Wednesday, September 7, 2016

GALLERY OF GEMS & JEWELS #2

VICENTE CORTEZ

During Dad and Mother's years in Zapotitlan, they met Vicente Cortez, an unusual Totonac Indian. After becoming saved, he had an extreme desire to see everyone turn to the "true religion". He was not well educated and never married.
A carpenter by trade he used his shop as an opportunity to witness especially on Sunday, market day.
One day a group of men from DIMAS LOPEZ arrived at Vicente's carpenter shop with some beautiful oak and cedar lumber. Some of that lumber turned into furniture for our first Mexico home. (table,chairs, crib,wardrobes) Another more experienced carpenter that Dad had befriended at the time made our furniture.

The group of men from DIMAS LOPEZ, having heard that the Word of God was in their Totonac language were excited about following Christ and invited Dad and other believers to visit their village. This village was about 12 hours away on horseback riding through very mountainous terrain.
With encouragement from Vicente to go they set out into the unknown to this remote village. They found the people very open to the Gospel. They were excited about the New Testament and hymnbook in their own language. It was a joy to explain God's Word through Vicente as interpreter. Many accepted the Good News and lives began to change.

Market Day

Among those people was a man named NICHOLAS from MECATLAN, VERACRUZ, across the Puebla border. He had self-exiled himself to the Puebla side, divided by the river, as authorities did not pursue criminals to the other side.
This became the first of many visits to DIMAS LOPEZ. On one of those occassions we met Nicholas 's mother who had come to visit her son. She invited Dad and the men to MECATLAN, saying that there were many who wanted to Study God's Word.

Vicente Cortez,Miguel Cano,Fiipe Santos~Traveling Companions

So another 4 hr. trek across the river to the VERZCRUZ side and up a steep mountain they entered the beautiful village of MECATLAN.
Dona Michaela, Nicholas's mother introduced them to Dona Maria (Lopez), who invited them to stay with her.
She invited all her friends to hear the Gospel.

DONA MARIA LOPEZ

DONA MARIA was busy raising 4 daughters and a son with out the help of the father who had left. She was very hospitable, an excellent cook, served joyfully. She instilled these qualities in her children who went on to ministries of their own.
MECATLAN became a new center and the PUCKETTS came to later minister in this area. THE PUCKETTS & MECATLAN CLICK HERE

EARLY DAYS OF MINISTRY CLICK HERE

LARRY PUCKETT OBITUARY click here