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Chapter 2
THE APPARENT DEATH OF A VISION
“And Joseph dreamed a dream, and he told it his brethren: and they hated him yet the more.” (Gen 37:5)
“And he told it to his father, and to his brethren: and his father rebuked him, and said unto him, What is this dream that thou hast dreamed? Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee to the earth? And his brethren envied him; but his father observed the saying.” (Gen 37:10-11)
In the book of Genesis, God gave to Joseph a vision that the members of his family would bow the knee to him. Instead of the fulfillment, Joseph was sold by his brothers as a slave. It was the apparent death of Joseph’s vision.
Already my vision of arriving in the mountains with the gospel died when the doctor told me that I must avoid the high altitudes. I could relate to Joseph.
Now through Pastor Waldo, I could see that God already was fulfilling my vision of taking the gospel to the mountains, and I was very excited. Then I remembered Joseph. His life improved in the house of Potifar. Certainly now God would fulfill Joseph’s vision. But, no, Joseph was sent to prison. Apparently it was the second death of Joseph’s vision.
“And Joseph’s master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king’s prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison. But the LORD was with Joseph, and showed him mercy, and gave him favour….” (Gen 39:20-21)
Already I had suffered the first death of my vision. What would be the second death of my vision? It came on the 10th of July, 2005 by e-mail.
“I have a small problem now, and I request, please, that you help me to pray. It is rare that I am sick. Yesterday, on Friday, my heart was failing. Each moment I felt that it stopped and I began a cold sweat. Strength left me. I was this way all day. I thought that I was not going to wake up the following day, but, yes, I did. I thought that I was going to awaken with the Lord, but, no, here I am again. I went to a hospital. They gave me an examination, and there it was confirmed that my heart is failing. I continue feeling as though the heart stops and then starts. I told the doctor that on Monday I have a departure to the Sierras, and that I am going to walk with 9 hours of climbing in the mountains. He prohibits my leaving on this trip, for he says that I am not going to be able to climb, and that it is very dangerous for my health. Waldo.” (July 10, 2005)
“Yesterday I felt it when you prayed for me. I felt something very warm that began to fill me and gave me much tranquility. I felt that it was all from you. Never have I had friends like this.. In the group where I was before, they prohibited us from having fellowship with people that were not of the same denomination, and now the Lord has blessed me with all of you. Apart from you, the Lord raised up more people to pray for me. They raised up protection around my life. A little Huichol Indian boy came on foot for almost an entire day because the others sent him to ask about my health. They felt in their hearts to be praying for this. Another brother, on the other side of the Sierras where we have other missions, also did the same thing. On arriving near Tepic, he communicated with another brother that did not know how I was, but to ask about me, because there up high in the mountains they felt a great need to pray for my health and to cover me in the Name of Jesus. Waldo.” (July 11, 2005)
“About my health, I believe that already I am found perfectly well. Yesterday I was waiting in line in the bank, and I felt suddenly a very strong pain in my chest that made me cry out. I had not had a pain like that, and I began to sweat. It was only some brief seconds, and then it quit. Waldo.” (July 13, 2005)
“I have just arrived from being with the cardiologist. He had detected an obstructed vein in the previous examination, but now already, they don’t find anything. I also believe that this was an attack from the enemy, for here in Nayarit we have caused Satan much damage. Continually it touches us to liberate people that are demon possessed and for that, the enemy does not remain without doing anything. In the places where we have entered with the the Word in the Sierras, the people also begin to have manifestations of demons. They practice much witchcraft, and others are victims of mediums. But instantly the Lord frees them. The witch, Valentina, that was converted to the Lord, is now very enthusiastic for the Lord. When the people that now come to her for cures, she begins to share with them the Word and to pray for them. I believe that she has now gained more people for the Lord in this short time than we have. We are going to train her for the ministry. However, as she does not know how to read, we are going to teach her through your studies with Bible classes through cassettes, for now I am not going to be able to climb as much as before. Only a consequence of this problem remains with me: the low arterial blood pressure. Before my arterial blood pressure was normal. Now this consequence remains, but in the Name of Jesus, I trust that He is going to resolve it. I will be under medical observation because they cannot believe that this obstruction has disappeared. We know very well who won this battle for us. Thanks to the Lord for all the warriors that raised up to defend me. I see very clearly the hand of God in you all, for I have felt very tangibly all your prayers. The good in the ministry is being fulfilled, and we are going to see the glory of God saving thousands of souls. Waldo.” (July 13, 2005)
“I write you all to tell you that already my arterial blood pressure is normalized completely. Yesterday around noon, I was leaving home with the family when I felt something very beautiful that began to fill me. I felt a peace and a very precious joy and something a little hot below my heart. I did not know in that moment that the Lord was healing me. I said to my wife, “they are Joyce’s prayers.” I stopped a little to enjoy the blessing, and she asked me how did I know that it was your prayers. I told her that I knew it for each time that you prayed for me, you had done it with so much fervor, that I felt at the moment that peace. The cardiologist told me that the low blood pressure remains for life when one has had this type of problem, but it is really a miracle that in only a few days, it has normalized. Please extend my gratitude to the Spanish church and to all the people that prayed for me. I know that there is much to do in the ministry, and I have some desires to walk again, climbing up and down the mountains sharing the gospel with the Indians. Now when I see a mountain that is near the house, I feel an enormous energy in my heart and in my feet to climb it, but my children stop me. Waldo.” (July 16, 2005)
“It is really surprising, the wisdom of our God. For when there are adverse circumstances, or the enemy is raised up to stop the plans of God, but then when the people of God begin to intercede, the Lord changes everything in our favor. And concerning circumstances that are against us, the Lord gives us great victories for His glory. Waldo.” (July 18, 2005)
Waiting on God
Joseph is in prison in Egypt. In prison actions are limited and different, and it is a time of reflection over life concerning the things that God has done, and by faith, what God still will do.
