Brian

Benjamin and I are in LA learning about urban ministry. This trip was encouraged when Benjamin read G-Dog and the Home Boys by Father Greg Boyle.

It is his story of working with kids in gangs in LA. Benjamin was so inspired by the book he insisted I read it. I did. It was inspiring and convicting at the same time.

I told him we could visit Father Boyle's ministry someday. It is called Homeboy Industries.

We visited this ministry on Thursday. We met a guy named Brian who took us on a tour of their facility - they have a restaurant, a bakery, a tattoo removal service and a few others ministries in their three year old facility. It was very impressive and inspiring. Most of the employees are former gang members. There was hope in the air as we walked from room to room.

Brian agreed to have lunch with us. Brian's story is somewhat typical of what you might find at Homeboy. Brian became a gang member at the age of 14. He never graduated from high school. He was arrested and spent several years in jail. He was released from jail a year ago at the age of 21. He was pretty desperate and hopeless. He has a little girl to support. With no job, no degree, a long record of arrests and tattoo's on his arms, neck and face, he has little hope of employment.

In jail someone told him about Homeboy Industries. With no where else to go, Brian went to Homeboy and met with Father Boyle. Much to his surprise Father Boyle or G-Dog, as he is affectionately called, hired him!

Brian says God is at work in his life. When he started his first college class and started the long and painful process of tatoo removal his Dad threw him a party! Brian is now working 40 hours a week, is taking anger management classes, he works out every morning at 5:30 am, is an aspiring hip hop artist and is filled with a warm and humble spirit.

What an inspiring lunch for Benjamin and me!

"May God continue to bless Homeboy Industries, G-Dog, the staff at Homeboy and every person that finds hope in this place of restoration and renewal."