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UIMA March 2018 Update
Hilario's Story
Written by David Wolf, UIMA pilot in Mexico
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In the doorway of his house sits Hilario and a few of his children.
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He is a pastor, translator, evangelist, teacher, farmer, and father. He travels extensively in the Lord’s service. No, I am not writing about Franklin Graham or John Wesley. This man, Hilario Sandoval Muñoz, was born in the humblest of circumstances in the Sierra Madre Mountains of Nayarit, Mexico and raised among his Huichol family clan. A visiting Huichol missionary came to his village and preached the Gospel. With the faith of a 9-year-old child, he believed and became a follower of Jesus. His brother-in-law chastised this young believer and would not permit him to attend school.
But Hilario continued to grow in his faith and began traveling as a teenager with the veteran Huichol evangelist, José López, to more remote villages like Los Aires. A teenage girl believer caught his eye and a family-arranged marriage was formed with the condition he live in Los Aires, a six-hour walk from the nearest road.
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Hilario with his fellow mother tongue translators.
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Hilario was discipled by José López through the years and became the leader of the group of believers in Los Aires. He also became part of the Native Tongue Translators team who have been drafting the Huichol Old Testament for the last 11 years. With the use of solar power, a laptop computer, and satellite internet, Hilario diligently translated his assigned Scripture portions.
His quiet, unassuming personality belies his intense activity of reaching lost souls and discipling new believers. He is not reticent to hike several hours over mountains and down canyons to teach and worship with believers. The arrival of the UIM Aviation (UIMA) airplane in the region placed a time-saving tool into Hilario’s life. His outreaches have spread to even more remote villages now with the use of the airplane.
The UIM airplane also brought José López more regularly to his village for the teaching of Theological Education by Extension courses developed by UIM missionaries. Through contact with the Iglesia Bautista Bíblica Misericordia church founded by Kirt and Debbie Mellberg in Tepic, a strong bond of support developed for Hilario and his Los Aires church.
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David Wolf with Hilario and his wife. This medical evacuation saved their son's life.
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The UIMA airplane was also a lifesaver for two of his newborn sons needing immediate medical attention. God’s timing was perfect for an unexpected landing at the white-dirt airstrip near his village while his son was turning blue from lack of oxygen. After a twenty-four minute flight that saved 14 hours of ground travel and a quick drive to the hospital, the baby received neonatal intensive-care for ten days. The baby returned to health after many prayers and respiratory therapy. The other newborn son was airlifted to Tepic with severe diarrhea and dehydration. He too responded after prayers and treatment to recover from his near-death experience.
Recently, we flew Hilario to an airstrip near his boyhood village. After all these years, his brother-in-law had asked him to come share this Good News with his family. Hilario gladly accepted the offer.
UIM Aviation is blessed to serve native pastors and missionaries like Hilario. God’s timing and control of events has been obvious as the airplane is used as a tool for the expansion of His kingdom in central Mexico. Thank you for your prayers and financial support to make these flights possible.
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