THEY HEARD THE CALL

We stood with Ivan and Luz Sanchez outside our motel room along the beautiful Emerald Coast of Mexico.

It was an extraordinary meeting. The four of us agreed that the Lord brought us together in a motel on the Emerald Coast of Mexico; it was not accidental.


In 2009 we were driving through Vera Cruz, Mexico distributing Spanish Bibles. We'd had a long day of driving, the extreme heat added to our stress level, so we decided it was time to find a place to stop for the night. The emerald blue of the Gulf of Mexico made a beautiful backdrop for the many motels lining the highway, but we couldn't seem to find the right place to stay. One motel was expensive, another had little protection for vehicles and many were difficult to access. With all the choices, why were we having so much difficulty?

After an hour of checking all the motels, it began to look hopeless and the temptation was great to drive on to another location. But something made us keep trying. Finally we saw Estrella del Mar, the Star of the Sea, a beautifully manicured three story motel that was almost empty. The price was extremely reasonable and free breakfast was included, so we were relieved to be in a good place. The only other customers occupied the room next to ours.

The next morning we learned that it was not an accident that we finally had chosen Estrella del Mar. Ivan and Luz Sanchez, in the room next to ours, were on their way to Ivan's hometown of Jalapa, Vera Cruz. They had been married only 2 days and both of them knew God had a plan and a ministry for them. They had prayed for the Lord to give them a sign, and as we began to share our ministry with them they were convinced that our meeting was their confirmation. While the morning sun was just rising over the Gulf of Mexico, the four of us joined hands and prayed together for God's continued direction in their lives. Then we presented them with a box of New Testaments and other materials to help begin their ministry.

Even though we had been frustrated and had difficulties, the Lord was always in control. He had a plan for us to be blessed by meeting those young people who are called into ministry. And He placed us in rooms next to each other on the Emerald Coast.

View of the Gulf of Mexico from our motel.