Incidents of the Lord's Work in Mexico
Ramon Alarcon
Table of Contents
Incidents of the Lord's Work in Mexico
Some years ago, a man came to our house in Ensenada, Mexico, where we used to have the Assembly Meetings, to hear the gospel. His last name was Montecino; he was a native from the state of Oaxaca. He continued coming to hear the gospel, and also brought his wife with him. After some time, they both professed to be saved, and asked to be baptized.
One day he told me of a friend of his who was a drunkard and was down in the gutter. He was also a native of Oaxaca. He asked if we could go and tell this friend about the Lord Jesus Christ. We went, and it was a pity to see the man in such a bad condition. I gave him the gospel and then invited him to come to our meetings to hear more of the glad tidings of salvation by grace. He did come, and he heard the gospel several times. One day he confessed that he had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and he requested that he might be baptized. His name was Odilon; he had formerly been a teacher in Oaxaca. He quit drinking, and soon got a good job.
He soon wrote to his friends in Oaxaca, telling them the good news of salvation by grace. One day he showed me a letter from one of his friends. In it he told brother Odilon that it would be very good if he could bring a minister with him to El Povenir, Oaxaca, so that they could hear the gospel. We asked the Lord for guidance.
Some time later brother James H. Smith and his dear wife Gladys came to visit us, and I showed him the letter. I mentioned that it would be a good place for him to go. He said that this letter was like the vision the apostle Paul saw in Macedonia, when, "There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us" (Acts 16:9). Brother Smith then encouraged me to go to El Povenir.
Brother Odilon and I then decided that, the Lord willing, we would go in June, the time he had his vacation. The day finally came, and we left for Mexico City. From there we went to Oaxaca City, the capital of Oaxaca. Then we boarded a two-motor plane for the trip to a place called Pinotepa Nacional, Oaxaca. There we landed on a make shift landing field. A young man was waiting for us with some horses and a donkey. I asked brother Odilon why that young man had brought three horses and a donkey. He answered, "One horse is for each of us, and the donkey will carry our luggage." I had never ridden a horse before, but we got on the horses and started the journey up the mountains. We rode all day, and finally reached a place called San Juan Colorado. Odilon had a friend there who provided lodging for us. I felt terrible after riding horseback all day; all my body ached. While there I gave the gospel to the school teacher. When finished, I saw tears in his eyes. God only knows the heart. At that time, very few in that part of the country spoke Spanish; most spoke the Mixtec dialect. Two days later we went to a place called La Mural-la and stayed over night. There, too, I gave the gospel to the school teacher, and two other men. They seemed very interested.
We left La Muralla and went up a high mountain. It was very difficult going up and down that mountain, but the Lord graciously sustained me. Brother Odilon and the young man were accustomed to riding on horses and donkeys, so it was not so difficult for them.
Late that afternoon we reached a place called Reforma, and Odilon found lodging for us with a quack doctor. He provided a room for Odilon and the young man, and fixed a bed for me beside his bed. I could not sleep much during the night since my body ached from the long and difficult ride. I turned over and over. Each time I turned, the doctor would light a match and then look at me with a very peculiar look. Just before we had gone to bed, I noticed that he had a big pistol under his pillow. The next day, as we were preparing to leave, I apologized to the doctor, telling him that I was sorry I did not let him sleep well. He said, "Don't mind it; I always sleep that way." Later I heard that he had murdered an army captain in another town some time before, and that he suspected me to be a government officer. Praise the Lord that we were delivered from that place!
We rode all the next day to reach El Porvenir. On the way we had to cross a river, and the donkey that was carrying our luggage just laid down in the water. All our clothing and Bibles got wet. We were able to dry them when we reached the other side of the river, and finally reached El Porvenir in the late afternoon.
