Humble Beginings

Around 1952, my parents were living in the Mexico back country.  They found many isolated villages with no opportunities for the children's education.
The Lord laid it upon their hearts to open up a boys group home and later a girls home.

The children went to the local school while being kept busy in the home with extra classes of music, Bible, and health.
While my dad often hiked to distant villages to encourage the believers, my mother was left to manage and teach many of the classes.  My sister and I often helped in the classes while my brothers often accompanied my father on those many trips.

Located deep into the mountains in one of those remote villages, lived the Gomez family (Totonac Indians).  My father had invited Manuel Sr. to allow his boys to the home to receive an education.

Mr. Gomez was an outstanding Christian and very bold in sharing his testimony.  One day, accompanying his two older boys, Manuel Jr. 10 yrs. and Joaquin 8, each with a small back pack of belongings they carried supported with a strap over their foreheads, they set off for our house.
As they stopped at a stream to drink, sensing something was not right, he told  the boys to hurry on ahead.  Without questioning, they ran on ahead.
Arriving tired and hungry after walking 6 to 8 hrs.,my parents were left wondering at the absence of their father.
It was not until the next day it was relayed to them that their father had been beaten to death by that very stream by enemies of the Gospel.
Because of his active witness and hatred toward the Gospel, he was one of the many Christian martyrs during this period of time we lived in Mexico.

The boys mother was left with no support for her and all four boys so my parents invited her to serve as a helper in the boys home.  After some years, she developed health issues and the Lord took her home leaving the boys in my parents care, becoming, like brothers to me.  They became very protective of me.
Manuel Jr. and Joaquin both became pastors as the result of the training provided by my parents and others.
Although still residing in Mexico, Joaquin and his wife have managed to keep in touch with my dad and I enjoy chats on Facebook with him as well as periodic phone calls.  (As he puts it "I just want to hear your voice." of course in Spanish)

His wife's amazing story can be read in a chapter of "In The Hollow of His Hand" by Doris Puckett.IN THE HOLLOW OF HIS HAND CLICK HERE

My mother led Teclita to the Lord on the first visit made to her isolated village.  The Lord has used her gifts and winsome personality in spite of her handicap due to osteomalacia.
She remains a dear treasure to those who love her.  Joaquin met Teclita while he served as pastor in her village home.  On one of my recent phone calls, I detected that still sweet spirit that has carried her all these years.
Perhaps in another blog, I will tell more of this but for now this will have to do.