“God spoke to Moses,” the preacher exclaimed, “and he was a murderer and fugitive.” He went on, “God spoke to Abraham. He was a liar. God spoke to David. He was an adulterer. God spoke to Solomon. He was a polygamist. God spoke to Thomas. He was a doubter. God spoke to Peter. He was a denier. God spoke to Lazarus. He was dead. God spoke to a donkey whose name we don’t even know. So why do you think God could not speak to you?”
What a joy to know God spoke to a public-school teacher named Rodrigo Espinosa Cuevas during a 1977 evangelistic crusade in Chile. “The Holy Spirit spoke to me and touched my heart to hear His message,” Rodrigo recounts, “and I confessed Jesus as my Savior.” With great joy he adds, “Today, God has given me a ministry to prisoners where God can use me to help win souls for the kingdom of God and gain good citizens for our country.”
Rodrigo and his wife, Mirta Pardo, have been married for three years. “We were both divorced before we met each other and have children from our former marriages,” he explains. “We are so grateful to God to be able to say they are all believers.”
Rodrigo and Mirta are both part of the ministry team at Iglesia Emanuel in the Chilean city of Valdivia, including helping with the pastoral marriage group and their prison ministry. Rodrigo also serves as the church administrator and is responsible for the Bible courses they teach, particularly the church’s youth. (Can you guess what they like to use?)
"We have studied much with LOGOI’s Bible courses,” Rodrigo says, having completed 11 LOGOI courses himself. “The content and quality of the material is excellent and has proven to be of great help and value to us. We also use it to teach and help with forming new believers.”
“I will turn 66 this December,” he adds, “and I go every week to the prison in our city to teach Bible to the prisoners. I would like to establish a Bible school in the prison because with Jesus, ‘the truth will set you free.’”
Would you take a moment and pray for Rodrigo and Mirta right now? Specifically, they ask for others to join them in ministering to prisoners. They also ask us to pray for good health and a “long life in ministry with passion that never dies.” What a wonderful prayer request!
