The Ruiz Family
Serving the Lord in Tixtla, Guerrero, Mexico
September October 2023 update
Dear Praying Friends,
It’s amazing how one event can change your thoughts and plans so quickly. Hurricane Otis hit Acapulco a week ago Tuesday around midnight, changing it completely in a matter of hours. I was at home in Tixtla, sleeping peacefully to the constant drum of rain on the church’s tin roof, right outside my bedroom window. I even commented to my girls that next morning on how nice it was to have a cool, rainy day—the best days for reading your Bible curled up on the couch with a cup of coffee. I was also rejoicing that the constant rain had filled to overflowing our outside water tank, meaning I wouldn’t have to buy water to wash that week.
It wasn’t until later last Wednesday evening while Efra and I were visiting/comforting a couple from our church whose nephew was tragically killed last week, that we even realized what had happened in Acapulco. As soon as we got home, we started checking online to see the graveness of this category 5 hurricane with 165 MPH winds. We were stunned to see the entire stretch of the hotel zone standing without windows, cars upside down, and palm trees literally blown over. Our thoughts raced to our brethren in Acapulco. What happened to them? All of the news seemed to focus on tourist stories. Since over 50 electrical towers were knocked down, we couldn’t contact any of our brethren.
As the stories leaked out, we found a lawless Acapulco with literally every store (grocery or appliances) broken into and ransacked. Our friends described Acapulco at night as a scene from a horror movie. Without any electricity, there were no water purifying plants open, no tortillerias, no gas pumps working, etc.
By Saturday, the main road to Acapulco was opened back up, but the traffic once you got to Acapulco was horrendous. One nearby pastor took 5 hours to advance a normal 10-minute trip, due to one lane being open and thousands of tourists trying to leave.
Yesterday my husband and another 15 brethren, combined with a small group of brothers from Tlapa to take dry goods, gasoline, and gas to the believers in Acapulco. First, they stopped by a large established church who lost most of their roof. Efra was able to get a large generator for them to borrow and leave food with them. Then, the brothers slowly worked their way over to Puerto Marquez where our mission is located. All of the areas that Efra visited continue without electricity, now a week later.
Every single structure on this mountain side overlooking the vast Pacific Ocean that was not made of cement was destroyed. Every tin roof, every wooden or panel wall, was torn apart. Praise the Lord, not one of our brethren died. The families that lost everything ran to a nearby, abandoned cement house, and broke in to shelter themselves through the night. They continue to sleep there as they rebuild their shacks with bits and pieces of material. All of their few worldly goods are strewn across the mountain side. Some are salvageable. Our church was able to give food and water to each family. Six of the eight families that make up this small group of believers lost their homes. Huge mango trees were uprooted; tall, cement electrical posts bent in half.
The destruction is unbelievable. Over 50 manned vessels were out to sea and never returned. Acapulco is a city of 800,000 people, most of whom live off of tourism. So, not only are the people without homes, they are without jobs. The government is helping in establishing water purifiers and giving away dry goods, but the lines are unimaginable.
So where do we begin? Please pray for great wisdom for my husband. Many sister churches have offered to help. Lord willing, we are working on an immediate plan of heading back to Acapulco, taking all we need with us, and offering a meal (or meals) with a gospel message on the street up above the mission location. Our mission also lost its roof. All that is left of the mission is a cement box. The adults used to meet outside under a tin roof, and the kids inside. Presently the property is unusable until we clean off all of the debris and fallen trees. But we definitely need to think through our plan. If we are to stay a few days, where will we stay?
Please help us by praying that the Lord will show us what to do. Pray that hearts will be open to the gospel and not hardened by this disaster.
Many other things happened these last two months, but my mind is on Acapulco. We celebrated 20 years here in Tixtla with two special services. I praise the Lord for His faithfulness, keeping us here and sustaining us all this time. I praise Him for the church’s growth. I praise Him for our beautiful family who serves with us in the ministry. I praise Him for our new church property and building project. I praise Him for every person witnessed to and saved over these last 20 years, for every changed life. Thank you for playing a part in the seed being sown in Tixtla and her surrounding areas.
With much love and appreciation,
Laura Ruiz (for family)
