Pastor Luis Alonzo Pastrana
I have been saved for 24 years, and in the ministry for 18 years. My wife and I have five children, four boys and a girl.
I was raised in the Catholic religion, without knowing God personally or the Lord Jesus Christ. In a place called La Fortuna my family had lived in the same house for years, but the land was sold without telling us, and we were thrown out on the street with everything we owned and lived in a ramada for three years.
At the age of 20, we came to Divisadero, looking for a place to settle. I met the woman who is now my wife and we started living together. That year some preachers of the Word of God came, I listened to the message and was converted to Christ. Almost immediately I began to suffer persecution from my mother, whom I had never mistreated. It seemed everything had turned against me. I started attending a church where I was growing spiritually. We got married, and the pastor gave me the privilege of teaching the youth and helping with preaching in the church. He offered me the opportunity to study in the ministry; I turned him down because I could not write well, since I only completed the 1st grade and my family had grown. Nevertheless, I wanted to be a preacher and had the desire to study; I prayed a lot to God and decided to study to serve the Lord. It was difficult for me because I made my living through agriculture. I had three little cows and two yokes of oxen as well as a little cart. I could no longer live off the land so the group of land owners (co-op) decided to fire me. They only left me with a little piece of land where I had my house. I had to sell the animals so that I wouldn't have to buy hay.
Pastor Luis Baptizing Some Local Youths
In 1989 the work of the Lord started in my own house with an attendance of 65 kids and 13 adults, and the congregation grew. I gave one quarter of my plot of land with which the co-op had left me to build the church and a feeding kitchen of adobe with the help of a few brothers. Thank God I knew a little about carpentry and masonry. I pastored the church for 10 years After that I went to pastor the church in Duyusupo, where I worked for 14 months having various camp meetings. The church had great spiritual growth.
In 1999 I had to leave due to a family problem. We came to Azacualpa where God gave me understanding that for all those who love Him, He causes everything to work for their good. God blessed us with the materials to build a parsonage close to the church and make many improvements to the church. God helped me to I raise up the work of El Carmen, and start another mission at Santa Mira. We bought land, built the church, then the feeding kitchen and the parsonage. In all these labors I worked every day. Through collaboration with others, a church called Sinai, in a neighborhood called Suyapa was raised up as well as new works at Papalon and San Lorenzo. I mentor several new young Pastors assisting them in starting new works.
I have worked 18 years with the children's program, Opportunity of a Lifetime; the feeding kitchens are an open door to present the message of the gospel to them at an early age. The children need much love to bring their parents, and we have seen the results: success in the mission to win the children to Christ as well as their parents.