“But think on me when it shall be well with thee, and show kindness, I pray thee, unto me, and make mention of me unto Pharaoh, and bring me out of this house.
“Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.” (Gen 40:14, 23)
At times God puts us to the side for a brief time, so that we will learn the lessons that he has for us. In this way, God strengthens us for future tasks. Even though we cannot now climb the previous mountains, Waldo and I, due to some restriction, it is not the plan of God that we do nothing. We must occupy ourselves and wait for God’s perfect timing for the completion of the vision, just as Joseph did.
During the recuperation of the heart, Pastor Waldo was busy with other ministries on the coast in the state of Nayarit and Sinaloa.
“This weekend a couple came (Luis and Francis) from the neighboring state of Sinaloa, to visit us. Twenty two years ago when we began the ministry, she came to know the Lord, then she married and her husband served the Lord. They feel the urgency to prepare themselves, because they opened their home for meetings, and the people are arriving. It gave me very much joy because we are going to continue extending your studies to train them. They, in time, will train others with these same teachings. Luis and Francis are going to join a group of pastors that are in the same condition as they. They will study with this material, and in this way also, they will teach their congregations. Waldo.” (July 18th and the 22nd, 2005)
Reflections Over the Past Victories
“When we began the mission en Ruiz, in the second meeting, a woman arrived very sick in her heart. The Lord healed her, and she returned to her village. The following week, she arrived with a truck from her village filled with people ready to receive Christ, because she says that she did not know how to lead them to the Lord. All of them wanted to receive Him. Every week they came to the meetings, and more people wanted the Word in that village, which is an hour from Ruiz. We have to open a congregation in that place. The work there in their village has grown much, and the miracles are the most normal among them, for they were born again in a meeting like that. We are living in totally new times, of which we have to take advantage, because even yet the best is underway. These times are the times of God. If we are faithful in this, the Lord will yet put us over greater things. Waldo.” (July 28, 2005)
“You have every reason to be sure that the gospel changed the villages very much. The gospel has brought blessing, for it is noticeable in the villages where there is the gospel, as opposed to those where the gospel is not. Our desire is to arrive at all the villages with the Word. I know that this vision will be achieved, for among many of them, there is a very great desire to serve God. When I hear them praise God in their dialect, and with the instruments that they themselves make, I feel something very beautiful in my heart. Before they did not know the Lord, and now they do. In the highest missions of the Sierra, they already need someone who preaches to them and teaches them the Word full time. Waldo.” (August 11, 2005)
“A little while ago I even entered a Huichol temple, and I saw what you told me. There I saw the eagle wings, the shaman’s chest, some rare objects, antique money, dried blood from a deer and many more things that I don’t remember. There were two people from the church and I. We took advantage (of the situation) to pray. The shaman that had collected these things entered at that moment, for then he said that he traveled in the spirit and saw us, but that there was a very great light around us, so that he was dazzled and could not enter because of that light. For him, that place remained contaminated. But the good is that all that little village just surrendered to Jesus Christ. Even though Theresa, the witch, that just converted to the Lord, told them that they should leave behind those things that we had taught them, they did not hesitate. The place where we have the mission is the town of La Yesca, in Nayarit. It is the largest town and the major part of the land is not inhabited. In our missions, there are problems with the shamans, but that is part of the spiritual struggle. However, we do not have problems of the persecution of Christians as they have had. When we climb the Sierra, without warning, they (the shamans) already know it. They threaten the people, and they tell them that they are going to drive us from the villages. However,one day before we arrive, they go and lose themselves in the mountains. They don’t return until three days after we retreat. We are praying for their conversion. They have tried to do many things to us. They have visited us at night but have not been able to overcome us. They are very strong, these shamans, but our God is stronger. In one of the missions, a youth from the church here, went to leave Anselmo’s house at 10 at night. It was all very dark, for there were no electric lights. He felt the very heavy environment, and in Anselmo’s house, at that instant, the Lord impressed upon them to pray for Chava (that is the youth’s name). Nearby there was an animal of unusual means. It had the face of a man and long hair, but the body was of a dog or a lion. The eyes were red and shone with the light of the moon. He says that it smelled of sulfur, and the environment was horrible. The animal began to walk toward him. He was very frightened, but he began