My name is Isaac Joaquín Díaz, and this is my story. I grew up with my grandparents and my mother because my biological father left my mom when he found out she was pregnant with me. I never had my father’s presence in my life.
When I was four years old, my mom met my stepfather and went to live with him, leaving me with my grandparents, who raised me. My grandparents were Adventists and took me to church when I was little, until I was about eight years old. However, because I always felt the absence of my biological parents, I became rebellious and drifted away from God. I grew up with a lot of pain and resentment and had to earn a living from a young age, which left deep scars on my life.
Then came adolescence and the stage where important decisions are made, and since I was far from God, I made mistakes and began to face the consequences of my choices. My life became full of problems, and I could only see a dead-end path.
Thanks to my Aunt Nela I found GYC Peru. When I discovered GYC my life was a mess. I had depression, anxiety, and alcohol addiction because alcohol provided an escape from my problems. I felt very alone and thought I would never escape the void in my heart. But when I arrived in Lima in December 2023, it was as if God turned on a light in the darkness around me. I believe nothing is a coincidence, and that God has unique purposes for each of us, placing incredible people in our lives who help us get to know Jesus, reflect His character, and understand that even if we lack an earthly father, God, our Heavenly Father, is always present in our lives. «Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me» (Psalm 27:10).
My Aunt Nela has been one of my guides, bringing me back to God’s arms. She helped me find friends who were willing to guide me toward finding joy in God. I have proven that true peace and happiness cannot be found in this world but only in God, because «what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal» (2 Corinthians 4:18).
Through GYC and reconnecting with God, I decided to leave alcohol behind. Even though the devil’s temptations are strong—often through past friends offering me free alcohol—God’s Word has become my defense (Ephesians 6:11). In God, I found the peace and emotional stability I needed to keep from depending on the things of this world.
God has given me wisdom to choose what pleases Him, and now, every time I feel burdened by life’s difficulties, I remember what God says in His Word: «Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest» (Matthew 11:28). God began this work in me, and I know He will continue it until I am fully restored. In light of this, I ask for your prayers, as I want to keep doing God’s will and not my own, and I know that «I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me» (Philippians 4:13).”
