
Eliseo is from Mexico and works in Ladner at a local farm. This particular farm is one that we haven’t connected with as much due the difficulty getting personal contacts for permission. However, Eliseo has worked on the farm for 13 years or seasons and as far as he knows, he is the only Christian living there.
Eliseo grew up in a remote area of Mexico in a town with a high poverty rate. At a young age he was recruited by his father to work in the fields and to do other tasks. His father led him down a path of a drinking, stealing and crime. By 17 years old Eliseo would call himself an alcoholic and had missed his opportunity to attend school. A cousin cautioned him to not continue this path and invited him to church.
It was at this church that Eliseo discovered his natural talent for music as well as accepted Christ. He was able to earn a small living playing on the worship band and soon after married and expanded his family to include 3 children.
As the years passed Eliseo’s lack of education held him back from earning enough for his growing family and as any father desires, he wanted to give his kids more opportunity than he had growing up. He became aware of the Seasonal Workers program with Canada, a specific temporary workers program between Canada and Mexico. He applied for this program and he just barely made the age requirement but was accepted. For 13 years now he sacrificed time with his family to be able to provide for them. All three of his children are in university, Engineering, teaching and accounting. He is also building a house for him and his wife. As part of his program he is required to return to Mexico every year in October until January, so he only sees his family for 2 months a year.
During his time working here in Ladner he has felt isolated where their housing is on the farm. He has had little connection with the community. He recalls in his first years here Cedar Park church visited him and as a Christian himself it was memorable. However, it was 8 or 9 more years before someone would visit again.
Early in our ministry here, Jon had visited him and Eliseo recalls the impact he had. They spoke about music and Eliseo shared his gift with the group. Jon was able to teach him to read a few chords so that he could play more songs. Eventually there was an invitation to a Spanish Easter service held last spring. During that service Eliseo felt so joyful and hopeful to be connected with other Christians, to partake in the worship, and to be challenged to remember how Christ suffered on the’ journey to the cross’. He was so inspired to ignite his passion for music that he bought his own guitar and monitor to be able to practice anytime.
This past September he played for the other workers at the lawn bowling event and you can imagine how honoured he felt to be invited to play for the bilingual service at Cedar Park church in October. He said he is sad that for all these years he missed opportunities in Canada to learn English or get involved in the community but he is so excited to be a part of Latino Workers Ministry and the community now.
He has already returned home to Mexico for this year but said he is excited to come back and get involved. We are securing storing his instruments for his return in early 2020. He was specifically surprised to learn about the Spanish class Jon teaches. Several workers have not had the opportunity to learn Spanish or English or even math, reading or writing so Jon teaches some of these basics. Eliseo could not believe that even at his “old” age he could still have this opportunity to learn.
We believe that it is not just a coincidence that each worker was chosen to come here to work but that God orchestrated it. When our paths cross we see just a glimpse of what God is doing in the lives of these workers and we thank him for bring Eliseo and his gift of music to us.
Eliseo grew up in a remote area of Mexico in a town with a high poverty rate. At a young age he was recruited by his father to work in the fields and to do other tasks. His father led him down a path of a drinking, stealing and crime. By 17 years old Eliseo would call himself an alcoholic and had missed his opportunity to attend school. A cousin cautioned him to not continue this path and invited him to church.
It was at this church that Eliseo discovered his natural talent for music as well as accepted Christ. He was able to earn a small living playing on the worship band and soon after married and expanded his family to include 3 children.
As the years passed Eliseo’s lack of education held him back from earning enough for his growing family and as any father desires, he wanted to give his kids more opportunity than he had growing up. He became aware of the Seasonal Workers program with Canada, a specific temporary workers program between Canada and Mexico. He applied for this program and he just barely made the age requirement but was accepted. For 13 years now he sacrificed time with his family to be able to provide for them. All three of his children are in university, Engineering, teaching and accounting. He is also building a house for him and his wife. As part of his program he is required to return to Mexico every year in October until January, so he only sees his family for 2 months a year.
During his time working here in Ladner he has felt isolated where their housing is on the farm. He has had little connection with the community. He recalls in his first years here Cedar Park church visited him and as a Christian himself it was memorable. However, it was 8 or 9 more years before someone would visit again.
Early in our ministry here, Jon had visited him and Eliseo recalls the impact he had. They spoke about music and Eliseo shared his gift with the group. Jon was able to teach him to read a few chords so that he could play more songs. Eventually there was an invitation to a Spanish Easter service held last spring. During that service Eliseo felt so joyful and hopeful to be connected with other Christians, to partake in the worship, and to be challenged to remember how Christ suffered on the’ journey to the cross’. He was so inspired to ignite his passion for music that he bought his own guitar and monitor to be able to practice anytime.
This past September he played for the other workers at the lawn bowling event and you can imagine how honoured he felt to be invited to play for the bilingual service at Cedar Park church in October. He said he is sad that for all these years he missed opportunities in Canada to learn English or get involved in the community but he is so excited to be a part of Latino Workers Ministry and the community now.
He has already returned home to Mexico for this year but said he is excited to come back and get involved. We are securing storing his instruments for his return in early 2020. He was specifically surprised to learn about the Spanish class Jon teaches. Several workers have not had the opportunity to learn Spanish or English or even math, reading or writing so Jon teaches some of these basics. Eliseo could not believe that even at his “old” age he could still have this opportunity to learn.
We believe that it is not just a coincidence that each worker was chosen to come here to work but that God orchestrated it. When our paths cross we see just a glimpse of what God is doing in the lives of these workers and we thank him for bring Eliseo and his gift of music to us.