Thousands
flock to hear Nicky Cruz
Auckland, New Zealand - The Thursday night opening event attracted nearly 6000 people, 500 of whom surged to the front of the stage in response to his altar call.
Although he was here for only a few days Mr Cruz, who became the head of the Maumaus, one of New York's largest gangs when he was just 18, managed to pull off what until now would have seemed impossible.
Not only did members of the Mongrel Mob's Notorious Chapter welcome him at the airport and help with security at the events, but he was earlier able to get members of rival gangs to enter the same room together to meet him.
The hero of the best selling book The Cross and the Switchblade and author of Run Baby Run shared his testimony at both rallies.
The crowds were silent as he spoke of how he grew up in Puerto Rico with a mother and father who were both into satanic worship and of how he endured countless beatings. Then about his journey to New York, where he joined the gang and his eventual conversion by a stranger, whom he admitted he was close to killing.
Mr Cruz spoke directly to the gangs.
"I thank God he gave me a chance to know him and his love. What happened to me in my life is personal - it's real. What a miracle that I am here in this country to talk to you tonight," he said.
"Listen to me you gang members. He [David Wilkerson] told me 'Jesus loves you' and I was starving for love. I became a 'phantom'.
"But two weeks after that in front of my gang and my girlfriend something strange happened. That night I broke the curse of witchcraft and set my family free.
"There are a lot of phantoms in your life that will bind you. I urge you to give Jesus a chance. You have been vulnerable to drugs, alcohol, fornication, but tonight I want you to be vulnerable to Jesus ... Give Jesus the chance to deal with personal problems in your life."
Mr Cruz said it was important for churches and Christians to pray together if they really wanted to see change in this country.
He focused on the apostle Peter who, he said, had always fascinated him and quoted from Matthew 14:22-31 as an example: although Peter was scared at least "he tried". Steve Morgan was typical of the diversity of the crowd who turned up at the rally.
Mr Morgan, a motorcycle gang associate, said he had decided to come to the event because he was curious to see the man about whom he had read when he was a teenager.
"I had read both his books about 30 years ago and was quite moved by them." Also assisting with security were members of the Christian Motorcycle Ministry.
Troy Hislop, a former associate of the Hell's Angels said the ministry was fully behind and supportive of the crusades.
"It is outreach and that is what we're here for - the gangs, the young people, outcasts and homeless - for everyone."
A Hamilton man was so excited when he heard about the events he called organisers to say that he had no money and no transport but he would hitchhike to the event. If he had to walk he said he would still make it.
One of the many voluntary counsellors on hand to pray with, get contact numbers from and give out literature to the people who responded to the altar call was Becky Baird, of East City Elim.
Miss Baird, a member of her church youth group who has been a Christian for only about two years admitted that initially she had been "scared witless," to take on such a role at such a huge event.
"I prayed with and counselled two 16 and 17-year-old girls who renewed their faith tonight and I just felt the Holy Spirit guiding me," she said
Mr Cruz was brought to New Zealand by Victory Outreach International.
Earlier, at a press conference at Sky City's convention centre in downtown Auckland before his first rally, Mr Cruz did not divulge much about his meeting the day before with rival gang members except to say that they discussed their concerns.
Mr Cruz said the gangs, who did not wish to be named, had told him their main concern was their children and where they were heading.
"They did not want to see their kids go their way," he said.
Mr Cruz said he was impressed with the willingness of the gangs he met to put aside their differences and meet him. They were much more respectful than the gangsters in the United States.
Back there, he said "you'd be dreaming if you thought you could even get them together into one room".
Mr Cruz also sounded a warning for youngsters here and in other countries who wanted to emulate or follow the gangs in the US.
It was common in places like South Auckland to see youngsters calling themselves Bloods or Crips - two well-known American gangs.
But, said Mr Cruz, there were no comparisons here with the gangs in his country.
"They try here to imitate the gangs overseas," he said. "They don't know anything about the reality of how many are killed every day."
He warned against any future hopes of ever legalising drugs like marijuana saying that if New Zealand ever went down that road then "in 12 years time your youth will end up a bunch of zombies".
Mr Cruz also met MPs at Parliament in Wellington and local government officials. Pictures: KIRSTIN ENGELBRACHT Lavinia Ngatoko reports for Challenge Weekly, New Zealand's independent and non-denominational Christian newspaper |
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