Exciting News from Colombia

His name’s Diego … Diego Pineda.

Just this past week, the Lord brought Diego, a volunteer translator who lives in distant Colombia, to the doors of AiG-US in Northern Kentucky. While here on “vacation,” he helped translate into Spanish our new booklet Why is there Death and Suffering? He also gave an exciting report on Colombia, confirming our belief that the doors for creation evangelism are wide open in Latin America. Diego has a vibrant testimony and a vision for his country—and for the Spanish-speaking world—that’s simply breathtaking.

Born and raised in the bustling city of Medell’n (made infamous by drug lords), Diego first learned about AiG two years ago while he was surfing the Internet and saw a request for volunteer translators. His first work was to proofread Creation Evangelism and to translate some creation articles; and then he prepared overheads for Ken Ham, president of AiG-US, who was planning a major trip to Mexico. Diego’s a gifted translator, and he’s proved to be a perfect match for the ministry of AiG.

Diego’s translation work for us is all the more astonishing because, at the same time, he has been attending a university in Medell’n, working, taking classes and writing a bachelor’s thesis!

The story behind Diego’s recent trip to Kentucky is just as astonishing. After working five years on a degree in journalism, Diego completed his thesis in November. The Lord placed on him a great burden to visit the United States and see the ministry of AiG firsthand. He told Katia Berra, AiG translations coordinator, “I don’t know how, but I’m going to visit you!” Finally he asked his parents, if they were planning to give him a graduation present, to let him fly to the United States—and they agreed!

While in the United States, Diego also visited the dinosaur-stomping grounds at Glen Rose, Texas, and Texas A&M, where he is applying to pursue a master’s degree in science and technology journalism. He hopes to return to Colombia and write about science.

Why’s Diego so passionate about creation?

So what drives this gracious, passionate young man? He loves Christian apologetics! Even as a child, his mother would read the Bible to him every night, and she offered him a reward for every verse he memorized. His parents sent him to a private British school, where he excelled in his English classes. “I always asked myself why I liked English,” he now says, with a smile.

Interestingly, he didn’t care for biology in high school (because it was taught by strict memorization), but the Lord rekindled his interest while he was translating science materials for AiG: “I got hooked on biology again, because I saw it from a different perspective. In high school I saw it as a lot of information with no use. Now I see biology and science as evidence of God’s creation and design, evidence for the Bible.”

During his first years at the university, Diego heard evolution and knew it was a lie, but he didn’t know the answers. So he listened to the propaganda in silence. But when he began translating for AiG, he started seeing the answers. Unfortunately, as in the United States, many churches and Christian schools in Colombia have compromised on the literal Six Days of Creation. Diego hopes to do everything that he can to get his countrymen and fellow Christians to see the truth.

Unlimited possibilities

Diego’s been involved in all sorts of initiatives in his native city. While translating for AiG, he also worked with the pastor of his church to start an apologetics ministry. This effort gave birth to a new Web site “Young Planet” (www.planetajoven.com.co), designed and directed by Diego. The site includes a prominent link to AiG’s Web site. The ministry of Young Planet has opened opportunities for Diego to start hosting seminars in churches.

Diego also writes a monthly column for an evangelistic Christian newspaper, Con” Paz, which is distributed free to the people of Medell’n. His articles address current issues, such as anthrax and human cloning, followed by a creationist perspective and a presentation of the Gospel.

Diego also loves television and radio. He has produced 30 two-minute radio spots called “Evidences, Science & History Seen Through the Bible,” which are aired locally. A friend of his has equipment, which he plans to use to dub a Spanish version of Ken Ham’s popular twelve-part video series Answers…with Ken Ham.

The field is ripe, indeed, for the harvest; but AiG must wait on the Lord’s leading and funding. We have a great burden to reach the Spanish-speaking people with the message that God’s Word can be trusted from the very first verse, and we trust the Lord to continue to provide funds, so that God’s people can leap through this wide-open door!

If you would like to help reach non-English speaking countries with these vital truths, please consider donating to our translations ministry—simply check “General Ministry Fund” and write “translations” in the comments section of our secure on-line donations form.

Check back next week for Diego’s report on his work in Columbia!