Villatoro Family Update
April 3, 2020
We send our greetings from Ensenada, Mexico. We are well, thank God.
People here have stopped building because of insecurities around the Covid-19 epidemic, so Max has not been able to sell any concrete blocks for two weeks, and our finances are quite shaky. Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference also is experiencing a shortage of funds, which impacts us directly. We feel our government is not protecting or helping its citizens, so the situation is very difficult here for everyone. We continue to pray for God's help through these times.
We are continuing with our meetings with believers and seekers in homes, only 5 or 6 persons together at a time, but I think we also will have to stop those meetings for the moment due to the COVID-19. Last week Gloria finished giving baptismal classes for three brothers and sisters. Once the pandemic has passed we will hopefully meet once more and then have the baptisms. A change we'll have to make is to start using online social networks to share the word of God with the church here in Ensenada. What's happening is difficult everywhere, but God is faithful and does not abandon us. So we continue with the House of Peace and Restoration Baja Ministry.
March 31 was Max's birthday, and the 30th was Angela's. We celebrated with cake and singing here at home. I give God thanks for letting me celebrate Max's birthday with him for the first time in five years! GOD IS GOOD!
Angela and Aileen continue their online studies here at home in Mexico. Edna is still in Iowa City, finishing up her senior year at Hillcrest Academy. Anthony is working in Iowa City.
We send our love to all our dear friends in Central Plains Mennonite Conference. May the Lord bless you all.
--Gloria and Max Villatoro
January 7, 2020
Gloria and Max Villatoro, along with their three youngest children, have been reunited in Baja, Mexico and are building a new life there. Gloria is home-schooling their three daughters. Max is doing hard physical labor forming bricks for the construction of houses, hoping to open his own construction business soon.
The focus of their ministry is the Baja Anabaptist Ministry Project. Max and Gloria are making contacts in their community. They hold two separate weekly Bible studies with interested persons in their neighborhood. Their dream is that the home gatherings will grow to a point where a vibrant Anabaptist faith community can be established.
Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference has a unique connection with this project since the conference borders Mexico, and the Baja project is located just on the other side of the border. PSMC is supportive of the Villatoro's ministry endeavor in Baja and has taken over the responsibility to raise and distribute funds for this project.
PSMC Pastor, Juan Montes, is a supportive link between the Villatoros in Mexico, PSMC, and IMMMUM (Iglesia Anabautista Menonita Unida de Mexico). Linda Shelly (MMN director for Latin America) is helping the Villatoros connect with MCC Mexico representatives.
The tent-making ministry with which the Villatoros are engaged is filled with challenges and opportunities. They, and we, give thanks to God for what has happened already and look forward to all that is yet to come.
-Marcia Yoder-Schrock, interim Executive Conference Minister
For the history of Max Villatoro's deportation and CPMC's involvement, see Max Villatoro in our archives.
April 3, 2020
We send our greetings from Ensenada, Mexico. We are well, thank God.
People here have stopped building because of insecurities around the Covid-19 epidemic, so Max has not been able to sell any concrete blocks for two weeks, and our finances are quite shaky. Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference also is experiencing a shortage of funds, which impacts us directly. We feel our government is not protecting or helping its citizens, so the situation is very difficult here for everyone. We continue to pray for God's help through these times.
We are continuing with our meetings with believers and seekers in homes, only 5 or 6 persons together at a time, but I think we also will have to stop those meetings for the moment due to the COVID-19. Last week Gloria finished giving baptismal classes for three brothers and sisters. Once the pandemic has passed we will hopefully meet once more and then have the baptisms. A change we'll have to make is to start using online social networks to share the word of God with the church here in Ensenada. What's happening is difficult everywhere, but God is faithful and does not abandon us. So we continue with the House of Peace and Restoration Baja Ministry.
March 31 was Max's birthday, and the 30th was Angela's. We celebrated with cake and singing here at home. I give God thanks for letting me celebrate Max's birthday with him for the first time in five years! GOD IS GOOD!
Angela and Aileen continue their online studies here at home in Mexico. Edna is still in Iowa City, finishing up her senior year at Hillcrest Academy. Anthony is working in Iowa City.
We send our love to all our dear friends in Central Plains Mennonite Conference. May the Lord bless you all.
--Gloria and Max Villatoro
January 7, 2020
Gloria and Max Villatoro, along with their three youngest children, have been reunited in Baja, Mexico and are building a new life there. Gloria is home-schooling their three daughters. Max is doing hard physical labor forming bricks for the construction of houses, hoping to open his own construction business soon.
The focus of their ministry is the Baja Anabaptist Ministry Project. Max and Gloria are making contacts in their community. They hold two separate weekly Bible studies with interested persons in their neighborhood. Their dream is that the home gatherings will grow to a point where a vibrant Anabaptist faith community can be established.
Pacific Southwest Mennonite Conference has a unique connection with this project since the conference borders Mexico, and the Baja project is located just on the other side of the border. PSMC is supportive of the Villatoro's ministry endeavor in Baja and has taken over the responsibility to raise and distribute funds for this project.
PSMC Pastor, Juan Montes, is a supportive link between the Villatoros in Mexico, PSMC, and IMMMUM (Iglesia Anabautista Menonita Unida de Mexico). Linda Shelly (MMN director for Latin America) is helping the Villatoros connect with MCC Mexico representatives.
The tent-making ministry with which the Villatoros are engaged is filled with challenges and opportunities. They, and we, give thanks to God for what has happened already and look forward to all that is yet to come.
-Marcia Yoder-Schrock, interim Executive Conference Minister
For the history of Max Villatoro's deportation and CPMC's involvement, see Max Villatoro in our archives.