Mission of Mercy
An alcoholic experiences God’s mercy in a tangible way.
Ángel Marín was born in 1934 in Nicaragua, but at the age of five, his family moved to Honduras. Shortly after this, his father died, leaving his mother to care for their children alone.
At age 13, Ángel began to work to support his family. Under the influence of some of his friends, he tried cigarettes and alcohol for the first time. By the time that he turned 15, his addictions ruled his life and had turned him into a problematic young man whose only refuge was drinking.
Unfortunately, only a few years later, his mother died due to heart problems. Without her positive support in his life, Ángel drank even more heavily and left home for good. He moved into a house with a woman named Vilma Paguada. Ángel had no formal identification in Honduras and felt that it would be complicated to marry her, so he didn’t. They had five children together, but their family unit did not stay intact. Vilma and the children separated from him because of his excessive drinking.
Some years later, Vilma and three of the children accepted Christ. She forgave Ángel for the pain that he caused and felt burdened for his salvation. She reached out to him and learned that he lived alone. His alcohol consumption had completely deprived him of his sight and deteriorated his joints, leaving him unable to care for himself.
While he was initially resistant, Vilma and one of their daughters visited him and paid for health care assistance. Vilma always spoke to him about Christ and the Seventh-day Adventist church that she had grown to love. Furthermore, their daughter took it upon herself to give him Bible studies. “You’re wasting time talking about the Bible,” he would retort, but the mother-daughter duo remained undaunted. They tuned his radio to the Adventist radio station, and let the Holy Spirit continue the work.
And then one day, he received Christ into his heart. He stopped drinking and smoking. Finally, on the day that he was baptized, he was no longer a rough, arrogant man—he was a changed one.
Today, he still lives alone and cannot attend church each Sabbath, but he frequently tunes in to the Adventist radio station. He appreciates the support of his church family and feels especially thankful for Vilma and his daughter who showed him God’s mercy despite his past.
The upgraded radio stations and the new stations that Mission Projects International helped to establish have been instrumental in bringing many people to the Lord. We praise God for how He has worked through this humble channel to reach people with the message of truth in many remote parts of Honduras. Please pray for us! Many more places need stations in the mountainous regions where people await the mercy of God to save them, too.
Location
Honduras
Author
Told by Ángel Marín to Elmer Aguilar, a pastor in the Jacon district of Honduras.
How You Can Help
Pray for Ángel to remain connected to Christ and to be a witness of Christ’s patience.
Pray for the radio and television programs in Honduras to continue reaching people who otherwise might never hear the truth!
Give to broadcast the Three Angels’ Messages in the Catholic country of Honduras by sending your donation marked “Honduras” to:
Mission Projects International
PO Box 237
Kirksville, MO 63501
To give securely online, visit:
www.missionspro.org/donate