MEXICO: ‘I TAUGHT THEM HOW GOD SEES THEM’

“They were less than a metre away,” recalls Juan Manuel, after a group of teenagers chased him, threw stones at him and threatened to kill him. “But it was as if someone pushed the stones aside.” The attack happened while he was out jogging in central Mexico, in a region known as the ‘Circle of Silence’, where criminal gangs have such influence that many Christians are afraid to openly share their faith.

What happened next surprised him. Instead of feeling anger towards the teenagers, Juan Manuel sensed God speaking to his heart. “God told me: ‘Just as you need Me, so do they,’” he says. He began to see beyond their actions and recognise the challenges many young people face – including poverty, broken families and constant pressure to join criminal groups.

USING FOOTBALL TO SHARE ABOUT JESUS

An unexpected opportunity came through his daughter Karla’s football team. When the previous coach left, Juan Manuel was asked to take over. As he got to know the girls, he realised they needed more than football coaching. They needed hope, encouragement and people who believed in them.

After training sessions, he started gathering the players into small groups for prayer and short Bible messages. Drawing on his own experiences of addiction and a difficult upbringing, he connected with the teenagers and encouraged them to see their value through God’s eyes.

“I taught them how God sees them – how precious they are in His eyes,” says Juan Manuel.

His daughter Karla witnessed the impact firsthand. “With every training session, we became friends and opened our hearts,” she says.

Over time, people began noticing changes. The girls became kinder, less aggressive and more respectful. Parents started asking what had happened.

“The girls stopped using bad language and being aggressive,” says Karla. “When asked why, they said, ‘Because the coach told me I am God’s daughter, and I must act like one.’”

The project quickly grew. After eight months, Juan Manuel expanded the work to include boys and younger children. Within a year, more than 120 young people had heard about Jesus through football. He also began leading workshops in schools and sports clubs, started a community kitchen for children from low-income families and visited rehabilitation centres to share the gospel.

TRANSFORMING COMMUNITIES

The impact spread throughout the community. Local police even noticed a reduction in violence among young people.

“When the police asked the teens why, they said, ‘Well, Juan Manuel is teaching us that we can live differently,’” he shares.

Perhaps most remarkable of all, two of the teenagers who had once tried to attack him became part of the community he was building.

“Now those boys are my friends,” says Juan Manuel. “They care about me and ask for advice. We realised that what we were doing through football was transforming the community far beyond what we expected. It was no longer just a team; it was a ministry for God’s glory.”

OPPOSITION AND DEATH THREATS

Not everyone welcomed the changes. As criminal groups became aware of the ministry’s influence, Juan Manuel started receiving threats and was blocked from entering certain areas. Earlier this year, violence escalated after a government operation against a cartel leader, and Juan Manuel received direct death threats. He and his family were forced to shelter elsewhere for safety.

Still, they remained committed to serving others.

“Despite the risks, we trust God above our fears,” says Juan Manuel.

Three years ago, Open Doors connected him with persecution survival training, helping him and others stand firm in difficult circumstances. Some of the teenagers he has mentored are now sharing their faith with others.

“They say, ‘Now that we are equipped, we want to support others going through similar situations,’” he explains.

Karla has also seen her faith grow through everything her family has experienced.

“God taught me about His perseverance,” she says. “His love is patient; it waits for us. That’s how He has been working in the hearts of these young people.”

Today, Juan Manuel pastors a church and continues serving schools and communities whenever opportunities arise. “This is my calling until He calls me home,” he says. “We share that God can change lives, that people no longer need drugs or anything else, only Him.”

*Names changed for security reasons