Escape From Natura Meta: From Cultural Lies to Freedom
Jesús Canchola Sánchez personal journey—returning to his faith after years of pursuing the wrong path—powerfully mirrors the transformation of Escape From Natura Meta's main character, Gabriel.
What You Will Learn in this Podcast and the Book
How faith can reawaken in the most unexpected places and seasons of life
The dangers of conformity, erasure of individuality, and the loss of faith in modern culture
The value of perseverance through suffering and the true meaning of freedom
How personal identity should not be tied not to culture or community but to divine purpose
Why storytelling matters in keeping faith, hope, and truth alive in society
A deeper appreciation for the struggle between worldly "progress" and timeless spiritual truths
Jesus’ Canchola Sanchez
Jesús Canchola Sánchez had his first short story published at the age of 7 in his Chicago elementary school newspaper. He’s the author of the children’s book Pepito Has a Doll (2021). He received the Hispanic Playwrights in Residence award by INTAR Theater and won the Pregones Theater Asunción Playwrights Competition.
Escape From Natura Meta, his first novel, will be published in 2025. Canchola Sánchez was a producer on the morning talk show Las Comadres con Gloria B (2008-2010) that aired on Telemundo 47 in the tri-state area.
As an actor, he appeared on NBC's Late Night with Conan O'Brien "Conando" sketches and danced on Bhangra Dance Workout of Massala Productions. He was on stage at the Public Theater in 365 days/365 plays, Pregones Theater, FringeNYC and played Demetrius in A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Stuart Vaughan at the Lucille Lortel Theater.
ABOUT HIS NEW BOOK
Jesús is stepping boldly into the world of dystopian fiction with his debut novel, Escape From Natura Meta, a riveting story of faith, identity, and freedom.
In a future ruled by The Council, where faith is outlawed in favor of the "benefit of all," Gabriel is born into the oppressive society of Natura Meta and slated for forced gender transition. Visited in dreams by his ancestor Beatriz, Gabriel awakens to faith and escapes into a dangerous, unknown world. In Louisiana, the Creole tribe teaches him the old ways, and across his journey—through love in the desert among the Jews, slavery under Texas cowboys, and ultimately discovery in Mexico—Gabriel grows from a weak boy into a strong man of faith. As he builds a hidden Christian community in a godless world, Natura Meta puts a bounty on his head. Gabriel must return home to ignite a war for true freedom, risking everything to break the chains of tyranny.