Pastor Maynor Beleton’s eyes were misty and his voice trembled.
Maynor shared his story in a morning ISUM Chapel in the recently concluded month-long seminar in Guatemala City, Guatemala.
“My father disowned me when I told him God had called me into the ministry. When I went to Bible School at this very place, the Lord put a burden on my heart for an isolated city up in the mountains hours from here. But sitting in this very chapel over twenty years ago, the Lord called me, and I couldn’t turn back.”
Soon after graduating from basic Bible School, Maynor and a friend went to that city in central Guatemala.
“I knew we would rent an auditorium to start a church. I had seen it in a dream. I knew where it was in the city. When we arrived that day, I knew what street it was on, and exactly which door. I walked right to it.”
“In my dream I had seen an auditorium full of crepe paper in large barrels. I didn’t understand what that meant. But we found the owner of the place. As he unlocked it he apologized. They’d had a big 15th birthday party for a girl the night before, and still hadn’t cleaned the place up. When we walked in the door, just like I’d seen in the dream, there were garbage barrels filled with pink crape paper! I knew this was the place!”
Maynor left Guatemala City and moved to that little town. It was difficult. He left home with one box of personal belongings and a bed roll. He had nothing to start his church but a clear faith that God called him to be there. And totally alone without the love and approval of family or the backing of any other church or organization.
For the next two years, Maynor had almost no success. In two years time he only reached two boys about eight years old. He tried to leave the town three times. But each time, the Holy Spirit convicted him, and he stayed. And then, it was Christmas Eve his second year there. Around 11:30 p.m. Maynor found himself alone, with no family, no money, and no idea what to do next. That’s when he said,
“Lord, I need a gift from you tonight. I really need a gift.”
Maynor paused to compose himself as he spoke to over 60 ISUM students.
A few minutes later, around midnight, someone knocked on the door of Maynor’s little shack. To his stunned surprise, the entire family of one of the little boys was at his doorstep! He invited them in and the father began to tell an amazing story as he choked back tears.
“My son has something to tell you.”
Maynor listened intently as his little eight year old convert began to relate a dream he had after falling asleep when the family retired after a Christmas Eve dinner. “In my dream, our house started on fire. I woke up and knew I was going to burn to death. I called out to Jesus! Suddenly, he walked into my room in a white robe, very tall and strong. He took my hand and I got up out of my bed as Jesus led me through the flames and down the hall to escape our burning house. But as we passed my parents’ bedroom I cried out! I said ‘Jesus, we have to get my mom and dad. We have to save them!’ But Jesus looked at me and said, “But they don’t know me, and they can’t come with us.’ Then I woke up.”
Everyone stood in stunned silence at the midnight hour of Christmas Eve. Suddenly, the little boy’s dad, trembling and crying said, “We came here to get saved. We want to go with Jesus!”
That night, the entire family gave their hearts to the Lord. Maynor’s voice rose with power and emotion. “Suddenly that family began to testify to everyone. They told of the dream, and of how they came to the Lord because of it. Within one week, after two years of nothing happening, thirty-two people came to the Lord and the church was launched!”
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Friends, thank you for helping us go through another year of teaching, training and mentoring great men and women of God through the ministry of ISUM. Thank you for investing in people like Maynor Beleton. He has just been named the new Director of the Bible Training Center at the International Headquarters of Kings Castle in El Salvador. Your investments are helping to inspire and motivate great leaders to continue their studies, to increase in their spiritual fervor and press ahead in the most impossible situations for the sake of the Kingdom.
We love you for it.
Thanks for helping us be part of giving the most unspeakable Gift of God to thousands across Latin America.
May you determine to keep going with Jesus!