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Alumni Update | Gianluca Cueva

¡Bendiciones y paz en nuestro Señor Jesucristo hermanos de Creekside!

For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Gianluca Cueva. I was on staff at Creekside as a pastoral resident from ‘20-’22. My wife Deborah and I are now in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico as I serve as an interim pastor for Iglesia de Jesucristo en Mayagüez Terrace (@iglesiaterrace).

Before I share a brief update, I must first say thank you for your generous financial gift. I thank God for y’alls generosity and partnership in the Gospel. Hurricane Fiona, although not as strong as Hurricane Maria (2017), still greatly impacted the island, especially the west coast (where we are located). Our small apartment ended up flooding, leading us to now live in the church building and we were left without electricity and clean water for over a week.

Y’alls generosity freed us up to serve and be Christ to those around us, especially those among the household of faith. We were able to provide electricity via a generator so members of our church and the community could store their medicine and food in a cold fridge, as well as charge their electronics. We also provided some much needed warm food, clothing, medicine, ice, clean water and gas for some people who are still without power! And there’s still so much more left to do! De nuestros corazones, and on behalf of Iglesia Terrace, gracias.

Regarding some overall updates, there’s so much I could share! But I write with the overall hope to encourage you. Please know our time here has not been a vacation to the Caribbean, but a missionary church revitalization trip. God has been faithful and good to us as well as your brothers and sisters here in Mayagüez. God has had things in store here before we had even heard of Mayagüez, PR. One such example is that as of last Saturday, the church has officially voted to begin their application as an EFCA church!

Another way I could share updates is through some much needed prayer requests:
1. Pray that I would be encouraged and not lose hope. Being the only one on staff, while essentially re-planting a church, has been a difficult task.

2. Pray for growth, both on the individual level as well as the overall church level. The church will need both in order to sustain hiring a long term pastor.

3. Pray for continual unity between Deborah and I. As we move into the second half of our time here (we’ve committed to 6 months), pray that God would unite us in discerning if we need to extend our time.  

Con amor, su hermano,
Gianluca Cueva
soli Deo gloria