What Can You Get with One Little Seed?

What Can You Get with One Little Seed?

Someone said, “You can count the seeds in a single apple, but you can’t count the apples in a single seed.” I’ve been thinking about that statement a lot in the last couple of months as I have been reading biographies and the history of many people who invested their lives in Mexico, starting with one young couple, Francisco and Nettie Soltero, 100 years ago.

One young couple. Neither was thinking that God would use them for something great — much less a life in missions. An immigrant baseball player and a Kansas homesteader turned teacher. They had life plans that did not include going to a nation that was still in the throes of a decade-long civil war. People were fleeing Mexico, not going there.

Current church planting families

But they had the audacity to take God up on his invitation. “Who, me?” “Yes, you.”

The Solteros’ obedience led them to a hard place in a hard season. They were working in a country during war and political unrest and had to do missionary support fundraising during the Great Depression. Francisco’s sister joined them on the mission field, married one of the first converts, and died in childbirth, along with the baby, less than a year after her wedding. The young church suffered persecution — the burn-your-house-down, throw-rocks-at-you, threaten-your-life kind of persecution. Mexican politics forced them to leave the country for periods of time while changing laws, making it illegal for foreigners to teach, hurried the task of training Mexicans to be able to do so. All this with the added complexities of a bicultural marriage and the personal disappointment of never having children made their mission journey arduous.

Yet they stuck it out. And along the way they managed to cast the vision to other people. Their passion was contagious. People that were reached for Christ started to work for the kingdom shortly thereafter, also at great sacrifice.

Pastor Alejandro Sicillia

So here we are 100 years later, and the fruit is still being harvested. The Wesleyan Church of Mexico had a glorious party this January. Both Dr. Dennis Jackson and Pastor Alejandro Sicilia were guided by the Holy Spirit to remind all of us that there is a lot of work to do! The fruit from that one little seed is going to continue to multiply until Jesus comes back. The total is still adding up and the final count is yet to come. But there are about 7,500 members throughout 15 states (out of 32), 144 congregations and at least 37 missions. There are church planting teams and congregations that are sending missionaries to new states and out of the country.

Pray for the Mexican church to keep that fiery initial vision. There are more Mexican states to reach, and God is putting a burden for places outside of Mexico into the hearts of Mexican Wesleyans as well. The Mexican Wesleyan Church is maturing into a sending church.

One little seed. One couple’s obedience. What is God waiting to accomplish in his kingdom with one more faithful couple? What do you think God could get with the all-out investment of your life for his kingdo?

Nicky Peña with her husband, Arnulfo Purate, and their daughters, Amanda and Sophie.