Brian D.

As of March 2023, I am a single gay man living as an expat from the United States in Laurales, Medellin, Colombia— a beautiful city in South America. God called me to be a pastor when I was only 18 years old, and I promised Him at that time that if He ever told me to sell everything I own, and move to a foreign country to be a missionary pastor, I would do it. On March 24, 2023, I did it! I sold my house, call my car, and everything I own except for seven boxes came to live in South America to a country I have never been to in my life. God gave me 1000% assurance that his was His will, and I am loving it. The Lord has been so good to me all of my life. My Italian mother prayed for me and took me to mass every Sunday, and she died with leukemia. When I was only seven years old my dad remarried when I was eight years old and moved the family from my birth place near Newark, New Jersey to Greenville, South Carolina, where I lived until I turned 62 years old. I studied architecture at Clemson university when I graduated high school in 1979, but I decided just to get out in the work world and forgo college because I was not sure what I wanted to do. I ended up working for a large supermarket, Bilo, owned by Ahold in the Netherlands. During my 22-year-career there, I worked many departments at store level, including customer service, my favorite job, helping everybody with every problem that came up on the front end. I went back to college, because I felt led to do so, and became a special educator. My expertise was and is with Autism. I must back up for one moment and tell you that God gave me sort of a godmother when I was 18 years old. She was the best Bible teacher I have ever known she not only taught the Bible very well, but she lived in front of me for 30 years. I was her son, and she was my mother, I told her when I started teaching with people who had autism I was scared to death because I didn’t know anything about this disability. She told me just go and love them and pray for them and God will take care of the rest; and she was right. during my 15 year career with the public school system I had four different sets of parents asked me if I would be their child’s guardian when they died. At the end of 2009 I felt definitely let of God to retire early from the school system and I walked away from the equivalent of work today would be $52,000 a year which in South Carolina is still a good bit of money to make. I forms and nonprofit called LOYS Downtown, the goal is to help adults with autism to live a more independent life. I did various jobs to make a living. Since that time I’ve had an Amazon store, I still have an eBay store, and I became an interior designer and a graphic artist. I saw my artwork online people pay me good money to buy my American mah-jongg sets of tiles. Mahjonng is a Chinese game that came to the United States around the turn of the century 1900 it’s a very interesting, complicated game however, I see it’s like riding a bike. Remember when you were little and you thought you were never going to stay balanced and able to learn to ride? But then, when you got it, you got it! Same thing with Mahjonng. Along with playing and designing cutting edge designs for American mah-jongg, I also am an avid poker player but not for money just for fun and laughs and getting together with my friends on Sunday afternoon. I also love to play pickle ball. I’m also an avid karaoke participant. I have loved Jesus Christ and had a strong relationship with God all of my life that I can remember. I really struggled because I’m gay. I got very depressed for 4 1/2 years. I didn’t want to kill myself, however, I just did not want to live. Finally after praying for God to take away homosexuality out of my heart for most of my adult life, God showed me clearly in the spring of 2010 that God has no problem with me being gay. I have been fighting a battle that was really not a battle. God has no problem, and since he has no problem, I have no problem anymore. I am free to date men and enjoy who I am that doesn’t preclude breaking God‘s laws as far as loving my neighbor and treating people like I want to be treated. I believe in the golden rule; and I believe that I’m supposed to love God first above everybody and everything— I try to do so every day with His help. I’m not perfect, but I do strive to be more like Him, and to be a friend to everybody that I will allow it. Since March it has been a wonderful experience, living in the city where I live. I’ve had the help of many generous, beautiful people. God has given me a Colombian, mother and father, brother, and sister-in-law and grandchild. They really helped me and took me under their wing that, intern, as they help me to get established, I was able to help a young man, and he has become my son here in Colombia. The way others have helped me here. I’ve been able to help him and his girlfriend. I’ve also had the opportunity to help a number of other people in little ways but one of my main missions I believe is to help my son, Stivenn. And it is not a one-way street. He helps me all the time and watches out for my good and my safety. Here is a different culture, a different economy, a different language, a different everything. He is Colombian and teaches me new things everyday. Because I’m helping him and not receiving the income I could receive otherwise I decided to join and become friends with other people who need to have a friend. Perhaps I can help you and you can help me so I can continue to help the people here it is my mission. It is my life. I love it here. You may view me on my YouTube channel here: https://youtu.be/5qtqnz46YSQ https://youtu.be/sXt2W5k5g48 https://youtu.be/nOB5AggXBck You can also see my artwork in my online store here: Https://www.dazamahjong.com/daza-mahjong-store/p/style-01-ya9l7 I never meet a stranger feel free to ask me any questions you would like about anything in my life feel free to tell me anything you want about your life. I will keep everything confidential, as a pastor should, and also as a good friendship.