Brother Odiĺon visited some of his friends and was able to find lodging for us. He returned and said that one of the chiefs, by the name of Asuncion (nick-named, "Chun"), had offered his home. It was June 25, 1957. Also, the local authorities and some of the residents wanted to know just what I was going to preach. Some forty men got together to hear my answer, and they agreed that I could preach, with the understanding that, if they did not agree with what I had to say, we would have to leave the next day. I was very tired from the constant horseback riding, and my first thought was, Do I have to get on that horse again?
That night I gave them the gospel message. After the meeting they began to speak to each other, some in Spanish and some in the Mixtec dialect; some moved their heads in a negative way, and some seemed to be positive. After a few minutes, Odilon came to me and said that they had agreed that we should stay on. O, what a relief! Praise the Lord!
The next day a little naked boy came to visit me. Odilon and the young man who had accompanied us had gone to stay in another place. The first thing the little boy asked was,
"Who are you, and why are you here?" I told him that I was his friend. He answered very curtly, "I have no friend." Then I said that I had come to tell him about the Lord Jesus Christ, and that He loved little children like him-that Christ had died for him and for all children and grown ups; that He shed His precious blood for the remission of our sins. He listened very attentively, but did not say a word, nor did his expression change. I tried in different ways to get a smile from him, but of no avail. Finally, I reached into my coat pocket for a piece of candy which I always carried for children, and gave it to him. He asked, "What is this?" I told him that it was candy, unwrapped it and told him to taste it. He tasted it and, for the first time, a big smile came to his little face. He sat down and ate the candy, then got up and said, "Give me more of what you have in that coat." So I gave him some more candy, and he became my friend. He visited me every day, and learned hymns and some Bible verses. They used to call him "Chirundo," which means "naked."
(On my second trip there, with my wife and son, he did not like them. He had no father, and finally his mother moved to another place. Some years later, we heard that he was killed in an ambush. I did so miss little Chirundo.)
We had gospel meetings every night at El Porvenir. One night after the meeting, a man approached me and said, with tears in his eyes, "I did not know that God loved me, as mean as I am. How wonderful He is to send you from a place so far away, to come and give us this good news." He was saved! His name is Marcelino. He is still living, and is at the Lord's table. Praise the Lord!
Several days later, a man by the name of Marcos came with his wife Maria. She used to be a prayer woman of that place. Each place had a prayer man or woman to pray for the dead. They asked what they should do with their idols—their home was full of idols, and they even had an altar for such idols. I said that the Lord Jesus Christ would tell them what to do. A few days later, both of them and Marcelino asked to be baptized. We went down to a river and there they were all baptized. That afternoon I visited the Marcos' home, and saw no trace of idols. I asked them if the Lord had told them what to do with the idols. He replied, "Yes. And, we have burned them all." I asked if any of the idols had saved themselves from the fire. They said, No!"
By that time brother Odilon had returned to Tijuana, where he was working; he could not stay for a full month, as he had planned. He asked me to return with him, but I could not do it for I saw that there was the Lord's work to be done in that place. Some days later, I became sick with dysenteria, and had to return home. The doctors here in Ensenada treated me and said that, if I ever returned to Oaxaca, to boil the water for drinking, since the water there is contaminated. Praise the Lord, the Lord's table was later spread at El Porvenir, and that the testimony is still there!
My wife and I made several trips to El Porvenir, and one day two men came there from a place called La Esperanza. They asked if I would go there and give them the gospel of salvation by grace. So, the next morning, some of the brothers from El Porvenir, these two young men and I started down the mountain to La Esperanza. Some had already come together there in the home of Sr. Adrian Herrera. The meeting began at 7:00 P. M., and after I had finished no one got up to return to their homes. They asked me to tell them more of the love of God, and we continued until 10:00 P. M. Sr. Adrian, the owner of the house, said that I looked very tired and that I should sleep there for the night.
The next morning, ten persons, both men and women, said that they had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and asked if they could be baptized. We went to a nearby river, and they were all baptized. They all looked so happy-praise the Lord! Later, the Lord's Table was spread in La Esperanza.
