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Chapter 4
TIMES OF ABUNDANCE AND TIMES OF LACK
“Then Pharaoh sent and called Joseph, and they brought him hastily out of the dungeon: and he shaved himself, and changed his raiment, and came in unto Pharaoh. Behold, there come seven years of great plenty throughout all the land of Egypt: And there shall arise after them seven years of famine; and all the plenty shall be forgotten in the land of Egypt; and the famine shall consume the land.” (Gen 41:14, 29-30)
As in the life of Joseph, there will be times of fullness and times of hunger or difficulties for the Indians and in the ministry of Pastor Waldo.
The Abundance
On November 28, 2005, Pastor Waldo came to my city, Camarillo, California. He spoke in 4 churches and in my Bible classes. The people were magnificently blessed and they equally blessed Pastor Waldo. A brother in the faith gave a Van to Pastor Waldo’s ministry. It was a very great blessing to the ministry in Tepic and an answer of many prayers.
A Van From a Family in Camarillo, California
“The Lord is very good and beautiful. I also am very blessed for having been with you all. It is an experience that I am never going to forget, for I desired much to be in your classes and to know the church there. It was a great blessing to know personally each member of your classes, for I desired strongly to know the people that help us with prayer. Thanks to all that, the ministry grows more rapidly. I am very grateful to the Lord for this precious experience that I did not think He was going to fulfill so rapidly. I thought that I would never leave from these places or from the mountains. I thought that the ministry was going to be enclosed here alone, but it is glorious what the Lord does and to where he sends us. We were very blessed in all aspects there. Some time ago I chatted with the Lord, and I spoke to him of the needs of the ministry that we had. I knew that He was going to raise up people that would be like a link as a part of Him to oversee this responsibility, as He has all control. He was preparing all of you with time to be able to help us. God, in a precious way in the earth, and in His great wisdom, moved all of you. He has linked us, so that in this way, His work will be blessed in this place. Now the ministry can be extended, so that more people can know Him. I am very happy for all this, because these are the times of God. Daily I think of Roberto and his family (the brother that gave Pastor Waldo the Van). Each time I climb into the Van to go to pray in the homes, I appreciate him very much for this great gift. Waldo.” (December 18, 2005)
“The Van that they gave us has helped us much in the work of God. I did not have any idea of all that it was going to help us in the ministry. It is very comfortable. I am not so tired, and it advances more the work of God. Waldo.” (January 9, 2006)
The Blankets From the People in Joyce’s Bible Classes
In the month of January 2006, my classes collected the money that we sent to Pastor Waldo, so he could buy many blankets for the Huichol Indians in the mountains.
“Much thanks for the blankets. They are going to make the families in the mountains very happy when they receive this gift from all of you. We have also some winter clothing for the children, and some sheepskin jackets that we are also going to take to those missions. The brothers that came a little while ago told me that the children are very cold and don’t have sweaters or jackets. Waldo.” (January 20, 2006)
“The blankets that we are going to send are for the people that live very high in the mountains and very far from here who cannot descend to the lower places. They are people that live in extreme poverty. Waldo.” (January 28, 2006)
“What helped us with the people that still don’t know the Lord, and with which we win their trust, is the donation of the blankets. With that, we demonstrate that we love them and that we are interested in them. With this, it shows our affection, and all agree, even the hardest (most reluctant). Yesterday, they left to deliver all the blankets. I am not going to be able to go because the walk is too much. Much thanks to all the people that donated because this opens doors of confidence to us among all of them. Waldo.” (February 2, 2006)
“I have the names of all the people that received blankets, the name of their village and the signature of each one. Don Librado (the shaman) did not go, but sent one of his daughter-in-laws to request a blanket. With joy it was given to him. (To read that, my classes prayed that this shaman would feel the love of God every night when he covered himself with this blanket.) I don’t know what happened but they took only 51 blankets and at the moment of distributing them there were more, for they gave out 57 blankets to the Indians and 7 more to people that were not Indians, and 3 left over to cover us when we go to the mountains. Those remain in the mission. The people are very happy and appreciate all of you for this great gift. The majority were only representatives from their communities. There were a total of 56 people that attended, and representatives, of various communities that we did not know, attended the meeting. They did not come for the blankets, but they came to ask us would we, please, go to visit them and tell them of the love of God, for they want to receive. The representatives from these communities accepted the Lord. At that moment they decided to be baptized. Waldo.” (March 6, 2006)
“Yesterday don Lupe gave us the report of this visit to the mountains. All of those who went cried to see the hunger for God in the people, and all that they had to walk to be able to arrive at each village. The majority of the Indians in the mountains don’t have a blanket. It is the first that they have had in their life. They cover themselves with sacks or with their own clothes, which is clothing that we have given them. In only one day don Lupe and don Cuco visited 5 villages from El Majahual. All those same villages were surprised at all that these two men had walked, and how the Lord had helped them, for they returned the same day. Apart from that, in each village, they ministered to the people for all already are Christians. Then they visited 6 more villages. When don Lupe said, “May the Lord bless the people that gave the money to buy the blankets. We do not now them, but the Lord knows very well who they are.” I cried because I remembered all of you. I am grateful to the Lord for knowing you all personally. Don Lupe told me that the people were very happy and hugged and kissed their blankets. All of them send you thanks for this great work that all of you have done for them. Waldo.” (March 12, 2006)
Houses For People in Pastor Waldo’s Church
