“I love my family,” Eddy Rios explains, “and I was not willing to split us up with a job opportunity in the United States. So, I refused. I went back to Nicaragua and, by God’s grace, we continue and plan to remain together.”
Pastor Eddy refers to the time a few years ago when he was visiting his sister in the US. She had procured a two-year tourist visa for him and even found him a good job. He also had three brothers living in the US and the lure of North America was strong. However, it would mean leaving his family, something he was not willing to consider. “I am happily married to Aurora Cerros, and we have three girls and one boy. Two are university students and two are in primary school.”
Today, Eddy serves as the pastor of a small congregation in Managua called Tercera Iglesia Bautista Libertad. He also leads Christian education classes and is a counselor at the local Bautista Libertad School. “I believe God called me to be a pastor,” Eddy says, “and I believe He has called me to serve here in Managua - at least for now. God is using me through the teaching and preaching of His Word to bring the Gospel to our community. I also evangelize going house to house two days a week.”
“God has called us to serve in a low-income area and the church cannot support me full time. But God opened an opportunity for me to serve in the Bautista Libertad School and there I am earning additional income to take care of my family.”
“To serve Christ is marvelous,” Eddy adds, “but it also has come with great sacrifice. I had a secular job before my call to be a pastor and my earnings fell three times lower. It has been a significant economic adjustment. Truthfully, we have struggled to maintain our house for the past eight years and things are deteriorating. My wife has offered to go to the US for six months to earn money. But once again we determined to stay together here because we know God is our provider in his time, just as He always has been.
“We have what is necessary, and I remember that my Lord Jesus did not have a place to rest his head when he lived here (see Matthew 8:20). So, this is not so important, our souls are much more valuable than anything else. Jesus paid the price with His blood.”
“I am so grateful for LOGOI,” Eddy says. “Your [free] materials are such a blessing and a fountain of resources that help me to study and continue learning profound truths of the Bible.” We then learned he wants to study our online Bible courses but would need some financial help. We immediately offered Eddy a full scholarship —made possible (hint!) from our partners in ministry just like you (thanks!).
Would you take a moment and pray for Eddy and his family right now? Thank God for calling a pastor like Eddy, who is willing to sacrifice much to serve in a difficult area that seems so remote to you or me. And please pray that their faith will remain strong and that their financial needs would be met. We are privileged to serve Eddy and God’s servants like him.
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