Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico in 2017, leaving millions without tap water, electricity and cell service. Three months after the hurricane hit, 45% of Puerto Ricans still had no power. Tens of thousands of homes needed repair, but the demand was too much to handle immediately.
When Carlos Rodriguez saw the vast devastation in his homeland, his charismatic faith compelled him to act. He moved to Puerto Rico last August to help reach the poorest of the poor with Christ’s love.
“I love the Good News; I love the gospel,” Rodriguez tells Taylor Berglund on the “Charisma News” podcast. “And when someone doesn’t have a roof, the good news is getting a new roof. When someone lost everything inside their home, good news is getting a new bed, having a kitchen, and yet at the same time, everyone says yes to prayer and hugs and worship. And there’s nothing like the fullness of the gospel being manifested in the places of need.”
Rodriguez says an encounter he had with the Holy Spirit is what pushed him into his justice-focused ministry.
“When I had the charismatic experience and I said yes to the Holy Spirit and I’m speaking in tongues, it really makes sense to me … that Luke 4 says, ‘The Spirit of the sovereign Lord is upon you’ for what?” he says. “It’s not to write the book that gets me invitations, even though that’s great. But the Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is upon me to preach Good News.”
Listen to the interview to find out how the Holy Spirit is making a difference in Puerto Rico.
