Community Change Starts with Personal Growth
Raul and Maria wanted to share their goals in order to encourage others.
Resonate Global Mission
Maria and Raul wanted to improve their community for the better, but the pastoral couple realized that they first should improve themselves.
Both pastors in Nicaragua, Maria and Raul were enrolled in the church renewal process offered by Resonate’s partners at the Nehemiah Center in Managua, Nicaragua. As they worked through the material, they realized that a church with healthy ministries started with healthy ministry leaders.
“Despite being married for 40 years, the couple realized they still had issues they wanted to work on,” says Steve Holtrop, a Resonate missionary who met the couple through their shared connection at the Nehemiah Center.
Maria and Raul decided to learn new ways to improve on their strong marital relationship at another class offered by the Nehemiah Center, a marriage workshop led by Luz Urania de Largaespada, the Nehemiah Center’s director.
Working through the training with several other couples, Raul and Maria learned to listen to one another’s needs and understand their own shortcomings. At the end of the class, they came up with two practical goals. Usually these goals are kept private, but the couple wanted to share their goals publicly in order to encourage others:
“I will watch less TV and dedicate more time to him,” wrote Maria.
“I will show more care/kindness/affection to my Spouse,” wrote Raul.
These seemingly small changes have helped Maria and Raul re-focus their marriage and in turn, improve their ability to serve their church and community.
“The marriage class has really been a building block for other ministry,” added Steve.
Maria and Raul’s willingness to improve themselves and experience at the Nehemiah Center illustrates the type of leadership that Steve sees as vital to bringing positive change to Nicaragua.
“Nicaraguans are always on the front lines, doing the preaching and teaching,” said Steve when describing ministry in Nicaragua. “They do a much better job. My role is to facilitate and keep these great conversations moving forward.”
As Raul and Maria move forward in their ministry, they’ll do so with a strong marital foundation.
