Abel’s Journey of Transformation

He was the town drunk.

In freezing temperatures and during the rainy season, c Lopez was frequently found lying unconscious in the muddy paths of his village of Buena Vista 2. He would often return, still drunk, to his mud hut where he would abuse his wife Maria in front of their children.

One day, he heard about a health training in the village of Agua Blanca and went to see what was it about. A group of villagers met as often as every week for training. They were learning about a wholistic approach to health, not only for individuals but also for their families and the community. After observing several meetings, Abel asked if he would be allowed to join the group. CHE trainers Florentin, Pio, and Santiago witnessed to Abel using a picture booklet. It took some time, but Abel came to believe that the Good News of Jesus could transform his life. In faith, Abel asked Jesus Christ to come into his heart. To the surprise of everyone who knew him, Abel’s life started to be transformed.

His addiction to alcohol gradually disappeared. The fruit of his labor did not go to the owners of the “cantinas” anymore.

Maria started to see Abel invest in his family; in his children, in herself, in their home, and business. He made improvements to their mud and straw home, and now their concrete house is part of their story of transformation of how they were freed out of the cycle of poverty.

His children were able to go to school; Miriam is now a bank branch manager in the nearby town of San Martin and Marta is a school teacher. But the best of all, their grown-up children are following the Lord Jesus Christ. Maria can bear testimony how her husband was totally transformed into a man of faith in Jesus.

Abel has also been a witness to the community around him. When Abel’s dad was supernaturally healed from liver cirrhosis, several of their neighbors surrendered their lives to Jesus. Abel became a CHE volunteer, then a member of the CHE committee, and went on to become a CHE Trainer among the Mam CHE Team of Trainers. He joined the local church and he is one of the church leaders.

Everyone who knew Abel in his former life marvels about his transformation. What happened to that man? Was he not the town drunk?

This process of transformation began for Abel in 1991, 33 years ago, when he encountered a CHE outreach program and surrendered his life to Jesus.

Jesus does not stand on the sidelines of our lives, shouting at us “You’ve got this!”. He is Lord in and over our lives, actively changing hearts, giving us new desires, and creating something new and beautiful that overflows to the world.

We praise Jesus for the work he has done in Abel’s life.

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