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Issue link: http://magazine.kcm.org/i/1190938
A Life of Hope After spending over 20 years battling his own drug and alcohol addictions, watching helplessly as his life sank deep into a dark abyss spawned by the environment he grew up in, Sergio met the woman he would later marry, who introduced him to a life of hope, freedom and deliverance—through a relationship with Jesus Christ. That relationship, he says, not only changed his life for the good, but placed a burden on his heart to help the people of Juárez—and especially the children—come to know that same hope, freedom and deliverance. Years later, in March 2014, Sergio returned to Juárez a new man—not just as a former citizen but as a minister of the gospel. At the Lord’s direction, he had rented the stadium where he used to work and was there to host a Christian crusade that included pastors from Lima, Peru; Venezuela; and the U.S. It was during that time, the Lord began to talk with him about building a church in Juárez. Not questioning God, Sergio began putting a plan together. After making several trips to Juárez to meet with city officials, purchase land, obtain building permits and organize a team to oversee construction, Sergio returned to Juárez in October 2019 to begin construction of a single-story, cinder block church building. Ironically, the building, which will be roughly 130 feet long and 43 feet wide, sits on less than a quarter acre that is about 1 mile south of the community where Sergio lived as a child. When completed, the church will seat about 400 people. It will be equipped with a kitchen, where up to 250 children can receive free meals each day, Sergio said. When funds become available, a second story will be added for an orphanage. Step of Faith Admittedly, a project such as this is costly. But Sergio says he’s not concerned about the financing. “This is all one giant step of faith,” he said. “It’s like when the skies open up and you just know what your purpose in life is. I now know what God made me for, and that’s to be a conduit to help these people. A few people have heard what we’re doing and have sown seed into the project, and I’m very grateful to them. We’re taking that seed and starting the process.” All proceeds from the sale of his book are also going toward the project, Sergio added. “Ultimately, God is in charge of this and He will see that it’s completed,” Sergio said. “I don’t know how the money will come, and I’m not trying to figure it out. I just know this is something God has put in my heart to do and it will happen.” Already, they are seeing positive results, Sergio reported. “I spoke with a young lady there recently who was about 19 and had one small kid. They lived in a room about 10 feet by 10 feet, that had a little bed on one side of the room, a restroom on the other side, a makeshift kitchen and a small kerosene heater. As I was talking with her, I could see the despair in her face. At 19 years old, she had given up! She was so glad to see us there! “I spoke with another young woman who just broke down crying,” Sergio shared. “Finally,” she told me, “we can see a light at the end of the tunnel. We have no hope. All we see here is despair, hunger and lack.” “All I could say to her was that God is about to put a stop to that.” The children are already beginning to benefit from the presence of Sergio and his team as well. “We’re already having church services on Sunday, on the grounds where the church is being built,” he said. “On my last visit there in October, we purchased tennis shoes and distributed them to 73 kids.” Standing off to the side, watching as the workers dug trenches and began stacking cinder blocks to form the walls of the church, Sergio appeared awestruck. “I have to pinch myself when I see that this is really happening,” he said. “This is big in the heart of God,” said Sergio. “For these people’s sake, it has to happen!” Confident that it will happen, Sergio is moving ahead. “Juárez is still considered one of the most dangerous cities on earth,” Sergio says. “That, I believe, is why God has called me to go back there: to help make a difference.” V To read our earlier story on Sergio in the March 2014 issue, go to kcm.org/read. _____________________________ To learn more about Sergio Alvarado International, or to purchase the book "Prophet of My Own Life" go to alvaradointernational.org. BVOV : 13