Deep Waters

By Connie M. Pitts

These Scriptures helped us look and go beyond the shallow and medium waters. "And when He had finished speaking, He said to Simon, "Put out into the deep waters and let down your nets for a catch [and when they did this, they had caught a great number of fish]" (Luke 5:4-6, comment mine). Also Luke 5:4, "Push out into the deep waters." In the beginning of our ministry, we thought of the colonia as shallow waters. It was just over the border with easy access to United States. We referred to the interior ministry as medium waters. There was much travel involved going from mission to mission, and there were dangers and unknowns. Deep waters referred to extending our missionary work in Mexico to a Huasteco Indian tribe, around ten hours from the United States border in the state of San Louis Potosi, specifically the Quayalab Junla (Mountainous Jungle). The people, another culture, and another language were very closed and had rejected all missionaries who wanted to evangelize on the mountain. But the door opened for us. We had opposition from many, including our home church, remembering them saying, "Ray and Connie, you are getting in too deep; to stay in the colonia." The church was happy with our missionary activity in the colonia. My book is dedicated to those who follow the Lord wholeheartedly and to those who refuse to remain in the shallow and medium waters.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Covenant Books, Inc.
• Release date: Apr 8, 2020
• ISBN: 9781645592006

Book preview

9781645592006_cover.jpg

Deep Waters

If all of you will put your nets into the water, you will catch some fish… When he had finished, he said to Peter, Now row out to deep water to cast your nets and you will have a great catch. (Luke 5:4)

Connie M. Pitts

and Ray Pitts

ISBN 978-1-64559-199-3 (Hardcover)

ISBN 978-1-64559-200-6 (Digital)

Copyright © 2019 Connie M. Pitts and Ray Pitts

All rights reserved

First Edition

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Covenant Books, Inc.

11661 Hwy 707

Murrells Inlet, SC 29576

www.covenantbooks.com

Table of Contents

Characters

Introduction

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Poem

About the Author

This book is dedicated to all those in United States and in Mexico who helped us spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. There were so many that this book can’t contain all of them. The book is a highlight of all that took place over ten years—from 1994 to 2004.

We had the opportunity to interact with thousands of people—pastors and their families, primitive tribes living within four hundred miles of the United States border, and churches with their congregations.

We had a sending church in North Texas and a sending church in Rio Bravo, Mexico. The wonderful Christian group from North Texas was instrumental in sending us out first. One of those leaders was Mr. Al Martin. When we reported our first conversion to him, he said, You will have thousands before it is over.

We couldn’t visualize that at the time, but he spoke the truth. Our testimony is that we did have thousands who accepted Christ as personal Savior. We also helped hundreds survive and ministered the word to thousands.

We were honored by governors and presidents in Mexico because of our work. We were loved and protected by the Christian brothers and sisters. Mexican people will always have a special place in our hearts—their gratitude was overwhelming, and our friendships will always be remembered.

We were called to be missionaries after retiring from public school teaching. God opened the door. We made the decision to follow. We were protected and provided for all through the years.

The journey was blessed, but there were many obstacles and heartaches. While on the mission field, the joy overshadowed the difficulties. We will always give thanks that we responded to the call. Many are called, but few are chosen.

I was truly blessed to have been at the side of and a partner with a great missionary, my husband, Ray—his courage, faith, commitment, unlimited skills, impeccable character, endurance and deep love for the Mexican and Indian people enabled us to stay focused on the mission and never think of giving up. Reliving all of our experiences was a great joy. As I wrote the book, he offered suggestions and we shared the many wonderful experiences. Without him, this mission would have never happened.

Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you and, surely I will be with you till the end of the age.

—Matthew 28:19–20

Characters

Brenda—translator and daughter of Mr. Harris

Pastor Willy and Wendy— pastor who encouraged us to join his Rice and Beans Ministry

Brook—our granddaughter

Ray—husband and missionary

The Walkers—couple from North Texas church who helped us, especially with education in the colonia

Lacy—nurse who lived at Port Isabel and accompanied us to Mexico

Glen—Lacy’s husband

North Texas church—sending church in North Texas

Music director—also missions chairman

Maria—first to accept Christ in the Colonia

Church of Gethsemani—sending church from Mexico; Rio Bravo Mexico church

DIF—Mexican organization (political) in charge of distribution of donations from The United States

Vi Dawson—contributor from North Texas church

Home Church—North Texas church

Ezekial Cardenas—pastor of Church of Gethsemani

Palmer Bowers—sending pastor from North Texas church

La Verna—nurse who accompanied us to Mexico

Island Church—church on South Padre Island

Dane and Melody—couple from the Island Church

Frank—a man who lived in South Texas and who provided funding for the Huasteco Mission

