From Nicaragua to Canada—My journey to become a pastor of Jesus’ flock

by Oscar Castillo

LONDON, Ont. – I am Rev. Oscar Castillo. Since August 2010, I have been the Assistant Pastor at Faith Lutheran Church in London and its daughter congregation, Grace Lutheran Church, in Strathroy. I was born in Chinandega, Nicaragua. I have been married for 32 years to Mayra Palma, also from Nicaragua, and we have two adult children.

My wife and I were married in Nicaragua on July 3, 1988. After three months of being married, we decided to move to the United States due to the political and military instability in Nicaragua. Sadly, I had to leave my wife behind because it was too dangerous for her to travel with me. A friend and I left for Honduras on October 3, 1988. In order to reach the border between Nicaragua and Honduras we traveled by bus from Chinandega and had to pass a few Nicaragua military checkpoints. Finally, we arrived at the border, where we hid inside a corn plantation, waiting for sunset to come to be able to cross to Honduras. When it was dark, we crossed the river that separates Nicaragua and Honduras, and walked during the night through the mountains, reaching a city in Honduras where distant relatives gave us protection and shelter.

Finally, we arrived at the border, where we hid inside a corn plantation, waiting for sunset to come to be able to cross to Honduras. When it was dark, we crossed the river that separates Nicaragua and Honduras, and walked during the night through the mountains, reaching a city in Honduras where distant relatives gave us protection and shelter.

I lived in Honduras for five months, and at the end of January 1989, we traveled by bus to Guatemala. On February 5, my wife, her two sisters, two babies, and my cousin flew to Guatemala from Nicaragua. A week later, we were travelling through Mexico and, thanks be to God, we were able to cross Rio Grande and reach the United States. We were blessed that we entered the United States on the last day that refugees were allowed to enter the country and ask for asylum.

From Brownsville, Texas, we traveled to Miami, Florida, where we lived for two years. In 1990, our refuge application was not approved by USA immigration, so we applied for refugee status in Canada, and, after six months, we were accepted as residents and came to Ottawa in January 1991.

The Canadian government settled us and other immigrants in a building located in downtown Ottawa. The Thursday of that same week, Rev. David Somers visited and invited us to attend a Spanish service on Saturday afternoon at St. Luke Lutheran Church. We attended the service and from that moment on my wife and I became part of the congregation. A year after attending the service and going through adult confirmation, we became members of St. Luke. In January 1992, our daughter was born, and our son was born in June 1994.

We attended the service and from that moment on my wife and I became part of the congregation. A year after attending the service and going through adult confirmation, we became members of St. Luke.

In 1995, I became a member of a Spanish congregation called Familia de Dios Lutheran Church. For almost four years, I led this congregation as a lay pastor because we did not have a called pastor. After we received a called pastor, I worked in the congregation as its president, as an elder, and in other areas of responsibility. In 2000, Familia de Dios merged with Spanish members from St. Luke Lutheran Church to form a new congregation: Unidos en Cristo Lutheran Church.

Since 1994, I had been encouraged by members of the church to study as a pastor, but I always refused because I was afraid to go to seminary since my English was not very good. But in 2004, I decided to study as a pastor. My family and I moved to St. Catharines and I started my studies at Concordia Lutheran Theological Seminary. From September 2009 to June 2010, I did my vicarage at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Waterloo, Ontario.

Ever since coming to Canada, I was actively involved in the Spanish Mission in Ottawa. But I was also involved in Lutheran work in Nicaragua. In 1994, while still a member of St. Luke Lutheran Church, I went to Nicaragua with Rev. Dr. Leonard Harms, who was the mission executive of Lutheran Church–Canada at that time. Our mission was to see the possibility of starting a Lutheran Church in Nicaragua. In 1996, Rev. Sandor Arguello was sent to Nicaragua as a Lutheran Missionary.

Before and after becoming a pastor, I have had the privilege to go back to Nicaragua with different mission groups. I have helped as a translator, teaching Vacation Bible School, teaching adult classes, and more. It has been wonderful to come back to a country I know so well and contribute in the proclamation of Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Nicaraguan people.

My journey to become a pastor has not been easy. My wife and I had to go through many obstacles in order to reach Canada. My plan of leaving Nicaragua to settle in the USA to live in peace and seek prosperity was interrupted when our refuge claim was denied. And so we moved to Canada. It had never come to my mind to be a pastor, but the Lord had other plans for me. The Lord brought us to this wonderful country and He put me in the place that I am now: a pastor of Word and Sacraments. My wife and I are grateful to the Lord for His mercy and care. The Lord always is with us, even though we do not recognize this truth. He is with those who live by faith in His Son Jesus Christ. I thank Him for calling me as a pastor of His flock here in Canada, but also in helping through me His people in my former country Nicaragua. To Him be the Glory forever and ever. Amen.

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Rev. Oscar Castillo is Assistant Pastor at Faith Lutheran Church (London, Ontario) and Grace Lutheran Church (Strathroy, Ontario).

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