Jairo Piraneque, Nicaragua
God's thoughts and paths are so different than ours! It is amazing to see how God is working in the lives of the participants of the EdT in Nicaragua. When we started the first training, there was a 40 year old man named Elias. He wasn't a youth leader, nor did he have a position in his church. He said that he was only interested in knowing more about God for his own life.
With a military background after the civil war in Nicaragua, he was accustomed to command others and to obey orders from his superiors. After we finished the second training, with tears in his eyes, he told us that God had challenged him to help the youth in his neighborhood especially those involved in gangs and those unemployed. A couple of weeks ago, after the last training of the EdT in Nicaragua, I spoke with him and I was amazed by what God is doing in his life. The kids that he is working with deeply respect him and appreciate tremendously his work.
He also accepted an invitation from his pastor and is now teaching about what he learned in the EdT. God is using him not only with the kids that he helps, but he is also (despite his self proclaimed "lack of education") teaching a group of lawyers that are enthusiastically receiving the teachings of the EdT. These lawyers have expressed to him their desire to also be part of God's transformation in Nicaragua.
God wants to use anyone that is willing to be transformed by Him. Whoever is willing to serve Him can be part of the growth of the Kingdom.
Jackarellys González, Nicaragua
"... In June of 2005, at the first training I attended, I was the youth pastor of my church with around 300 youth. My plan was then to give up the leadership of the ministry after the training because I felt that I was failing the youth and their families in every way. I was tired and burned out. I felt like I had nothing more to give them. But today I give thanks to God for the blessings that these courses have been to me both personally and professionally. God has filled me again with passion for working with youth, especially those in hard places. The Strategy of Transformation has been a huge blessing for my ministry and as a result of what I received I never gave up doing what God had called me to do.... the whole process has been a huge help and not only for the ministry but also for my personal spiritual life. It has been an awesome experience to share with the other members that participated in the strategy process as they have been God's blessings in the happy and difficult moments of my life."
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Lucía Elizabeth Chach, Quiché, Guatemala
"... I am 21 years old and I have received these trainings because I no longer want to see more pain in the youth, in the children, in the mothers and in the families of those, who like myself, have alcoholic fathers or former gang members as brothers. The society and the church does not understand the situation and that leads them to condemn and judge instead of helping or looking for solutions. There are many Christians that are not willing to work with these youth for fear, selfishness, etc. But when you understand the true love of God, you see with God's eyes the heart of hurting people and can look beyond their appearance or their past. I look forward to continue on with the training to learn how to be a tool in God's hand to see how these beautiful lives soon will be transformed by God. My sister and I travel four hours every month by bus to attend the trainings and then have another four hour trip back home by bus when it is over. The trainings and the fellowship make the trip worth the effort every time."
Sandra Carrillo, El Salvador
"I would like to share so much more...but these few days were enough to know that The Holy Spirit is hovering among us as well as in the hard places we are called to serve. I want to share my deepest gratitude to God for your willingness to share with us by opening up a place in your heart. Together as a group we have learned so much... now, it is the time to put it all into practice!! I can't wait for the next course and for our cohort group meetings."
