Mexico's Tribal Churches Grow

John VanWormer and his family live in Chihuahua, Mexico

During the month of May, most of the missionaries who work with NTM Mexico were able to meet together and hear reports of what God is doing among the tribal people here. Many of our coworkers are Latins and the conference was mostly in Spanish. What a joy to hear that in the mountains of northern Mexico, the native Tarahumara church is reaching its own people. There are approximately 110,000 people in this large tribe and around 2,000 of them are now our brothers and sisters in Christ! The believers are partnering with American missionaries to translate the Bible. Fernando, one of the teaching elders and the native translator, along with others, has recorded the word of God, Christian music and chronological teaching in the Tarahumara language on MP3 players with speakers and solar-powered batteries. Teams have carried over 7,000 of these devices into more than half of the vast region where the tribe is scattered and has traded them to the people for baskets and other arts and crafts that they are able to make. Now when the missionaries trek to remote, mountain dwellings they sometimes hear the truth of God being broadcasted from these $8.00 devices! God is growing His Church!

There is much more to say: Tribal people reaching their own people, new believers being baptized, new works opening in southern Mexico... The conference was filled with reports of God's amazing work and there isn't space to tell of it all. During the conference week John ran the sound booth and Maria ran the music - we were very busy and had a wonderful time. The conference ended with the choir that Maria directed singing, "Is He Worthy?" in Spanish. Juan Horta, a South-American coordinator for Ethnos 360, encouraged us as missionaries who leave home, family and friends not to ask ourselves the question, "Is it worth it?" but instead, "Is He worthy?" All of us know and firmly believe that Jesus is worthy of all praise and honor. He is worth giving our lives for.

Written by John VanWormer, Mexico field pilot