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Santos Ortiz, Missionary to Honduras
My name is Santos Ortiz and I am a missionary on the field in Honduras, Central America. I would like to tell you a little about myself.
I was born in Havana, Cuba but was raised in New York City. My father left when I was a baby and my mother had her own life to live so I grew up in the streets. I became a member of a street gang called the Golden Dragons and became involved with things that were illegal. After one rather bad gang fight, we learned my life was in danger so my family shipped me off to Miami, Florida. While living there, I continued getting into trouble and I started stealing cars. But one good thing happened in Miami. I met my wife, who was a backslidden Southern Baptist. My wife, Sandra, and I have been happily married for 30 years. We have a good christian son, Tony, who is married and the father of two girls.
After our son was born, the Lord started dealing with my wife about getting right with Him and she asked me to go to church with her on an Easter Sunday in 1970. I had been raised as a Catholic and some of my family was involved with Santaria (a mixture of voo doo and Catholicism) so this was the first time I had heard the true gospel. The Pastor came to see me the next week and I received the Lord Jesus as my personal saviour. That was the first time I felt clean and had such a good night’s rest.
In 1975, my wife and I attended Pensacola Bible Institute and graduated in 1978. In the summer of 1977, I went to Honduras to help build a church and preach. After graduation, we went to Rochester, New York and worked in several churches there for 8 years and then returned to Pensacola. It was during this time that the Lord showed me He had wanted me in Honduras in the first place.
I wasn’t sure the Lord would still let me go to Honduras so I prayed for the Lord to show me if he would give me a second chance or if He wanted me to stay here in America. Soon after this, the Lord gave me the opportunity to go on a mission’s trip through Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras. While traveling through Mexico, the Lord gave me a real burden for the lost and I knew He wanted me on the mission field. When we arrived in Honduras, I knew this was where God wanted me. Seven of the people I led to the Lord while in Honduras live in an area outside the city of La Ceiba and I feel this is where the Lord wants me to start the first church. There is no church in this area, not even a Catholic one, and one of the converts has offered his home until we can get a building. We will also be starting a Bible school to train men for the ministry.
I am amazed that God would still use me but I am very thankful he does.
Because of Calvary, Santos Ortiz
BIBLE BAPTIST MISSION, INC. POST OFFICE BOX 17615 PENSACOLA, FLORIDA 32522 To send email to the mission board: bbmi@juno.com
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