Name: Thomas Ledesma Reyes.
Age: Eighteen (18) years of age.
Place of Birth:
San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic
Years
knowing Jesus: 6 years, since 2005 (but I don’t have the best memory…)
Testimony:
I
had always lived with my maternal grandmother, with my mother and my older
brother, but my mother left the country when I was only 6 years old and my
brother was about 9 years old. When
my mother left, my older brother went to live with our half-sister and mother,
and I lost a lot of communication. My grandmother
married a cock-fighter who drank too much alcohol. He
was a good person, but I was influenced from a young age to drink alcohol
because it was what he was doing.
My
grandmother has always had demonic influence in matters of witchcraft and the
like, then she went almost daily to consult witches and left me in the house of
a lady to whom I love and her children and her husband. She
and her husband were heavy smokers and I started to buy cigarettes and pass
from one side to another and I started smoking when I was about 7 years old. I
smoked, drank alcohol, I loved the fights, was chasing girls with the other
neighborhood boys, and having knowledge of witchcraft and black magic. Even
though I was so young, or rather a child, I had all these ties, but in all of this,
I’m a living testimony that God can heal us.
When
my paternal grandmother saw that I had no future as a person if I continued
with that life, she decided to adopt me and took me to live with her when I was
9 to 12 years old. It
was then that I really met Jesus. And then
I was thrown out of my house for being a Christian.
When
I was about 11 years ago I met Jesus in my school, which is Christian, but I
didn’t last longer than 6 months visiting the church. I
lived with my paternal grandmother and my older brother. My
grandmother is Catholic and I had many problems because I was Christian. So I
left that church for about a year.
It
was during the celebration of the Catholic Church, it was something with the
Virgin Mary, and my grandmother said we all had to go to church and although she was
talking about going to the Catholic Church, I went to the Evangelical church. I
started to be part of a youth Bible study group, or Sunday school, and at that
time I started to change and to make serious decisions to be a follower of
Jesus. After that the real problems began at home.
They
began to quarrel and argue in my house for things that never happened, I had
many conflicts to the point that I got kicked out of my house for being a
Christian again. I think at some point being a young rebel did not bend my decision for God, but
rather strengthened my faith and my decision to follow Jesus, and His ways from
this day until my dying day.
In what ways have you seen
the glory of God?
When
I found myself completely alone, the only thing that kept me going was to know
that Jesus died for me because of His love. God is my Father and
the center of my universe. When
I started to give my life to God, I really noticed because I was struck not be
looking for those things that keep me from God, such as sexual desires, but I stopped
smoking since I moved in with my grandmother. I left alcohol, fights, and witchcraft behind.
Something
that struck me was that much when I read the Bible it was very noticeable the change
in my vocabulary, ie, bad words and everything I said changed without
even trying.
How did you feel the call to
the nations?
This
is actually the most difficult question because it’s not personal or anything. It’s
that, for example, of the 100 friends that I have, 40 are called to the be
pastors, 20 to something artistic, 30 only go to church, 5 to evangelism, 1 to
be a missionary and the other 4 do not know. What
I mean is that we’re focusing on things like growing, and not that it is bad or
anything but if I am called to proclaim this gospel to every creature I know my
family, neighbors and all that is important. But
more importantly are those who do not know Jesus, who do not know the Son of
God has come. Because
in many places you preach this gospel and you preach to those who have already
been preached. I would rather be one of those who give his life entirely to
preach Jesus to those who have never heard.
What aspect of the ministry
interests you most?
Teaching. I’m
very new at this, but when I sit with people eager to know more of God, I love
being able to instructed them. And that is making me
feel more like Christ.
How is GOD working in
your life right now?
I
think I’m getting to know what the priority is, and to take hold of it. And to leave what is not.
What
I mean is, to see what is good and edifying, not only to me, but to the work of
God. In
this path in which He is leading me, I see everything and I have everything at
my disposal, but there are certain things I need to make or to do and not
necessarily for my personal improvement, but for the growth of God’s glory on
Earth.
What
is your dream?
I have so many dreams. As
a junior in high school, I’ll settle for a Christ-centered family, and with a
decent job and strong character. I’d
love to have my own business, family time, vacation time, time for ministry to
God personally and to be part of a community, etc…
Prayer Requests:
Please
pray for my grandmother, she still continues with her spiritual bonds. She
has been a ‘Christian’ twice, but always strays away due to the attacks. Also, pray for my
family to be more united. And
pray to God to keep all the desires and plans God has for my life would be
realized. Even the ones I don’t know, or
am not able to know. Pray that He reveals
His will to me.
Thank you and God bless…
