Through the short-term mission trips of Grace High, members of GVCC came to know Reverend Ramon Cervantes, the pastor of the church in Tecate. When Reverend Cervantes came to visit Davis, he had a burden to share the gospel of Jesus with some of the local migrant workers. While this outreach continues, a participant describes it's humble beginnings:
"With the coming of Rev. Ramón Cervantes of Tecate, Mexico, came a new opportunity to reach the Spanish-speaking workers living in the migrant centers near Davis, Madison and Dixon. On the afternoon of Sunday, September 17, Rev. Cervantes and a group of Spanish-speakers from GVCC went to the Ciudad Del Sol migrant community, just outside Davis, to hold an evangelistic service. Though door-to-door invitations had been made the previous day, Sunday afternoon the meeting room was still empty. The group again went inviting everyone to come and hear the message and participate in an informal service. Because the service was held in the afternoon, many of the migrants were still at work or had just come home from work, but in the end nine people including children came. Yet the Lord says, “despise not the day of small beginnings…” (Zechariah 4:10). Rev. Cervantes ignored the many empty chairs, had faith that God would still work, and preached an excellent sermon about the reality of hell from the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus found in Luke 16.
At 7 p.m. on Monday, September 18, Rev. Cervantes went with many of the same GVCC members to the Madison Migrant Center to hold an evangelistic service as before. This camp is significantly larger than Ciudad Del Sol and has a central area where the services can be held in the open. This time nineteen people came. Rev. Cervantes spoke a clear gospel message on the return of the Lord from Matthew 24. The Lord opened their hearts to receive the word spoken, and all but two came up to commit their lives to Him when Rev. Cervantes invited them up to pray at the close of his sermon.
On Saturday, September 30, a sports clinic will be held at the Dixon Migrant Camp from 1:30-4:30 p.m., followed by a BBQ and a short gospel message.
To God be the glory for the work He has begun. Follow-up efforts are underway with all those who came to the services, with plans for a Bible study and further outreach when migrant workers return in the spring. Plans are also in the making for outreach to other Hispanic communities in the area.."
