Jared’s cult and his faithful "leaders" to him

In 2006, I was introduced to Petra church in Managua, Nicaragua. I was raised Catholic and didn’t have any interest in attending a church of a different denomination. They introduced the church as a non denomination… but that changed depending on who was asking about the church’s denomination. 

I was persuaded to attend their mission trip to La Isla de Ometepe (Ometepe island, Nicaragua). On the ferry boat ride, Edwin Escobar, a leader back then talked to me about Jesus loving me and that Jesus gave his life for my sins. I was moved and accepted Christ as my savior on that journey. I wanted to serve God and his people with a heart of gratitude for what He had done for me. 

I traveled to Ometepe with Petra for the past 5 years. I attended the weekends trips to San Marco to the village to preach and give milk to the children of the community of Los Marqueses. It is about 45 minutes to 1hr away from Managua the capital of Nicaragua. I became part of the church family. I felt accepted and loved. I learned the Bible, I learned the church (the part that wasn’t hidden from me and what I was open to see at the time. There are times we don’t open our eyes to the bad things around us, we trust those around us and believe them because we believe they are sound and trustworthy people).I served the church with love, commitment, and passion for others and Jesus. 

Jared and Tanya were so sweet, wonderful couple, beautiful children, leaving the USA to serve Nicaraguans was admirable. They left their comfort, we thought. It’s the story and the image they portrayed and what we were told by Jared and Tanya. We had events in his home- all church members knew where they lived.They lived in a very wealthy neighborhood- that was questionable. Big house! Nothing humble for a pastor in Nicaragua. 

But they told the church that his mom bought it for them because she wanted the best for them while they served in a third world country. That it wasn’t what they wanted or would’ve picked to live in. Now looking back there’s a lot I see now that at that time we all believed what Jared and Tanya said. Why wouldn’t we believe them? We thought they wanted to serve the people and we thought they loved us with God’s true love. But we’re very very wrong. That is not the case and that is not what they want. 

While I was there, I was a good and faithful servant till the day I wasn’t (that’s Jared option that I just stated). After almost 5 years with the church. In 2010, 10 members of the church took a trip to Uganda, Africa. While there the leaders: Arnold Sardis and Alvaro Gonzalez showed some signs of idolatry and worship to Jared and money. The team didn’t take any gifts to the children and people of Africa who we went to preach at. The team was taken to various places and Arnold and Alvaro refused to pay for the guide’s meal and entrance to different places we were taken to.

This to me was unacceptable, when missionaries from the USA went to Nicaragua, they would pay for the Nicaraguans and made us feel appreciated for interpreting English to Spanish and vice versa. I felt we should’ve done the same. 

Once I came back from the Africa mission trip, I asked Jared to talk to him and told him about the leaders behaviors. That they vocalized that all the money left would be returned to Jared. 

I was thinking Jared would get back to Arnold and Alvaro and be disappointed on not treating others with love by paying their meals and entrance. Boy was I wrong. This is when they, Jared and all the leaders retaliated.

One day Jared and Edwin called me to the office to discuss my behavior and closed the door (I was surprised that it was two males and myself. They always want the same sex to speak to the members).

They informed me of how disappointed they were about me. They told me that if I wanted to continue in the church I would no longer be friends with one of the active and faithful member of the church- she was my best friend and together we had a bible study group that we held at various colleges. Jared informed me that my job was worthless because I had nothing to show as no one we had the Bible study would join the church. Jared asked me: “how would you feel if your best friend died?” I said extremely sad and with some joy that she is with Jesus, but I would miss her so much. He slammed his fist on the table and said, that’s not the feeling you need to have! And explained that I would no longer be her friend. If I wanted to continue in the church. Jared expressed that Edwin and him decided that I need to marry Alvaro if I wanted to go to Uganda (I was accepted to go on a mission trip for 2 years to Uganda but Jared was placing new requirements) even though I was accepted to go to Uganda through Africa Inland mission group that had nothing to do with Jared’s permission/the church. I didn’t need his permission. But if your a member of his cult- you better get his approval for living your life (including if your allowed to be with your family, he has no fear separating you from your parents, children, and spouse- because if you are not doing what he tells you he will remove those around you).

I informed them, Alvaro and I had gone on a date and he didn’t have ambitions for missions and he would not move to Africa, US or anywhere else. I expressed that we didn’t match. He again became furious about me talking back to him, which I wasn’t talking back, I was having a conversation with Jared and Edwin. They wanted me to hush, listen and agree. After observing Jared and Edwin’s behavior, I knew what to do if I wanted to leave that office. I was told none of my 5 years with them was worth anything. That I at times think highly of myself. That Jared was told by his pastor and the Holly Spirt to marry Tanya. Now, he had the same movement by the Holly spirt telling him I had to marry Alvaro. I was attacked by both Jared and Edwin- I had to stay quiet. I had no say. I had to apologize to Jared and Edwin. I did, I said I was sorry, I apologized, I asked for forgiveness and their eyes brightened with joy. They belittled me, told me I would no longer be friends with my best friend, I would get married to Alvaro and start as new because non of the 5 years were fruitful in their opinion. 

