ROGER OROZCO "He brought me up out of the pit of destruction, out of the miry clay, And He set my feet upon a rock making my footsteps firm." Psalm 40:2
I grew up in Nicaragua in a small remote village called Las Avellanas, which is very primitive; it does not have electricity, running water, roads, or bathrooms. The village is very isolated, and the nearest town is a three-hour walk away. Growing up with very little was difficult, but my family and I were always happy, and we made it work.
At six, I started working on a farm with my grandfather, growing vegetables for the family. I remember using a machete for the first time; somehow, the machete hit me on my left wrist. Crying, I dropped the machete to the ground as soon as I saw myself bleeding. I started to cry, thinking I was going to die. This was just one story of many that I experienced as I worked on the farm.
At the age of nine, I was able to attend school for the first time. I had to walk for more than two hours to get to school, and I had to cross a river along the way. My mother did not want me to attend school because she knew how dangerous it was to cross the river. With one hand holding my books in the air and my other paddling, I crossed the river daily. One day during the rainy season, I had to take my final exams, and the rapids were even more dangerous than usual. As I stood on the bank of the river, I was thinking about the importance of my exams and the risk involved in crossing the river; I was very nervous. Once I reached the middle of the river, I became exhausted and could not swim anymore. My books fell into the river, and I thought I was going to drown, but God protected me. The river pushed me to shore, and I was able to take my exam. I learned that sometimes, in life, we have to make difficult decisions without knowing the outcome. Without risk, there is no victory.
When I was ten, I decided to pick coffee beans during my winter break to earn money and provide for the family. Working sixteen-hour days for an entire month was very challenging, only to make the equivalent of two US dollars a day. Sometimes, it rained all day for a week straight. I did not have a raincoat or shoes because they were too expensive, and I would have to sleep in my wet clothes as I did not have any to change into. One cold and rainy day, visibility was very low, and something fell into the basket tied to my waist. Immediately, I looked down and saw a black snake staring back at me. I panicked, but the foreman acted quickly, and I was lucky not to be bitten by the poisonous (and angry) snake.
When I finished middle school, I wondered if I could attend high school since the nearest high school was too far away to walk to daily. My friends were making fun of me because they thought all my efforts were in vain, but I had faith that my education would continue. I knew that God was by my side and that He would not let me down. I had the chance to meet a missionary, and I explained to him my desire to go to high school. I received the opportunity to go to an orphanage where I would help with the children in exchange for a free high school education. My mother did not want me to go because she would only see me once a year; I was thirteen when I decided to leave my family. My life at the orphanage was not easy; most of the children were either abandoned, abused, or neglected. It made me very thankful for my family. I continued to work hard and do well in school.
I was seventeen and finishing my high school education when I met a dear friend of mine, Scott Rigell, an American who was on a mission trip in Nicaragua. He was at the orphanage for only three days, but he offered me the opportunity to come to the United States and receive a college education. When I went to the United States in 2001, I did not know any English, so I studied English as a Second Language (ESL) for three years. Afterwards, I studied International Business and Finance. I believe that to grow and be successful, we have to step out of our comfort zones and into the unknown.
While studying in the United States, I continued to think of my family and community back home in Nicaragua. I wanted to make a difference in their lives. So, in 2005, I built a house for my mother in a small town where she would have access to running water, electricity, and transportation. There was also a school close to the new house for my siblings. In 2006, through the financial support of the Rigell family, I installed solar panels on all the homes in the village where I grew up.
In January 2012, my wife and I created JUST ONE OPPORTUNITY. Its purpose is to provide a more enriching life for the people in Las Avellanas through the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In April of 2011, I was able to take ten people to Las Avellanas to share the Gospel, build outhouses, and repair solar panels.
I encourage you all to get involved in the 25 communities of remote Nicaragua we serve because you never know how you can change the lives of others. God has given you a unique gift, and it is up to you to use it. WHEN YOU HELP OTHERS, you are IMPACTING GENERATIONS.
