August 31, 2026
It’s good to remember that much of the life and ministry of Jesus tool place outside of the Temple and the synagogue, as did his redemptive sacrifice – and it’s heartening to hear contemporary stories of redemption outside the walls of our church. One such encouraging story, retold in The Guardian Newspaper last week, bore the headline “The ex-gang member breaking the cycle of violence among LA youths (the link is https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2026/aug/25/los-angeles-gangs-youth-gun-violence).
And that is what Francisco Villarruel, a 40-year-old citizen of Los Angeles, is doing. He spends his time befriending youth in that city in hopes of saving some of them from life in gangs and the violence that comes with it. And it’s working. After his own traumatic youth – he was scarred by gang violence, and himself sent to prison for being an accomplice to a crime– he became a Christian and a trained social worker. Now, he builds relationships with teenagers through activities like pool and boxing, which gives the youth time to slowly open up about their trauma and struggles. Further, he works with them to create paths toward a career and a healthy life. He isn’t paid for this work. He sees it as his calling.
And it can’t be easy. The prevalence of gangs in Los Angeles is astounding. And so is the trauma they inflict. Each year in California, Villarruel’s ethnic group – Hispanic males – account for half of California’s 1,374 murders. The Guardian article points out what we all probably know: “Shootings are the beginning of a cycle of violence: people who are victims of violent crime then become more susceptible to perpetuating violence themselves.” And Villarruel says, “If a gang member commits a shooting in a community, how many generations is that going to affect?” The answer in many cases is many generations. Such is the human condition.
In the midst of such a negative, and overwhelming reality, Villarruel labors by investing heavily in the lives of young men, one at a time. Soon after seeing this article, and writing this, I will be meeting with the front man for reentry ministries at South Street, which we support through the Barnabas Fund, by our Easter Offerings. Our support goes to help people outside of our walls find a new path. It a small thing that we do, which can make a big difference.