History of IPN, Mexico


IPN

Preface

In April 2016 Banabas Choi wrote the history of his church for the Instituto Politechnico Nacional (IPN) in Mexico City and submitted it.

Introduction

I thank God for the work of salvation in IPN UBF. I report how he has worked among us.

I. Self-support and visa problem

My wife Rebeca and I started planting the IPN church at Mexico City on January 2001. When my family left Korea we had a fund just enough for air plane tickets. After we purchased basic household items in Mexico, we ran out of the fund. We didn’t know at all how to solve a self-support and visa problem.

If we could not solve the self-support problem, we had to return to Korea. We were in deep despair. In the beginning stage, we didn’t know how to run business. Since we were unfamiliar with the Mexico environment, my warehouse was robbed. I was accused by my employees. My business fund was swindled by my accountant. In addition, the municipal government issued an injunction to stop using my store for 6 months. Therefore, we were in great debts. At the same time we learned much that we could not do anything without God’s grace. Through these events, God made us humble. In the dire situation, we prayed earnestly that our store might be used for world mission. Then God accepted our prayer and poured out blessing. Despite the most off-season, we were able to sell many lady’s handbags. By God’s grace, we paid back all the debts and solved the self-support problem. In addition, we were able to provide our children with good education. Above all, we were able to support other several chapters around the world according to our prayer. Through this, I learned deeply my helplessness and experienced God’s grace. In addition God molded us to have a debtor’s heart for other missionaries in need of help.

We didn’t know how to solve the visa problem. We gave much money to an accountant in order to solve the visa problem. But he was a swindler, who did not do anything. So our visa was cancelled and we faced a deportation. For two years, we were troubled much by the visa problem and avoided immigration officers who often came to us for inspection. Due to the prayer of many partners in Korea, however, we were able to get a visa to our surprise. Yet, we still suffered much because we had to renew the visa every year for 11 years. After the 11 years, we received a permanent residence by God’s grace and rendered glory to Him.

II. Two second generation missionaries and two missionary families

My children, Hannah and Samuel Choi, came to Mexico at five and three years old, respectively. For 13 years they had been to the school in Mexico, and had learned and served God. Above all, they had become aware of God little by little by Bible study and worship service every week. In addition, they had participated in the ministry by playing music. They also had participated in the orchestra for the conference during the Easter and Christmas. At the Easter conference in 2011, they confessed their sin and accepted Jesus as the Savior. They were also baptized. By the grace of God, my first daughter, Hannah Choi, entered the Loyola University of Chicago on August 2012. So we sent her to Chicago as the second generation missionary. Now, she loves Jesus very much, and preaches the gospel to students and invites them to Sunday worship service. We’re praying that she gets a working visa in USA and becomes a shepherdess after graduating the university this year. My son, Samuel Choi, entered the University of British Colombia in Vancouver, Canada on August 2015. So we laid hands on him and sent him as a second generation missionary. We’re praying that he wins a victory in school studies and becomes a shepherd for Canadian students.

My wife and I thought that we needed more coworkers to strengthen our ministry. So we invited the family of Isaiah and Ludia Roh on November 2005. After they had worked with us for 3 years they went out to pioneer the IPN at Santo Tomas on January 2008. Later we invited the family of Andrew and Maria Kim on November 2014. My family and his family work together to pioneer the IPN. My family prays that his family becomes financially independent and masters foreign language. They may be able to serve God’s flock through 1:1 Bible study.

III. Discipleship

Many sheep came to worship service through the preaching of the gospel and were saved through the Easter conference. But they left the ministry after receiving grace. I was greatly discouraged. Yet, I prayed by faith that God might give us a disciple candidate to serve God and remain with us. By God’s grace, I found Brother Alexander at the lawn of the library side on February 2009 and started Bible study, who joined the worship service. During the Easter conference in 2009, he confessed all his sins and accepted Jesus as the Savior. He invited other brothers and sisters, Daniel, Fabian, Elizabeth and Alejandro, to the worship service. They also accepted Jesus as the Savior during the Easter conference. They grew as a disciple candidate. Alexander and Elizabeth became the first house church of the IPN UBF on April 2012. Although the family received much grace, they left the ministry because of the burden of mission and self-sacrifice. Other disciple candidates, Fabian and Alejandro, also left. Through this, I learned the importance of training a disciple on the basis of the gospel and raising one faithful leader. Among the candidates, Daniel has become a remnant from 2010. He invited many sheep such as Alejandro, Abraham and Hugo to the worship service and bible study. Abraham and Hugo met Jesus through the conference. But they left the ministry due the burden of disciple’s life.

Shepherd Daniel (Master of Civil engineering) has become the co-worker in pioneering the IPN through keeping faith and receiving spiritual training very well for 6 years. He chairs the worship service every week and gives tithes absolutely. After graduating from the civil engineering of IPN in 2011, he entered the master’s program in the same department. By God’s grace, he finished a graduation essay on March 2015. After finishing the master’s program, he got a good job at the Banorte bank. But, he resigned the job due to the requirement of working on Sunday and searches another job. Shepherd Daniel is an obedient and faithful person. He has become a good co-worker of IPN UBF. We’re praying that shepherd Daniel establishes a house church at God’s time and becomes a professor shepherd by entering the doctor’s program.

Brother Alejandro (Electric engineering 3) had been active as a Jehovah’s Witness for 5 years. After quitting it for a while, he started bible study with me on August, 2012. He accepted Jesus as the Savior during the Easter conference the next year. But he lacked passion. He occasionally attended the worship service for 3 years. In September 2015 his spiritual desire grew strong. From that time on he has faithfully attended the worship service and kept bible study with me. He invited his family to Christmas worship service so that they received the gospel of grace. We pray that he writes a life testimony and becomes a disciple candidate.

IV. PRAYER TOPICS

My church's prayer topics are:
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