I told them I was going to the USA to take care of my mom for a surgery she was having and that I didn’t have a return date (my mother did have surgery and I was with her to assist with her recovery). Jared informed me of all the changes I would have upon returning. I agreed. I left and never stepped foot in that cult ever again. This was a struggle because I was there for 5 years and wanted to return but God guided me where I needed to be. 

While I was in the USA, Jared accosted me, through phone calls and emails. In one of the phone calls Jared was telling me to stop screaming at him. I was so confused at the moment. I stated, Jared I’m not screaming, can you hear me, maybe the phone call connection wasn’t working- as I was in the USA and he was in Nicaragua. But then I understood that he was making me sound disrespectful, like I was screaming at him for those around him to think I was screaming/yelling and being disrespectful to him. 

He sent me an email where he called me a female Jonas because I left and didn’t have a return date. 

I was heart broken and I had plans to return but not a date. I was so confused to what was happening, this was my family and all of a sudden all the church members were sending me emails and Facebook messages that I was disrespectful to Jared and they all wanted me to ask for forgiveness, because they knew I yelled:screamed at him. That when I return to Nicaragua, they will place me in front of the church to ask Jared for forgiveness, as well as forgiveness to the church members. I have the emails, I speak this and can show what I wrote Jared and what the church wrote back to me. Because Jared showed my email to the church, yet, I don’t know if he altered what I wrote him because the church members wrote some very ugly and hurtful responses to me. 

I was in shock, how did all this happened? 

On another phone call with Jared, I told him I was attending a church while I was in the USA and he said I was not allowed to congregate with any church as I was being disrespectful to him. He asked me the name of the church.  On another phone call he told me he would call the church and tell them I was not allowed to attend. 

I was scared, I thought he had that kind of power. 

I went to the church I was attending and asked to speak to a leader. I told him what was happening with my “pastor and church,” he was in shock. He asked are you in a relationship with this pastor? 

That was a surprise question. 

No, I explained. And thought to myself, wow, that’s how that sounds. This is unbelievable. 

The leader told me to give Jared his number and the church number and that he was not allowed to dictate where or what church I attend. I emailed Jared and provided him with the phone number. 

It took a while for me to realize all this was a cult. I stumbled into some cult books and was like, what? Wow! Jared is leading a cult, he does think he is a prophet and all his staff think they are the Holy Spirit. I tell you this because the Holy Spirit talks to us and tells us what’s right and wrong, well at that time that’s how I saw all his staff (leaders) telling Jared everything about the people. They would hold weekly meetings and the leaders/staff would gossip about what church members would say. I also have emails about this, when I confronted Jared about it, this did not go well, as Jared was very upset. When I told him that his staff were telling him personal things about the members and then we would use that for his benefit. 

Jared continued to call and emailed: asking me  for forgiveness and return to Nicaragua. In his emails he would apologize and tell me how much he loved me and how wrong I was. Tanya emailed me and said she was so hurt on how disrespectful I was and how I would yell at Jared. Jared the good and faithful pastor to her eyes. At one point I thought Tanya wasn’t aware of Jared’s behavior and cult leadership. But, now, I think she is a part of it. But I also truly and strongly believe Jared manipulates her and uses her for his benefit; because when you meet Tanya you see a godly and faithful woman. But now it’s questionable to me. 

While I was part of this cult, Tanya was not allowed to go to the gym, that’s the devils. She was not allowed to talk back, questioned or disagree with Jared- no normal conversation.

I babysit their children, their home/dog and participate in various meeting on how to invite others in order for the church to grow (it never grew). But when you are in it, you can’t see the truth. I am so grateful for my time in Petra, Impact, Harvest… those where names the church went by at some times. I learned the Bible because I devoted myself to it, I devoted myself to serve at Los Marqueses, Ometepe, Africa and continue to do so in other ways because what matters is God. The love God has for us, what HE teaches us and what we overcome. With a joyful and loving heart I share this because people are blind - because of trust, and need to hear that Jared and his staff are not good people. Separating families is not healthy. Separating mother and son is not biblical. Because a woman drives her car with her family, that doesn’t make the man of this family less of a man but that’s Jared’s opinion. There is so much information that I have on how others were treated and what they went through. I’m happy this page excites. 

I have been scared to talk to others that reach out to me  because I don’t know if they are behind Jared and only reaching out to me because it’s Jared and his people… and only want to know who I am and what I know. 

But Jared is not a pastor, preacher, or prophet. I’m not afraid anymore. 

Jared has a whole team of people following him and that is scary. This is in the USA, Nicaragua and Colombia. The abuse people are going through thinking they are receiving love is sad. 

Edwin (who preached Jesus love and was in the meeting with Jared) and his family were removed from the church years later. While in a trip I made to Nicaragua I ran into Edwin in La Islas de Ometepe. When I saw him I ignored him, thinking he wouldn’t want to talk to me and I had nothing positive of him any more. He got out of the truck and asked me to get down and talk. To give him a hug. I was like NO. He said he wanted to ask for forgiveness and that he didn’t know any better back then but he continued to work for Jared at this time. This was in 2018. I talked to him and listened, I forgave him and I did hug him and his wife and children. 

In 2018, Arnold, sent me a Facebook message apologizing for all the offensive comments and behaviors through his part. 

Other members of the church throughout the years have also reached out to ask for forgiveness.