Whenever people spoke of surfing, I would picture the iconic images of a long-haired blonde leaping into the ocean. But today, that image was forever changed. Today, Andreas, Carla, José, and Jesús joined us at the beach. They are street kids from a nearby colonia here in Mazatlán. And although they have faced many challenges, you would never guess it from their bright-eyed curiosity. In fact, if anything they’re brilliant and marked by a street-smart ingenuity I will never possess.
Our team had met them two days earlier during a ministry time in their very poor neighborhood. Today, when we asked if they wanted to go surfing, they went crazy. They jumped up and down laughing while several stray dogs joined in barking wildly.
“Chiga, chiga, chiga!” the kids sang. It was their favorite line from the song we’d taught them. And now they couldn’t stop signing it.
We sat down to eat some breakfast before heading to the beach. I couldn’t help grinning as the kids chatted my ears off. Though I only knew a little Spanish, it didn’t matter. We had become friends. And so, I smiled and nodded and responded in my broken Spanish.
Finally, it was time to head to the beach. As I helped Jesús balance on the surfboard, I realized that this was what real ministry looked like. It wasn’t just passing out Bibles or preaching messages. It was hugging a street kid and trying my best to tell them how much God loves them. After all, God’s not limited by language barriers. Love is His language. And as I watched Jesús catch his first wave with shouts of joy, I realized that this was the language I want to learn the most.
Story by Skyler, DTS student on outreach in Mexico.
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