A Call to Obedience
Rogerio Torres
But seek first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added to you.Matthew 6:33 ESV
We are called to live by faith; however, it is easier said than lived. Living by faith means that we must trust the Lord unconditionally – to let Him steer the wheel of our lives and to control our destiny.
I grew up in Brazil and immigrated to the US in March 2006. Every single day after that is a miracle and I live one day at a time, as we are commanded. I was a lawyer in Brazil and my desire was to become one here too. During the LSAT test, I heard a clear voice speaking to me: “Roger, this is your will, but you had promised to do MY will. When will you obey Me?”
When I was 18 years old, on a beautiful sunny day where I almost drowned, God called me to be a minister. I had no doubts to accept it and was immediately changed. In the same way that after I met my wife Soraya, however, she was also the reason that kept me away from ministry for many years.
On that day, during the exam, I asked the Lord to change my wife’s heart. I drove home without speaking with her about my experience and before I got out of the car, she came running toward me and, sobbing, told me these words: “If the Lord wants you to be a pastor, I accept it.” Wow!! No more excuses. Instead of going to Law School – my will – I obeyed the Lord, and I went to seminary to get my master’s in divinity and became a Pastor – God’s will.
When I reordered my life and started obeying the Lord unconditionally, He opened many doors, and He opened a possibility of bringing together my shepherd’s heart and my passion for law. The possibility arrived to become an Accredited Representative to help immigrants navigate all the nuances of the US immigrant system. I saw this as a divine appointment and embraced it.
I have been helping immigrants since 2015 in Kentucky and joined CIAC over a year ago with the desire to not only provide legal help, but to do so with a compassionate heart. I want to help our clients seeking not only a US citizenship, but also a heavenly citizenship. I can sympathize with them; I had been in their shoes since I am myself an immigrant.
At CIAC, we want to provide high-quality, low-cost legal aid for immigrants and refugees. But our mission is to walk alongside them as they navigate an incredibly complicated and stressful legal system, while praying with them and sharing the love of Jesus.
CIAC In the News
We were featured by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette in May 2021.
“Pittsburgh’s Christian Immigration Advocacy Center deserves help from other helpers.”
“… It doesn’t happen very often, but every once in a while, in the lives of individuals, neighborhoods, cities or human organizations, something happens — something is founded — which is wholly necessary and wholly good. CIAC is such an event, and such an organization.
Pittsburgh’s greatest citizen, Fred Rogers, used to say, quoting his mother: “Look for the helpers.”
There is a great deal of foundation and charitable money allocated in Pittsburgh every year. These organizations need to give some help to the helpers at CIAC.”
A CIAC Win
One of CIAC’s refugee clients “S” applied for citizenship but endured a long, complicated process with the immigration office. CIAC walked alongside her and her husband even as they moved to another state, and advocated remotely for her application to be approved.
“S” had her citizenship oath ceremony in May 2021. All of us at CIAC are thrilled for her and her family.