Small Steps. Big Faith.

Seven young couples joined us on October 2 and 3 to "suit-up" for the journey of a lifetime: marriage at our  Seminario de Orientación al Matrimonio / S.O.M.  (Marriage Orientation Seminar.)  We repeated the online experience just like we did in March edition of the S.O.M.  Dani Sanmartin and his wife Raquel Pérez (pictured below) shared their testimony of having participated in the S.O.M. 15 years ago.  In addition, Dan and Raquel recruited two young couples to join us in hosting the S.O.M. and coached them in preparation for the event.  Javi and Barbara (pictured below) served as emcees on Day 1 of the S.O.M. Javi's twin sister, Soraya, and her husband, Sergio, (pictured below) gave a talk on the first years of marriage and the adjustments that each spouse will need to make, reminding them that we each see the world through our own "lenses" and the importance of considering the point of view of the other. We also were blessed by the participation of the F...

Donna Cannella and I work tirelessly to ensure that each new staff person who joins Ágape is cared for especially during his or her first two years. We do this through our 2-year  New Staff Training program which provides time and space weekly to study key spiritual principles, practice contemprary methods of ministry and receive feedback from a trainer.  In late September, Donna and I drove down to Valencia together to host the latest  New Staff Training   Orientation. María Casanova  (second from the right) was an unlikely candidate who came to know God during an international academic exchange in high school. She graduated from university and worked as a lawyer. Years later, she sensed a call to serve God and investigated several options, including becoming a nun, but  had not yet discovered the specific path that the Lord had for her. She changed careers and became an English teacher. Recently, God brought her into contact with Ágape through Alejandro,...