Federico and Olga, two of our courageous leaders living and serving in Spain, may not have a flashy journey but the slow, faithful, and quiet moments add up to a powerful transformation. They’ve devoted themselves to living missionally: building relationships, showing up with consistency, and letting the love of Jesus do the work over time.
One of those moments came through their friendship with Jose (name changed for privacy), a man they’d been walking with for years. They had been reading the bible on a semi-regular basis and he had become a true friend, but always approached spiritual matters with a distant tone. Engaged, but emotionally detached. Federico sometimes wondered if the truth was taking root at all. Was his heart softening? Was anything getting through?
Life, as it often does, brought pain. A divorce. Personal struggles. And over time, their Bible readings gave way to conversations, not about doctrine, but about life. Loss. Sorrow. Meaning. Jose was surrounded by voices offering worldly advice, but Federico quietly continued to share wisdom from a different source, the Word of God.
One day, Jose looked up and said something unexpected that took Fede’s breath away: “Fede, every piece of advice you’ve given me has turned out to be wise. I can see the good it’s done, especially in my heart. From now on, I want to live the way Jesus says.”
Since then, Federico has watched Jose take bold steps of faith. He’s gone to people who have looked down on him and asked for their forgiveness, without being prompted. He’s started reading the Bible on his own, hungry to understand more. His story isn’t finished. He’s still figuring things out like we all are, but the direction is clear. God is at work.
Fede says it best: “Sometimes we’re privileged to witness someone respond to the truth of the gospel. But behind that moment is the quiet, patient work of the Holy Spirit—often longer and deeper than we expect. We may just be one link in the chain, but that’s our purpose, our raison d’etre, the reason to be. That’s why we’re here.”
This is the kind of transformation we long for. Not quick fixes or flashy conversions, but slow, steady, relational ministry. The kind that lasts. The kind that Communitas International exists to empower. Developing leaders, especially national leaders, is at the heart of what we do.
We are ordinary people walking faithfully alongside others, through all seasons of life, until hope begins to shine through. Join us in the joy of seeing blind eyes see and hard hearts soften. Reach out here to learn how.
