WASHINGTON, Mo. – Thousands of people who need Christ live in Atlixco, a city in the Mexican state of Puebla. Faith Baptist Church in Washington and Rios de Agua Viva (Rivers of Living Water) Church in Atlixco have formed a partnership to meet that need.
“We want to instill a desire in my people to show Christian love like Jesus,” Mario Ramirez, pastor of Rios de Agua Viva, told members of Faith Baptist Church during a visit to Missouri, Feb. 23. “It should be a priority regardless of age.”
Ramirez spoke from Luke 18:18-30.
“You make the difference, and it is the best way to spend your short life here,” he said. “So many things can get our attention, but we know God will never let us down. And whatever we are facing doesn’t compare to what Jesus did.”
At the end of the service, Pastor Fred Broome of Faith Baptist asked the Faith church family to come up and pray over Ramirez. “Pray for Mario,” Broome said. “Pray for strength and compassion for the people.”
In September, Broome led a group of five to Atlixco on a vision trip to get to know the people of Rios de Agua Viva.
“After spending one week in Atlixco, Mexico, there was no doubt that God had woven our hearts together with the people,” Broome said. “We grew to love them, and I am delighted that we not only made a great missions partner, but true friends and co-laborers for Christ.”
During the week in Atlixco, the Faith team met in the homes of the Rios de Agua Viva congregation.
“These were evangelistic meetings,” Broome said. “The church members invited family and friends to the meetings, and 22 people gave their lives to Christ during the week.”
Faith plans another visit in April.
“We’re planning now what the team will do when they come,” Ramirez said. “They will help with evangelistic visits, youth, workshop training and sharing conferences for different generations.”
Rick Hedger, international partner mission strategist for the Missouri Baptist Convention (MBC), is working with the Puebla and Tlaxcala Baptist Convention to match Missouri churches with churches in Mexico. He said the goal is to strengthen existing churches, as well as to evangelize and start new churches.
He said the initiative is part of Vision 2020.
“We’re praying for 10,000 baptisms, 100 new missions becoming full-fledged churches by the year 2020,” Hedger said. “We do not pay salaries or for the building of buildings. We want to come alongside and lock arms with them to share the gospel and to disciple new believers, because that is what Christians do.”
Hedger said he has many opportunities for churches to partner with Mexican churches in this area. For more information, call Rick Hedger at 573.636.0400, ext. 316, toll free at 1.800.736.6227, or email him at rhedger@mobaptist.org.