to speak very strongly in tongues. He walked toward the animal, even though, in his mind, he wanted to run. He says that his feet moved by themselves, and they moved in the direction toward that animal. When he was very near the animal, the animal began to grunt strongly and to retreat. He continued walking and speaking. There remained a distance of some meters, one foot in front of the other. Then the animal ran away frightened and lost himself in the mountains. When he came down to Tepic, he came very strengthened and with understanding. He spoke to me that we have to bind the “strong man” (Satan), to take more people for the Lord high up in the Sierras. He joined the group of intercessors, doing spiritual warfare. We saw in a vision the shamans that had bound all those people. We preached to them in the Name of Jesus, and we ordered them to repent, and they turned to the living God. Waldo.” (August 28, 2005)
“When the persecution was very strong in the other part of the Sierras of Nayarit, they sent for me to speak about my point of view about governing the Indians. We were invited to a meeting in a town that is called Zoquipan. I went as the pastor over the Indian pastors, a representative of the state government went, another person from Human Rights, and another person from the Secretary of Public Education also went. We joined the group of Christian Indians that had been affected, and we summoned those that tortured them. Those that were against Christianity accused us that we were totally changing their culture and their names. When it was my turn to speak, I told them that they continued being Huichol Indians, that Christianity did not erase that. It was as I am. I am a Mexican, obedient to my authorities. I pray for those in authority, submit myself to their laws, and also I am a Christian. However, I continue being a Mexican. Christianity does not erase this identity. They (the Indians) are like this. They are Christians, but they continue being Indians. I asked the Pastor before this meeting that please, would he wear his Indian clothes, and also all those that are going to go with him to this meeting. There was a total of 250 people with their families. Waldo.” (September 12, 2005)
Reflections Over Other People That Now Share the Word
“An Indian brother, his name is Joaquin, that I met in the meeting of pastors, commented to me that he has only a few people that know the Lord, and that he likes to go to the villages of his race and bring them the Word of God. He goes to very distant places on foot. We have not gone to that part of the Sierras, and we are praying for those villages. He dedicates two days a week to take the Gospel, but now he decided to use four whole days to testify of the love of God, and to disciple people that are going to convert. To be able to arrive in Tepic, he and his wife walked almost two days on foot. We are praying for people like them, so that they will be taught, and that they themselves will take the message to their own people. Already he knows how to read, and they are training themselves with your studies, and at the same time sharing them with the people. Waldo.” (August 15, 2005)
“I am very happy, and I want to share with you some news that they just gave me. Each time that we climb the Sierras, a woman that practices witchcraft begins to visit the new villages that we gained for the Lord, to tell them not to believe our words. She says that we do not speak the truth of God, but that we are false. She says that when we come down to the river, we transform ourselves from animals, and in this way we depart to our houses. She says that people like us cannot walk these great distances, nor can we climb such high mountains. Some people have been convinced, for she is very constant in her visits. For others she has not been able to convince. They refute her words by the miracles that they receive. They have them as proof that this is really the true God that loves them, for they have felt a very great change in their lives. This woman is named Tere. She has caused us these problems. When she sees someone weak in the faith, in the missions that are already established, she does not leave until she makes the person retract his decision. The Sunday before last when I went to visit one of the missions near Tepic, I saw among the people that came down from the Sierras, a new woman that I did not know. She told me in her dialect that she was very sick, and that she had walked 12 hours on foot to arrive at the meeting. She asked would we pray for her. It was the woman that spoke evil of us, and of the gospel, high up there in the mountains. I prayed for her. I discerned what she had, for demons manifested themselves. She was free, saved, and healed totally at that moment. She had a very special encounter with God, and received a very precious peace in her life. Now she begins to tell people, whom she had previously discouraged, to return to the Way of God, that this really is the Truth. She says that now she has known Him and has been saved. Before she was blind and wrong. She is very influential among the Indians. Now there remains only three shamans that we need to see converted to God. There were four, but one of them, the strongest, died when he wanted to do me some heavy witchcraft. The witchcraft rebounded over me and returned to him and killed him. That is what the people high in the mountains told us. We hope in the Name of Jesus, soon to see all of them converted to the Lord, for they have a very great influence in hundreds of villages. Waldo.” (August 16, 2005)
