Mexicali is considered a foodie’s paradise. Local taquerías serve the popular Cachanilla tacos — mouthwatering fusions of Chinese and Mexican flavors wrapped in a crunchy tortilla. Mexicalenses also call themselves Cachanillas thanks to the local plant, the cachanilla, used by the Cucapah tribe to build shacks.
While Mexicali is a foodie city with a large Chinese community, it is also known for its vibrant music scene. Mexicali is considered the birthplace of Mexican rock and the Mariachi Capital. To sample, search for songs by “Mexicali Brass” or listen to Bing Crosby sing “Mexicali Rose,” a song paying tribute to the city's beauty and charm.
This vibrant border city also has a wonderful little church called Misión Evangélica Solo Por Gracia. The church needs a long name to match its pastor’s name, Héctor Alfonso Gómez Valenzuela. “I was called to serve the Lord five years ago,” Pastor Hector says, “and as a family, we decided to use our house for church meetings. We began with six people.”
He goes on to explain how they had to knock out the walls of their house to make room for more people. Since the church was their priority, “we finally made our house into a church and moved to a different house to live. This was no problem,” Hector continues, “because we love serving Jesus and God is blessing our ministry.”
Pastor Hector explains that his first encounter with the Lord made him completely turn his life around: “God gave me an understanding to see myself as I truly was, a vile sinner who was very far from God. I was empty and lost in my sin and desperately needed a savior. But Jesus came to save me, and I still can hardly believe it. Now I have peace in my heart and life, thanks to Jesus.”
“LOGOI is not only helping train and disciple me,” he explains, “but I use your Bible materials to help teach and train others in their spiritual growth, as well as to proclaim the Good News to others.”
Would you take a moment right now and pray for Pastor Hector and his church? He specifically asks for “wisdom to effectively teach God’s Word and for a vibrant, healthy congregation that is always growing in the truth and knowledge of Jesus.”
Next time you eat a taco or enjoy the romantic melodies of a mariachi, we pray God brings pastor Hector to your mind — as well as hundreds of others in our LOGOI Mexican family — who joyfully proclaim the Gospel in their communities.
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