One Year, Many Connections

Pablo and Sheryl Canché recently celebrated their one-year mark of arriving in Mexico City, where they are serving as missionaries with Christian Reformed World Missions.

Along with learning the city routes and discovering many of its exciting communities, Pablo and Sheryl were also reaffirmed in their need for their primary ministry goal—to unify Christian leaders and help them minister together in God’s Kingdom.

“We found so many small churches located in lots of neighborhoods,” the Canchés reflect in a report to CRWM. “Unfortunately these leaders often compete with each other, which confuses the neighbors with mixed messages from the local church.”

While this task appeared overwhelming, Canchés say they’ve already seen so many examples of “God appointments,” meeting just the right people at the right time.

Most recently, the Canchés traveled for three hours to reach a small church up in the mountains, on the edge of Mexico City. Here, they quickly learned that the pastor happened to be from Campeche, the same city Pablo is from. In fact, their families used to go to the same church.

“This immediately gave us an opening to say a few words in the service, and make an appointment to meet with the leaders to see how we could encourage them in their context,”  the missionaries report.

Another ministry connection the Canchés have made is with a woman named Martha, who visits and shares God’s word with people who are living on the streets and using drugs. “We are in regular contact with Martha,” they report, “encouraging and praying with and for her and the work she does. She appreciates that we do not need to be part of the same denomination to cooperate.”

Finally, the Canchés met a medical doctor named Nallieli who has a dream of providing health care for the many Mexican pastors and missionaries in Mexico City who lack health insurance. “She had a good desire, but lacked the knowledge of how to proceed,” they say.“We prayed with her, and started asking questions.”

Out of that conversation, Nalleli realized that she has friends who have a knack for marketing and administration, which could help make this medical ministry more sustainable. “She is very encouraged to see she does not have to do everything by herself,” say the Canches. “Many members of the body of Christ are pulling together to cooperate in this project.”

After just one year of ministry on the field, the Canchés are already amazed by the desire of ministry leaders they meet and the roles they can play in developing those ministries.

“We’ve got praise in our hearts for God’s amazing faithfulness to us in this new place. Our goal is to get to know more leaders and connect them with each other to make a bigger impact in their neighborhoods for the kingdom of God.”

As Pablo and Sheryl continue to make new ministry connections, pray that they will continue to find ways to break down barriers to a more unified Church in Mexico City.