Consuelo and Raul—Mexican couple who helped us during the building of the Huasteco Mission

Epitacia and Ventura—Huasteco couple who lived in the Quayalab Jungla and his wife donated the land for the mission

Nurse Teresa—daughter of Epitacia and Ventura and was the Husateco nurse on the mountain and evangelist

Jimmy—gentleman who lived in San Vicente who helped with the construction of the Huasteco Mission

Pastor Leo Nilo—pastor of the Huasteco Indians

Pastor Perez—elder and pastor of the church in San Vicente

Pastor Gonzalez—pastor of missions in remote areas of San Vicente

Federales—high-ranking Mexican soldiers

Mexican soldiers—carried guns and guarded checkpoints

Bob Harris—Owner of Shell World, Evangelist, our good Friend

Dr. George Blake—our dentist on the mission field

Mr. Al Martin—member of our north Texas church, instrumental in sending us out

Bertha—public school speech therapist, paraplegic who helped us with the tutoring classes

Introduction

God has a plan and a purpose for every life. Those he chooses to serve as missionaries, he places them in certain environments which prepare them for this life. Though they come from all walks of life, most have church backgrounds, many having been educators, and many with a deep, sensitive love for all God’s creations—humans, plants, and animals. Most have an adventurous spirit and are willing to sacrifice a comfortable lifestyle and are willing to leave family and friends.

The most important characteristic is the burning desire to share the Gospel. If they are truly called, they know when the door is opened. They walk through that door ready to serve without reservations and are totally committed.

We became totally immersed in serving. The years went by fast—ten of them. We retired as missionaries in 2004. So it took many years to write this book. I felt it had to be written to give others encouragement and to present the ups and downs of missionary life.

We know we are truly blessed. And even though we are already in our eighties, we daily reflect on our ten years in Mexico—its gracious people and the people who served with and supported us. We are thankful for them all.

Tooter says, WELCOME

Part 1

Rice and Bean Ministry

While wintering in a Texas coastal community, my husband, Ray, and I were extended a very unexpected invitation to a colonia in a Mexican town across the United States border. We didn’t know at the time that the invitation would be the beginning of a changed life for us and for many others. Pastor Willy from a church in Port Isabel asked us to assist him in his Rice and Bean Ministry. At the time, we were focused on our own very enjoyable activities.

The year was 1994, and we were living the good life of retirement doing our favorite things— fishing, swimming, jet-skiing, and wind surfing. We lived in a sea cottage in Port Isabel. It was a gated village on the channel with all the amenities.

A child in the colonia holding food we had given her

We attended Pastor Willy’s church. He continued to ask us to go with him and Wendy, his wife, to visit and help deliver rice and beans to a colonia in Mexico.

As time passed, we became curious about Pastor Willy’s ministry. We had never been to a colonia. Actually, we had never heard of one. In the southwest, it was referred to as a shanty town set up by the government for homeless Mexicans. Some of the upper-class Mexicans looked down on the colonia and ignored their existence.

Living Conditions in the colonia

Being a neighborhood with no infrastructure made it a hazardous place. When Pastor Willy and Wendy began their ministry to the colonia, the people lived in holes in the ground. He chose this particular Colonia because it was less than fifty miles from the United States border and was one of the poorest in Mexico. They carried survival items, rice, and beans on the pastor’s day off from the church. Over the years, Pastor Willy and others from the church carried thrown-away building supplies to the colonia, enabling the people to put together the shanties or shacks.

The colonia had literally become a dead-end street. Many had left their homes in the interior of Mexico, seeking a better life and hoping to find jobs at the border. And, when this wasn’t accomplished, they didn’t have enough money to return. They just stayed, and the colonia developed.

Lack of sufficient and unhealthy food led to many health problems. Many, babies especially, were infected with worms caused by drinking unpurified water. Since there was no electricity or gas, the people usually dug a hole in the dirt floor of their hut and laid a grill over it for warmth and cooking. This led to respiratory problems. Without windows or doors with screens, flies swarmed also causing disease. Without septic systems, raw sewage became a problem.

Life here was like walking on a tight rope: life was on one side, death on the other. People who lived in recreational parks helped package rice and beans weekly, and they loaded them in the trunk of the pastor’s car. He usually carried up to five hundred sacks across the border to the colonia. We began our assistance by joining in to help package the rice and beans. Later, we began to accompany him and Wendy in their car to help deliver the food to the colonia.

Living Conditions in the colonia

Just by getting to the Mexican Colonia was a real challenge. There were deep potholes big enough for an elephant to hide in, large bumps, and no shoulders. Usually, there were three-to-four-foot drop offs on both sides of the road. If we didn’t avoid the bumps in the middle of the road, the car would short out, causing it to come to a dead stop.

Being stranded on a Mexico road became a usual