On September 10, 2019, the Nicaraguan Partnership, Lake Michigan Presbytery, Nueva Guinea Pastoral Committee, CEPAD and the people living in extreme poverty and vulnerability in the region surrounding Nueva Guinea lost a leader and caregiver. Arsenio Alvir Castellon passed away on September 10, 2019, due to heart complications from his diabetes.

Arsenio wore many hats in his lifetime of serving the people of his country. He founded Community Development Committees to help establish civic leadership in numerous villages, formed Community Agricultural Promoters throughout the area to promote earth-friendly farming techniques. In 1980, a 10-year civil war broke out in Nicaragua which like our civil war, pitted brother against brother and resulted in 60,000 lives lost and economic devastation. Arsenio was instrumental in organizing more than 120 peace commissioners, also known as Local Promoters of Peace, in the southeast region of Nicaragua. These Peace Commissioners were key figures in massive disarmament and restoring peace in the region in 1990. Following the war, Arsenio continued to lead the Local Promoters of Peace who worked to reestablish cooperation and trust and mediate disagreements amongst the citizens who may have fought on opposite sides. As a result of his leadership role with the Local Promoters of Peace, he was asked to give a presentation on conflict reconciliation to leaders and members of the Presbyterian and Catholic Churches in Mexico.

Arsenio served as the Regional Delegate and leader of the CEPAD office in Nueva Guinea since 1976 when it was established until 2004 when he retired to serve his community in its government. In his role with CEPAD, his participation was vital and helped create the Partnership between the Nueva Guinea Pastoral Committee and the Lake Michigan Presbytery in 1992. CEPAD is the facilitator in this Partnership which arranges for folks from our Presbytery and from Nueva Guinea Nicaragua to join together in sharing our hopes, concerns and faith. These exchanges come about through delegation trips to Nueva Guinea and having delegates from Nueva Guinea come to our area. Additionally, Arsenio and his wife Juana have hosted and welcomed many of us into their home. Because of their example, our delegates may arrive as strangers to the homes of Arsenio and Juana and other host families in Nueva Guinea but leave with a feeling of being part of a new family. Our Partnership exists today due to the insight and leadership of Arsenio in its formative years and after until his retirement.

Arsenio accomplished all of the above and more but his primary legacy would be his unique ability to care for each person he met. His ability to booster a person’s sense of purpose and understanding in his actions and words of seriousness and wit was remarkable. Those who knew him still find themselves smiling remembering how mischievously endearing he was and how his love for his family, friends, his country and his God was so evident in all that he did. He was the type of person that, after being with him, you left being a better person because you allowed him into your life.

Please take a moment to give thanks in remembrance of Arsenio who gave so much to the folks in the Nueva Guinea region, CEPAD and us who have had the honor to know him and prayer for his family and friends needing support and strength.