The office of Spiritual Development has a new Assistant Director of International Ministries, Esteban Trujillo. He is no stranger to PLNU, missions or working abroad and has lived cross-culturally most of his life.
Trujillo returns to this campus after graduating from PLNU in 2003 with a degree in Church Music and Youth Ministries. He also received an MA in Christian Education from Nazarene Theological Seminary and worked for 10 years in both church ministry and banking management. He loves to preach, teach, and lead worship and also knows how to plan budgets and manage ministry programs.
As Assistant Director of International Ministries, Trujillo oversees the Ministry with Mexico programs,works with every detail of finances and will help to develop Loveworks trips and other cross-cultural opportunities each year.
Recently Trujillo and his wife returned from serving as missionaries in Spain for a year, working with the Spain District of the Church of the Nazarene. They helped develop outreach programs and resources for the church’s youth group, working to draw the church community together.
Since officially starting work at PLNU just last month Trujillo says he has already felt a strong sense of community with the staff and students he encounters. “It’s been great,” he said. “God really moved me to bring me back here, since I always wanted to come back and work here.”
His first official week on campus was Spiritual Renewal Week, during which he experienced a new power in chapel worship he had not seen before, even during his time as a worship leader. “You can tell the students really want to be there,” he said. “I’ve just loved adapting and seeing how there is a new generation of student leaders coming on who are so passionate about ministry.”
Current Ministry with Mexico leader and PLNU senior Katie Hubacker looks forward to working alongside Trujillo this year.
“I believe Esteban is bringing his life stories and experiences to PLNU, and he is supportive of the students and is genuinely interested in getting to know the Point Loma community that has grown since he attended school here,” she said.
Others among the PLNU community have known and loved Trujillo for some time, including Director of International Ministries Brian Becker.
“I was his RA,” said Becker, who attended PLNU and sang in choir at the same time as Trujillo. “Some of his friends were pretty silly.They pulled pranks, but as I recall their hijinks, Esteban was usually watching from nearby, shaking his head at them and smiling.”
Becker also said that Trujillo’s sense of positivity has always carried him through the daily tasks required of him.
“Esteban is a kind, relational, and highly skilled man,” Becker said. “He loves Jesus Christ and his church, and he loves people really well.”
Looking to the future, Trujillo has nothing but optimism in his plans.
“I hope to continue the legacy Melissa Tucker left behind, and continue moving forward with all of the great changes she made,” he said. “It’s exciting for me, as I’ve talked with past Ministry with Mexico leaders, and want to continue making this ministry a true collaboration and partnership with our church brothers and sisters across the border.”
Trujillo intends to create new programs in due time, and recruit more of the student body with the call to international ministry.
“I want to reach students not reached before, and bring in pastors from the Church of the Nazarene on both sides of the border,” he said.
Katie Kepler 
Steve Anderson 
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