By Sanna Williams

Where do I begin to tell of the mighty hand of God evident throughout our trip to Mexico?

Before we left, a friend gave me a check and the verse, “I will bless you . . . and you will be a blessing.” Gen. 12:2.  That was indeed the theme of our trip.  I felt we were a funnel of God’s blessings to two areas in Mexico. 

Isaac and Etelvina Perez and Don and I (Sanna) had been to the Culiacan outreach last year and we were hoping to go again this year.  Ray and Katie Dodson and Lalo Angel decided to go with us only days before we left.  The Culiacan project is in its 15th year.  It is an outreach to deliver the gospel on cassettes to the indigenous Indians and some Spanish speakers who come to the rich agricultural area of Culiacan to harvest abundant crops.  The Jesus Film and other audiovisual aids are also used to reach a population that is largely illiterate and unreached with the gospel.  It gives new meaning to the verse, “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.”

Thousands of migrant farm workers come from remote Indian villages, especially from Oaxaca and Guerrero states where there is a concentration of many different dialects. Sometimes entire villages are represented in a camp.  The Jesus Film or another film of testimonies is shown at each camp while the cassettes are given to the native speakers.  Most have never heard of Christ and the Good News of salvation.  Since many cannot read, the best way to reach them is in their own language on a cassette which can be played over and over and listened to by many.  Every family seems to have a boom box even though they may not own shoes!  These gospel messages are then taken back to their villages where more people are reached.    The Jesus Film, Christian CDs and Bibles (sometimes available in their dialect) are also available at a reasonable cost. The migrant farmers are more open to the gospel out of their village environment where there is much pressure to conform to tradition and old patterns of life.  About 2000 accepted Christ in the migrant camps and over 4000 cassettes were given out.  Please pray for these new believers who have little Christian material at their disposal and who may not know another Christian in the camp.

Don and I had several Christian families who came up to us and asked prayer for their children to accept Christ and prayer that they would meet with other believers and also share the gospel.  One family wanted hymnals so they could sing and have a Bible study with the camp children!  We were able to give their name and address to a local Christian who is to take them some Christian music (the funnel blessing thing).

We were blessed beyond measure to worship in song (mostly in Spanish) and to hear testimonies each morning.  Of course, our very own Lalo was the base player for the band.  One day we sang “Open the Eyes of My Heart, Lord” in English, Spanish and Chol.  1 Chron 16:35 says, “Gather us . . . from the nations that we may give thanks to Your Holy Name and glory in Your presence.”   The testimonies of many made me realize how much God loves each of us. He orchestrated circumstances so that a remote Indian in a Mixtec village would hear of Him.  One of those Indians is a pastor of the most mission minded and sending churches I have ever heard of.  (We were blessed to have our faith increased.)

We were a funnel of blessing in practical ways: by giving clothing (donated by First Baptist, Napa) to two different congregations, the Culiacan Mixtec volunteers who lacked jackets, and to the migrant workers; by giving toothpaste, toothbrushes, combs and shampoo to 13 Mixtec Bible students; by taking and installing an exhaust fan in the hot kitchen (donated by a Napa couple); by giving 200 dollars to the Mixtec pastor (also donated by a couple from FCC).

The second half of our trip was equally rewarding.  We traveled to the Zacatecas area where Isaac and Etelvina are from.  We were blessed to hear their testimonies and to see the hand of God in their lives.  Isaac had been a manager for a 5 star hotel in Zacatecas years ago and he comes from a family of 13.  Needless to say, he is well known and connected.  Every day we witnessed how God had used contacts from the past in the hotel industry to pave the way for this new season of personal testimony and mission outreach.  Isaac was able to tell long time friends that he was a “hallelujah.”  It was beautiful to watch.  He gave his Bible to a second cousin who was hungry for truth but not yet a believer.  (We were blessed, also, because they took us to the beach where we ate shrimp tacos).

In Zacatecas, Isaac connected with a man he had worked with in the hotel industry.  Now he is president of the workers union representing 30,000 laborers.  They both obviously respect one another.  We also left donated clothes with him for his workers.  Isaac told him he would be back in July and was going to have a Biblical based training for any leader and he was invited.  Then Isaac asked if we could pray for him.  He agreed and I was choking back the tears as Isaac prayed a blessing over him and for his integrity.  I saw the banner on the wall that said in Spanish, “FOR THE EMANCIPATION OF MEXICO.”  It gave me chills to know this was a sign of God’s intent in the spiritual realm of Mexico.

We were blessed by Isaac’s sister and family who gave all seven of us a place to stay for several days and fed us yummy Mexican food.  They even had a surprise birthday party for Don and Elda made the cake.  His brother, the mechanic, replaced the water pump and his nephew took the van to get a new transmission.   We also prayed over the property that Isaac’s parents left him where he wants to build a conference center and church and baseball diamond.  We ate with Etelvina’s sister and Dad.  Neither are believers yet.

There is more, but . . . A verse that has been ringing in my ears since last year is Isaiah 43:12, “You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God.”                               

Sanna Williams
for Don, Isaac, Etelvina,Lalo, Ray, and Katie