W W W . S A I N T E R S E C T I O N . O R G
N O V E M B E R 2 O 1 4
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"I felt isolated again. I was still in a dark place. I didn't know what else
to do!"
Robert was literally a razor's edge from suicide. Holding the sharpened
knife to his own throat, he was sure death was the only release from his
loneliness and despair. His lack of ambition, job and friends only added to
his hopeless feeling of isolation.
What stopped Robert was "a voice" within him that assured him that
"something better" was available. That's when someone invited Robert to
a youth program at The Salvation Army's Houston International Corps.
From the start, he felt loved and accepted by strangers who were
"actually wanting to become my friends." He kept attending the youth
group and began coming on Sundays for worship. As he did, his
pessimism about goodness found in people began to vanish.
The turning point for Robert was when the youth group was going
out one Friday night to Cici's Pizza, and as their vehicle was going
down the road, the group spotted a young man on the side of the road
with a stalled car.
"Other cars were just passing him by, but the guys in my group said,
`Hey let's stop and help him out!'" Robert says.
That single act of kindness convinced Robert that goodness really
does reside in people, when Christ is held uppermost in their lives.
By the time the Divisional Men's Camp rolled around, Robert knew
that the Holy Spirit was
convicting him of his
sins and of his
desperate need for Christ
as Lord and Savior. That
Sunday morning, Robert
went forward during the
invitation and was
gloriously saved.
He is now a uniformed
soldier of the Houston
International Corps. But
there's an equally great
ending to this story for
Robert's family.
"One by one, my family began coming with me to the Army for
worship--fi rst my brother, than other members of my family, and last, my
Dad," Robert says. "My dad was the hardest, but now he is a soldier too
and proudly wears his uniform!"
Robert's favorite verse is from Psalm 23, which speaks of not fearing
"the valley of the shadow of death" because, as he says, "With that knife
in my hand that night, that's where I was... but Christ brought me out of
that valley!"
Robert serves as an usher at the corps, and often helps direct cars on
Sunday mornings in the corps parking lot.
Meanwhile, the Rojas Family is planning for another great
Thanksgiving later this month.
By the time the Divisional Men's Camp rolled
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Back from Death's Valley
continued
states (Tennessee and Texas). His stoic leadership
through the dark days of massacre at the hands
of the formidable Mexican Army at The Alamo
and at Goliad proved critical to the cause of
Texan independence.
Houston's brilliant strategy at San Jacinto
defeated the barbarous General Santa Ana, and
won for Texas its status among the world's family
of nations as a republic. Houston even served as
the republic's president for several years.
Among Houston's inner circle was his best friend
for most of his adult life, Rev. George Washington
Baines. It was Baines, who had a profound Christian
infl uence on Houston--even during
Sam's rough and rowdy years--
that fi nally brought the Father of
Texas Liberty into a liberating life
in Jesus Christ.
Rev. Baines led Sam Houston to
the Lord, and from that day of
conversion in 1854, "Ol' Sam" lived as a
devout Christian until his death in 1863.
Now, it turns out that this would not be
Rev. Baines's only connection with a
bona�fi de head�of�state. Yes, Rev. Baines was
named after our nation's fi rst president, George Washington.
But there would be another president with a connection--a blood
connection--to Rev. G.W. Baines.
A framed letter, yellowed with age, written by Sam Houston
to his best friend, George W. Baines--thanking him for leading
Texas's favorite son to the Lord--would hang in the Oval Offi ce
during the 36th president's term in offi ce... Lyndon Baines
Johnson, Rev. Baines's great-grandson.
Robert Rojas and his family.