Posted: 10/27/06
| A vision tour visits a mission in the Huastecan field, where Matamoros border leaders went on a mission trip this summer. |
Mexico trips spark desire
to meet needs immediately
By John Hall
Texas Baptist Communications
LOS MOCHIS, Mexico—Texas Baptist leaders are finding it too difficult to see ministry opportunities in Mexico without starting to meet them.
During the first two Baptist General Convention of Texas-sponsored vision trips to expose Texas Baptists to the needs of nearly unreached people groups in Mexico, participants felt called to help immediately.
Dexton Shores, BGCT Mexico and Borderland missions director, volunteered to provide a $500 monthly stipend from Cooperative Program funds to support a Mexican Baptist missionary ministering in San Luis Potosí.
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| A church started to reach the Mayo people of Sinaloa, Mexico, meets under a ramada—a primitive pole structure. |
On the second vision trip, he bought eight bicycles to be used as the primary transportation for eight Mexican pastors working with the Mayos in Western Mexico. Without the bicycles, the pastors were walking up to eight miles a day as part of their ministry.
An additional $2,000 was used to purchase land for a church ministering to the Mayos. Buying land is difficult for churches in an area where people make as little as $7 a day.
Marsha Tribe of Crossroads Baptist Church in The Woodlands—who went on the first vision trip—said the needs are great in Mexico. Indigenous believers are committed to ministering in areas where few people are evangelical Christians but lack resources—and, in some cases, training—that could make ministry more significant.
“I see a huge need for long-term connection down there—for long-term leadership training,” she said.
Juan Pacheco from Primera Iglesia Bautista in El Paso said Mexican churches need help starting health clinics, training members for service and buying land. Texas Baptists can partner together to coordinate ministry efforts strategically and assist Mexican Baptists.
“Texas Baptists can help their brothers in Christ in many ways,” he said.
Don Graham of First Baptist Church in Llano said the trips furthered his resolve to assist Mexican Baptist ministry. Seeing the needs of the Mayos helped him understand how he can help the ministry there.
For more information about adopting unreached and nearly unreached people groups in Mexico, call (888) 244-9400 or visit www.bgct.org/bordermexico.
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