Juan Carlos Rivera’s story, Costa Rica

We live in a very remote place, and for many years our lives felt marked by limitation. I, Juan Carlos, cannot walk and depend on a wheelchair. My wife Martha can walk, but because she is visually impaired, she cannot see the path ahead. Each day, we faced our challenges together: I would guide the way, and she would push my chair. It was our simple rhythm of survival.

One day, Brother Cristian Hernández arrived at our home. He didn’t rush past us or treat our situation as something too difficult to enter into. Instead, he listened, prayed with us, and immediately shared our needs with his church. For the first time in a long time, we felt seen. Their help met our physical needs, but something even deeper began to change inside us.

Brother Cristian began discipling each of us, teaching us the Scriptures and helping us understand God’s love. Through this journey, we realized that God had a purpose for our lives—not despite our limitations, but even within them. We began waking each morning with gratitude instead of despair.

Today our health has improved, our home feels more stable, and something we once only dreamed of has become real: a Bible study now meets in our living room. We have surrendered our lives to Jesus, completed discipleship, and recently became members of the church.

We are still growing, still learning, and still being transformed. But now we face each day not only with each other’s help, but with the strength and hope that come from God. And we rejoice knowing that, through His people, the gospel truly changes everything.