Chito has lived his entire life in Honduras. For most of his life he attended a Roman Catholic church like many of his fellow Hondurans. Despite all the time in church, Chito had no transformation in his life. He was a drunkard and womanizer, living with but never marrying his long-time girlfriend. The church’s teaching and counsel never convicted him of his sin, nor led him to repentance and faith.
That changed when Chito visited the Bethany Clinic, a ministry supported by The Evangelical Ministry of the Americas (a TMAI member school led by Carlos Montoya). There, Chito was evangelized by a short-term missions trip team member. In Chito’s words, “A tall North American man, whose name I don’t remember, explained to me very clearly the gospel. And I understood and appreciated what I heard about Christ, so on that very day I believed, and committed my life to the Lord. From that moment forward, my life changed. After going home, Maria began to notice real change.” Chito was convicted of his sin, came to faith in Christ, and would soon marry his long-time partner Maria—making them newlyweds at 73 and 69, respectively.
Last year, Chito and Maria were baptized together in a November service, one they remember very well because of the cold weather. Church leaders offered to move the baptism service to a warmer time in order to avoid health concerns due to their advanced age. But Chito replied, “I want to be baptized even if it kills me!” Chito and Maria joyfully survived the cold waters of baptism and continue to serve Christ in Pastor Montoya’s church to this day.
Friend, even five centuries after the beginning of the Reformation, countless souls are still trapped in the clutches of false teaching and an apostate church. Your prayers and support help strengthen leaders around the world who are committed to the work of reformation, taking the life-transforming gospel to people like Chito and Maria.
