5 minute read
El Arenal Church Celebrates 15 Years of Serving God
with Jenn Schlumbohm
The Church of God in El Arenal, Veracruz Mexico just celebrated their 15th anniversary, and they didn’t do it alone. From July 18-25, an ACTS team comprised of members from Friendship Community Church and staff from the CGGC office headed down into Mexico to celebrate, worship, and work with the brothers and sisters there.
Started 15 years ago by Sister Estella, the Church of God in El Arenal is an answered prayer, and the product of faith that defied the circumstances of the time. 15 years ago, there was not a single church in El Arenal, but after Sister Estella found the Lord, she was convinced her hometown needed a church. She had a piece of property that she was intending to give to one of her sons for his inheritance, but because he lived in the U.S., she decided it should be church property. One regional pastor remarked to Estella that it might be too challenging to build a church here, but they kept praying until finally the word of the Lord came to them. “Today, God has established his Kingdom in El Arenal.”
From that moment, as current Pastor Fausto tells it, there was no stopping the church being built. A small community of family rallied around Estella. They decided to make all kinds of food and sell it to raise funds so they could build a church. They started selling elotes (grilled corn with mayo and chiles), chips, tamales, coffee, and bread and soon found themselves with enough money to purchase building materials. They poured concrete, laid tiles, put up walls, and carved doors. They built their church with their own hands, and the structure that the missions team worshiped in alongside the brothers and sisters of El Arenal was a testament to their dedication and work. It’s an amazing story, and one that speaks to so many essential qualities of the people and churches in Mexico.
Since the founding of the church, more churches have sprung up in small, rural El Arenal. They are focusing on ministering to the children with outdoor events, and while the ACTS team was there, they traveled to a town about an hour away to pick up a whole bunch of kids who are part of a youth group and brought them to the celebration. Hot weather didn’t prevent or discourage the celebration services throughout the week, and kind, cool winds saved the day when the temperature threatened to grow truly oppressive.
By all accounts, the ACTS team found themselves the recipients of eye watering hospitality from people who were overjoyed to meet them. “The people were so moved and touched by the mere fact that we came. That we came to visit them, right where they are,” said Jenn, who was on the trip. Jenn Schulmbohm is the Multimedia Coordinator for Global Reach but, along with her son, this was her first time visiting our Mexico churches. “They cared for us and served us so well, and never with any expectations. It was humbling and inspiring. A ‘servant heart’ means something different in Mexico.”
During a time of Q/A, Pastor Fausto was asked “What can U.S. churches learn from Mexico churches?” Initially, Pastor Fausto admitted that there’s not much to learn from our Mexico churches since they don’t have the education, or the books. But having witnessed their focus on a life of prayer, servanthood, and dedication, Jenn didn’t agree. She saw the way they were desperate for prayers, and when an altar call was made, everyone in the church went up to receive prayer. They cling to God and His word, forsaking comfort and convenience. And they do it immediately. Jenn and Pastor Fausto, who had lived in the states for a while, both commented about how the American church can take what we have for granted, and it becomes a barrier to seeking God. Jenn suggested that U.S. Christians often seek God as a last resort, saying that, “in the states, we fight much harder to 'Give everything to God,' because it is easier to live under the delusion that we can handle it ourselves.”
Somewhat comically, Pastor Fausto mentioned that, in the U.S., “If we turned off the AC at a couple of services, people would leave.” It’s true that in the U.S., we have a tendency to get caught up on things that aren’t central to God or to His great commission. Pastor Victor Montalvo of San Diego Church of God said of the Mexico churches that they “don’t have much. They still worship God and love God as if they had everything. They still go when they are sick, when they are struggling financially. They love God and want to worship God.”
In the final days of the ACTS team trip, the women of El Arenal church, who had tirelessly cooked nearly every meal the team ate, took the team's clothes to wash. Given as bags of dirty clothes, the women returned later with hand-washed clothes smelling of soap, neatly folded. Jenn’s reflection on their servant hearts humbled her. How much dirty laundry would we be willing to do for people in our churches?
Right now, our churches in Mexico are diligently working with the Mexico government to be recognized as a conference within the CGGC. They eagerly wish to be recognized not as loosely scattered churches in Mexico, but as a bonded conference of their own. One that can work together with churches in the U.S. and in South America for the good of the kingdom.
