Recently in New York, one of our longest-standing inner-city partners went to be with the Lord, and hers was a beautiful story of God's redemption!
Debbe Santiago was a New York native, growing up in the city without the feeling of being loved by anyone. Even by the age of 18, she was looking to wriggle out from the hold that drugs had taken on her life so she moved to the West Coast. Instead, things only spiraled further downward as she became more deeply addicted, and was even sucked into Satanism and other sorcery. Still, Debbe wanted change so she returned to New York.
She continued to struggle to break the cycles that trapped her, now not only addicted to drugs but dealing. This led to her down a dangerous path engaging in violence and robbery, which landed her in a Coney Island hospital, paralyzed. Finally, she called to God, begging Him to set her free from her addictions and, simply put, He did. Debbe began therapy, learning to walk again. She would walk the beach and talk with God. Debbe was amazed that God would know everything about her, and still He would tell her how much He loved her! Debbe's life continued to turn around when she became a home health aide, which also provided her a place to live — a safe place!
Debbe continued to grow in her identity as a loved child of God and she continued to walk the beach. She encountered people she had known from her violent life beneath the boardwalk and contemplated leaving Coney Island for a safer area, free of her history. Instead, she began to truly see the people around her, noticing how the homeless slept under the boardwalk — men, women, and children. Her heart began to change. She would use some of her own money to buy food and clothing for the people she often saw. Debbe was blessed and humbled that God entrusted ministry to her.
People who knew Debbe from her old way of life would ask her, "What happened to you!?" She would gladly share with them what God did in her life to set her free and bind up her wounds because of His love for her. Debbe never tired of telling people that God loved them like this, too.
As Debbe's ministry continued to grow, it became Salt and Sea Mission which eventually partnered with us at Cru. Her ministry offered help to men, women, and children in need of meals, shelter, and loving care. Debbe received and gave away Power Packs®, Boxes of Love®, and Homeless Care Kits.
Continuing to get to know the people of Coney Island, Debbe said "Here are my kids, growing up in Coney Island, the rides in their back yard and they had never been on the rides." She knew they could never afford it. So she prayed. In boldness, Debbe reached out to the Vourderis family, the park owners who agreed to let Debbe bring kids for free on opening day — as many as she could! In turn, Debbe prayed a blessing over the park for its season beginning. From then on, it was an annual event for Salt and Sea — 2015 made 30 years.
A week of ministering in partnership with Debbe last summer left an impression on one student named Traron who came to New York for Summer in the City®. He was so excited about Salt and Sea that he shared with his home church about the experience when he came back. He noted how there were people from all over the world that came through the Mission, most of whom didn't speak any English. Traron said Debbe was so reliant on the Holy Spirit to work through her. She'd told him to go pray with the people who lined the block around Salt and Sea. When he returned she asked Traron if he'd shared the gospel, and he was confused — they didn't speak English. Debbe shared a testimony of working in Russia without a translator, but faithfully sharing while the Holy Spirit worked beyond the language barriers. This was the heart of Debbe, not only to love in compassion but in boldness and trust in God.
Debbe's story is one for the books, that God would turn her life around and use her experiences to minister to the community. We are so thankful for the legacy of a partnership with such a faithful, loving servant of the Lord!
Previous Posts:
• Dani's New Hope
• Even in the Rain
• Living God's Love
• Love That Sees
• More Than Candy
Alicia Losier serves as the Communications Specialist for Cru's inner-city ministry.
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