Jesus in Mexico

It's Tuesday morning, July 15, my second day back home from a mission trip to Mexico. We were in Guadalupe, which is next to Monterrey. I was amazed. It was a life-changing experience for me. From the moment we arrived, we saw Christ-like love.

The church we worked with provided us three meals a day. They cooked and served each meal. They were great. I later learned that in order to be able to serve us these meals, the church had saved for a year. Members opened their homes for us, and made sure we had all we needed. Very hospitable and gracious.

Pablo was the pastor for the church with whom we worked. He had started the church in 1987 with the vision of multiplying. He did this by mentoring associate pastors to work in other areas developing other churches--they called these missions. Associate pastors would work in an area building the group up by having studies on Wednesday and Friday evenings at a home. On Sunday mornings, they would load them up in vans and take them to the services at the main church. The would do this until they were big enough to support themselves and have their own building. We visited two mission churches that now had their own buildings and two missions that were still using homes.

We helped with a VBS that one of the mission churches that was still in a home put on. One night there were over 90 children. We went with the mission's members to pass out pamphlets and invite people to VBS, adults had a class and the children had theirs. They didn't pass out pamphlets the way we do--we print thousands and put them in door handles to get out as many as we can. They methodically go from one house to the next, knock on the door, start up a non-threatening conversation with the intention of leading someone to the Lord, either right then or by getting them to come to their services. One Saturday, at least 4 people were brought to the Lord. Needless to say we didn't get to many houses, but I saw the Pastor lead someone to the Lord.

I saw Jesus in Mexico!! These Christians really are Jesus' hands, feet and mouth in a community that needs Jesus.

Monterrey & Guadalupe are dirty cities. The areas we saw lacked proper sewage systems. These areas were unsanitary. In some of the places we visited, the people lived in shanties. Hospital care was limited due to costs. We saw and spoke with people who needed treatment, but weren't able to get it because they couldn't afford medical care. Gang graffiti littered the walls of even homes. We were told drugs have a hold on the children and youth (as young as 12). There is an oppressive spirit over one of the areas we visited that could actually be felt. Children often work, because their parents can't afford for them to go to school--cost of books, clothing, and other expenses keep them from an education.

It was in this environment that we met, came to know, and were served by Mexican Christians who are truly compelled by Christ's love, who truly believe Jesus is the only way, and who truly believe they are called to be missionaries where they are, so they are actively fulfilling the mission of carrying the only message of hope that matters--Jesus Christ. It was in this environment that I met Jesus in these Christians.

I wonder--would we sacrifice for one year to be able to provide for people that we have never met, only knowing they were brothers and sisters in Christ? Would we open our homes to them? Does Jesus mean so much to us and do we believe Jesus is the only way so much that we are driven to share the Gospel without being timid or ashamed? Are we so worried about our own comfort that we are not seeing the hurt and need of a world dying without Jesus?

Romans 1:16 "I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes..."

2 Corinthians 5:15-15 "For Christ's love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."

Hebrews 13:1-2 "Keep on loving each other as brothers. Do not forget to entertain strangers, for by so doing some people have entertained angels without knowing it."

John 13:34-35 "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

John 14:6 "Jesus answered, 'I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. '"