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HARLINGEN -- Action 4 News found the seats are full at In His Presence ministries, many in attendance are young people touched by God. Joshua Gonzalez, a former gang member, is one of them.
"I've already lost friends, he's in Olmito, he's the one that shot a west sider," he said.
He says he left his lifestyle to turn to God a month ago.
He thanks J.O. Menindez for turning him to God.
"My goal is to reach out to gangs and youth that are hurting," Menindez said.
"He's helped us reach God and see who he is and gang members who've changed," Gonzalez explained.
In just a month, the youth group is now 40 members strong, they even have a myspace account (myspace.com/ihpministries) showing gang members who turned to God.
One of their newest members is Henry Cruz, another reformed gang member.
"I let go of my past, I’m looking to my future and God's going to be there, and I'm going thorough his path," he explained.
The group says they've got big plans ahead and with these former gang member's ties to their past, they hope to change the future.
"He wants to reach out to these west siders,” Gonzalez said, “and I believe I can I know most of them here."
Jo says his success so far is helping bring in even more gang members.
"They say the best marketing is word of mouth. It spread through North High School," he explained.
Now the teens have plans to spread the word and success through the entire city.
"There's going to be less crime in Harlingen, less graffiti, gangs, everything."
The boys tell us they try interesting tactics to get gang members in the church one of them bets his friends money that they'll feel a change by attending service.
So far he not paid out any of them. For more information on the ministry, you can call J.O. Menindez at (956) 456-4562.
