EMANUEL IS HOSTING A LATINO MINISTRY

In summer, 2007, the Church Council was approached by Agustin Torres, a Latino minister who lives in Forest Grove. He had a congregation, but they had grown so large that they could no longer meet in one another’s homes. They asked if they could use Emanuel’s facilities. The Council agreed to allow them to meet in the church twice a week: on Sunday afternoons for worship, and on Thursday evenings for Bible study. The Council agreed, and what follows is the story of Pastor Torres.

Agustín Torres Negrete

I had been a Roman Catholic for 22 years. I came to the United States because of the poor life that I was living in México. Looking for a way to pay all of my debts and compromises that I had, my anemic wife, my sick kids, and I came to the United States with my oldest brother, Jose. We worked a little in the State of Sinaloa, Mexico picking cotton. Then in    September of 1970, with much suffering and danger, we came to the United States. For one day and night we slept in a grapefruit tree in Yuma, Arizona. These trees were our bed and food for that time. Then we walked one night and came to Indio, California through the desert without food or water for two days. We felt very close to death, but thankfully God protected us from snakebites because we were alone in the desert. Finally we got to Los Angeles, California. Then somebody brought us to Salinas, CA. In Salinas some relatives took us to church, where we came to know Jesus. After a month he saved our souls and we praised the lord. Then we returned to Mexico and shared the grace of God as we received the grace from God. I thank God because I paid all my debts and fixed all of the compromises. In Atecuario, Michoacan I shared the word of God with all my family, relatives, and with all of the people of my town. I started to preach on the streets, on the buses, and any place where I had contact with people. Then people started to believe in Jesus and I got in trouble. I was taken to jail and we received many death treats because this town is one of the most dangerous of the state of Michoacan. But God was with us and we continued preaching in more towns. Up to this year 2007, there are many Christians in Mexico. There are many pastors and ministers of God and we try to help them with clothes, build new temples and help in other ways also. These people are preaching also in many places where people do not speak Spanish only dialects such as Tarasco and Purepacha. In Mexico we are registered as Iglesia Universal Cristiana, but now God has brought my family and relatives to Cornelius, Oregon to preach to the Hispanic people here. We are people that work in the fields and nurseries but God is our guide and we know that he is going to help us in order for the people to be saved.   

I am thankful to Pastor Karl and the council for opening the doors of their church to us so that we could begin our work here in this community.  God bless you.