Since we first set foot in Los Cabos in 2010, Richard has greatly enjoyed striking up conversations with the many ‘hawkers’ that flood the Marina boardwalk (especially in high season: October 15-April 15).
Richard loves bantering with them because he can usually turn the conversation to his advantage and begin to challenge them about their lifestyles. Since he is patient and persistent, many wear down and begin to talk to him about their choices in life.
Along with taking care of things at home, I spend many hours in front of my computer; leaving little time to spend extended amounts of time with Richard at the marina. It has always been fun when we go together but with Richard’s gift mix, this type of ministry is really his forte. This brings us to Richard’s newest outreach; pastoral-type care for the flood of―mainly men―who come from all over Mexico to work in sales in Los Cabos during high season. Many of these men have been deported from the United States, speak English, and came to Los Cabos to make a little more than the average wage elsewhere in Mexico.
Richard started going to the marina every Monday or Tuesday so the men would look forward to seeing him―and they do. He wears the same color shirt and shorts so they see him coming. He carries bi-lingual New Testaments and tracts in a shoulder bag. The results were instantly amazing. The day that I went with him to take the photos for this blog, one recently-deported young man was waiting for Richard to come so that he could ask for prayer for a sister who had recently been diagnosed with Covid. Up and down the marina men were waving ahead of us to say hello to Richard and to talk with him.
Richard has had several accounts of how God has moved in the hearts of different men every time he goes. One such story includes a man from a very rough part of town, who was an artist. Thieves had robbed his lean-to and took his meager belongings, including his easel. The man rode a bike to the marina every day in order to sell paintings to the tourists, so Richard designed an easel that folded up and could be carried on the man’s shoulder. Another man, who is interested in ‘spiritual’ things other than a relationship with Jesus Christ, has asked to go to the barrios with Richard on a work project.
The name of the elderly lady in the photos is Juanita Bonita and we have prayed over her and rented her water taxis for several years. When we asked this ‘God-fearing’ lady if we could pray for her on the day I was at the marina for the photo shoot, I was led by the Lord to place my hand on her upper abdomen. I really didn’t know why until we were done praying. When I asked her if there was something wrong with her stomach she told us she had three hernias in her upper abdomen and was waiting for surgery. We have not yet heard the report of our prayer session with her.
God is so faithful to give His children creative ideas as to how to touch the people in their spheres of influence. Richard’s marina ministry is just one idea of how God would have each of us minister to the world around us—one person at a time. We pray that the Lord will give each of you a personalized plan to touch the many people around you with the love of Jesus Christ.
Richard loves bantering with them because he can usually turn the conversation to his advantage and begin to challenge them about their lifestyles. Since he is patient and persistent, many wear down and begin to talk to him about their choices in life.
Along with taking care of things at home, I spend many hours in front of my computer; leaving little time to spend extended amounts of time with Richard at the marina. It has always been fun when we go together but with Richard’s gift mix, this type of ministry is really his forte. This brings us to Richard’s newest outreach; pastoral-type care for the flood of―mainly men―who come from all over Mexico to work in sales in Los Cabos during high season. Many of these men have been deported from the United States, speak English, and came to Los Cabos to make a little more than the average wage elsewhere in Mexico.
Richard started going to the marina every Monday or Tuesday so the men would look forward to seeing him―and they do. He wears the same color shirt and shorts so they see him coming. He carries bi-lingual New Testaments and tracts in a shoulder bag. The results were instantly amazing. The day that I went with him to take the photos for this blog, one recently-deported young man was waiting for Richard to come so that he could ask for prayer for a sister who had recently been diagnosed with Covid. Up and down the marina men were waving ahead of us to say hello to Richard and to talk with him.
Richard has had several accounts of how God has moved in the hearts of different men every time he goes. One such story includes a man from a very rough part of town, who was an artist. Thieves had robbed his lean-to and took his meager belongings, including his easel. The man rode a bike to the marina every day in order to sell paintings to the tourists, so Richard designed an easel that folded up and could be carried on the man’s shoulder. Another man, who is interested in ‘spiritual’ things other than a relationship with Jesus Christ, has asked to go to the barrios with Richard on a work project.
The name of the elderly lady in the photos is Juanita Bonita and we have prayed over her and rented her water taxis for several years. When we asked this ‘God-fearing’ lady if we could pray for her on the day I was at the marina for the photo shoot, I was led by the Lord to place my hand on her upper abdomen. I really didn’t know why until we were done praying. When I asked her if there was something wrong with her stomach she told us she had three hernias in her upper abdomen and was waiting for surgery. We have not yet heard the report of our prayer session with her.
God is so faithful to give His children creative ideas as to how to touch the people in their spheres of influence. Richard’s marina ministry is just one idea of how God would have each of us minister to the world around us—one person at a time. We pray that the Lord will give each of you a personalized plan to touch the many people around you with the love of Jesus Christ.
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