Juan Prestol-Puesán was born in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.. Though not raised by Adventist parents, he had a grandmother who was a faithful Adventist. Because of her, he recalls knowing God from day dot. Since his early childhood, he attended church and joined Pathfinders, and when he started attending school in eighth grade, he was exposed to Bible classes where he discovered many beauties about God. Since he was young, he knew God was working in his life.
Though he was very engaged in his local church, many things that started to pull at his attention in his teenage years. Prestol-Puesán never thought he would go on to work for the church. When he finished school, he started studying to be a medical doctor and had dreams of joining the Navy, as many in his family had done. He was, after all, the son of a sea captain and had always grown up close to the sea. Circumstances took him away from both occupations, and Prestol-Puesán responded to God’s calling to go on to work for the church. Instead, he studied business administration with a minor in religion at a university in Puerto Rico. At twenty-one years of age, he started working for the Adventist Church, and he hasn’t stopped since.
Prestol-Puesán was married soon after he finished studying. He and his wife, Belkis, lived in the Dominican Republic for several years, where Juan worked as an accountant for the Dominican Conference. During this time, Juan and Belkis had two daughters. He then went to Andrews University to get his Masters of Business Administration. Over the coming years, he worked as a treasurer in various capacities and various places worldwide. In 1996, he and his family moved to Maryland, where they have been ever since.
When we think of the role of a treasurer, most of us probably have little idea about what it entails. Juan walked us through his job. Though he said, no day is ever the same.
By the time he wakes up and attends to his morning walk, his email is already full of things awaiting his attention. Being situated in Maryland, he is hours behind the other divisions and has to start his day very early. Most days, he deals with policy work, planning and anticipates what is happening around the world. Other days he might deal with committee work and policy renewals. But on a typical day, he doesn’t leave his phone and is never far from his computer.
“I know some people look at us treasurers, and they think that we are weird. We are weird people. We are,” he laughed. “It is true because we worry about what not very many people worry about.”
And the truth is, Prestol-Puesán does get excited about numbers. Because numbers are part of the story that tell you whether or not the job has been done well or not. They show the providence of God.
In the process of making decisions for the church, Prestol-Puesán is always turning to God in prayer. When he is asked a question, he might look like he’s deep in thought or putting on a calm face, but most of the time, he’s praying that the Lord will give him an answer and that He’ll give it quickly.
“People need to know that we are listening and hearing the voice of God because we don’t have all the answers. God has the answers,” he said. “You have to practice the process, your faith, your prayer life and intermingle it into your decision making process. Otherwise, it is you, by yourself, on your own. And let me tell you, that doesn’t work.”
Having spent his life thinking about money, Prestol-Puesán shared a few pieces of financial advice of which he has tried to live by. Firstly, find a wife who doesn’t like to spend big. Secondly, exercise self-restraint by only buying things you can afford. Thirdly, set a goal and don’t deviate. Do these things, he says, and you’ll pat yourself on the back when you come to the end of the road owing nothing to anyone. He himself finds great satisfaction in living a simple life, within his means, and doing things that don’t push him into debt.
Outside of his life as a treasurer, Juan enjoys two things: baseball and his wife, who he says always makes him laugh. He’s an early riser and an early sleeper. Each night, he lays everything down before God and prays: “Lord, I did my best. I'm going to leave the rest to you now, I'm going to take a shower, I'm going to go to bed. If this is my last night here on this earth, give me a good sleep into the future. But if it is your plan that I wake up tomorrow, wake me up with a positive attitude.” And then, he’s out by eight.
He has worked as the undertreasurer and treasurer of the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church since 2007. He has served in treasury functions for the Adventist Church for almost 50 years. As of August 2021, he will be retiring. He desires that the church fulfils its calling and that he will see after all his years in service that it will be foundational for someone else. Though he will miss working with the Conference, he is confident that the church will be in good hands and that God has been preparing whoever will proceed him for some time.
Many people know Prestol-Puesán as a great teacher, a positive individual, and a spiritual person. But as he said, “I just see myself as myself. I don’t know what spiritual means, quite frankly. All I know is I do my daily devotion. I seek the Lord daily. And when I don’t, I notice it.”
As for what is in store for him in his retirement years, he is looking forward to getting back to his violin, driving down to Tampa Bay to watch the baseball, spending time with his grandchildren and wife. He is looking forward to investing his time in personal projects, books, and potentially studying Hebrew. Throughout his studies over the years, he completed a degree in leadership, which he hopes to continue to use to help people. But he’s also up to try something a little more “daring.” If the Lord impresses him to forge ahead and give the message to people that otherwise might not get it, he wants to be available.
Over the last 50 years, Prestol-Puesán’s faith that the Lord will provide has kept people from panicking and has reminded the Church and its leaders that we have a heavenly Father who guides, protects, and provides for His people. His leadership and contribution have blessed the church, and he will be missed as he transitions into retirement.
"If I could have lived my life again, if I had another 50 years, I would do the same things again,” he said. And isn’t that what we all wish to say when we retire? But the adventure doesn’t end here for him. It goes on. Hopefully, it will just involve a little less numbers and a little more baseball.