God speaks to us in different ways. For Junior, it was through his son.

“I knew God wanted me to serve Him by planting a church but I always found a reason to put off His call. One day my oldest son said, ‘Dad, I had a dream that you had to go to preach far away. So that’s where we’re going to go.’” That day Junior knew it was not a coincidence what had happened and he took some time to pray.

Junior had been resisting the call because it meant more than just planting a church—it was to do it full time. Junior would have to leave his job and since he was responsible for his wife and three children, it was not an easy decision. Nevertheless, Junior took the step of faith and with his family, decided to serve the Lord full time.

Junior went through the 12 church planter training modules with Multiplication Network Ministries and began to see the need that was in the area where he lived. A family in La Concordia, Ecuador opened up their home to hold the Bible studies.

“La Concordia is not the best place to live. Everyone knows there are a lot of gangs, drug problems, and delinquency. So when we began to speak to the people about God, they weren’t very welcoming,” Junior says.

But this did not stop Junior or the family who had opened their home for the Bible study. They began to take a deeper interest in the community because a place that has been abandoned by others has many needs. So they looked for ways they could show God’s love through social aid. Now the Bible study has around 25 people who meet every week to continue growing in God’s ways.

God has allowed Junior to see another need—some people do not know how to read or write. In addition to the Bible studies, Junior and others are planning to teach them because they have a great desire to read the Bible.

Reflecting on the journey so far, Junior says, “I see the change God has done in young people and adults. God has great things He is going to show me for His glory. We are going to start sharing the gospel in schools two or three times a week.”

Junior asks for prayer for his family as they work in ministry together and that the reading program will be a useful tool to share the gospel.