About a year later, as we returned to El Porvenir, I noticed that brother Marcos was very worried; I asked him what was wrong. He told me that Sr. Chon and others wanted to kill me, and that they had two ambushes prepared for us when we would leave for La Esperanza. Since Marcos and his wife were saved they had asked us to stay in their home, and it was there that the Lord's Table was spread. Marcos told me that Sr. Chon was a murderer, and had killed before. Praise the Lord, that he preserved me while we lodged at his home!
So, we were forced to leave very early (about 2:00 A. M.)—but not for La Esperanza, but for another place called Putla, where we could get a small plane to fly us to Oaxaca City. On the way our son was tied to the horse, because we had to cross several rivers. On the way, he called to me, "Papa, I am hungry." All we had were a few pieces of candy, but they sustained him during the trip. In spite of the torrential rains that day and the difficult journey, we arrived safely at Putla the next morning. The Lord had graciously provided for four brothers to journey with us, and they cared for us along the way. May God reward them. From Putla we flew to Oaxaca city, and from there to Mexico City.
A few days before we left El Porvenir, some men from El Ciruelo had come to hear the gospel. Some of them were saved. After they had been baptized and, as they were leaving, they invited us to come to El Ciruelo. So, on our next visit to Oaxaca, we went to El Ciruelo. A small plane from Oaxaca city took us to a make-shift landing field near Jamiltepec. From Praise the Lord, more precious souls were saved while we were there! One day I told the brethren there that I had the desire to visit El Porvenir. Brother
Adrian from La Esperanza, who was there at the time, said "Brother, if you go, we will go with you. They will have to kill us first, before they kill you." We were so moved by such brotherly love, that the intention was dropped and forgotten.
The Lord's Table was also spread at El Ciruelo, praise His Name! At that time the majority of the people there were very opposed to the gospel, but the Lord is over all. From El Ciruelo we traveled to El Cacao and La Mural-la, giving the glad tidings of salvation by grace. More souls were saved, and later the Lord's Table was spread at both places.
During one of our several visits to El Ciruelo, we were staying with brother Vasquez and, early in the morning one day we heard him talking with some Indians. They were speaking in their dialect, so we could not understand what they said. We saw that they all carried guns. Soon brother Vasquez knocked at our door, and I opened and asked him to come in. He told me that these armed men wanted to speak with me concerning the missing daughter of one of them. They had heard that I spoke with God, and that I should know where she was. Brother Vasquez had tried to persuade them that I did not even know the girl, or where she might be, but they would not take "no" for an answer.
So, after prayer to the Lord, I asked the brother how old the girl was. He replied that she was sixteen. We went out to the men and I told them not to worry about there, that she was alive and that they would soon hear from her. Brother Vasquez was the interpreter. They thanked us and went away. My wife and Vasquez then asked me how I knew that the girl was alive. I replied that she had no doubt eloped with her boy friend. A few days later we heard that she was living with her boy friend in a nearby village. Praise the Lord, He had delivered us from trouble again!
Some time after, we were preaching the gospel at La Muralla, and a stranger from Pueblo Viejo came in to hear. He later told us that he had then believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, and that he had been baptized. He also told us the story of how the Lord had worked in his heart. While he was on the way to Pueblo Viejo, before he arrived at La Muralla, he had in mind to burn the home of some fellows who were at enmity with him. But, when he heard the gospel, he changed his mind and went straight to his home to tell his father and his relatives that he had been saved and now knew the Lord Jesus Christ as his own Savior. Later, his father was also saved! The father's name was Regino Sandoval, and his son, Silvan.
A very peculiar thing occurred while I was preaching the gospel one night at El Ciruelo. Suddenly I felt as if there was an earthquake, and could hardly stand still. But I kept on preaching and, after the meeting, my wife asked what had been wrong with me. I answered, "Did not you feel the earthquake?" She laughed and said, "There was no earthquake." Later I learned that there is a lot of witchcraft practiced by the Mixtec Indians in that region of Oaxaca. We had many other such peculiar experiences in different places down there.
