“I Was Convicted by My Own Apathy” – Juan Riesco on Saving Babies
Conversations That Matter
Jon Harris
4.3 • 1.1K Ratings
🗓️ 13 April 2026
⏱️ 40 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
Juan Riesco, former Nini's Deli owner and now Director of Advertising for Love Life, shares his remarkable journey from running a top-rated restaurant that was shut down during the 2020 BLM protests, to answering God’s call to sidewalk ministry outside abortion clinics. He opens up about the spiritual battle, why most abortions stem from sin rather than just hardship, the 95 babies rescued through their ministry so far, and how local churches can step up through the House of Refuge Initiative. This episode is filled with conviction, hope, and practical encouragement for Christians who want to stand for life and the gospel in dark places.
Links:
Paint The Wall Black: https://youtu.be/4OJIucA3zsc?si=xuHJQVF4Fk8JdX7h
Love Life: https://lovelife.org/location/chicago/
00:00 - Introduction & Juan Riesco’s Story: From Restaurant Owner to Pro-Life Ministry
00:01:48 - Reopening Nini’s Restaurant & Why It Ultimately Closed
00:09:23 - The Conviction That Led Juan to Sidewalk Ministry
00:15:33 - What Really Happens at Abortion Clinics: Light vs. Darkness
00:22:45 - 95 Babies Saved – Success Stories & Gospel Impact
00:28:55 - How Churches Can Get Involved: House of Refuge Initiative
00:38:03 - The Future of the Pro-Life Movement & Final Encouragement
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | Welcome once again to the Conversations That Matter podcast. |
| 0:15.7 | I'm your host John Harris with Juan Riesko, who was the, do I say star, he was the main figure in our documentary that we did a few more than a few years ago now, which was called Paint the Wall Black. And maybe we'll talk about that a little bit. But without further ado, Juan, it's so good to see you. Brother, John, it's a joy to be back, man. Thanks for having me. Yeah, I love you, brother. |
| 0:38.3 | Love what you're doing. |
| 0:39.3 | I see you all the time on social media. |
| 0:42.3 | And it's encouraging to me just to see all you're doing for the cause of anti-abortion and |
| 0:48.3 | saving babies' lives. |
| 0:50.3 | But you were not always known for that. |
| 0:53.3 | And we were, I suppose, on the ground floor of what Juan Riesco's kind of Christian trajectory |
| 1:00.4 | here, because you, I'll let you tell a little bit more of the story, for those who saw |
| 1:05.1 | the documentary they know, but, you know, you had the highest rated business or at least |
| 1:10.5 | restaurant in Chicago and Yale. |
| 1:12.8 | And it was shut down during 2020, BLM. |
| 1:15.7 | And you had to flee with your family with all these death threats and everything to Dallas area. |
| 1:21.1 | You came back to reopen Neney's. |
| 1:22.7 | And that's kind of where we left the story. |
| 1:24.9 | Last time, I think you were on the podcast is you're, you were hoping to |
| 1:29.0 | reopen Nienies. But now you're not doing any of that. You are with Love Life. And the link is actually |
| 1:33.5 | in the info section. If people want to support you with Love Life, it's Lovelife.org |
| 1:37.4 | forward slash location, forward slash Chicago. Anyway, you're saving babies live. So walk us through the journey of Juan Riesco |
| 1:46.2 | over the last five years. Oh my, praise God. Yeah. So the last we all I spoke, the last time I |
| 1:53.7 | spoke with the conversations that greatly matter podcast audience, I was moving back to Chicago from the Dallas, Fort Worth area to reopen my family's restaurant. |
| 2:08.3 | And it was really only because of, of course, I sensed the Lord moving my family and I, |
... |
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