The 2017 West Coast Siafu Men’s Retreat was such an incredible weekend of retreat. It was really a summit where we experienced the spirit of the living God in those mountains. We heard and were challenged by powerful preaching from men of God. On the first night, Pastor Enrique spoke to us about the “Enemies We Fight.” On Saturday, Dr. Davis shared with us for two sessions about the unfolding drama and the cosmic battle that we are engaged in. We heard about the enlistment that we make once we give our lives to Christ.
We engaged in worship through song and hip hop music. We laughed, ate, played games, and rested. We could have gone home after just two days and would have been full enough to go back to our communities equipped and prepared for the fight. I was given the assignment to preach on that third day. I wanted to encourage the men that morning just to let them know and confirm what God had already spoken to them that weekend. I needed to let them know that they were blessed, called, and chosen to be warriors.
Just as any other retreat that I’ve attended, I thought I would preach an encouraging word, have communion, and drive home from the retreat. But there was something special that happened on that third day. During our testimony time a young man came up and said, “I am not a Christian but when I come back next year I will be a Christian.” Then one of our staff members Gustavo stood next to him and said, “There is no need to wait, brother, you can be a follower of Jesus right now.” It was at that moment this young man began to cry and repeated the sinner’s prayer. Men got up from their seats embracing him as he sobbed in their arms. Just when we thought that we had it all planned out, God was at work in ways unbeknownst to us. The next day, I got an additional report that a grandfather who was at the retreat gave his life to Christ at that same moment. This was by far the most impactful retreat that I’ve been a part of.