“This week the delegate from the Secretary of Social Development spoke to me. He was the person that gave me the house. At that time I asked him for 10 more houses for people in the church that did not have their own house. He spoke to me to tell me that they have authorized 15 houses for people from our congregation. He told me that they were exclusively for our church. I will give the news to the congregation next Sunday. Uniquely they sold us land and they construct one room, one bathroom, and the kitchen. Then little by little, each family will begin to construct as the Lord provides. The land payments are very comfortable without interest. Waldo.” (March 24, 2006)
A Club Wagoner Van From a Church in Texas
“You don’t know how happy I am to return to write to you again and to be in contact. All was very good in Texas. We had very powerful meetings and saw His power operate in view of everyone. The first night that I preached, on finishing the prayer and ministry to the people, the pastor told me that he had a gift. He gave me a Club Wagoner for 18 passengers. It is uniquely for the missions. Waldo.” (April 21, 2006)
Vitamins and Winter Clothing From a Church in California
“When I spoke with the pastors from Chula Vista (California) about the needs of the people in the mountains for some vitamins and something to clean teeth, they told me that they receive donations from the Food Bank. They are going to go to solicit these things that we need. I am going to go for them, or they will send it to me by post to Tepic. Also I asked them for winter clothing because they told me that large boxes of clothing arrived at the church. Waldo.” (June 17, 2006)
“The pastors from Chula Vista, California, obtained for me many boxes of vitamins for everyone. Also they will try to obtain for me winter clothing for the children and other things that will be useful. Waldo.” (July 1, 2006)
Little Shoe Boxes From the Ministry of Franklin Graham, USA
“I have some good news. This past summer, a group from Samaritan’s Purse, which belongs to the Franklin Graham Association, began to do a campaign on the Pacific Coast of Mexico, which includes Nayarit. This campaign consists of having meetings for the children and presenting them with a gift, so that they will know the message of love from God. In the convocation that was done here in Tepic for all the churches, only 4 pastors attended out of almost 100 that we have here. We thought that they were not going to send the little shoe boxes with gifts because we could not pay the total cost of transporting them, but they always send them. Yesterday a trailer arrived filled with large boxes, that, at the same time, contain small shoe boxes with which to have evangelistic meetings. In this way we will give them to the children in the state of Nayarit. We are very happy that we went to the church, because we are going to receive more little shoe boxes…a total of 1200 boxes with gifts for 1200 children. Last night we went to unload the trailer. In two hours we are going to go for our part, and also we will share this blessing with all the churches in all the state, so that each one will be in charge of sharing the Word of God to the children to bring them to the Lord. The Indian children will be very happy with these gifts. This generates much expense, but already the Lord provided it with what you are going to send us. We are going to take advantage of the trip to Colorado de la Mora to have a special meeting in that place. The church there has 51 children, and apart from that, the missions that Pastor Lorenzo just opened. Of the missions to which Lorenzo attends, there is a total there of 198 children. The Lord provided for all of them. Waldo.” (December 19, 2006)
“Tomorrow we are going to go to Jala to deliver the first little shoe boxes. Today we sent them to the missions on the coast, and this week we will deliver them also to Buruato. We will go by boat, blankets (purchased by people in Joyce’s class), clothing (collected by people in Pastor Waldo’s church), and 317 little shoe boxes for the children and adolescents in the section of the Sierras where don Lupe lives. A custodian is going to descend from the mountains. He will also leave a count with some Indians of how many little shoe boxes are needed. I am going to give him spiritual covering and also your studies. Only once did I climb to his missions, because they are very far, and there is some persecution there. The Indian villages from there don’t permit mixed race people to climb, only Huichols. However, little by little they are being converted to the Lord. Already he has a little more than 400 people converted in various communities in the mountains. He is in the center of the state of Nayarit. These little shoe boxes will arrive to the most distant of mountains. Already we are implementing a work group to climb with the shoe boxes. Already I obtained a boat a little larger than that in which we went from El Ciruelo, and a permit to pass by El Cajon dam so we could climb with them to El Mirador, and El Majahual, and to the rest of the villages. All this is in control for the Lord. Don Lupe just arrived from the mountains. I was praying that he would come. He has still not seen all the little shoe boxes that arrived for us. It is a surprise that I have for him. We will not send the little shoe boxes until the second week of January. Neither does don Lupe know of the extent of work that we have to do to deliver them, and to celebrate meetings with all the children in the missions, and to take advantage of all this to arrive at new villages with the gospel. Waldo.” (December 23, 2006)
Various Blessings from Various Sources
“They took almost 400 gifts in 20 boxes. Also 1071 pieces of clothing were sent, 743 pieces are winter clothing bought with the offering (an offering that was collected in Joyce’s classes) and the rest of the clothing was brought by the people of the church. Also much medicine and blankets for the people that did not achieve to get one. Also some used chairs and food for don Lupe for a month. It was not easy to buy all that clothing, but finally all left very well. Waldo.” (January 17, 2007)
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The Lack
The Condition of the Huichol Indians
“And Pharaoh was wroth against two of his officers, against the chief of the butlers, and against the chief of the bakers. And he put them in ward in the house of the captain of the guard, into the prison, the place where Joseph was bound…But he hanged the chief baker: as Joseph had interpreted to them. Yet did not the chief butler remember Joseph, but forgat him.” (Gen 40:2-3, 22-23)
In the life of Joseph, in the book of Genesis, we find Joseph in prison. The conditions in prison are not good, but some in prison receive their freedom while others do not.
