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Nicaragua Leadership Team |
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Russ Kinyon - Foundation Director
Russ Kinyon
Foundation Director
Russ joins the Nicaragua work with:
- Nearly 15 years of progressive management experience in the non-profit, business, and political world.
- Extensive ministry leadership experience (licensed pastor) including local poverty work, administration, teaching, counseling, and discipling young adults and youth.
- A bachelor degree from Michigan State University in International Business with specializations in sustainable development, law and developing country economics.
- In addition to the above, his interests are strategic planning, helping organizations organize their ideas and processes, networking, project management, and connecting people with helpful skills and resources.
Dr. Jose Moises Rojas Talavera - Rector (President), University of Martin Luther Nicaragua
Jose and his wife Rosi have been a part of the Nicaragua work for over seven years. Close friends of Gene, they are a dear and special part of our work there. Jose's background includes a masters in education as well as a law degree and many other certifications and commendations. In addition, he owns coffee and cattle farms in the community and is very knowledgeable of business and political issues. He is a man of character and integrity and is well-respected throughout the country. As native Nicaraguans, Jose and Rosi bring a great deal of wisdom and knowledge to the team and are essential to our work there.
Jonaton Rojas Talavera - Director of Nueva Segovia Region, UML Nicaragua
Jonaton and his wife Claudia have also been a part of the Nicaragua work for over seven years. Close friends of Gene, they are a dear and special part of our work there. Jonaton is an important part of our work in the Quilali area. In addition to his role at the university, he assists in overseeing both our scholarship and local ministry programs. He is finishing a masters in administration this year and is also a licensed pastor. In addition, he owns a coffee farm in the community. A former director of a local coffee cooperative, Jonaton is very knowledgeable of local business and an ethical and competent businessman.
Paul Caszatt
Paul Caszatt
United States Ministry Facilitator
Paul's biography in his own words:
When I consider the most important part of it all I always fall back on my conversion experience. I have often shared with others that it was not unlike John Wesley’s heart warming experience. I was a 32 year old divorced man with 2 children. The children lived mostly with their mother. Their mother, my then ex-wife Susan had been praying to God and asking Him for a way for us to get back together. I had been working very hard at hardening my heart (especially towards her) as I tried to justify internally my decision to call it quits on my marriage and family. Well God answered her prayer in a mighty way as He brought me to my knees Labor Day weekend, 1988 in New Jersey where I had seen that He is real, He is alive, and that I was in need of Him. So I said a simple prayer that night before I went to sleep and when I awoke the next morning, my heart had been changed from a heart of stone to a heart of flesh. All I knew was that I needed to put my family back together. I called Susie that morning and we began the reconciliation process and were remarried 6 months later.
From that day to this my life has been centered on the fact the Jesus is alive and He is Lord. I have watched Him work in powerful ways, through His Spirit and love, to help us love Him and love each other. He is the “Bread of Life” as John puts it in John chapter 6. Never before that conversion experience of mine did I have the foggiest idea that He was and is so good. And as Peter said while others where falling away from following Jesus – where else can we go Jesus – You have the words of life. I have been following Him these past 22 years and serving him in various ministries. Those ministries include children's Christian camping ministry, Youth Group minstry, Prison and Jail ministry, and Mission ministry in Nicaragua. And I follow him now as my life experience and counsel lead me to go through the door of service for Him as a considering candidate to become a Local Pastor in the United Methodist Church in Indiana. But I must reiterate once again - It is all about Him - Jesus Christ - He has the words of Life. He is Life.
With His Great Love, Paul
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