Dr. Jorge Cordova was the founding pastor of El Buen Samaritano. In addition to his pastoral ministry, Jorge was a medical doctor and director of Nazarene Compassionate Ministries in Mexico.  Jorge often ministered to the street people of Guadalajara.  On that Sunday evening as we walked from our hotel to the parking garage where El Buen Samaritano held its services, we passed a half dozen teenage boys camped on the street.  We smelled something that caused us to suspect they were sniffing glue.  One boy called out, asking if we were headed to Jorge’s church.  Jorge was known in the neighborhood as a man who will help anyone in need.

I knew immediately that Paco was one of those to whom Jorge shared the love of Jesus. Jorge was Paco’s friend.

On the following Wednesday evening, several of us were headed to a telephone booth on a street corner in downtown Guadalajara.  As we stepped out of the hotel lobby, we saw Paco pacing the sidewalk.  Paco saw us, too—and remembered us.  With arms waving and body jerking, Paco hurried over to our group.  He gave me a big hug.  Any friend of Jorge was a friend of Paco!!  

As we embraced, I noticed a taxi driver leaning on the front fender, totally baffled by what he had just seen. His eyes were opened as wide as could be. Why was an American tourist hugging a Mexican street person in downtown Guadalajara?

Christians are called to embody the love of Jesus, and this love will transcend economic and cultural and racial identities, not orbit around one of them.  “There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Galatians 3:28, NIV).  God is glorified in uncommon relationships.

Keith Schwanz