Feb. 10, 2022 — Marco’s Story, pt. 1

Amazing stories of how each of the students got here. Today’s story is about Marco.  While making bread together this afternoon (I came prepared with a Really Easy recipe that is fabulous), he told me the story of his conversion:

It started with his grandfather from Mexico.  He worked in a cheese factory and saved enough money to buy a taxi.  One night he was robbed and the robber (or robbers) cut his body up and threw it off to the sides of the road.  Marco’s father was a young boy when this happened and when he got older he became a police office to get revenge for his father’s death.  He did very well at his job and got promotions.  A meeting was called at the police house and an announcement was made that his superior was being transferred.  His replacement called a meeting and ordered that the policemen accept bribes and that part of those bribes would go to him.  Marco’s grandfather did not honor the new command and instead joined with 4 other officers and went to speak with the superior of his boss.  Nothing happened and two months later that superior together with his father’s boss called a meeting.  There they were told that they would accept bribes.  His father quit the force and went into a depression.  He then began to drink, smoke marijuana, and abuse Marco’s mother.   

Marco’s parents had the opportunity to move to America through an uncle who moved there. Marco was 20 or so at the time and was denied entry.  At the time he was working long hours with little pay at a restaurant and his boss refused to give him a raise.  He was considering a move when a friend said that he had contacts in the US who would give him a job there.  So after two failed tries he was able to enter the country illegally.  He got a job at a restaurant in Louisiana. 

He was hoping that a “new start” in the US would change his father’s disposition but the situation was the same as it was in Mexico. 

Marco’s mother however began taking English lessons offered free by a Reformed church in the area.  She then began attending Sunday mornings.  Every Sunday she asked her husband to attend the “English class” at the church. Finally one Sunday he gave in and went with her.  The US pastor preached with an interpreter and his father heard the gospel. Marco began to notice a change in his father.  No more drugs,  no more alcohol. And his attitude was different.  He invited Marco to church.  He went, but he wasn’t changing like his father.  “I didn’t feel like I needed to change” thought Marco.  He was a good, honest, obedient son who had no relationships, no drugs, etc. Yet he felt like he needed to change. One Sunday Marco’s father asked if he was going to church and Marco replied that he only went to please his father. It was his small way of rebelling against the idea of having to go to church. His father replied that he should not go for his father’s sake but rather because he wanted to go for himself.  

That is where we left off.  So you, like me, will have to wait until tomorrow.  

Sleep tight, knowing that we are a part of a really big family and our Father loves us all.

Share:

Author: admin

Related Articles