Marisol Berrios lives in Nicaragua and was invited by her pastors to attend Multiplication Network Ministries’ (MNM) annual Latin America conference in Honduras a few years ago. During one of the sessions, an Ecuadorian pastor said that church planting was "born in the heart of God”—these words pierced her heart.

Marisol was surprised by the impact this had on her. Until then, no one would have guessed she would want to work with people—she preferred to work with the church finances and administration. But she realized the harvest is ready and the workers are few and Marisol knew God had touched her heart for this work.

With the mentoring of her pastor, Marisol decided to get trained through MNM and become active in planting a new community of faith in Villa del Carmen, a very needy rural neighborhood an hour outside of Managua. She is seeing God change people, mend bodies, heal hearts, and go before her in fostering her young church.

The work, however, is not easy. "People are very religious around here and legalistic," she explains. Some criticize Marisol for her outward appearance as she reaches out to people. "But that's not what it's about—it's about the love of Jesus for people," she says.

Many people are responding to Marisol's message of grace and forgiveness and they are beginning to help her reach out to others.

Marisol is having great impact in this community, yet her heart aches to see that her two adult sons are not walking with the Lord. She asks us to pray for them that they might return to Christ. In addition to her prayers for her sons, Marisol is determined to continue forging toward the goal of planting the seeds of the gospel in Villa del Carmen. She has been called and she has responded. Because of her obedience, so many lives will be changed! And MNM is blessed to help her develop her skills as a church planter.

Like all church planters, Marisol faces doubts and struggles in walking out her faith. The Christian journey is full of challenges and yet we are called to joy and service. Marisol's joyful spirit, even in the midst of heartache, serves as a testimony to the faithfulness of God and a reminder of how everyone has a part of doing something for the Kingdom of God.