When the gospel is preached clearly and simply, lives are changed. J.C one of the leaders we have been training, tells his story.
’As a gang leader, I was ready to give my life for my peers, but now I give my life to serve my Lord Jesus Christ through church planting. Christ is the only one who gave his life for me!’
’I grew up in a dysfunctional house with an alcoholic father and an anxiety-stricken mother and, as a result, I endured her beatings.
Things began to change at the age of 10, when my mother heard the message of Jesus Christ, suddenly she became kinder.
However, for me things became worse. At school, I joined a gang where I did drugs. By the time I was 15 I was notorious, and for that reason was feared and respected among my peers. However, at 17 I found out the truth about the hooligans I called my family. While at a party, a rival gang and ours had a brutal fight with chains and knives. My mates escaped for their lives, while I took on several rivals—but not before being stabbed several times.
In the hospital I found myself at death’s door. I was given a small chance to survive, and if I did, I was told I would be in a permanent, vegetative state. Yet, while I was lying in my hospital bed, a Christian shared the gospel of Jesus Christ with me. Not only did I survive but my life was changed forever!’
We met J.C. one year later in 2014, soon after we had arrived in San Luis de la Paz. He was looking to be discipled and was very eager to study the word of God. We spent the following years living alongside him, mentoring and training him.
In the past nine years, we have seen J.C. grow in his love for God by going back to school, learning a trade, and he is presently studying theology and teaching on the Predica Vida Bible traning course. But most of all, he flourishes as a disciple of Jesus, whose only desire is to glorify God by making disciples and helping others to do the same. J.C.s young life had been untouched by God.
J.C. is now married with 3 children and is currently planting a church among the unreached indigenous tribe of Chichimeca Indians in Central Mexico.
In the last five years our team has seen three small churches started, 32 new believers baptized, and about 77 students trained in English. We have seen 150 leaders like J.C equipped by the word to reach their neighbours with the Gospel, and more than 1,060 lives impacted through kid’s camps, evangelism, and family conferences.
