By Mauricio Zamudio
When I moved to Colima seven years ago, I had no idea it would soon become one of the most dangerous cities in the world. Nor did I have any idea what an amazing movement of the Spirit I would witness there.
On the outside, Colima seems like a peaceful resort city. It has less than 300,000 residents, so everything is located close together. There is an active volcano just a few kilometers away that can be seen spewing lava, but scientists tell us there is no real risk to the population. Maybe that volcano is an illustration of the city: under the surface, things are boiling and violent.
After I moved to Colima with my wife Gabriela and three kids as full-time field staff, we learned that this city is a strategic point for drug trafficking. So many of the city’s residents work in the drug trade that it is taboo to ask anyone what they do for a living. There were very few functional families around us. During the years we lived in that community, we saw social problems growing like cancer.
Another couple, Raúl and Paty Ortiz, had invited us to start a university ministry alongside their existing Navigator ministry in Colima. We weren’t sure how to reach young people with the Gospel there, so we tried everything. We wanted access to the university, but our credentials couldn’t get us in. We met people for spiritual conversations, but there was not much interest.
So, we just kept praying as a team. For four months we didn’t see any fruit, but we learned about expectant prayer as we focused on God’s power and ability to move. During that time God gave us several passages that encouraged us, including Isaiah 40:1-5. God asked us to prepare ourselves to comfort his people and tell them that their sins are forgiven.
One day Raúl had a conversation with an older man in a sports club who said he really wasn’t interested in Jesus. Then a younger man approached Raúl and confessed he had been listening in. This man, Bel, said he was very interested and wanted to hear more. I began meeting with Bel, because we had many things in common. We were both in business consulting, we were close to the same age, and we even looked alike!
Bel said he had been reading different literature with his book club as a way to seek spiritual guidance, but had never read the Bible. He wanted to learn more about Christ.
He and his wife Betty soon wanted to start a Bible study with others. When Gabriela and I showed up for the Bible study at Bel’s house, we were amazed to see 20 people there! Everyone was interested in learning about Christ. There was so much spiritual hunger.
We were concerned when we found out that Bel and Betty were not actually married, so we did a Bible study on marriage with them. A few weeks later they asked us to officiate their wedding. It was an event that marked a watershed in the small group that was being formed. Bel and Betty's testimony of obedience caused more couples to get married and others to stop living in sexual immorality. There were testimonies of hope and healing everywhere. It was natural for them to share their new faith with their families, because everyone wanted to know about the major life changes they were making. The group grew, and others started their own home Bible studies with their relatives.
Seeing this movement, Raúl and I felt that God was asking us to focus on the most committed young people for discipleship, giving them the necessary tools to serve and establish a healthy work in the city. We watched as the network continued to grow.
After a few years, God raised up faithful workers, who have now formed a leadership team to oversee the work. Even now, the movement of the Gospel in Colima continues to grow and strengthen through family ties and a hunger for the Word that is transforming lives and communities through God’s Spirit.
We now see how Isaiah 40:1-5 was God’s plan for the work. All we did was prepare the ground faithfully. The land was fertile, even though it seemed like a fruitless desert. In such a hostile environment, God leveled the mountains and softened the rough places. All of this revealed the glory of our Lord for people to see.
