Location: Costa Rica
It was all going according to plan, from Pastor Melvin Mora’s perspective.
Churches from all over the community of Ujarras de Cariblanco had gathered to carry Christ to their neighbors in homes and public spaces. It was a perfect Saturday for outreach, too. Bright, warm sun filled the park where Melvin and his team were chatting with people as they passed, praying, and giving away Bibles and gospel literature.
For some of the believers here, this was their first outreach. Some were nervous, naturally, about finding the right words or having enough courage. The mood was joyous and full of anticipation for what God might do in Ujarras de Cariblanco with this humble, earnest offering of time and love.
God’s presence filled the area. Melvin could see it in the gentle hands on shoulders as people prayed together and the focused expressions of his team as they listened to neighbors tell their stories. But as captivating and inspiring as all this was, Melvin’s attention was drawn, over and over, to a man sitting by himself on a bench a little distance away.
It was as if the Holy Spirit was pulling Melvin’s eyes toward the man. Our Every Home Costa Rica team says, “Though others continued ministering, Melvin felt a strong and unmistakable prompting from God to approach him.”
So, Melvin followed the tug on his heart. He sat beside the man and began to share about God’s love, mercy, and the forgiveness we can have through Jesus.
Almost as soon as Melvin began speaking, the man on the bench burst into tears. Melvin leaned in to hear the man’s words through his weeping.
“I have a knife with me right now,” he said. “I was planning to kill someone today.”
The man shared his story with Melvin, how anger, despair, and darkness had overwhelmed him, consumed him. And now, he knew, he stood on the edge of a life-altering choice.
At that moment, through Pastor Melvin, God interrupted. The gospel—words of life—revealed a new path.
Touched by the Holy Spirit, the man repented and surrendered his life to Jesus. As an expression of his choice to leave violence behind, the man handed Melvin his knife.
“He chose life instead of destruction and hope instead of despair,” our team writes. “Through these outreaches, God was at work, orchestrating moments that would change lives forever. This testimony stands as a powerful reminder that no heart is beyond God’s reach.”
But the story doesn’t end there.
Our Every Home team reports that a local church has embraced this man, walking alongside him, providing discipleship and spiritual support. Through the steadfast love and fellowship of believers, “God has continued to restore his life in remarkable ways,” our team writes. “He now has a job, bringing stability and dignity. His marriage, which was broken, has been restored, and reconciliation has taken place in his family. God provided a means to pay off his debts.”
This is a story about a moment, an interruption. Our team writes that “it reminds us that when the gospel reaches people at the right moment, God can rewrite even the darkest chapters.”
Because of the Holy Spirit’s tug on his heart, Melvin allowed himself to be interrupted, drawn toward someone sitting on the outside. Through Melvin, God interrupted what could have been a story of tragedy and turned it into a testimony of grace.
But this story also reaches beyond one moment. It’s a story about a whole life—and a family—changed by the faithful, consistent presence of a church. It’s a story about what can happen when we practice opening our eyes to see the outsider, softening our hearts for the tug of the Holy Spirit, and reaching out over days, weeks, and years to embrace our neighbors in the love of God.
From the Every Home Americas Office:
“Thank you for your prayers, generosity, and faithful partnership with Every Home for Christ. Because of your support, lives are being rescued, hearts are being transformed, and hope is being restored—one person, one home, and one encounter at a time, all for the glory of God.”
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