Joel Guzmán firmly believes that planting churches will impact the landscape of El Salvador. The country continues to feel the negative effects of the war and the people are hurting. But Joel has been able to see changes in the community of San Pedro Mártir, especially in the life of Roberto Trinidad Peña.

Roberto (pictured left) shares, “Even though I was born into a Christian home and my parents told me a little about Christ, when I grew up, I strayed from that path into a world filled with drugs, alcohol, and vices. I lived a very hopeless life. I couldn’t find my way—I felt like the prodigal son. I had lost my way.”

In this dark time of Roberto’s life, he remembered what his parents had taught him about walking with the Lord. Desperately, he sought a place that shared the gospel, a place that could help him find his way back to what he had learned as a child.

One day Roberto heard that a church was holding an evangelistic campaign. He went immediately and heard Pastor Joel share the gospel. “That day I reconciled with Christ,” Roberto says joyfully.

God has shown His power to Roberto in wonderful ways. Even though he has suffered three heart attacks and a stroke, the Lord healed him. “Through this I have been able to see changes in my life and have been impacted by what God has done,” Roberto says.

Now Roberto can live an abundant life in the Lord. However, he felt the weight of God’s call on his heart. “I saw the need for the gospel of Jesus Christ to be shared in this place so the people could know what it is to have a personal relationship with Jesus,” he says. “I sought the support of Pastor Joel and he has helped me. Since then we are working with God’s support so that the gospel is known and to plant a healthy church.”

“Traditionally,” Pastor Joel says, “what we would do as a denomination would be to send the person who had the call and leave them there. There was no mentoring or any follow-up.” Now they are equipped with MNM’s church planter training and Joel believes this will make a difference. “The majority of the people who are involved in gangs come from broken families living with the effects of the war and no one gave them timely spiritual help,” he shares.

“They were given food and clothing but no one offered them spiritual hope. Maybe we are starting late but I believe the Church can make an impact if it responds to the needs. It is true the Church has prayed but that’s where it stopped. But with what MNM offers, a systematic approach with follow-up, we believe this resource is what is going to help penetrate where there is need.”

Roberto is being mentored by Joel (pictured left) and he is now fulfilling his heart’s desire of sharing with others so they can hear the Good News and live an abundant life in the Lord.