Greetings from Mexico,
Everyone loves a good story, especially when it’s true! In this update, I am happy to share an amazing story with you of a changed life that only Jesus can do! My friend Eddie first showed up at our church 12 years ago. With a knife in hand, he was stalking a guy that attended our church from time to time that had stolen from him, with plans to murder him after the service.
This was nothing new to Eddie. He had been in more deadly gang fights than you could imagine, and the very fact that he had survived 8 gunshots and a lifetime deportation was a miracle. But as Eddie sat in our church service, fiddling with the knife in his pocket, something miraculous began to happen. He began to listen to my sermon, and at the end of the service, he threw the knife in the trash, and professed faith in Jesus Christ for the first time in his life!
Over the next few years, Eddie brought his live in girlfriend to church and they both were saved, then baptized! Eddie even proposed to his girlfriend in our church sanctuary, which led to an amazing wedding celebration and then a few children as well!
Eddie eventually became one of my good friends, and I would talk with him from time to time about church planting. You see, Eddie doesn’t only have the gift of gab, but the biggest smile I had ever seen, and a magnetic personality. Three years ago, Eddie entered our church planting school, and he began the class with (how can I say this) much room for improvement.
But as Eddie worked on his preaching and leadership skills, God began to put the Rosarito dump and the poor families that live there on his heart! Two and a half years ago, Eddie began a weekly Bible study in the dump and the small neighboring community called Homex.
Over time God made things crystal clear, He was raising up a church in this devastated community, and He was calling Eddie to be their pastor and church planter. Fast forward 3 years, and at the end of March, I had the privilege and honor of ordaining Eddie and sending out his family and missions team as our church’s 27th church plant!
The community of Homex is one of the poorest and most dangerous communities I have ever visited. Located just 30 minutes from Rosarito, it seems to be a world away because of the crime and hopelessness of the people living there. Yet this is exactly the place where God has called us to plant our newest church!
Eddie and his gifted wife Jeanette, have started a feeding kitchen for the children, and they have rented a small house where they host their weekly church services. They have worked hard to raise up some local leaders, and they pick up a group of people from the Rosarito dump (15 minute walk away) that are also committed to join up with this new church!
I have had the privilege and honor of joining the team quite a few times, and this is a very fruitful ministry! Only God could take a man that had murder on his mind, and transform him into a Pastor and church planter. Please keep this new church plant of Homex in your prayers, and if you’re interested in visiting or supporting them, please let me know!
Finally, I want to once again thank you for your faithful partnership with us as your missionaries here in Mexico. It is through your prayers that God meets our spiritual needs, and through your financial giving that God meets our physical needs! And it’s an honor and a privilege to share with you in this fruitful work!
Con mucho amor de Mexico, (with much love from Mexico)
Mike, Sarah, Grace, and Daniel
Prayer Requests!
#1- That God would bless our upcoming bilingual church planting conference in August!
#2- That God would bless our newest church plant “Calvary Homex” and church planter Eddie and his family!
Praise Reports!
#1- Praise God that our latest church plant in Loreto is thriving and growing after only 3 months!
#2- Praise God that Sarah and I were able to visit Loreto and encourage the church together!
For our personal support, checks should be made out to Saving Grace World Missions with “Vincent support” in the memo section. For special projects, checks should also be made out to Saving Grace World Missions or SGWM, with the project name in the comments section. Use the enclosed envelope or mail directly to Saving Grace World Missions, 17451 Bastanchury Rd., Suite 203, Yorba Linda, CA 92886-1873
For your convenience, you may consider giving through electronic funds transfer or direct deposit. Simply click here to directly support our family as your missionaries.
Or, you can go to our mission’s website, click on the “become a financial partner” button and fill out the information. Please remember to type in “Vincent” in the “purpose of gift” section.