By Jorge Jaque
It was just another sunny afternoon on the busy streets of Humacao, a city on the southeastern side of the Isla del Encanto (Enchanted Island), as many like to describe Puerto Rico. It was Saturday, August 11, 2007, and what happened that day would impact many lives with sorrow and sadness.
An absurd misunderstanding between Humacao police officer Javier Pagan, and a well-known biker, Miguel Cáceres, would end in the tragic death of a husband and father of a ten-year-old boy. The struggle between the two that ended with Miguel’s death reached a worldwide audience after a bystander recorded the crucial moments in which the police officer unloaded his firearm on his victim, who was already down on the ground. The footage filled the following hours as news outlets and TV networks from all over the island and the world showed the graphic images of the two men fighting, surrounded by a multitude of people who witnessed the events in disbelief.
Revenge!
The years that followed this episode were marked by what seemed like an endless legal battle to serve justice in this complicated case, and meanwhile, another story was developing. Miguel Cáceres, Sr., the father of the man killed that afternoon, made a solemn promise to himself. He would not stop until justice was served. He would avenge his son’s death. He would kill Javier Pagan himself when he was released from jail, as he awaited his sentence!
Mr. Cáceres’ world became ever blacker with hatred and sadness. As he thought of how to kill Javier, the stress ate away at his body, but he didn’t care. Finally, as his resentment reached a critical point, his heart gave out on him and he suffered a heart attack that nearly ended his life.
Another Saturday
But God had a different plan, and another Saturday afternoon changed his life. While he lay in his hospital bed recovering from his heart attack, a group of ladies from the Las Piedras Seventh-day Adventist Church came by to visit and pray with the patients. After their visit, one of them took the time to contact Mr. Cáceres’ family, and later visited them. She also continued to ask God to take the hate and sadness from his heart.
Meanwhile, 3ABN Latino was working with the Puerto Rican church leaders to broadcast a massive evangelistic series entitled, “Un Futuro Con Esperanza” (“A Future With Hope”) with Pastor Robert Costa. 3ABN Latino would soon carry the series live from the very city where this tragedy had occurred, and the lady who visited the Cáceres family didn’t waste any time in bringing them an invitation to attend.
By God’s grace, Mr. Cáceres accepted her invitation and began attending the meetings. God wanted this man for His own, and by His grace, the Holy Spirit touched his heart and converted him! During one of Pastor Costa’s altar calls, he gave his heart to Jesus and came forward for prayer.
Today, Miguel Cáceres, Sr. is a new man. Although the life of a young man was tragically taken, his father now has a new life in Jesus Christ! He eagerly shares his testimony at prayer meetings or with anyone who will listen, and by the time you receive this magazine, Miguel will be baptized as the newest member of the Las Piedras Seventh-day Adventist Church. God has truly transformed his life, bringing him out of darkness into the marvelous light of His love!
Visit the Las Piedras Seventh-day Adventist Church
