SERVANT SPOTLIGHT

Before Christmas 2007, Ishmael was trapped in a life of sin, indulging in worldly pleasures and held captive by alcohol, drugs, immorality, and religious idolatry. He was a neglectful and verbally abusive husband to his wife, Pati, and a disappointing father to their sons, Isai David and Jesus Adrian.

One Sunday, hungover from heavy drinking, Ishmael took his family to the market in Comonfort, Guanajuato. As they walked, he reflected on the pain he had caused. Then, as if guided by a higher power, he saw a sign reading, “The Church of Christ meets here.” Turning to Pati, he asked, “The devil has had me long enough. Do you want to go in there?” She smiled and said, “Yes, let’s go in.” Though the service was ending, they promised to return the following Sunday. This marked the start of Ishmael’s transformation.

“I found what I had been searching for,” he says. “The church welcomed my family with open arms, embraced me despite my sinfulness, and showed us incredible love.”

Over the following months, they continued attending Bible studies and worship, learning the principles of Christian living and undenominational New Testament Christianity. A year later, both Ishmael and Pati were baptized into Christ.

“I gave my life to Jesus, who loved me even as a vile sinner, deserving of punishment. He had mercy on me and gave me a new beginning in my marriage and family,” Ishmael reflects.

Their spiritual growth deepened as they became active in the church. Ishmael took on leadership roles, even preaching occasionally. They also walked through Comonfort, sharing the gospel with Ishmael’s former friends. Their dedication led them to enroll in the Biblical Institute, where they graduated with honors after three years.

Recognizing Ishmael’s potential, Mission GTO Mexico invited him to become a preacher. He served first in Comonfort and later in Joventina Rosas, where the church became self-sufficient under his leadership. Four years ago, they moved to the capital of Guanajuato, where Ishmael continues to preach and is helping to establish a new mission in San Francisco and Purisima del Rincon.

Both of their sons have grown into strong Christian men, now helping lead worship services. Ishmael’s conversion story is a true inspiration!

Acampando Con Cristo 2024

Because of your loving generosity, we were able to conduct the very first Christian camp in Guanajuato, MX in 2023. The enthusiasm to come back for a second year was extremely high, and in 2024 we had around 130 total attendees, including over 100 campers. As a co-director of ACC, I’m trilled to share a few ways God is using our Christian camp to bless the lives of others.

First, It is amazing to behold these precious young people realize that they are not alone in this world as Christians. Most come from very small missionary congregations. ACC allows them the opportunity to experience the strength of numbers. Seeing these young people running to embrace friends made at camp a year ago is such a hopeful thing to witness. I praise God for the impact of these lifelong Christian friendships.

Secondly, the camaraderie of our preachers and their wives is on full display at ACC. Some of the best preachers in the world are our GTO preachers. Every lesson given at camp was truly exceptional. Not to be outdone, their wives and other sisters who made up the kitchen staff (pictured below) worked around the clock to turn out delicious homemade food for every meal. The best part for me, though, is at night listening to them laugh and share with each other. ACC is bringing our GTO team closer together in every way.

Thirdly, the power of the gospel is alive and well at ACC. Two of our campers became Christians this year at Camp: Melissa & Gustavo (pictured below with co-director, Fernando Arroyo). We have a lot of fun at camp. There are mixers, sports, games, skits and all kinds of other creative things. Most importantly, there is the teaching of God’s word. I suspect many more will obey the gospel as a result of the seeds planted at camp.

I want to give a special thanks to my missionary companions (pictured below: Dayna Morgan, John Pigg & Daniel Russell) who served so well - even without their luggage! I also want to express my gratitude to each and every person who has helped make Acampando con Cristo (Camping with Christ) a reality.

To God be the glory,

Dustin Abbott | Teaching Minister | Lake Harbour Dr. Church of Christ

The elders of the Lake Harbour Church of Christ want to thank all our supporters of Mission GTO. Please continue to keep us and Mission GTO in your prayers.

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