Off to a Bad Start
“At a young age, I became a problem for my family, my friends and school,” admits Ramon Murillo. After being expelled from school, he joined other young delinquents on the street — and it got worse from there. After more than a decade of drug addiction and life on the very rough and violent streets of Tijuana, Mexico, Ramon hit rock bottom. Shortly after, he found himself walking through the doors of a Christian drug rehabilitation centre in the same city.
Saved and Challenged
It was there at rehab that Ramon sat under chronological Bible teaching and, for the first time, heard the words of John the Baptist: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.” He finally understood and believed.
” COULD IT BE THAT GOD IS CALLING ME TO BE A MISSIONARY, TO TAKE THIS SAME MESSAGE THAT BROUGHT ME ETERNAL LIFE TO OTHERS WHO HAVE NEVER HAD AN OPPORTUNITY TO HEAR AND UNDERSTAND IT? “
Not many months later, Ramon was challenged while reading a book about a missionary. He asked himself, “Could it be that God is calling me to be a missionary, to take this same message that brought me eternal life to others who have never had an opportunity to hear and understand it?”
And God was. When his desire became known, Ramon was encouraged to take NTM’s missionary training in Chihuahua, Mexico. It was there he met Vanessa, who would become his wife and join him in working with the Mixteco tribal people of Mexico.
Looking to the Day
Though many of the Mixteco people speak varying levels of Spanish, their comprehension falters at clearly understanding spiritual truths. This leads to much confusion about the God of the Bible.
That’s where NTM’s missionary training came in. Ramon and Vanessa were taught, not only spiritual truths and how to make those truths clear across cultural differences, but practical steps in learning language and culture where no lessons exist.
Pray for Ramon and Vanessa as they continue to learn the Mixteco language and culture, looking to the day when they can teach the Mixteco people chronologically through God’s Word, opening their eyes to the truths from God’s Word — just like Ramon’s were.
But the Mixteco aren’t the only people group to be reached. More labourers are needed. Yet NTM’s Mexico City Bible Institute, which is the first step in NTM’s missionary training, is so small that it can only train 25 students at a time. A property has been found that would allow the school to expand. This is an exciting possibility. Could you pray for the funds needed to purchase it and renovate the buildings?
