My grandfather, mi abuelito, was a shepherd in the Choco region of Colombia. My earliest memories of him were of the vacations I spent there, fishing and swimming and canoeing in the rivers, and eating tropical fruit from the palm trees. Sometimes we would go to the football matches and cheer for our local teams together. Those were fun times!
My grandfather influenced me in ways I did not even realize, until I was much older. He loved Jesus, and desired that I should know and love him also. We would go to church together, and he would always encourage me to become a follower of Christ. I said I was, but these were just words. As a young man, my actions were not those of a Christian.
Grandfather told me that he had once been just like me. Then, as a young man, he had met a missionary couple named Trever and Joan Godard. Attending their classes at church had helped him decide to do Biblical studies at a seminary in Paraguay. I remember visiting him at the seminary while he was studying. I did not know then that my grandfather, whose name is Manuel Mosquera, would go on to lead the conference of MB churches in the Choco region of Colombia. To me, he was just abuelito.
Inspired by his story, I knew that I wanted to follow in his footsteps. He told me about a discipleship program in Mexico called HADIME, founded by the same missionary couple that had taught him so many years ago. Would I like to attend? Would I ever!
In 2020 I was accepted into this program, and my life was transformed. I came to really know this Jesus I had claimed to follow. I was a young man, but there was an old, sinful man inside of me that needed to become a new creation. I gave everything to God, asking that he would use me to do his will and to share his message of salvation with the world. I gave him my talents, and my dream of one day going on to study multi-media and produce films that will reach others with the truth of the Gospel. I heard his voice, felt his powerful presence and I experienced true peace. That is what God and abuelito have done for me.