The condition of the Huichol Indians is not good, They live on the edge of survival. However, the gospel of Jesus Christ makes a difference in the lives of the Huichol Indians spiritually as well as materially.
The Scarcity of Work
(Pastor Lorenzo) “…just now told me how there is no work in Colorado de la Mora. Many people from the church leave the village to be able to find work. Some come to the coast, including some who immigrate to the United States to work. One of his sons wants to go to work in the United States. He is applying for his passport, but I told him that is not good to go there illegally. Waldo.” (March 13, 2007)
(Pastor) “Lorenzo did not come on Saturday, but he came on Sunday morning (to the church in Tepic). He stayed with us for the church service, but as the majority of the congregation from Colorado de la Mora are working on the coast, he went to visit all of them. He came to greet me. Waldo.” (March 26, 2007)
The Exploitation of Workers
“Now some of them (the Indians) have descended to work in Jala or in Ixtlán del Rio. It gives me sadness because they exploit them very much. They are very hard working people, but they are abused, because they don’t defend themselves and are very serious. For example, Anselmo and Angelina work in the field. They work from 6 in the morning to 4 in the afternoon. Saturdays they leave at 1:00 p.m. Do you know how much they pay them for the work of two people? 300 pesos a week. (Approximately $30.00 American money a week). Their 12 year old daughter works in a taco shop from 4 in the afternoon to 12 midnight. They pay her 80 pesos a week. (about $8.00) And in this way, that is what they pay the Indians. They do the heaviest work but with minimum pay. Waldo.” (September 8, 2005)
“Today, in one hour, I am going to leave for Buruato. Another group descends from La Ciénega to work there in the fields. They pay them very little, and they exploit them much, but they are very hard workers, so the low pay does not stop them. The brothers that came a little while ago told me that the children are very cold and don’t have sweaters or fleece jackets. Waldo.” (January 18, 2006)
“And it is that these people (the Huichols) are very hard workers, but they pay them very little in their work in spite of being a very heavy work. For example Doña Tere, works sowing corn. She does the same work as a young person, even though she is 76 years old. Also she works cleaning the agricultural camps and lifts the harvest and they only pay her 300 pesos a week (about $30.00 American money) Anselmo now walks tilling the soil with an ox. This is very heavy and the heat is very severe. To him they pay 350 pesos (about $35.00), and it is like this with all of them. It is for that reason that we give them these dispensations, because the majority have large families. All of them are Indians. Waldo.” (June 3, 2006)
Discrimination
“Yesterday I learned of something that hurt me very much. In one of the Indian missions, a woman had her baby in the hallway of a clinic, for they would not attend to her because she was Indian. The baby boy was born alive, but on transporting him to Tepic, he died on the road. This family has 5 girls, and this was their first little boy. Olga and Amy (the sister and the daughter of Pastor Waldo) told me that the girls in this family don’t have shoes or sandals or winter clothing. They walk barefoot and with much cold. These girls are very intelligent in the Bible classes and learn much. Amy is their teacher each week. When Olga, Amy, and a group from the church went to attend to this mission, they cried to see the condition in which they live. This week we are going to go to take the girls some shoes and some winter clothing. Waldo.” (December 15, 2006)
The Scarcity of Food
“There in the mountains it did not rain much this year, and the Indians could not raise corn or beans, for the plants dried out. They do not say anything, neither do they ask for anything, but on seeing the need, we are moved. This was the report that the people who climbed up to them brought me, for they told me that the Indians did not have anything to eat. Because of this also we will seek help in the state government to help them. Waldo.” (October 28, 2005)
“Some villages raised a harvest, but the majority did not because of the lack of sufficient rain. In one house they felt very sad because they did not give us anything to eat, for they had nothing. In another house, the Lord provided, and we ate. I requested to some that if they raised a harvest, that, please, they should share it with those that had nothing. All of them are very obedient, and yes, they are going to share with the others. Waldo.” (November 15, 2005)
“I never had seen extremely malnourished children, only on television when they showed the news from Africa. When we climbed the mountains to take the gospel, there I became acquainted with it, and I cry for pain to see them in this way. Also on seeing their mamas in the same way. Even though, yet there is much of this, and even though they now know the Lord, many things have changed for them. Waldo.” (November 7, 2005)
“Last night a little Indian girl died. I don’t know what she died of, but this pained us much, for here they slept with us each time that they came, and we take much care of all of them. The girl was 2 years old. And it is in this way that all the children appear very malnourished, and when they are sick, it is serious. Waldo.” (March 20, 2006)
“We met an Indian couple from one of our missions. They were almost a week looking for us. Not until now did they find us. I already gave them blankets and something to eat for their dinner. It is a young couple, and they have a 9 month old girl that is sick. She has very severe malnutrition. I told them that I am going to give them some seeds for them to plant vegetables, and in this way, they can feed themselves better. They were grateful for the idea, and I told them that a group of people (in Joyce’s classes) in Camarillo sent them. Much thanks. Waldo.” (April 2, 2007)
The Scarcity of Water
“I saw also the poverty in which they live, for they can’t count on water. They have to descend very far to supply themselves with water and then carry it up the mountain in kegs or in containers to their houses. Waldo.” (May 24, 2006)
The Scarcity of Basic Needs
