Taking the Plunge: Victor’s Story

Victor Ibarra shares his incredible journey from drug cartels in Mexico to baptism in London.

I was born in Veracruz, one of the most violent cities in Mexico. I had no parents and was raised by my grandmother who was an atheist. Like many kids I took a bad path when I was at high school: most of my friends were part of a gang and I was very badly influenced by them. I felt like they were the only family that I had.

I have an elder brother who became a Christian many years ago. He did not live with us but once in awhile he would come home to pray for me and to read a chapter of the Bible to me. At the beginning I was not really interested in things related to God, although inside my heart I was considering how to change my life. I was trying hard to understand my life, my past and present and I realised that I was not happy at all. Something was missing and many questions started to come to mind. Who are we? Where do we go, what is death, who is God? I had to accept that I was very confused and it was then when I made a sincere prayer to God to seek His help. My prayer was not at all a prayer full of faith but I was trying my best to believe in Him.

Then eventually I decided to start reading the Bible. It took me a year to finish it, and after that, my life was completely different. I mean I wasn’t perfect, but I got to understand God’s purpose. I am going to be honest, at the beginning I was living a weird kind of double life; I was spending time with God reading and praying because I was more curious about Him, but on the other hand I was still seeking my friends’ company. My grandmother had died by then and my friends brought me some relief.

About a month after this I decided to make up my mind: I would have to choose between God and the world’s vanity. So I stopped going to the endless parties that my friends would have every single weekend, I changed many things in my life, and I left home.

Then I found ChristChurch London. I am new here but I love it, I really like you all so much. I have found a new family and a new way to live and serve God.

Sometimes I wonder what my life would be like if I had not sought the Lord’s ways. I wish I could’ve seen my friends become Christians too. I tried to help them to believe when I was there, but most of them are dead now due to the drug cartels that are in my country, and many of them remain in prison.

I thank God for changing my life. He rescued me in every single way and now I am happy to call myself a Christian.

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