[About the photos: Carlos Tovilla has stood by my side for over 30 years, bringing people the Good News of the abundant life in Jesus.]
Dear Friends of Mexico Ministries:
I first met Carlos Tovilla 33 years ago when he stepped off a bus in Atoyac, Guerrero and came to our headquarters, having been given a one way ticket by his pastor back in Tuxtla, Chiapas. He was 22 years old, poor, hungry, and uncertain as to why his pastor had sent him to meet me. We visited, gave him food, a room, and $100 to cover his trip back home. Now Carlos is 55 years old, has a beautiful wife and three precious children, a lovely home, and is the president of all that we do in Mexico. He recently said to me, “My father taught me how to live. You taught me how to live better.”
Jesus said that the thief comes only to steal, kill, and destroy, but that he came that we might have life, and have it abundantly (John 10.10). Bringing the Good News of the Kingdom to people includes bringing them the opportunity for an abundant life. What I mean is, yes of course the Gospel is about bringing people into a relationship with Jesus Christ, but that has ramifications that impact life and make it better. Yes, the Gospel is a spiritual message, but that message also transforms individuals, families, and even entire cultures.
When I first arrived in Chenalho, Chiapas and pitched my one man tent on a hillside some 30 years ago, it was almost like stepping back in time. Today I look back over those 30 years and think of so many of those young people who are now pastoring, preaching, and helping bring an abundant life to the people they serve. Churches are being built, orphans are being cared for, doctors and nurses in our clinics are ministering to the sick, housing is being built for those in need, transportation is being supplied, and the Gospel is being taken further and further back into the mountains and changing people’s lives.
Thank you for being part of bringing eternal life, and an abundant life, to the people of Mexico. Please continue to pray for God’s favor in our work throughout the nation, for His blessings on our leaders and their families, for all the congregations, and for the new generation of young men and women who will carry on this ministry for decades to come. And pray for me, that I can continue to share God’s amazing love with others.
God bless you,
Larry