Nicky Cruz was born in Puerto Rico. He did not receive love in his home and as a boy he was always getting into trouble. His own mother was unkind to him and called him “the son of Satan”. That must have made Nicky so sad! As a teenager, he was sent away from home to live with his older brother in New York. Before long he ran away from his brother and joined the Mau Maus. This was the fiercest and worst gang in the whole city. Nicky became the gang leader. He got into terrible trouble leading his gang into violent street fights, robbery, and all sorts of crimes. He was also taking drugs. Nicky’s heart was full of rage and hatred. Nicky was in and out of prison many times.

A man named David Wilkerson came into Nicky’s neighborhood and told him about God and the Lord Jesus. Nicky beat him up! But two weeks later David came back to preach in a boxing arena close to where Nicky lived. Nicky decided to go with some members of his gang to “teach the preacher a lesson”. But God had other plans. God made Nicky see that what he was doing was wicked and wrong. God made him long with all his heart to be changed. So, after the meeting, he talked to David and Nicky prayed to God to forgive him! It was like starting a new life!

The following day Nicky went to the police and turned in all his weapons. They could hardly believe their eyes! He began to study the Bible so that he would know how to tell other people about God and His wonderful love: He showed His love for us by sending Jesus to the cross for our sins.

One day he went back to the old neighborhood where he had been the leader of the Mau Maus. He told some of the gang members about Jesus and some of them too trusted the Lord Jesus to forgive their sins and to be their Savior.

Since then, he could tell many people how God had changed his life, and tell them that God could do that for them too. God is so kind and so powerful!

If you have gotten into trouble there is hope for you too! God is holding out His arms and inviting you to come to Him so that He can forgive you and make you His child. He wants to change you like Nicky.