Isaias was one of the first friends I made when we moved to this island. Back then, he was just a kid. Just graduated from college. Just figuring out what he wanted to do with his life. Even though I was three years older than him, it sounded a lot like me.
Four years later, Isaias has become one of my closest friends here. At the age of 26, I have watched him transform from a kid, to a pastor. From wondering what he wanted to do with his life, to leading hundreds of youth to the Cross of Jesus. God is using him to revolutionize this culture. Accepting those that the church would normally shun. Inviting those in who would normally be written off.
This weekend, I was a part of one of Isaias' visions. Cristo Urbano...Urban Christ. For the second year in a row, Isaias and his "soldiers" put on the Cristo Urbano youth conference with the help of one of Isaias' supporting churches from the States. Over 250 kids, all areas of the island, all walks of life. There was rapping and reggaeton. There were dramas and break dancing. There was praise and worship and serious talks. And I got to be the fly on the wall. Listening to conversations. Praising with them. Singing with them. Watching God transform a ton of young lives.
On the last day, Isaias was talking...like really talking. Spirit-moved words. The theme of the conference was "no soy un fanatico." or "not a fan." Changing from just being a fan of God to being a follower of God. And when Isaias began to speak about baptism and how it would be one way to show your commitment to being a follower and not a fan, I was moved. God prompted me. God spoke to me. It was time for me to be baptized.
I could go into an incredibly long story about why I haven't been baptized yet, but this post is about the baptism that took place in the photo above. Isaias' cousin decided to be baptized, right there in the pool. A bunch of us gathered around, Isaias talked about the purpose behind baptism and as we sang "Glory to God," he was baptized. It was incredible. And I cried.
It was the fruit of a work God started about four years ago.
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