“My childhood was tough,” Alejandro bluntly states. “I grew up in extreme poverty in Nicaragua and had to work as a child to make ends meet in our family. Unfortunately, my drive to overcome difficulties in life made me self-sufficient. I believed I didn’t need God.”
When Alejandro married Shirley and had four children with her, he didn’t want them to suffer as he had. “I worked from 6 A.M. until 11 P.M. so they wouldn’t lack anything,” he remembers. “I didn’t realize that work became a vice in my life. What my wife and children really needed was for me to be present in their lives. My marriage with Shirley was about to break.”
Unlike Alejandro, Shirley had known Jesus since she was a little girl. Her grandmother took her to church, read the Bible with her, and taught her songs about Jesus. Shirley tried to convince Alejandro to turn to Christ, but he didn’t want to hear anything about God. Ultimately, she gave up telling her husband about Jesus, although she kept praying for him.
Right across from their house, a church opened its doors. One night, while trying to rest after a hard day’s work, Alejandro heard the congregation sing. “Their praise song broke my heart,” he says. “I crossed the street, entered the church, and spoke to the pastor, who invited me to join a Project Philip Bible study group. I cried like a child and couldn’t resist the invitation.” Since that moment, Alejandro hasn’t missed a Bible study meeting. “Studying God’s Word was like discovering a treasure,” he says.
He wanted his wife Shirley to accompany him, but she couldn’t believe her husband was sincerely seeking God. However, as the weeks went by, she noticed changes in his behavior. Alejandro spent more time with their children and her. Realizing the Lord had answered her prayers, Shirley also joined the Bible study group, much to Alejandro’s delight.
“Project Philip brought us together as a family, and the reason for our union is Jesus,” he rejoices. “I sometimes fail as a father and a husband and understand it is essential to come before the Lord daily and ask forgiveness. Our family is now dedicated to the Lord.”
Through your support, Alejandro and Shirley have discovered the treasure of God’s Word. Thank you!
