Life-Saving Testimonials

Personal stories of those who have been there.....seeing the world through the cross!

Phil Minnick
Fruitland Park, Florida
Founder and Director, Life Saving Stations

As a founder of Life Savings Stations, Inc., I have had the privilege to visit El Camino Mission several times since 2002 and have watched it grow. I have also had the privilege of traveling with Norm Higgins through portions of Mexico and visiting students he has trained and some of the churches he helped to establish years ago. On each journey, "mine eye affecteth mine heart" (Lam 3:51),and I cried out to God, "How can I help further Your kingdom in Mexico."

The Lord answered by burdening my heart to work alongside missionaries to provide medical and physical relief for children and the people the missionaries minister to.God gave me a vision of a ministry that would provide medical assistance, build medical centers where needed, furnish supplies for personal hygiene and health, offer cups of cool water and tender smiles, give toys and clothing, teach trades to orphans, provide trade supplies such as tools, sewing machines, welding equipment, carpentry tools, computers, and others. In addition, the ministry would help missionaries by making available all these provisions and remove their financial burden as much as possible so they can better minister to the people.

In God's perfect timing, after much prayer and years of seeking God's direction, He opened the door for the foundation of Life Saving Stations in 2008. He provided other men who also caught fire to fulfill this mission. One by one, the Lord provided exactly what was needed.... attorney, accountant, webmaster, banker, workers, volunteers, contributors.... and many more.... all in God's perfect timing! Without a vision, the people perish (Proverbs 29:18).

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Joseph E. Rayl
Groveland, Florida
Founder and Director, Life Saving Stations

After giving my life to Jesus Christ in 1994, I began reading and studying God’s Word as I grew in faith. During that time, God allowed me to build several successful businesses that prospered in unexpected ways, but I knew there would be no joy in any of it unless I honored Him through tithes and offerings. In His wisdom, God opened many doors of opportunities to serve him.  I prayed for wisdom and sought His direction for my life.

It was a number of years later, through the ministry of Grace Bible Baptist Church, that my heart caught fire for the Lord on a life-changing missions trip to Tijuana, Mexico.  There, I shared a bond of strength, courage, and humility before the Lord among a group of Godly men that I had never experienced before. In my seeking, I came to understand the meaning of the Great Commission and learned the joy of leading souls to Christ.  This powerful encounter through the Holy Spirit was also the same that had planted a seed in the heart of Phil Minnick years before and eventually led to the founding of Life Saving Stations. This same Spirit was working in three men who had long ago surrendered their lives to serving God and who sought a mission for Him.

I understand what Isaiah 58 means about drawing out your soul. That’s a guarantee, not merely a suggestion. I have tasted and seen that the Lord is good (Psalm 34:8). That’s what life is all about. We should be laying down our lives for our brothers, doing things that make us uncomfortable to make somebody else’s life better. When you’re in the midst of it, there’s nothing about it that’s uncomfortable, and it is an absolute joy to lift up others. I don’t get it right every day, but those are the things that I ponder on and chew up every day.  By seeing and experiencing the people at that mission field and seeing the children in the orphanage who are hungry for love, the Lord gave me a deep desire to serve them and to reach lost people for Christ.

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Robert Bass
Okahumpka, Florida

My connections with El Camino started about six years ago when God began stirring my heart about missions. A group of men from our church had planned to go to Mexico to help with a special project for Brother Norm Higgins, the missionary at El Camino mission field.

When the job was completed, we went out in search of souls! Even though we could not speak a word of Spanish, our interpreters were able to translate the salvation message effectively, and the results were amazing!. It was awesome to see people coming to the Lord and souls being saved. It brought to mind the Scripture in John 4:35a, where Jesus says, "Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest."

Since that time, we have been returning to Mexico at least once a year. El Camino now has a children's home for little ones that come from all types of abuse and neglect. When I see the cross at El Camino, I get a glimpse of what God sees. These children who have nothing are full of love and they are ready to give it....freely. Though we have trouble talking because of the language difference, the meaning still is communicated through our smiles and gestures.

As I go in search of people in the town and in the marketplace to witness to them and tell them of God's love , my heart speaks to the people as I hand out Gospel tracts printed in their language. Their warm responses can be overwhelming to me. The people stop right where they are and take time to read the message about the incredible gift of Jesus Christ. It's a life-changing experience.

Come....and go with us to El Camino!

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Sharon Bolden
Fruitland Park, Florida

I had been thinking for a couple of years that I would like to go with the folks from church on the Mexico missions trip, and the opportunity came in August 2008 to visit the El Camino Mission and Orphanage. I started preparations for a craft to do with the girls while I was there. I was very excited, as this was my first trip out of the US, my first trip westward, and my first trip to Mexico. I would have many new firsts while I was there. It took awhile to get there from the airport, with the stops for supplies, some things for the children and adults (postcards for me), and, of course, eating American food once more before leaving the US.

As we drove, I saw the starkness of the countryside compared to ours in the US. The land was ALL dirt, no rolling hills with trees and rivers, or even smooth, paved roads. There were many mountainsides but they were ALL dirt. Places were being built into the side of these mountains in layers of what appeared to me to be adobe-type houses. One “house” connected to the next for about 10-15 of them, and then another layer would start. No trees, flowers, grass….nothing.Many of the “homes” were nothing but tin strips lying against one another to form a box with others on top to make a roof. Clothes were hanging over anything to dry while the sand flew all around. Nothing could be clean whatsoever.

When we arrived at the El Camino BaptistOrphanage, we saw large patches of grass where the dirt was dug up and watered. A soccer field was made and some trees planted and stuck out in all the dirt. We would be staying in an old mobile home; our meal had been prepared by our missionaries, Gloria and Norm Higgins. We took a tour around the campus; in some places where it was watered, large cactuses with beautiful flowers and small gardens grew.The children came out to greet us. It was great, as they weren’t shy at all.

It was terribly hot but would cool down greatly at night. Sitting around three long tables with 16 men was a unique experience to me as I saw the love of God that they had in their hearts in going there and trying to build things to help make the children’s lives easier. They had so much less than children in the US, even the married couples who are now attending the Bible Institute (in another old mobile home) in preparation to be evangelists to their own people. Each day the men would leave and go into the streets to tell people about Jesus and to pass out tracts. Many people came to Christ after receiving them as they read the tracts given to them.The men helped during the first service in the new church started by Missionary Andy Racicot, the men telling how God worked in the hearts of people.

My time sharing with some of the girls was unique in itself as we couldn’t understand each other, but I was able to teach as I showed them, and they were able to learn as they worked. It was so special to me, and I shall have their smiles to remember until we meet again.

In a land where for miles and miles it is colorless, the homes are in sad condition…. more than just poor.... and communication almost nil for each of us, we found that, in just sharing with them a love that only God can give us, God reached down in different ways and allowed us to see, with our mind’s eye, His love.

For me, when I stood by my window in the very early morning and looked across at the mountains of dirt, I could only see how very beautiful it was, because I was seeing it through Him. I am very blessed to have been there.

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