“Today I was in Buruato…I learned today of something that gave me sadness. Of the 16 Indian families that there are there, only three families have a blanket. The rest have sacks, and with those they cover themselves from the cold. The average number of members in a family is 7. They told me that it gets very cold in that place. Never have I been with them at night, but they told us that it is very cold at night. Waldo.” (October 4, 2006)
“The condition of the Mexican Indians that you saw on television is the same condition of the Indians in Nayarit. It appears that it is very difficult in three states of Mexico including Nayarit, because in many states of Mexico the government helps them very much, but here in Nayarit that does not happen. I went to the DIF (a department of the state government for the development of the family) to solicit blankets, because we only gave them one per family, and they denied me the request. It gave me sadness, but it is better that I go continuing to trust in the Lord. In each family there are up to 10 members. One blanket for all of them is not sufficient. The children of those I spoke about in my previous letter, yes, they are from Buruato. All the children in that mission do not have shoes or sandals, but I bought some only for the daughters of Irene and Pánfilo, which are 5. She is the mother of which her son died. I felt much sadness on knowing this, for all of them expected the arrival of her son. The doctors here are like that with the Indians. They don’t attend to them. The child died for medical neglect. Already the family is recuperating from this pain, for various persons from the church have ministered to them personally. Waldo.” (December 17, 2006)
The Severe Cold
“I have a little sad news. In the mountains it is very cold. The times that I have gone in the days when it was very cold, it was very severe. The people sleep on the floor together with the children and cover themselves with sacks, for they don’t have blankets. One little boy was sick, and they took him to the doctor in Ixtlán, but as it was too far to be able to arrive. They slept on the road. The sick child died of hypothermia that same night. The child was 7 years old. He is the grandson of Anselmo and also the grandson of don Librado (the witch doctor). She, the mother of the boy, is the only Christian in that little village, and her husband has prohibited her from coming down to the meetings. The village where they live, I don’t know it, for it is one of the most isolated in the mountains. I have looked for blankets and some clothing for children. My wife found some clothing among the things that was sent to us in the Van. Waldo.” (December 28, 2005)
“I spoke by phone with Don Lupe now, and he gave me much sadness for what he told me. He said that it is very very cold there in the mountains. This is the first time that he spent a winter there. Always we went before or after winter, but now he has seen how they spend this time. He tells me that the children do not have winter clothing and that the majority have only one change of clothing. That when their mama is going to wash the clothing, they remain nude in the house waiting for the clothing to dry. That in the streams the water is frozen and that every day he awakens to ice. Also he tells me that, for this cause, there is much sickness like flu, cough, and fever, etc. and no one has medicine. The children cry much because they are cold, and the food at this time is very scarce, for, because of the cold, the earth does not produce. It hurts me very much all of this, for only once did I climb in the winter. I cried to see the children sleeping on the floor without blankets, doubled in half for the cold and sickness. It reminds me of my childhood because something like this happened to us. Waldo.” December 23, 2006)
“Don Lupe told me that there is much ice in the missions. In La Ciénega sleet fell and the temperature was below freezing. The streams that there are on the way to La Ciénega are frozen. Some communities remain without winter clothing. Waldo.” (January 25, 2007)
Serious Illnesses
“I have a little sad news. The person that was sick in the hospital in Tepic died last Sunday. It was painful because two children remain as orphans. Her husband abandoned her a year ago. She was originally from El Mirador, one of the missions. There in the city of La Yesca there is much tuberculosis due to the lack of nutrition among the inhabitants, and because of the high poverty in which all the Indians live. The studies that they did determined that problem. Waldo.” (April 9, 2007)
“The epidemic of tuberculosis continues in the mountains. We now have a 12 year old boy, the son of Rufina that died from this, interned in the hospital. Anselmo and Angelina brought him down from the mountains. We are praying with much authority in the church, and it seems already he is very well. Tomorrow they bring him to us. Waldo.” (May 7, 2007)
The Modernization that Causes Difficulties
“All the town of Ciruelo remained under water (due to the construction of the dam and reservoir, El Cajón), but the government made houses in a higher place, and gave it to them. The people did not want to go because the land of these new houses is too small. Also all the plum trees that they had remain under water. For the plum trees the town was called El Ciruelo, because there were very many trees of that fruit. A little while ago I spoke to Valentina, and she was crying, because she did not want to leave her house. There she was born, her mama, her grandmother, and her great grandmother. It brought her many memories, but she had no other option. She had to abandon her home. In the same situation as she, is the rest of the town. All of them liked to have animals like chickens. Some had cows, burros, pigs, etc. but in the new houses this will not be possible for lack of space. For that, also, they did not want to go, but they had to do it. The government recompensed them by putting in electric lights. They did not have lights. Of the other towns where we have the missions, there is no problem. Those other towns will now be closer, and we will walk less (because of the dam and the large lake that is formed). El Majahual will remain very near now, but we have to go on a launch for less than 30 minutes to be able to arrive at the nearest part. Waldo.” (September 20, 2006)
