Jesse Acosta

For Pastor Jesse Acosta, life in America began without documentation. “I came illegally,” he said, “living with a friend in East Los Angeles in 1969.” His journey to where he is now—an American citizen serving as the pastor of a thriving church in Lexington, River of Life Church of God—is an inspiring example of immigration in this country. “After living here for a while,” he said, “I began to love this country, their way of living, and the people here.”

But despite his growing love for life here, Jesse experienced challenges as many immigrants do. “At first the greatest challenges for me were the language and the food.  I had to learn the language and adjust my way of eating for the most part.  When I came here there were very few places you could buy Hispanic food.  There were no Hispanic markets or restaurants at that time.  That has changed tremendously now.”

Perhaps more significantly, Jesse had to learn to rely on people in this new country.  “I had to learn to trust in people.  When you cannot communicate with people and seem to have little in common with them, it is hard to trust.  I have learned even in the bad times, living here is such a better way of living.  I wish I would have trusted more.  I was always living with the fear that they will not accept me, or try to send me back.  I have learned that if you work hard and trust the system, more than likely they will help.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that Jesse has chosen to be a pastor, someone his congregants can trust.  River of Life Church of God is well known in the community and beyond for its outreach to the homeless and to all those in need. Additionally, Jesse has recently has been selected to be the Lexington Police Department Chaplain.

Helping fellow Kentuckians is something Jesse clearly feels called to do. “One thing that helped me the most, especially here in Kentucky, was the people.  In my opinion, the people in Kentucky are some of the best in the world.”

And today, fifty-one years after he first came to the United States, Jesse’s advice to immigrants is this: “Trust in your leaders in this country.  This is a country that will give you opportunities to prosper.  Most of all this is a country that will try its best to help you become legal.”