About two and a half years ago, Josue entered my life. He was one of my students at Seminario Teologico Meseta De Los Pueblos. Let me tell you, he’s what I’d call a gentle giant. Married, with a kid, and his mom living with them, he’s got a full plate.

From the get-go, there was something about Josue that just drew me in. You know how sometimes you can sense the Spirit in someone? That was Josue. Despite not having any formal Bible education, his questions in class revealed a depth of understanding that surprised me.

Josue’s upbringing was rooted in a Christian family, mostly raised by his grandparents after his father passed away when he was just ten. His mom worked long hours, so he spent a lot of time with his grandparents, attending church mainly to be with his mom on weekends. But he’ll tell you, back then, his heart wasn’t really in it.

As he got older, he got into pursuing women and rock music. But there was this moment he describes, watching a rock video, feeling like the singer’s eyes were following him. It shook him up enough to turn away from rock music and embrace Christ. He calls it ‘a wonderful encounter.’

After that, he dove headfirst into Sunday school, taking notes and really digging into the teachings. Before long, the pastor saw something special in him and asked him to teach Sunday school. That was just the beginning. He ended up on the worship team and eventually became the Sunday school director.

By the time he hit 35, he was chosen as a deacon. And then, just as he was hitting his stride in seminary, his church needed a pastor, and they turned to him. He felt honored to step into that role, even temporarily.

Recently, he’s been pouring himself into leading a small group of men, all about that ‘making disciples’ mission.

But life threw him a curveball. At the end of his second year, he got diagnosed with diabetes. Suddenly, between his new diet, rising inflation, and medication costs, he couldn’t swing the seminary expenses anymore. It was tough for him to step back, but he’s still staying connected, attending Bible studies and pastor retreats whenever he can, like the recent one in February.

Seeing Josue’s sincere love for the Word of God and his clear calling to ministry, I couldn’t help but feel a tug on my heart. With the government of Nicaragua discussing the possibility of requiring a degree for pastors due to recent unfortunate incidents in churches, it’s more important than ever to support dedicated individuals like Josue. If there’s anyone out there feeling moved by Josue’s story, a contribution of $35 a month could make a huge difference in helping him complete his degree and continue his ministry journey.

For His glory,

Stephen Goff
Stephen.Goff@N-Response2.com
www.N-Response2.com

To Give

First, for those who ARE NOT concerned about the tax write off, you can do one of the following:
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For those of you who wish a tax receipt, you can give in one of the following ways:
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