Vida Internacional

The vision for VIDA International was born on the tropical west coast of Mexico in the town of Manzanillo where they were working in village evangelism. Nightly meetings would draw anywhere between fifty to five hundred people to watch a Christian movie and an evangelistic message. Results were good, but was it producing lasting fruit?

Time and again Lee saw the remnants of churches established by missionaries dissolve due to lack of sound instruction and Biblical teaching. Pastors had little more training than their congregation, which often continued to cling to old beliefs of praying to the dead, and other bondages. They did not know how to grow in their new found faith.

How could one man who barely spoke Spanish meet this tremendous need? As Lee pondered the problem, he thought of video. In many rural communities he visited, even houses with no running water and dirt floors had TVs and VCRs. With a video institute on tape, every village could have its own quality Bible institute! Pastors who could not leave their homes and families for formal training could now study at home, and church leaders could be raised up to minister to the local people.

We have seen God use this ministry in miraculous ways to further His Kingdom in Latin-speaking countries. Here's just one example. We visited Iquitos, Peru and provided Jose Arimborgo with the Vida video library. Through the use of those bible training tapes, in just six months, Jose planted 66 new churches by training leaders and equipping them to go into their own villages and start churches. He then opened a new school in Tamisacko, Peru using Vida's tapes. Native indian students who speak Spanish as well as their native tongue, come to this school to be trained during the week, then go back to their villages to teach their tribes over the weekend. You can see by this account the impact just one set of Vida bible training tapes can make.

Not long ago, Fountain of Life Church sponsored one of our trips to Peru. The church supplied a 32" TV, VCR, and gas generator to be used for the Vida bible training school. Many times these are necessary due to lack of resources within the remote villages we visit. Unfortunately, we are not always presented with such generous offers. Our influence is often limited by lack of funds to purchase these necessary tools.

Ministry Objectives: Provide Spanish-speaking pastors and leaders with Vida's Bible training videos, equipping them to disciple people with sound, biblical doctrine.

Sphere of Influence: All Spanish-speaking countries. Primarily Mexico, Cuba, Centraland South America.

Prayer Needs: Financial provision, health, safety and wisdom. As more money becomes available, we can bring the truth of God's Word to more pastors in desperate need of training and instruction.