Orlando Castro Pacheco, Mérida, Yucatán, México

If you can handle some rather intense heat over the summer months, learn a bit of Spanish, and understand the “fideicomiso” banking rules regarding foreigners owning property in Mexico, you might want to consider Merida, Mexico for your retirement destination. With its

rich culture, low cost of living, delicious cuisine, and nearby beaches, it is becoming more and more of a popular expat retirement location.

Another good thing would be that you just might run into Orlando Castro Pacheco and his wife Rosario del Carmen Cervera. Orlando and Rosario have been married 42 “happy” years (as Orlando emphasized). God has blessed them with four married children and ten grandchildren who help fill up the first few rows of the Iglesia Evangelica Cristiana Emmanuel where Orlando is the pastor.

"I came to know the Lord by his mercy October 4, 1980,” Orlando explains, “in the Emmanuel Mission; the mission church denomination where I am now pastor.” With great joy Orlando recounts how the missionary brought a message from Psalm 91, a beautiful passage which begins with, “Those who live in the shelter of the Most High will find rest in the shadow of the Almighty.” Orlando says, “His message touched my heart and I was baptized seven months later.”

Orlando is also the director of an alliance that is made up of 60 churches from different denominations. I oversee the “People with Destiny Foundation” and our objective is to help poor people and families within the communities of our churches in Jesus’ name. “This is a meaningful alliance for me since the community where I live is one of the poorest in the area. At the same time, they have a real hunger for the Word of God.” s a very meaningful

Regarding LOGOI, Orlando made a very intriguing comment that LOGOI’s founder, the late Dr. Les Thompson, would have been thrilled to hear. “LOGOI,” Orlando explained, “has helped me very much in my pastoral worldview and ministry. Rather than focus on denominational teaching, you help me learn and work for the Lord with solid Bible training with an interdenominational perspective. With that perspective, we have started two Bible seminaries with twenty students each with the goal of starting new churches wherever God leads.”

Orlando’s enthusiasm for the Lord is contagious, and we are so grateful he is part of our LOGOI family. Would you take a moment and pray for Orlando right now? Specifically, he asks that we join him in prayer for wisdom in discipling a new generation of believers as well as for their plans and dreams to begin a new church in the center of the city.

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