“Pastor Lorenzo, apart from being a pastor, is dedicated to fishing in his free time. Now there is no fishing. It is prohibited (after the construction of the large dam and reservoir), and I see that he lacks the basics in his food for his family. Waldo.” (January 10, 2007)
“No one can fish because the fishing now is blocked by the government. It appears that until March 15 a temporary fishing ban was initiated. Every week he (Pastor Lorenzo) attends the missions that they have. Some times he goes with his wife and other times some brothers accompany him. His wife walks barefoot and equally his 4 children. They do not have sandals. I told them that you sent him the money to buy some for them. Lorenzo’s wife cried in gratitude. She tells you, much thanks for this blessing. Waldo.” (January 11, 2007)
“About the fishing, they can only fish for one kind of fish these days for the rest is prohibited. His son (the son of Pastor Lorenzo) came last Sunday to the church (in Tepic) and told me that the complete ban (when they cannot get any fish) begins in the month of February and ends in the month of June, and that all this time is a very difficult time for all of them with much scarcity. Waldo.” (January 22, 2007)
Christian Persecution
“There are other villages in another part of the Sierra, where the Indians have persecution. There the Indian brothers (who are non-believers) burn their crops only for being Christians and where there are schools, the (Catholic) priest of the town convinces the people to stop the Christian children from entering. There are children who, for 4 years, have not gone to school. Because of that, instead of detaining the gospel, it has made it grow more. I cannot enter those places, but there is a Huichol brother that is the pastor there, and he is in charge of all the work. In that place there are more than 300 Indians converted to the gospel in all the villages. They suffer much scarcity, but the Lord has been faithful. I ask that you please help me to pray for all of them for it hurts me much not to go to visit them. Only I have contact with the pastor when he has come to Tepic. When I went the last time, they gathered together almost all (253 Indians) to give them encouragement. Some of them were threatened with death along with the pastor, for the Catholic priest of that town, which is called Zoquipan, had raised up the people against the Christian Indians. Their crops were burned before they could grow them, and they had killed their animal,s so that they did not have anything for transportation. Two times they have burned the classrooms where they celebrate their church services. Now I feel a very heavy burden for them, because here I am eating of the best, and I know that they do not eat much. Continue helping us in prayer, for we need much. In the part where the Lord now takes us to share, we have not had, for the time being, this kind of problem, for we are totally alone. There is no Catholic Church, and we are the first to arrive with the Word. Waldo.” (May 19, 2005)
“In a part of the Sierra the problems of persecution continue. The part of the Sierra in the state of Jalisco where also there are Huichol Christians, they have just run from their towns. They came to Nayarit for refuge. Already they have been here in Tepic for two weeks. They are in an Apostolic Church because they belong to that group. But in all ways it hurts me much all that they did to them, and how they beat them so they would renounce the Lord. They lost all that they had. They burned their houses and their crops. Already they had killed various Christians because they did not deny Jesus Christ. I have wanted to climb again to that place to speak with the authorities, but the pastor there stops me from climbing to not put me at risk. They wanted to accommodate them in a village that is called Guadalupe Ocotán, Nayarit, but the Indians there did not want to receive them. For the time being, they themselves like Joaquin (the pastor in that part of the Sierra), continue preaching and many more Huichols are converted to Jesus Christ, even though they have to pay that price. Waldo.” (August 27, 2005)
The Condition of Pastor Waldo
Physical Problems
“This morning I felt a little bad in my heart, but it already returned to normal. It worried me because not until 6 p.m. did I feel totally better. In the first opportunity I am going to go to do a (medical) study. Waldo.” (February 12, 2006)
“Today they removed from the tooth abscess that I had. The operation was very good. I felt much peace, and in a short time, the dentist finished his work. I was very happy because all was very well, and I felt strongly the presence of the Lord. I told her that there were people praying for this. Also while she was working, I was praying and chatting with my Beloved (Jesus Christ). I felt so much peace that I slept a little while she extracted the abscess. Waldo.” (February 21, 2006)
“Yesterday afternoon I had the appointment with the cardiologist. He checked me out very well. There was much arrhythmia, even though it was not of the same intensity, for I believe that with the extraction of the abscess, it diminished. However, the heart does not beat with the normality that it should. They attended to me very well, and they did many tests. I could see the heart on a screen and hear the beats. They vary a lot. Some times they are very slow and other times too fast. To make a perfect diagnosis, he sent me to do a very comprehensive blood analysis and some X-rays of the chest. In these studies we will discover the principal cause. Then we will be able to try and pray specifically. For the time being he gave me a medication to improve the heart, and I am taking it. I have felt a 90% improvement. I know that it is an attack of the enemy, but in the Name of Jesus we will win the battle. A week does not pass without having to cast out demons from people that come to us. I don’t know why for we do not seek to do this, but the Lord sends us to people that have this type of problem. Yesterday, in this way, as I felt to do, I spoke to a person that had problems of depression that requested my help. I did not find anyone from the church that could accompany me, so I went alone. The person received the Lord but was possessed. At that moment she was free in the Name of Jesus. Today I also was touched to liberate another person, and that is how it is here in Tepic. Almost no church wants to enter into this type of struggle, as they have fear, and they say that it is not their gift. Yet the pastors of those Pentecostal churches send them to us when there is a member of their congregation with this kind of problem. We liberate them and then return them to their congregations. And so it is that Nayarit is full of occultism. The majority of people prefer to visit first the witches and healers than to go to the doctors. I know that the enemy is not happy with all this and looks for a way to stop the Work, but thanks to God, we are advancing forward. Waldo.” (February 25, 2006)
