It Starts with Forgiveness
“Before college, I was an atheist,” said Rogelio Gutierrez-Pinto. “I had grown up in the church, but as I started learning about science, I convinced myself that there was some unknown reason for everything, but not God.”
It wasn’t until his freshman year at UC Berkeley, that Rogelio truly experienced the love of God.
“At UC Berkeley’s LaFe InterVarsity chapter, I experienced love, and not only because I felt welcomed, but because I found friends that showed me the things God is capable of,” says Rogelio. “As I learned more about the nature of God and the love that came from Him, I was compelled to show the same love to others.”
Struggling with Forgiveness
During college, Rogelio struggled with whether or not he was capable of forgiving his dad for painful things in the past. Rogelio attended LaFe Bible studiesand InterVarsity’s Fall Conference. At these events, God showed Rogelio that His love is not passive, but active.
“I remember one time, I had missed about 5 phone calls from my dad, and I wouldn’t answer because I was afraid of how I would respond to him,” stated Rogelio. “I was convinced that I could just leave my issue with my dad behind and move on. But then God reminded me of His nature and why He sent Jesus to earth.”
God revealed to Rogelio that if he wanted to forgive his dad, he needed to show his dad forgiveness.
“So I decided to call my dad back after ignoring his first 5 calls—it ended up being a conversation that started something great in my relationship with my dad,” said Rogelio. “Today, my dad and I have good communication.”
Since his freshmen year, Rogelio has reached out to others on campus by trying to sharing his story with them. Also as an artist, Rogelio openly shares with others the spiritual significance of his art.
Following Jesus' Example
Rogelio also sees the importance of following Jesus’ example by sharing God’s love with those around him intentionally.
“I know I’ve struggled with being exclusive about who I talk to on campus,” noted Rogelio. “But lately, I’ve been working on talking with and hanging out with people I normally wouldn’t. “
InterVarsity has taught Rogelio about God’s love and the need to take this love to the world.
“I feel that without InterVarsity, I would have kept an individualistic view of seeking spiritual peace for myself,” remarked Rogelio. “But now, my focus has shifted to bring God’s love and forgiveness to others.”