May 2005
Hello, my friends!
The following is the final report from Arturo Castaneda at Southern Trace Apartments. He'll be moving to New York the end of April to help plant a church.
"Living here at Southern Trace is never a dull. Last Wednesday night I was driving home with my friends Joy and Paul. We were almost at my apartment when we heard a scream---a woman yelling in Spanish, "Ayuda!" Help.
I stopped the car and followed the screams. A Police officer was at the door of the apartment where the screams were coming from, knocking gingerly. The officer opened the door and pulled out his gun. Suddenly, a lady ran out the door, screaming hysterically. I ran towards her and instantly she embraced me. I didn't know her, but she told me her son comes to the mission. The lady's daughter and brother also rushed out. I gathered them around me like a mother hen. They yelled that their little brother was still inside. I raced towards the apartment to get him, and he immediately ran into my arms shouting in Spanish, "Jesus is going to save us!"
I talked with the police officer at the door and he told me that the family sells food in that apartment. Three men came over pretending to buy supper. They tied the owners up with duct tape, but they didn't know the little brother was there and he called 911 from a phone upstairs.
Soon the SWAT team showed up and there were guns everywhere. The SWAT leader asked me to translate for him. He questioned the family to verify everyone was out so they could go in. They stormed the Apartment and immediately caught one criminal and laid him on the ground. A flash grenade went off with a terrific sound. I led the lady and her family over to my apartment where they would be safe. I asked them if I could pray and they said, "Yes." I shared with them that the Lord Jesus Christ was the One who had saved them from death and that they could have eternal life in him.
My time here has been amazing. Living on site was the best move for me. Many came to know Jesus and were discipled and loved. God is doing an amazing work here at Southern Trace. I got to, "Take the church, to the people." Being here has taught me that we must LOVE people into the Kingdom of God. Tim has been a friend, brother and a Dad to me. The lessons I gained from him are priceless and could never be learned in a classroom. What will I miss the most? It will be the children and "Mr. Tim"---I Love you Tim!"