Impoverished atheist watched God proive - becomes follower of Christ

He grew up in austere conditions in the heart of Mexico, convinced there was no God. But as he grew up and observed circumstances and situations that defied rational explanation, his unbelief was challenged. "I was an atheist," says Alfredo. "My father deserted my mother, and that's when everything changed for us. I had one pair of pants. I watched my mother work hard for long hours," he told Bible League International.

But through a Christian ministry's local outreach to the poor, his mother eventually discovered the love of Jesus and began to follow Him. Alfredo's atheism was challenged as he watched unusual events unfold. "I saw how God provided for us, fed us, and even provided an opportunity for me to get an education. It was a miracle," he came to realize.

None of these things would "have happened without God," Alfredo concluded.

Inspired by his mother's growing faith, and the power of the Holy Spirit softening his heart, Alfredo trusted Jesus Christ as his Savior, and soon was telling others about Jesus.

Alfredo turned his story into a ministry. He served in a church, and that service caused him to want to reach out to even more people. It also gave him the vision to plant churches so these new believers and new churches could reach more people like himself. "When I train people, I look at who they are. I look into their eyes. I always speak with their pastors and find out who is actually doing the work in their churches and ask to recruit those people for church planter training," Alfredo says.

"This is how we keep moving forward," he adds. "Next, I go to do more church planter training," Alfredo says, "and then more."

Looking out on a crowded church in a remote part of Mexico, Alfredo gestures toward the believers gathered – almost one hundred singing together, "They have all been transformed by Jesus Christ. Because of your help, Jesus makes this possible."