“I’m an Atheist, thank God!” our neighbor Héctor jokingly declared upon learning we are missionaries. The truth is, Héctor is a nominal adherent of the national church who is afraid to embrace another “religion” for fear of what friends & family will think.
Héctor & Magdalena, his wife, are a retired couple who live on the street behind us. We met them after the home of a neighbor adjacent to both of us was burglarized early one morning.
Despite just getting to know this couple, Héctor showed up on our doorstep recently with a surprising request. It seems he was facing some serious problems & needed someone with whom he could to talk. Of all his family, friends & other neighbors, he thought of us. What a privilege, & what an opportunity to point him to the Lord!
We invited Héctor in & he began to bare his soul to us. Last year, their daughter married a man against their wishes. Now, less than a year later, the young couple are getting a divorce. Héctor and Magda (as his wife prefers to be called), are not only distraught over their daughter’s divorce, but they have also agreed to pay the couple’s debts. However, both Héctor & Magda are retired & their pensions only pay for the bare necessities. They simply don’t know what to do. They feel hopeless in the face of their problems.
After pouring out his heart to us for over an hour, we shared with Héctor how we handle problems in our lives by taking them to the Lord. Having previously heard our testimonies, he listened & even acknowledged the truth that God is in control & He is the answer to all our problems.
Since that visit, Héctor has been unable to find work here in Chihuahua because of the economic downturn. Even in good times, it’s hard to find a job here when you are seventy. Faced with no local job prospects, Héctor travelled to Mexico City to look for work. He arrived just in time for the Swine Flu outbreak & the entire city shutting down. More hopelessness & despair for our neighbors.
However, there is hope among the hopelessness for our new found friends. Magda says she trusted in Christ a few years ago. Yet, she has never been discipled and wants to know more about the Christian life. Sherri has agreed to meet with her for a weekly Bible study.
Héctor, too, is willing to sit down & study the Bible with David. He has talked to numerous "missionaries" from various religious groups in the past & found their doctrines to be untrue. He says he is willing to listen to anyone who can prove to him with the Bible which way is the right way. What an opportunity!
Pray that the Lord will help us to continue to build relationships with this couple & so live before them that they see Jesus & His truth through our lives.
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