“One person from the church here in Tepic was in Michoacán a month ago and brought Bible lesson material with him. It was in an Indian Christian Church. The pastor liked this material very much also and asked me, please, if I could send it to him, because this material is a treasure. This he sent me to tell you. They belong to the Purepecha Indians. Waldo.” (September 1, 2005)
Reflections Over the Plans of the Future by Faith
“We have a convention of churches to which we minister on the 12th and 13th of August. This is for the purpose that the pastors fellowship together, relating to one another, and to transmit to them the vision of God. I am going to try to take a great part of your material (the Bible lessons) to promote your Bible studies in the churches. I know that it will be a blessing for all. I am going to present a program to the rest of the pastors. With this, I believe firmly that we will gain a very big advance. Waldo.” (August 1, 2005)
“Already we finished the first convention of pastors. Our purpose in these meetings was that the pastors that the Lord raises up, will know each other better and fellowship one with the other. In this way, together with their families, they won’t feel alone and they will receive help. I presented the material (the Bible lessons) and they had an excellent acceptance. All the pastors that still don’t have them, tell me that it is exactly what they are needing. Waldo.” (August 15, 2005)
“I am interested in training people with your Bible lessons so that they can have a better understanding of the Word. Our vision is to open a Bible School for Indian ministries, but as this raises much expense, it has detained me. For the time being, we are going to train people. Today in the morning I had a dream. In each grouping of villages with the Indians in the Sierras, there is a Traditional Governor (they call him their leader). He has authority over them and what he decides is done, without being authoritarian. The governor in various villages where we have missions is a friend of mine. He is the son of Anselmo. He knows the Lord. He was the first that took me to the Sierras to share the Word to his people. In a dream he told me that he wanted to dedicate himself to the work of the ministry, and that he needed to be equipped. I know that this will be a reality for the last time that I saw him, he told me that now he wants to preach. His name is Tony. I told him that our vision is that all of them (the Indians) share the Word and lift up pastors, evangelists, and teachers among themselves. He told me that he would want to be one of them, because he desires to serve God. This fills me with joy, for it is nothing more than the Hand of God, so that His Word is preached. Waldo.” (August 22, 2005)
“I want to know something more about the Cora Indians so as to know how to pray and reach them with the Word of God. They live very isolated and have very strange customs. A little while ago, a young Cora woman converted with our help, but her time in the mission was short-lived. She was very demon possessed, for they practice much witchcraft. In this ethnic group, little by little the Lord is opening doors to us. I am surprised, for every time that there is an opportunity to share with them, as they are very closed, we have to give them demonstrations of the power of God with some supernatural sign. I remain surprised, because we feel a very powerful anointing on being with them. We have seen that only in this way do they enter into conviction. A little while ago I was in a village where there were many brush fires because of the drought. We spoke to them of the love of God, and then we did a sign. We began to pray for rain and in a little more than an hour, it began to rain very strongly, and the rainy season had not yet begun. In another place, a spring of water was dry, and the people went for water to a very far place. The witches of the village could not make the water flow, and they abandoned that water spring. We told them that our God is able (to restore the water), and that we are going to give a demonstration of His power. On ordering the water to flow, it began to get damp, and in a few minutes, the water was flowing. I myself was surprised at this, for if you had told me of this, probably I would not have believed it. But I was seeing it, and the people were very happy. With all of this, only two people surrendered to the Lord. Waldo.” (August 23, 2005)
“I bring something that is in my heart, and I am waiting for direction and provision from God for this: here in Tepic many Indians descend from the mountains (when they are sick). When we have gone to the hospitals (to visit them), as they are very serious, they don’t complain of anything. We have chatted with some of them, and they have been two or three days without eating. It hurts me a lot to see this. I have in mind, when the Lord begins to bless us, to open a dining room for them where, when they have the need to come down to Tepic, they can eat their three meals without any cost. And there, we can speak to them of the love of God and share with them the Word. I know that this they will not forget, for when they climb back to their village, they are going to speak about what they received. Then when we also climb to their villages, we will have freedom to share the Word with more confidence. Waldo.” (September 1, 2005)
