened Adam was devastated and a “friend” offered him some drugs with the promise that it would make him “forget what had happened”. Adam’s using became more and more out of control and he begun to steal from the cash register while working at his father’s store. When his father found out he kicked Adam out of the house.

During this time Adam had a long-time girlfriend of 7 years and they had a little girl. This is what kept the hope alive for him but his using became more and more controlling and that’s when he approached The Bridge (The Bridge helps men enter a Christ-centered recovery center outside of town). This gave Adam hope but 5 days later he left. He left because he missed his daughter and girlfriend.

Upon returning Adam found out that the woman he loved had been sleeping with his cousin. This devastated Adam again. Filled with hopelessness he began to drink and use more than ever. He went to his parents’ house and his father, filled with shame, told Adam that he should go and hang himself just like his brother had years before. Adam slept on the street that night and some guys beat him up, knocking out one of his front teeth and stealing what little clothes he had left. This happened just days before I met Adam.

Adam told me this story Sunday over lunch with tears streaming down his face and my heart broke for him. The requirements to go to Peniel (the recovery center) are that they must attend 4 Bible studies in a row and Adam had only attended 3. The next possible Bible study for him to attend would not be until Wednesday. Three long days and nights on the street for a man who is filled with hopelessness and whose father told him to hang himself just the day before. As we discussed what to do I couldn’t help but think, “would Jesus send this man back out for two more nights on the street, putting him in danger, simply because he had not attended the required Bible studies?”

I am happy to report that yesterday Adam entered Peniel. I was able to share with Adam that God is seeking him out. Please pray for Adam. Pray that he meets Jesus in these crucial first days. Pray that his mind and heart would be filled with the hope of God.