Short Stories

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It's a hot afternoon and Margarita is sitting in her car thinking about what to buy for dinner. "I'll cook enchiladas with carne asada. My husband loves this dish", she said. As she got out the car, she took a grocery basket and went shopping. While doing this she ran across a newspaper article that read, "Hispanics in Need of Evangelical Ministry." She thought to herself, "I can minister to them, I know the Spanish language and I can find some bible tracts just for them. They need to hear God's message of love and grace." Margarita then decided to start a Spanish-language ministry but she didn't know where to begin. She knew a few Hispanic pastors in her area and her husband Juan is a Sunday school teacher. They attend a home church called "La Vida Abundante" and her fifteen-year old son Fernando reads the opening Scripture before service starts. "I'm trusting God with the results", she smiled.

Margarita is a fifth-generation Mexican-American who lives in San Antonio, Texas. Her parents were lifelong Catholics and they raised her with strict rules. As a young adult she rebelled against Catholicism. While studying mathematics at Cornell University, she was involved in eastern religions. While sitting outside after class, a group of Christian students handed her a tract that outlined God's plan of salvation. But Margarita mocked it and threw it on the ground. "Christianity is so complicated, with so many rules and traditions to follow. Eastern religion is simple." Years later, Margarita was back in San Antonio and teaching mathematics at a private school. One afternoon, a Spanish-speaking group came to her door. As she reluctantly let them in , the group sat down to share the gospel. "Tienes una casa buena, un buen trabajo, y el dinero. Pero estas infeliz y sin paz. Nos dijiste que siempre querias ser la perfecta hija, no? Tu buscaste la alegria pero no la encontraste. Por eso necesitas Jesus. El quiere darte amor incondicional, paz verdadera, alegria, y un hogar eterno en el cielo. No tienes que hacer nada ganar su gracia. Es gratis! Dios te ama muchisimo y tiene un gran plan para tu vida. Todo lo que tienes hacer es aceptarlo en tu corazon. No puedes guardar la ley, es imposible para ti porque todos fueron nacido pecadores. Y salvo que aceptes Jesus, tu moriras una muerte espiritual." After pondering it for a few minutes, Margarita accepted Christ into her heart.


Later that night, Margarita and Juan were talking in the kitchen. "I'm trying to see if we can get some bibles in Spanish. The pastor said he knew some TV ministries that will pitch in and help", she said. "Don't worry about that, God will provide for the ministry. Just be patient and watch the results", smiled Juan. "Oh!, I'm burning the food!", shouted Margarita as she turned off the oven. There was only a slight burn on the roast and the food was okay. "Fernando!, come down and eat!", shouted Juan. "Ya voy, papa!", shouted Fernando while coming downstairs. "Tenia un buen dia, hijo?", asked Margarita. "Estaba muy bien. Yo saque buenas notas en mis examenes de historia, matematicas y ingles", replied Fernando. "Cuando es la feria Tejana? Yo quiero ir, es fantastico!", asked Juan. "No se,yo pienso que es en mayo o junio", answered Margarita.


Weeks later, Juan and Margarita received good news. Hundreds of Spanish-language bibles and literature poured in. Margarita then started a ministry entitled "Buenas Noticias Para Los Tejanos." They held various bible studies at their home and sponsored immunizations, gave away food baskets and a bus service to take the people to and from church. Margarita also started a womens' ministry where they discuss purity, humility, virtue and other biblical principles. Juan has a youth ministry where he meets with them at a restaurant for fellowship and bible study.

One night Margarita and her womens' group were talking. "Sra. Jimenez, yo no tengo muchas amigas a mi universidad. Ellas me tratan muy mal y dicen cosas racistas a mi. Que debo hacer?" "Debes perdonarlas. Yo se sera muy dificil pero porque tienes el Espiritu Santo en tu corazon, tienes el poder para perdonar. No puedes hacerlo en tu propria fuerza y Jesus te dara el poder", replied Margarita. "Sra. Jimenez,gracias para este estudio de biblia. Se me da mucho animo", said another participant.

Meanwhile Juan was talking to a teenage boy. "Yo oi que estaba diciendo malas cosas a tus padres. La Biblia dice, "Hijos, obedecen tus padres." Tus padres te ama mucho y ellos merecen tu respeto."


Juan and Margarita's ministry grew tremendously and lives are being touched. It's proof that people of all races can be transformed by the gospel.

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