“I just arrived home from being with the doctor, and it appears that all is passing in my heart. Still it is not dangerous, for we are in good time to regulate everything. I have a small obstruction in the left ventricle. The cholesterol is a little elevated, and the triglycerides also are elevated. He tells me that the triglycerides are what, little by little, are going to obstruct the canals of the circulation in the heart. This is the cause of the arrhythmias. My diet is agreeable, but it is the stress which is elevated, and even more with what just happened. (Pastor Waldo refers to the debt that is documented below.) I will try not to worry so much and to improve my diet also. He recommended a daily diet and more exercise. I am going to follow this treatment very well. Also he prescribed the same medication for 6 months that I am taking until the heart rhythm improves. The vitamins that you gave me have helped me a lot. The doctor told me that until a month from now, following the diet and the medication, I will be ready again for my activities in the mountains, and all that I walk there is going to help me. I ask that you please give my gratitude to all that have prayed for me, for my family, and for the Work of God in this place. May the Lord bless you all greatly. In Christ, Waldo.” (March 4, 2006)
“Today, three hours ago, I went to do a blood exam to see how the cholestrol and triglycerides proceed. Tomorrow they will give me the results. Waldo.” (June 5, 2006)
“Already I am perfectly well. The doctor took me off the medication, and I don’t take anything. The heart examination also is normal. All the veins of the heart are completely unblocked. Thanks to God, all is very well. We are very happy and thankful to the Lord for this great blessing. Also much thanks to you and to your classes for your prayers. Much thanks for your vitamins. I felt a very strong change when I began to take the new vitamins that you gave me on this occasion. Waldo.” (June 7, 2006)
Financial Problems
“I have a separate problem. Also please help me to pray. Three years ago I solicited credit from the state government to open sources of employment among the Indians. I know that I solicited it without wisdom. It was working for a time. We gave employment to some of them. The plan was also to help in their communities to bring them water, because they walked a lot just to bring water to their villages. Also, with the income, we obtained help with the expenses for the visits that we made to win more communities for the Lord. All was going very well. We manufactured cleaning products until a new client arrived. This person began to buy from us large quantities and in 10 days paid as was the contract. He did this time and again until we were working almost only for him, until he began to default on the payments. He asked us for more merchandise. I spoke to him that he should first liquidate what he previously owed. He told me that he had problems with his clients, and that with this new merchandise, he would be able to pay us. This is the way it went until he made us fall. The business went under, and we could not produce more for lack of material. The client did this to us, and then fled from Nayarit. It appears that he defrauded other people as well. Next Monday I have an appointment with the Economic Secretary for the state government. I am going to try to arrive at an agreement with him, so that they tell me the interest and the charges. I hope for a positive answer on their part, and then I want to re-structure the loan and pay it in two or three years. I hope they accept the proposal that I have for them, for it is the only way to leave this behind and to go forward. Waldo.” (February 25, 2006)
“Yesterday it went very well with the director (the director of the state government). They only gave me a discount on the moratorial interest and the charges that I had, but the normal interest they did not discount. The counsel approved it. They gave me 60 months to pay off the debt, but still in this way, the payments that they leave me with are too high, and I am not going to be able to cover them. Analyzing my economic situation, I told him that. I told him the maximum quantity that I can pay, because if I accept what he proposes, the same thing is going to happen again. I am not going to be able to complete it, and then I am going to default. He told me that I should return today at that hour to see what it is that he can do for me. So I will return. I ask you please that you continue helping me in prayer to leave this behind. I charge you to pray in less than an hour, please. Waldo.” (March 2, 2006)
“With the director of the Economic Secretary, where I had the appointment today, I talked with him. He did not help me much, in anything that I wanted. He said that he did all that they permit him to do. Yes, we are going to re-structure the debt, only I have to go before the legal system, for my case, which I did not know, already is almost under judgment. The monthly payments that I have to cover remain somewhat high for me. It is very difficult to cover them. I would want that they were almost half of what I must pay each month, because I felt that I could do it with that. However, I will see how the Lord will provide. When we pass through times of spiritual desert, it is where the Lord forms us and prepares us for His Work. We commit some mistakes, and some times the enemy takes advantage of the situation to trap us in the way, so that we cannot arrive at where the Lord has laid out for us. But in the Name of Jesus, we will arrive at the final goal, and the plans of God will be fulfilled. Yes, you can tell the others of these problems that I have. We are in confidence for in this way all will pray for me. Waldo.” (the evening of March 2, 2006)
