A desire to help people make the right decisions and be successful in life led Jose Estrada to the ministry in his native Guatemala.
He immigrated to the United States in the late-1960s, first settling in Gloucester, then served as pastor of the Hispanic community at Fellowship Bible Church in Methuen until his retirement.
On Nov. 14, Estrada, 89, was one of five Merrimack Valley residents who received the “Inspiring Lifelong Learning Awards” from AgeSpan (formerly known as Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley and North Shore).
“It’s an honor to receive the award, for the glory and honor of God,” Estrada said at the ceremony, held at Blue Ocean Event Center in Salisbury.
For Estrada, the highlights of his 40 years of ministry include founding churches in North Andover and Lawrence as well as serving as a missionary from Fellowship Bible in Guatemala where he started churches in Villa Nueva and Zona 18 in Guatemala.
In addition, he was inspired to be a youth pastor and lead hundreds to follow Christ as a teacher at the Methuen congregation.
“I wanted new immigrants to come to know Christ, so it was important for me to deliver the message in their own language,” said Estrada, who is fully bilingual.
Retirement and battling cancer haven’t stopped him from spreading God’s word, although at a slower pace.
“When I retired, I was supposed to go home and start having a good time, but I can’t sit down and watch TV knowing that I have to go out and knowing someone needs it,” he said in a video shown at the ceremony.
