The Word of Life Crosses Borders

by Jacob Clagg with Pastor Victor Montalvo

At 2,000 miles, the distance between San Diego and El Arenal, Veracruz, Mexico is truly massive. That’s about 33 hours by car without stops or bathroom breaks, and nine hours by plane without layovers. Yet, that’s the distance that Pastors Victor Montalvo, Juan Santos, and Alfredo Luevano of San Diego Palabra de Vida (Word of Life) Church, make every four to six months. They make the journey to El Arenal so often because that’s where their sister church is; a church called Iglesia De Dios Palabra de Vida (Church of God Word of Life), established about 10 years ago.

El Arenal is a small town close to the Atlantic coast and named after the abundance of sand in the area. Thanks in no small part to the support of the San Diego Church of God, Iglesia De Dios sprung up in hopes of reaching out to the community. Pastor Victor described El Arenal as an economically poor town that struggles with drugs and alcoholism. Having preached on the streets there, Pastor Victor talked about the cantinas that El Arenal locals like to frequent, and that gangs have an active presence as well. “There is an area where they make the drugs. They make them right there. There is a cartel within the town. They never bother us or the church. It seems to me that they have respect for the church, but the cartel is very active there,” Pastor Victor said, making it clear that in El Arenal, many people are uninterested in Christianity and the message of Jesus. In general, the population is neither receptive nor angry, but truly apathetic. Because of this, the church in El Arenal has had to be creative in its outreach and strive for a different demographic to make an in road with the community.

Currently pastored by Fausto Agustin, Iglesia De Dios Palabra de Vida has found a ministry in the children of the town. Ministering to the youth of El Arenal, the church has seen major success in teaching and supporting the children, which inevitably leads down the family tree. Once they see their children’s interest, it isn’t long before the mothers start coming to the church, and then eventually the fathers come, too. Pastor Victor witnessed that kids are more open to the church and in learning from the pastors there, and their interest sparks the interest of other kids as well. It’s an example of how youth ministry and the inherent sociality of youth make for a naturally evangelistic ministry. Their strategy is to change the heart of the community by creating a new generation of Christfollowers who will break patterns of abuse and addiction. “There is a generation coming... That’s our goal. Very soon we will have a generation of leaders and they will have a lot of power, and when they fall on fire for the Lord, they will work hard,” Pastor Victor said.

Initially the church was started as a family church with just a floor and a ceiling. But as their outreach has grown, so too has their ambition and their need. The Pastors from San Diego who helped start the church are still routinely raising funds to help with additions. Most recently they’ve helped to build a kitchen, bathrooms, and extra rooms for visitors to stay. Now when Pastors Victor, Juan, and Alfredo go to visit, they come to celebrate anniversaries, baptisms, and revivals. Just this past March, the church baptized eight people.

Despite the support they’re giving, the San Diego church isn’t very large, maybe 50 or 60 people. When asked about how they manage to sustain their own ministry, and so heavily support the good work of their sister church in El Arenal, Pastor Victor spoke candidly about the generosity of San Diego Palabra de Vida, and how small acts of giving inspire a reciprocal process.

On a flight back from Mexico to the States, Pastor Victor shared his ministry experiences with a young man in the seat next to him. The young man, 18 years old, seemed interested and listened to Pastor Victor talk at length about the trip and the support they’ve been bringing. As they departed the plane, then young man gave Pastor Victor $100. Pastor Victor kindly said, “I don’t want your money.” But the man responded, “No, I want to give this to you. I know you’re going to use it to bless those people.” Pastor Victor graciously accepted, and later reflected in how outlandish the gift was. “Who wants to give $100? Not some teenager. They want to spend it on the movies, not give it to someone you don’t even know… But this is the way the Lord works.” When he returned to church the next week, he told his congregation in San Diego all about it and this prompted a young, eight-year-old girl to bring up her piggy bank as an offering during the following service. The congregation was so touched that soon numerous people were bringing their proverbial piggy banks and the church raised $1,500 to continue to help their sister church. Pastor Victor said of that story, “It was a blessing, and it’s good that kids have a passion to give to others, a passion for the Lord. It was a great story. I love that story.”

San Diego Palabra de Vida’s penchant for giving doesn’t stop at piggy banks or even at El Arenal. Church leaders, Pastor Victor included, often make trips across the border to help feed, clothe, and support workers who frequently migrate within Mexico for work. Often these workers will move from the south of the country to the north, as Pastor Victor tells it, and when they do, they bring their entire families, sometimes barefoot, often sleeping under cardboard roofs. Many of the workers and their families find support from local churches, and San Diego Palabra de Vida tries to ensure that these local churches have what they need to continue their own ministries. “They aren’t sister churches, but they need help. Every time we go, I bring food, or clothes, and toys for kids, and we store stuff there.”

Pastor Victor told one instance where they were passing out food, and clothes to families, and they had 12 childrens’ bikes they had brought across the border as well. Unfortunately, waiting for those 12 bikes were more than 300 children. The disparity between the needs and the available means is, at times, staggering, but it doesn’t stop Pastor Victor or the rest of Palabra de Vida from continuing on.

As a dual citizen, Pastor Victor is able to bring some material goods back and forth across the border, but sometimes security is tight, and he’s stopped and searched. Certain products are simply not allowed across the border, while others are just suspicious and may elicit a shake down. In order to avoid trouble or corrupt border guards, Pastor Victor and his ministry team try to make small trips, and store the goods in a location in Mexico, and when they have enough, they bring it to a location in one large caravan.

In a mixture of tension and comedy, Pastor Victor was stopped and searched while hauling a van full of goods to pass out. During these situations, he said he never lies about his intentions, but he has his way of dealing with the patrols. “I got pulled over with a van full of clothes, food, and all this other stuff. I say, well, yeah I have it, and I’m going over there and I’m going to give it to all of these people that need it, because they don’t have anything. I’m going to give it away.”

When the officer told Pastor Victor it was illegal, and he couldn’t let him go, Pastor Victor responded, “I think this is going to be the biggest sin of your life.”

The officer laughed and said, “Put some tinted windows in your van so we don’t see it.”

“That’s only one story of dozens and dozens.” Pastor Victor said. “Sometimes they return me. They returned me two months ago.” While reflecting on this story and the difficulties he routinely goes through crossing into Mexico, Pastor Victor said, “Sometimes by doing good, you might get in trouble. That’s a risk I’m willing to take. If I’m punished for doing good, then I’m blessed. And then [the officer] let me go.”