Fuentes Lights Path for Local Youth

“For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the Lord, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.”
— Jeremiah 29:11
THERE WAS A TIME where Robbie Fuentes’ expected end was being another number in the Texas prison system. After all, much of his life had been spent on a seemingly endless cycle between the streets and jail. On his own since the age of 13, he had known no other existence beyond selling drugs and surviving incarceration.
God had a better game plan for Fuentes, one that has led him toward a better ending that one of his favorite verses proclaimed.
“God put a change in my heart,” said Fuentes, who currently runs Second Chance Street Ministry, which he founded two years ago to help guide young men away from the path he once walked. “It took a long time for me to answer His call, but He put something in my heart and I decided to follow it and begin to give back.”
Each Thursday evening, Fuentes takes a group of youngsters to The Fellowship Church in Texas City and gives them more than just a meal and a chance to act their age. In those 90 minutes, the members of Second Chance hear the Word, enabling them to bolster themselves against the temptations that street life presents on a daily basis.
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart, and lean not unto thine understanding.”
— Proverbs 3:5
Fuentes received his salvation when he reached a breaking point in his life that led him to consider ending it. Instead of pulling the trigger, he fell to his knees and prayed for guidance and freedom.
While finding God has been the best thing for him, Fuentes is fully aware that his walk is filled with challenges.
“It’s not always easy to walk with God, “ he said. “To fully put your trust in His word takes a lot of faith, but I am thankful I have a team full of brothers around me. We pray for each other and encourage each other. It really helps to have solid men of God in my life.”
Fuentes has become a solid man of God to those who he mentors. Since its inception, Second Chance has continued to grow. Much of the growth comes from the assistance of Jessica Caldwell, who helps tutor in a variety of subjects. “She’s indispensable,” said Fuentes.
With his eyes on the prize, Fuentes is certain of what he wants to bring to the community.
“I’m looking to open a YMCA-like place where these kids can be kids and be loved,” he said. “We’re teaching them to be men and to show them God has a brighter path than what they might not have believed or seen at home. Some of these kids have been written off by their parents and I know what that’s like. I want to let them know I love and believe in them.
“Most of all, God loves and believes in them.”