Juan Jose Millan Rivas

My name is Boris, and I am a pastor at the New Apostolic Church (NAC). I never felt compelled to start a fundraising campaign for anyone until the Millan Rivas Family. Allow me to share the story of perseverance, love, and unwavering faith in the face of unimaginable challenges and tragedy of this family.

I met Juan and Rose Angel Milan Rivas with their toddler son, Jose, almost a year ago when they attended our Brooklyn Congregation for the first time after walking for two hours searching for the location. They were tired but overjoyed that they found the church – something familiar from home. Juan and Roseangel started their journey from Venezuela, and fell in love, married, and had Jose. They finally ended up in NYC without a home, job, or family relations and speaking only Spanish. However, Rose Angle has a strong faith and has been a member of NAC in Venezuela, and Juan joined the church because of her testimony and example. The first thing they did when they arrived in NYC was to look for the New Apostolic Church. They faithfully attend Sunday service and often use Google Translate to understand the service when a translator is unavailable. They are a beloved family in our Brooklyn congregation and other NYC congregations. Despite their circumstances, they willingly contribute to fellowship, Thanksgiving decorations, and/or their time to help set up or clean after an activity.

On Sunday, December 17th, Juan and Jose attended church service and stayed for the senior Christmas luncheon. They were both happy and enjoyed interacting with everyone despite the language barrier. I was shocked when I received a call on December 19th that Juan passed away tragically (see link below). He will be remembered as a vibrant and faithful young man with dreams and hope for tomorrow. He leaves behind his wife, Rose Angle, and their son, Jose. The funds raised will go towards the funeral arrangements and the family. I am asking for your generosity and open heart.

Juan Millan