We’ve been driving through the thick fog for more than an hour through the high mountains of Hidalgo. I have been invited to preach in a small church, and Bro. Javier Gonzalez is with me, along with his young son, Pablo. My iPhone has long-time-ago lost cellphone signal, but the GPS part of it still works, and it shows that the village in the mountains is 30 minutes away. When we arrive, there is a small gathering of faithful people, waiting to be preached at. It’s about 33 degrees, with no heaters, but that doesn’t matter, they are used to this weather. Who would have imagined that there would be an Independent Baptist Church like this in the mountains, but Bro. Daniel Munoz is a man, called by God, to bring the Gospel to these dear people.
It’s my turn to preach, and God blesses the message. The six hours that took us to get here was all worth it. Three of those hours was driving on the mountains famously known “La Huasteca.”
The next day, we drove for one more hour, deeper in La Huasteca Hidalguense. There is a video below if you are interested to see the one-hour drive. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=la1dJmLh_8g)
The name of the village is called Tlalchiyalahuica. Here we meet Pastor Geronimo Esteban. And let me tell you, he has an incredible story on how he became Independent Baptist:
He tells me that in 2008, he was very much discouraged. He drove to the next big town, Huejutla, which is about one hour away. There, on an internet cafe, he searched for something that would comfort his heart with preaching. He found our website: http://www.iglesiacristianabautista.com/predicaciones/ were we have hundreds of sermons. He downloaded them all and listened to them. He was quickly encouraged and went back to his church. He had been a Pastor of a church that belong to the Baptist Convention. He started to go soulwinning every day! They changed their standards! And they quit the Baptist Convention few months later. The church that once was running 20, now runs 200. And they have four mission-churches that they have started in the last five years, with and average of 70 in each one of them. They are starting one more mission-church this coming Thursday!
I had the privilege to preach for Bro. Geronimo, in his church twice on Friday night, twice on Saturday night, twice on Sunday morning, and once on Sunday night in Huejutla, where they now have a mission-church. Huejutla is the big town where Bro. Geronimo downloaded the MP3 preaching in his phone to listen to.
On Saturday morning, I had the privilege to lead two to the Lord. His name is Andres, and his wife’s name is Sulpicia. I talked to them for about 45 minutes. They listened attentively, and at the end, the asked Jesus to come to their hearts. Pray for them, if you will. They said that they would attend the church that Bro. Geromino started there in Huejutla.
We drove back to Puebla all day Monday. Praise the Lord we made it safe and with no complications. Praise the Lord that God is not only using us here in Puebla, but through our online ministry, where in the last four years, we have had over 1 million visitors downloading thousands of sermons in Spanish.
Thank you for your prayers!