“I went through the day today worrying, but at the same time, with peace in my heart over what I have to pay next Monday. Much thanks to your classes for taking time to pray for all of us. Before, these burdens were very heavy for me. Now I don’t feel so much the weight, and I believe that it is because of all your prayers. Also it helped me a lot that I did not stop paying it off, even though it was only a little, but I paid it continually.With that I showed them that I want to pay it, and I want to finish with this problem. I am going to seek an audience with the Governor of the state, so that he will help me with this. During his political campaign, he wrote me on my cellular phone asking me to pray for protection. When he finished being chosen in the elections, he sent me a message of gratitude asking me what he could offer me to help me. I went to solicit an audience, and they gave me three months for there are many people in front of me. I called him on the telephone to the number from where he wrote me, and his assistant answered. In this way, I will seek an audience. When he was the mayor of Tepic, his daughter died and we were ministering to his wife at that time. Also when his mother-in-law was in the hospital, it touched us to take it to the Lord. His wife remained very grateful to us. I will try to seek the audience, for I know that with the monthly payments that are assigned to me, I will not be able to fulfill it, and again I am going to default. It will be the same problem over again. Thanks also because I know that we are not alone. I have learned that all that happens to me, I take it to the feet of the Lord. Waldo.” (March 4, 2006)
“Still I have not been able to secure an appointment with the Governor. I have been seeking a way every morning, and they don’t want to give me an audience. Some times it worries me a lot, but at that moment I feel the peace of God in my heart. I don’t know truly what I am going to do, even though two days ago I felt to sign and trust in the Lord for the provision, because He does not leave me. I am awake from 3:30 am. I did not sleep from that hour praying to the Lord, and thinking about what decision I am going to make, for today I have to decide. I am left with the last appointment with the Secretary of Economics. He does not want to help me by lowering the interest. I am going to propose something. Still I need to pray to the Lord if I can do it, for no other option remains to me. I know that I must pray to the Lord and have the security of what it is that I must do. Before I committed this mistake through desperation and not waiting on His times. His times are these, and for that I am in this problem, even though I know that, ‘Who redeemeth thy life from destruction; who crowneth thee with lovingkindness and tender mercies.’ (Psa 103:5). The option that I have is to tell the director that I will pay with jail time…that he give me some 5 years in jail, and in this way, I will leave all this behind. This would give me much sorrow in every aspect, but there in the jail, we would win many people to the Lord. Besides, there we would have a jail ministry, and we would have many members. In this way, I would go to pastor them directly. My determination gives me much laughter, even though in all ways I know that I am going to propose this to the director, expecting his answer. I know that he will not accept 5 years. In an hour I am going to go. Waldo.” (March 9, 2006)
“On ministering to the people, I felt strongly the presence of the Lord. It makes me always rely on Him, even though some times some fear wants to assault me. However, I respond to the fear with the Word of God. Yes, I went today to the appointment. I told them that I will pay them with jail time. I did it seriously, not as a joke, for I said it full of joy and peace, as it was the only form of paying them. They asked me why I was so happy, and I answered them that we have a peace that passes all understanding. (Philippians 4:7). As I expected, they did not accept. I told them that I surrender myself, and if they accepted, on Monday early I would go to the jail and remain. But they did not want it. I told them that I could pay them with work to lessen the account, in any way they would want. Then I told them that I was ready to sign the documents. I felt in my heart that in a little while I will leave all this. Our God is very precious and very good. He is a God that believes in restitution of all that the enemy robs from us. He restores it to us multiplied if we are faithful and maintain communion with Him. For that I am very happy also. Waldo.” (March 10, 2006)
“Thanks for your words of exhortation about the payments. Yes, it is a little difficult to trust in what the Lord will provide for this. Perhaps it is because I think logically, seeing the things very ‘logically’. I see my monthly income and what I have to pay every month, and it does not compute. I will not trust in the monthly income, but in the provision of God to leave all this behind. Also I will trust that this will not affect or damage my family economically. Thank you very much for your words, and I trust in the Lord for everything! Waldo.” (March 12, 2006)
“I know that it is not Biblical to request a loan, much less to request a loan for the Work of God for the Lord is already the Owner. He, in His time, will provide. I committed this mistake, including when I was signing the documents, I felt that I was signing a prison sentence. Yes the enemy knew where to stop us and rob us also. In this way, with all patience I expected that we would go forward through this mistake that I committed. The Lord is good and ‘Who redeemeth thy life from destruction.’ (Psalms 103:4). I know that He will help me, for everything that He has promised us and all that He is doing to bring us to completion in the Vision that He himself has given us; understanding perfectly that this has to be arranged to continue forward in the fulfillment of His purposes. I believe that it was necessary to go through this in these days, so that all is arranged well so that we don’t have anything that the enemy can mark in the future. I read studiously the scriptures that you sent me about Joseph. Even though I have preached and taught much about Joseph, always I learn something new in the Scriptures. I learned much this time, and I know that we are in very good hands. The enemy is not going to be able to stop what the Lord will do in these places. Only there is this, to maintain faithfulness and to walk with wisdom. I understood, also, the obstacles that there are that we go through, so that the vision does not die, and also that the powerful provision of our God moves us forward in everything. In this way I will trust in the Lord for this. Waldo.” (March 16, 2006)
