Pablo & Esperanza Ramirez
Pablo pastors a small church in San Quintin, Mexico.
Before 1997, Pablo was a drunk in Tijuana. He had a job, but spent all of his money on drinking. He didn’t even pay for the one-room place where he stayed. This was a hard time for Pablo and he was angry with everything.
In February of 1997, David, the brother of his landlord, came to visit Pablo. David came in and talked to Pablo, telling him that Christ loved him, but Pablo mocked David by responding, “If Christ loved me, why doesn’t he give me some beer?” David persisted in visiting and explaining the gospel, speaking about God’s goodness and the need for repentance. Pablo responded, “If Christ is truly alive, why is my life so hard and why doesn’t he give me a Christian wife?” David answered Pablo that God was good enough to give him a Christian wife, and several days later, Pablo met Esperanza. After a few conversations, they started attending church together. On August 13, 1997, Pablo truly experienced the presence of God and an eternal change in his life. He also realized Esperanza was meant to be his wife.
They got involved in a church and Pablo was placed in charge of the transportation used to bring people to church. Later, he was made an elder in the church. Things were going well for Pablo and Esperanza. They had belongings, two cars, and even two houses. Pablo was praying for a business of his own. Friends showed him a place in San Quintin where he could start his own business. In San Quintin, Pablo and Esperanza started attending a Pentecostal church. However, they noticed the difference in what that church taught. Pablo began talking about what he believed with his customers, many of whom were also attending the same church. The people were interested, asking Pablo why he taught differently than their church. Pablo says, “That is when I realized God didn’t want me in a secular business. God wanted me in God’s business.”
The people’s questions showed Pablo he needed more study and preparation to be their pastor. He asked their home church to send someone to be a pastor, but the pastor’s response was, “Pablo, you are the pastor, there is no one else.” Pablo spent six months training in Tijuana, then continued commuting weekly to Tijuana for his remaining education. During this time, on October 29, 2001, Fountain of Living Waters Church was established in San Quintin with five to ten people. The church has now grown to over 70 people. GBC has been involved in helping to construct a sanctuary and a Christian education wing. There have been ongoing ministry trips over the years, and now construction on a parsonage is underway. Pablo completed all of his training at the Bible Institute in Tijuana, and in addition to pastoring the San Quintin church is teaching an extension of the Bible Institute in San Quintin.