Page 7 - Cornerstone Connection Magazine - Volume 22 - Issue 7

For most of his teen years, Jorge Vazquez was hell-bent on ride home even though I’d done the driving.”
destruction, so much so, even a near-death experience wasn’t Fortunately for Jorge, it was the sport of baseball that lifted
enough to get his attention. him out of his excessive indulgence, and through his destruc-
“In high school, I was really into the Miami party scene,” tive circumstances, he was then brought to Jesus by a coach.
he said. “One night, after my brother’s prom, he invited me Over the years, he was discipled and became not only a mis-
to an after-party on the roof of a hotel in South Beach where sionary but a Spanish translator, beginning to preach as he
I got really wasted. When I traveled internationally for baseball tournaments.
tried to leave, I remember “While on a mission trip, I was miraculously healed of an
trying to come down a lad- old sports injury. Through my preaching and travels, I felt as
der from the rooftop, eight if the Lord was calling me into ministry,” Jorge explained. “It
to ten floors up, as if it were was a true mountain-top experience, but when I came back
a staircase, but facing in the home, it was a real culture shock. At the same time, my old
wrong direction.” injury returned, and I wasn’t able to play baseball any longer.
A good friend literally Still, I knew God was using the pain and calling me to some-
caught Jorge in mid-air, thing special.”
turned him around, and In prayer, the Lord instructed Jorge that he was to start a
saved his life. But that mir- ministry directed at musicians, youth, and even heavy-metal
acle wasn’t enough to curb bands. He was able to plan huge concerts, and his ministry
Jorge’s destructive behavior. reputation grew. Around 2001, a concert promoter gave Jorge
“We lived just blocks from $60,000 to put on a family-friendly concert in Louisville, KY.
all the best night clubs, and It was after this time that he would meet his future wife,
I was always the “designat- Kat, whose life was in direct contrast to his.
ed driver,” but I would still “I was raised in the Bible belt, and my parents were wonder-
drink and drive,” Jorge said. ful role models for my sister and me,” Kat said. “Generational
“Because I hated the smell blessings are a real thing! And I think it’s significant to point
(L to R) Christian, Kat, of cigarette smoke, when I’d out my mother had a pioneering spirit during the Women’s
Jorge and Victor; get home, I’d take a shower Lib movement of the 70s. She entered the ministry as one of
Little League Field Days: to get rid of the odor. It was the first church Youth Directors of her era.”
Victor received the Game Ball as if the shower woke me up, Jorge’s upbringing could not have been more different.
for breaking up a no-hitter. but I couldn’t remember the Vazquez • continued on PaGe 8
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