{"id":12523,"date":"2018-10-15T19:44:00","date_gmt":"2018-10-15T19:44:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salarmyeds.org\/?p=12523"},"modified":"2026-09-08T19:47:51","modified_gmt":"2026-09-08T19:47:51","slug":"the-salvation-army-helps-two-brothers-in-christ-deliver-hope-in-panama-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salarmyeds.org\/index.php\/2018\/10\/15\/the-salvation-army-helps-two-brothers-in-christ-deliver-hope-in-panama-city\/","title":{"rendered":"The Salvation Army Helps Two Brothers in Christ Deliver Hope in Panama City"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Panama City, FL<\/strong> –\u00a0On most days you\u2019ll find John \u201cZZ\u201d Gavrun and John \u201cAnimal\u201d Kirchens riding their motorcycles, preaching the gospel of Jesus throughout Panama City.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They\u2019re both members of Faith Riders, a local motorcycle ministry; but on this day, the pair was riding in Gavrun\u2019s car, its roof barely intact from the effects of Hurricane Michael which devastated the area less than a week ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today\u2019s mission was to find a hot meal to keep them and their families going. \u201cWe lived through it, watched it come in, watched the trees come crashing down all around us. It was devastating,\u201d says Gavrun. He had seen hurricanes before, never heeding the call to leave and Michael was no different.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve sat through several Cat 1\u2019s and 2\u2019s over the years and we thought this would be a 3, something we could handle like the others,\u201d says Gavrun. \u201cBut it came in almost as a Cat 5 and it destroyed everything.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the Saint Andrew Baptist Church where their motorcycle ministry was born, The Salvation Army mobile feeding unit is a welcome site as crew members provide hot food, cold water, and hope. \u201cIt\u2019s a blessing to have The Salvation Army here providing this help, it\u2019s a blessing for everyone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His friend John Kirchens credits his strong faith as what carries him through all of this. \u201cI\u2019ve been able to cope with disaster because I have Christ in my heart and he\u2019s helping me deal with this,\u201d he says. \u201cTo have The Salvation Army here is a blessing because they\u2019re preaching God\u2019s love through feeding and it\u2019s wonderful.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kirchens shares an uplifting message with everyone he comes across. \u201cI\u2019m telling people not to lose hope because they\u2019re still alive. Houses, cars and things can all be replaced but your life cannot. Keep Jesus in your heart and you won\u2019t go through this alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additional information:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n