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LAST CHANCE MINISTRIES
A Bright Light on San Antonio’s Westside BY: INE Z KI R C H NER
A lot of things can make you want to turn away from Jesus,” says Jimmy Robles, founder and pastor at Last Chance Ministries (LCM). Hour by hour, he recounts the morning he discovered his 19-year old daughter, Victoria, or “Tori,” had died in a tragic car accident. The last call he made to her at midnight. The unanswered call at 2 a.m. when she didn’t arrive home. San Antonio police officers, who were also friends of the well-known westside evangelist, confirming the devastating news at noon. More than a decade into turning his life around for Christ, Robles faced the worst news a parent could endure. "I decided that I could either die with my daughter or live for her, said Robles." I decided to live for her.” Robles swung a baseball bat at his daughter’s funeral and delivered her eulogy marked MORE THAN 100 with the words, BATS have been given to “When life hits families who have experienced you, you either a great loss. Fifty bats have been get knocked given to children who are facing down or hit life-threatening cancer. The bats back.” Pivotal are symbols of hope, a reminder
services and multiple community outreach programs.
moments like these have characterized his journey with Christ and Last Chance Ministries: from giving up drug dealing; to meeting an unexpected donor through dire financial straits; to praising God despite a monumental loss. Growing up in the San Antonio 78207 zip code comes with local and national notoriety. Amid rampant gang activity, prostitution and violence, Robles took to selling drugs. In 2005, his life changed. After attending a retreat, he gave his life to Christ. He was immediately called to evangelize back in the streets where he grew up and Last Chance Ministries was born. "Many of the people who come to us are dying—physically and spiritually— and tell us ‘this is my last chance." From offering a blessing or simply a hug every Saturday in a vacant lot at Zarzamora and Poplar, his efforts quickly grew to bilingual church
Fourteen years later and with a private donor’s help, LCM has moved into a larger facility on Brady Boulevard. The ministry bought the government building where he used to go to get food stamps. God has a sense of humor. LCM has since expanded to include two sanctuaries, a boxing gym, and the Christian Sports Organization field, a safe place for community youth to practice sports. Every year they hold a back-to-school event where volunteers distribute nearly 10,000 supply-filled backpacks. Students can also get dental and vision checkups, immunizations and more. They host a warm Thanksgiving meal and Christmas celebration with gifts and activities for thousands of community families every holiday season. These two major outreach events will take place this year in spite of the pandemic. The Thanksgiving event will be held on November 21 and the Christmas outreach on December 19 (see Be A Light section for how you can help). The coronavirus has not stopped this grassroots
to fight back when life knocks you down.
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