POST by NESTOR (Nicavangelists' Youth & Worship Leader): Runaway Roberto

Nestor in San Antonio, Texas

Roberto, when he was just 8 years old, was a child like everyone; cheerful, naughty and clever. He met many friends at the school he attended, which was the poorest school in Nicaragua. His parents didn't have enough money to send him to a private school.

Roberto didn't know Jesus. “God” was just a part of his messy mind like the hero in a magazine. At home he was never loved, even though his grades were very good.

One day Roberto decided to leave home and never return. He was 19 years old when he started to explore the world by himself without any money in his pocket. Life sucked! Everything was going wrong for him. On that journey he wasn't lucky enough to find shelter, nor a steady job.

Being a homeless young man, he fell into the world of drugs, turning his life into a complete disaster. As time passed by, Roberto started to survive by robbing people in the street and bullying the kids around him.

One day Roberto bumped into an old friend of his who used to study with him at school. They talked for a while and the friend advised Roberto to change his life and live for Jesus only. Roberto smiled at him and said “Jesus doesn't exist, he’s just a man from history, from the bible, he’s not real.” Roberto then went on to blame God for everything he had been through in his life.

His friend asked Roberto to pray, and promised to leave him alone after praying, and so that’s what happened. The prayer touched Roberto’s heart and after a few minutes he began to cry. He realised that God had been with him all the time even during the worst times of his life when he was without a reason to live. He realised that God had protected him from evil that had surrounded him. 

One month later Roberto was sharing his testimony at his friend’s church. He praised God for everything and promised, in front of the assembled people, to honour him for the rest if his life.

Now Roberto is one of the ushers at my church. He works very hard and has a new reason to live. Can you image how powerful the love of God is, that with just with one simple prayer God was able to change Roberto’s life? God loves us all, no matter who we are or what we have been through. He has a plan for you and sooner or later you will realise what God’s plan is for your life here on Earth.

Nestor at home in his Native Nicaragua