It was the prayers of a small immigrant church full of praying abuelitas that helped bring Marcos to faith in Christ. For this reason, Marcos has a great deal of love and appreciation for the local church, even (and perhaps especially), the small, seemingly insignificant ones. Having grown up in an under-resourced community himself, Marcos knows firsthand how limited financial opportunities can beget violence. Threats from gangs forced him to drop out of school in the tenth grade and God spared his life on multiple occasions. Perhaps that’s where his sense of urgency and passion to advocate for communities in need comes from.
He remembered those days as he graduated with his first (and second) Master’s degrees -one in Intercultural Studies from Fuller Theological Seminary and an MBA in non-profit management. Unlike those who doubted that anything good could come out of Nazareth, Marcos believes that great things can come from places where the need is great, but God shows up.
It is Tearfund’s obvious love and advocacy for people on the margins of society that compelled Marcos to learn more about the work we do. Tearfund’s willingness to name and engage with some of today’s most pressing issues of injustice and poverty at a time when many might be tempted to shrink back, induces hope and inspires action. While we are at a time in history when it may seem like the witness of the Church is diminishing, Marcos is still convinced that God wants to fulfill his purpose in the world in partnership with the Church – and that purpose is good.
Marcos’ years of experience in multiple arenas, including within Christian seminaries/higher education, pastoral leadership and church planting, urban community development, and international development with a major Transnational NGO has uniquely prepared him for his role as Tearfund’s National Director of Church Engagement. This role enables Marcos to pour out his expertise towards catalyzing and equipping people to live out a more authentic expression of the prayer “on earth as it is in Heaven.”