Some years later, we visited a place called Rio Grande. A man there named Silvano Robles and his wife invited us to stay in their home. We held gospel meetings there and both he and his wife were saved. He used to be the chief of about 400 bandits. When he got saved, he left them and they became very angry and wanted to kill him. So, one night, they came close to his home with the intent to kill him; but they saw armed soldiers patrolling the house, so they left. Next morning one of these bandits told a brother that Silvano was a coward, and that he had to call soldiers to guard him. The brother then told Silvano, and he replied that it was not so—that if the bandits saw soldiers patrolling his house, they were angels of God. Praise the Lord for saving that dear brother from such danger! Now there is an assembly in Rio Grande; all glory be to God!
Some of the unconverted men in that area have told me that they have noticed a real change in those whom we call "brothers." Some of them had been drunkards, bandits, murderers, etc. I told them that those who really believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are now new creatures in Him, and sons of God. Also, that they, too, should believe in the Lord and become sons of God themselves. All were invited to the gospel meetings. Some did come, and were saved. The Lord is able!
All of our trips through that area of Oaxaca were by horseback. Once, when we were going from La Muralla to El Ciruelo, Indians from a place called El Chayuco had an ambush ready for me, but the Lord over-ruled their bad intentions. When they saw that the Valdivia's from La Muralla were traveling with us, they were astonished and afraid, and went back to their homes without disturbing us. The Valdivia's had been, perhaps, very fierce before they were converted, so these men feared to go through with their plans to do us harm. Once again the Lord had graciously saved my wife, son and myself, along with others, from danger!
Often the local authorities in some of those places tried to keep me from preaching the gospel. Many times the unconverted threw stones while we were having meetings. But the Lord over-ruled these many wicked attempts, and none of us were ever hurt. Praise His Name!
In Rio Grande the baptisms were held in a river at night because, if held during the day, the unconverted folks nearby would throw stones, just for meanness. Sometimes it was very dangerous, but the Lord protected us all during those years. We do thank the dear saints for their many prayers on our behalf. Once, we had to leave La Muralla, galloping on horseback, because the local brothers had heard that some men had set an ambush, intending to kill me. It took eight hours for us to ride from La Muralla to Jamiltepec. Praise the Lord, we arrived safely!
Often we held gospel meetings outside the houses where we were lodged so that more would be able to hear. When I stood to speak, a brother would stand on either side of me, and a third at my back. This was done in order to protect me. What a wonderful display of brotherly love (1 John 3:16)!
Some thirty-one years have passed since we first went to the state of Oaxaca to preach the gospel. Now, there are twenty-three assemblies gathered unto the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ there-a living testimony to His matchless grace!
Brother Juan Nuriez used to live with his family near Ensenada. He and his wife were both saved, and they had moved to the high mountains in the state of Durango. He invited us to come there and preach the gospel. When the time arrived, we left Ensenada by bus and traveled to a place called Culiacan, in the state of Sinaloa. From there we took another bus to Cosala, Sinaloa. Brother Juan was waiting for us there. He took us to the home of a man he knew in that place to lodge. That night we gave the glad tidings of salvation by grace to the man, his wife, and their two sons and a daughter. The next morning, the man's wife spoke to my wife: she said that it was so wonderful that we visited them, and that, for eight years, she and her husband had not spoken to each other; but now he spoke to her. The man was saved! However, as far as we know, the wife and children did not receive the Savior.
From there we went by horseback to Los Sauces, where brother Juan lived. It was a very rough ride, going up those high Sierras. Most of the men there carried guns with triggers ready, like some we have heard of in the wild western part of the United States. They do a lot of shooting, often killing one another. When we reached a place called El Zapatero, a man asked what I was doing there, and what was my purpose. I replied that my purpose was to tell the gospel of salvation to the people. He warned me to be careful, that there was a very mean man there by the name of Ayon, who would kill anyone he disliked.