“Yesterday when I came from Jala, I saw on the telephone answering machine who had called me. I found a telephone number that called me with insistence. I called to see that it was from the personal office of the state governor. This morning I went and they told me that it was the secretary from the afternoon shift that had called me, and they did not know what it was about. I returned in the afternoon and they told me that it was an invitation from the governor to attend a meeting where he would present the Economic Development Plan for the state of Nayarit. The secretary did not know how my telephone number appeared on the list, for only politicians and businessmen were included, but my name, address, and phone number were there. So, I went today to the meeting. As I knew that I would have little time to chat with the governor, I made a letter. When he touched me in turn to greet me, I told him that I needed his help, but it was a long explanation, and I gave him the letter. He promised to read it personally. That was two hours ago. It is for this that I ask your help to pray, so that he can help me. Waldo.” (March 22, 2006)
“I have still not received an answer from the state governor. Because of this, neither have I signed the contract for the restructuring of the debt. I must sign it this week, because the payments will begin the first day of April. I was going to sign this contract, but I hope to know the feeling of the governor. However, he has not answered. I have to take the written documents of the house as a guarantee. Much thanks for encouraging me in the passing of this and to trust in the Lord. I will do it, trusting in Him for he knows better than anyone that I want to pay this and leave behind this problem, for it is affecting me in the ministry. Waldo.” (March 27, 2006)
“Speaking of this, I told them that I want to pay, but that they could help me by lowering the monthly payments, because I am not going to be able to do it this way. The governor only sent an order that they help me, but they did not want to accede to this. Today they told me that every day the interest is going to increase, and it is this that worries me also. Waldo.” (March 31, 2006)
Finally some people in my classes decided to pay totally Pastor Waldo’s debt to insure that he remain in the ministry, because a financial debt is a restriction as great as the prison that restrained Joseph.
“Hello Joyce. I just returned home to eat and then to go to the missions. I entered my computer to check my mail, and it almost dismayed me to read your letter. Still I continue without being able to react from the surprise. I cannot capture it in my mind all that this means for me. On reading this I raised my hands to the Lord crying and shouting with happiness at the same time. Still I don’t know if this is a dream, but I believe that it is not. It is reality. Still the joy does not fit in my heart from what I read in your letter. I continue crying with thankfulness for the attitude of the Lord and of you all. It moves me much. Thank you. María just arrived, and I told her this great news. She also cried. Much thanks. All of you are like parents to us. We love you all. Hugs to all. In the love of Christ, Waldo.” (March 31, 2006)
“Still I continue meditating on your words from yesterday. Every minute I am chatting with the Lord, thanking him for all of this. When I speak to Him in human words, I speak only in tongues…in a tongue that I had never spoken, and that comes from the depth of my heart, clearly directed by His same Spirit; tongues that express a great gratitude, and that He makes to praise Him in a new song. I have not been able to stop expressing this all day, for this that you just did for me. Waldo.” (April 1, 2006)
“Now, when I needed it most, where, humanly speaking, I had no solution, and what appears was the end of my life and my ministry, suddenly, He operates and moves with power supplying totally all for this great debt that was binding and limiting me in many aspects of my life. Now for the glory of Him, I have been liberated! Waldo and Maria.” (April 4, 2006)
The Attitude of the Huichol Indians
“The Huichols do not ask people for money. In many places of Mexico, the Indians ask for money from the people, and they go from house to house begging for help. However, no ethnic people in Nayarit beg for money. Even though they walk through the city of Tepic, they do not bring any money, or ask for anything to eat, or go from house to house to beg. It is not because of pride, but that they are not accustomed to this. I remember when Anselmo and his family came on foot to the church from El Majahual. They left on Friday and arrived on Sunday in Tepic. Never did they say anything or request anything until one time I asked them. When they went to live in Jala, and when they came to the church services in Tepic, some times they did not bring money to return to their house, but they never said anything. Some people from the church saw that they were going by the mountain walking through the towns on foot, but very happy and blessed and without bothering anyone. They came for the blessing, and they received it, but they did not ask us to take them home. One time I felt that they did not bring money, and I asked them, and yes, they did not. As I could, I got together something for them for their ticket and gave it to them. Waldo.” (November 13, 2006)
The Gospel Makes a Difference
“The gospel has arrived with them in a complete way, spiritually, materially, and physically. They feel much the love of God when they cover themselves and use what we have brought to them. They value it much that people, who do not know know them, are worried over them, and that the gospel can bring to them not only the gospel but also physical and tangible demonstrations of the love of God. Waldo.” (March 16, 2007)
