On Gabriel’s first church youth retreat after he became a Christian at age 12, his youth pastor began sexually abusing him.
As the months dragged by, the man would take Gabriel on weekend trips and write him letters. Such was life for Gabriel, in the injustice-ridden nation of Honduras, as captivated students learned at a special chapel in Calvary Chapel Monday night, when Honduras expert Kurt Ver Beek addressed injustices in Honduras.
Gabriel went into a depression and tried to commit suicide. Kids at school made fun of him and called him gay. Gabriel was afraid; he thought no one could ever help him. He had no hope. He had no desire to live.
“How come we as Christians are not involved in this?” Ver Beek said. “What would you do
if this was your sister, your mother, your daughter or Gabriel was your brother?”
Ver Beek, the co- founder of the Association for a More Just Society, has lived in Honduras for more than 20 years, where he has committed his life to God and to helping others in need. AJS has helped over 30,000 Hondurans in need, in ways like obtaining land titles and helping overcome injustices. It has also helped to convict over 100 violent criminals.
Ver Beek talked about the political crisis in Honduras, and the fear of the people about what will happen after President Manuel Zelaya is removed from power. Ver Beek also challenged students to act against injustices all over the world.
“God loves justice and wants us to do justice,” Ver Beek said. People usually make excuses such as, “I don’t have time,””I don’t have money,” or “It is none of my business,” he said, “but if we don’t act, violence and corruption will increase.”
The AJS has helped people like Gabriel, who after meeting with his high school’s counselor who sent him to AJS, who has been transformed into a new person. His abuser was captured and sentenced. Gabriel, 17, now lives with the knowledge that all along, his abuser was the guilty one, not him.
Ver Beek closed with 1 John 4:18, which left students reflecting on how they have limited themselves from helping others due to fear.
“There is no fear in love, but perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment,” he said. “The one who fears is not made perfect in love.”
