Drug Dealers Help Students Go To Momentum
Six students from Urban Hope wanted to go to Momentum 2009. They worked hard to raise the money selling candy bars and partnering with churches and individuals for support. Funds were coming in, but the Wednesday before they were to leave, Brent Saba, Director of Training for Urban Hope, saw they were coming up short by several hundred dollars.
Brent knew the kids had done an amazing job, but were “just short of funds”. So Brent was praying about the needed money when God seemed to tell him something crazy. “Go to the drug dealers on the corner and ask them if they want to partner and give money to send the kids to youth conference.”
The more Brent prayed and wrestled with the idea, the more the Spirit was nudging him. God also impressed on Brent that he should take one of his team members. So Brent called Hector.
Hector thought Brent “was nuts” when Brent told him the idea. But he prayed about it and both went down to one of the corners.
Brent and Hector went straight to the top talking to the Kingpin who owns the corner. Laying it all out, Brent explained to the man that God had told him to ask the Kingpin if he would partner with the church to send the Urban Hope kids to a conference to learn more about Jesus. The Kingpin asked how much they needed. Brent replied, “Several hundred dollars”. The Kingpin thought about it and said, “Yea, we can support you” and told Brent to come back in a few days.
A couple of his guys were listening to the conversation and pulled out some cash. They gave about $30 to Brent saying, “I want to support the church”. A few days later Brent went back to the corner and the KingPin gave him $100. “I really want to help you out with more,” He told Brent, “but sales have been tough this week.” Brent thanked him for helping these kids go to the conference and learn more about the Bible.
Brent sees God working in the heart of this drug dealer. Now the Urban Hope kids can go back and tell him about their trip to conference, sharing Christ with him.