We arrived at Los Sauces, and were having a gospel meeting that night in the patio of brother Juan's house. Two gunmen came and sat on a bench to hear the gospel story. After the meeting, I asked Juan who those men were; he said that one of them was Sr. Ayon. I went over to where he was sitting with his friend and asked him what he thought of what was said about the love of God. He replied that he liked it very much, and he then invited me to his home at La Cidra. At the same time, he ordered brother Juan to go to his place the next day and to get some horses for us. Juan arose early the next day and went to get the horses, and we then traveled to La Cidra, arriving late in the afternoon. Sr. Ayon, his wife and son received us nicely and, after supper, he went out to bring some of his neighbors to come and hear the gospel.
After the meeting, as it was very late, he told me that my wife, son and I could sleep in their bedroom. (Brother Juan had mentioned, while on the way there, that, since this man was a murderer, he hardly ever slept in his house. At night he would creep out and sleep elsewhere, because he was afraid that some of his enemies might come and shoot him while he was sleeping.) We were all very tired, so my wife and I agreed that each of us would take turns sleeping while the other watched. If we heard a noise, we would wake the other. This we did. It was a very long and terrible night; but, praise God we were kept safe!
The next morning, Sr. Ayon was ready to go-his mule was packed with a rifle, and he had two guns, one on his back and the other at his side. He would stay only one day and night at home, and had to keep moving on. He was very polite to us, and said that we were welcome to stay at his home; but he left. A few years later, he was shot and killed in ambush. We were told that he did like to hear the gospel, and he had told his friends that, "he was going to join our religion." His friends said that if he did so, he would have to put away his guns. Sorry to say, but he made a very bad decision; he kept his guns. God only knows the heart!
It was very dangerous to travel on horseback in those places. One day, as we were crossing a river, the under current began to pull the horse my wife was riding downstream. I had to call to brother Juan, who quickly swam to them, took the horse by the reins and was finally able to lead them across the river.
One day we went to a place called Zapatero. The owner of the grocery store there said he was willing to hear the gospel, so we asked if we could have a little meeting outside the store in the patio. He agreed, and said that he would invite others to come and listen. The hour was set. There was a bar next to the grocery store. When the time for the meeting arrived, some men were inside the bar drinking, and very loud music was playing. The owner of the store told us to start the preaching, but I replied that it might be better to wait until the music stopped. He wanted to go into the bar and stop the music, but we said that it might be better to wait. After a few minutes he went into the bar, and soon came out with the owner of the bar and several of the men who were inside. The store owner told them all to sit down and listen to what I was going to preach. They all obeyed and listened quietly until I was finished. Then he told them that they could go back into the bar. These men, as well as all who had been invited before, all had guns on their hips!
On another occasion, we went to a place called La Petaca. A man and his family there gave us lodging in their home. That evening we had a gospel meeting and several others came, including a young girl and her mother. They all listened very attentively. The next day I asked the owner of the home what he thought of the gospel message. He answered very aburptly, "Listen, if I had not liked it, you would not be here!" So I had nothing further to say. Soon after, a fellow came with the news that the girl who had been at the meeting the night before had been killed. Her boy friend had met her and her mother on the way from the meeting, and he wanted her to elope with him. She refused flatly. Then he threatened to kill her if she would not go with him. She said that he could kill her, but she would not go with him. She told him that they could be married, but he insisted that she elope with him. When she refused, he shot her and ran away! God only knows the heart, but perhaps the girl had believed in the Lord Jesus Christ and did not want to sin against Him.
We can only praise the Lord for His loving grace and care through all of these and many other experiences while seeking to carry the gospel into the isolated regions of Mexico.
(As told by Ramon Alarcon. August 16, 1988)
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