We had only been in our new home of Gudalajara, Mexico for 2 weeks and I was itching to get out into the city and explore. My trusty camera was by my side, ready to capture the sights I was sure God would present. It just so happened to be the Saturday before Easter and there were small glimpses of the holy day around as I began my exploration of the 500 year old area of central Guadalajara.
Mexico is beyond beautiful, much more than the dusty roads of Clint Eastwood movies that we come to think of when we think of Mexico. The architecture calls the heart to Spain, the cobble stone streets call the mind into a distant past, and the cathedrals reach far into the sky, attempting to do what Babel could not. The streets that day were busy, the seemingly countless squares, plazas, and parks littered with humanity, all seeking to enjoy the beauty of the city. As I meandered through the crowded city spaces, no plan in mind except to get lost, I rounded a corner and saw a sight that amazed. There sat an artist on the ground, a small piece of pastel chalk in hand, creating a huge image of Jesus Christ. A crown of thorns sat hard on his brow as He looked up into heaven, clearly a moment before Him on the cross that He would have rather avoided. Yet a moment that He would soon endure that would change the course of humanity’s reach of eternity.
I snapped a few photos, intrigued with the care and skill the artist was displaying, clearly absorbed in his work. The sketch was at this time only a simple white chalk outline, yet still made quite the impression, made obvious by the large crowd that had gathered around him, watching the progress of an artwork being given life. He had his social media contact information hastily scrawled on a piece of cardboard nearby, I snapped a photo of it and moved on into the sea of people to continue my day.
Later that night, God called that drawing to my mind. The image of Jesus once again taking my attention. So powerful, that image. His eyes…a real man, facing crucifixion for sin that he knew not. I grabbed my phone, typed in his Facebook address and what popped up on my screen took my breath. The simple white outline had indeed been given life. The colors, the shadows, the textures, the contrast, they all leaped from the simple tiled surface. The lifeless pavement now readily spoke of life as the image of Jesus, hours from the cross, told a story. A story that needs to be proclaimed from the mountain tops of this world. And it was in this moment that God spoke into me. Surely the thousands of people that had gazed upon this photo that day did not fully know why Jesus went to the Cross. Surely the myriad of hearts that had gazed upon the power of this image didn’t know that Jesus’ march to the cross was for them. The Holy Spirit engaged my mind, taking over, what if I had been there to tell them? What if we did this again and had loving brothers and sisters in Christ there, around the drawing, to tell the onlookers about the greatest love the world has ever known?
As impossible as the plan seemed, I reached out to the artist the next day. I had researched a little about him before hand and found out that even though he lived in Guadalajara, he travelled the world, creating his art in national art festivals from Italy to South America. In all honesty, I was not only expecting the refusal, but looking for it. I mean why would a secular artist in 2022 want to engage in an evangelism event knowing that the world will not stand for the open giving out of God’s gospel? Yet in my little faith, I found just the opposite. God opened up a beautiful relationship that would soon culminate into one of the most amazing evangelism events I have ever witnessed.
Margie and I met with Erwin at his office, official meeting agenda in hand, ready for whatever door God was ready to open. We talked openly about our plan, to commission him to draw another photo. One that told a story. One that would create questions in hearts, hearts seeking a truth that had been to this point, eluding them. And as those questions arose, we would have people with answers nearby. Scriptural answers. We would stage a group of college students here on mission to engage people as they encountered the beauty of his art, the beauty of an image that conjured wonder, amazement, and a need to know. A need to know more about Jesus. Erwin wholeheartedly loved the plan, we were off to the races.
After 2 months of planning and prayerful selection of the right image, the event happened on a beautiful sunny Saturday in downtown Guadalajara. Erwin uses the same spot for all of his events, one that he claims can see 100,000 people pass by on an average Saturday. Only two blocks from the historic main cathedral and a mere 35 feet from a major subway station, I now know his numbers are spot on. The idea of this mass of people being openly exposed to the gospel of Jesus Christ still seemed so distant, yet was happening in the moment.
Through a series of amazing conversations, God clearly revealed that we should use an image of Jesus at the well talking with the Samarian woman. A story found in John chapter 4 that so beautifully touches on the idea of an eternal living water that can only be found through the salvation that Christ made available from the cross. Erwin started the drawing that morning and as it progressed through the afternoon, a sea of people washed upon its shores. People gazing at the artwork created upon the very surface in which they were treading. And as they washed up, the conversations happened. The photo generated a tremendous interest and as a result the conversations about Jesus flowed freely. Conversations that ended in people, many for the first time, hearing about a love that could redeem their very souls.
We shared with hundreds of people that afternoon. One group of onlookers being quickly replaced by another. We had books of John to distribute, able to read them the very story of the photo their eyes were absorbing. The colors of the image leaping off the pavement and into their minds and hearts as they heard the very Words of Jesus Christ uttered from that Samarian well over 2000 years ago. The face of the Messiah ever so carefully drawn, seemingly real as they heard of a living water so different than the water this world offers. A living water that will see its recipient never thirst again.
Jesus made public is Jesus believed upon. It’s that simple. We saw eyes opened, we saw lives touched, and we saw souls changed. And all that was needed was to expose the world to a Savior that has been forgotten by so many. Today, regardless of where you live or what you do, you have a similar call from Christ. To give out His Word, to make Him known, to tell his story. For there is an entire world of lost souls walking this dark planet, souls that need to hear of a love that can save their souls. But yet in order for that to happen, the story must be told…the photo must be drawn.
Please pray for the hundreds that heard the gospel of Jesus Christ during this event, many for the first time. Pray that those gospel seeds sown fall on fertile ground. Fertile soil that will be watered by living water from a well that will never run dry. Pray that those lives stop looking for the water and go directly to the well.
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