WE'RE PRAYING FOR RICARDO

For their safety, the military does not like their picture taken.  We took this one from a great distance so no one could be recognized.

As we drove our van north toward the state of Vera Cruz, we were pulled over to the side of the road for a routine military inspection. In the seven days we'd been traveling in Mexico, this was the very first inspection of any kind we had experienced and that was unusual.


Lloyd opened the back of the van so the two young soldiers could see our cargo of Spanish Bibles and we told them about giving the Bibles to the people of Mexico. Since they are mostly looking for weapons in their searches, they were ready to send us on our way when the young man on the left asked us more about our ministry. And then he looked at us very seriously and said, "Ora para mi salvacion, por favor." (Pray for my salvation please.)

Lloyd immediately put his hand out the window, laid his hand on the young man's face and began to pray for him. I took the hand of the soldier on my side of the van who had said he was from the state of Michoacan. The soldier on my side seemed a little hesitant about the unexpected situation, but he bowed his head respectfully. We felt the presence of the Lord while praying for the two men at the military checkpoint on the side of the road in Mexico.

Ricardo Gonzales, the soldier who had asked for prayer, told us that he was from the west coast of Mexico. He had been away from home for a year and had become very discouraged. We promised Ricardo that we would always remember him and would continue to pray for the Lord to protect him.

Before driving away from the military checkpoint we gave all of the other soldiers New Testaments.

"We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers."  1 Thessalonians 1:2