| Come serve with us at the Lighthouse |
"Bringing Hope to a Drowning World
Why San Ignacio
| El Sembrador Ministerios Internacionales |
Why are you based in San Ignacio?
We have been asked that question many times. When we tell people
that they can either take a 12-hour bus ride from Tijuana or fly to
Loreto, the closest international airport, and then take a 3 1/2-hour bus
ride to reach San Ignacio, they ask, “Then why San Ignacio?” No, we’re
not in San Ignacio because it’s convenient.
It’s obvious when you’ve arrived in San Ignacio. The arid desert terrain
gives way to a large grove of lush green date palms that surround the
tropical oasis of San Ignacio. There’s a large spring-fed pond and small
river on the outskirts of town that feed into the central plaza and village
next to the eighteenth century Jesuit mission. The relaxed atmosphere
in San Ignacio exemplifies a very traditional and culturally unchanged
old Mexico-style ambiance. The town of San Ignacio is the gateway to
San Ignacio Lagoon, the winter-time sanctuary of the Pacific Gray
Whale. Although it is a beautiful place to study, that’s not the reason
we’re in San Ignacio.
If you’re into nature, this may be it. The lagoon is located 59 kilometers
(36 miles) from San Ignacio and Highway 1 in Baja California Sur. The
lagoon stretches sixteen miles into the desert and has a maximum width
of five miles. The lagoon is divided into three sections. The upper
lagoon is the shallowest part and is known as the birthing area where
pregnant females travel to in order to bear their young. At the middle
lagoon, you find mothers traveling with their newborns, getting them
ready to join the majority of the whales at the lower lagoon. At the lower
lagoon, you find the majority of the cetaceans, and this is where most of
the social behavior occurs. Here, males and females congregate
looking for mates. In addition, the newborn calves with their mothers
travel the length of the lower lagoon preparing themselves for the long
journey north to their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. It’s great
that we get to see one of God’s wonders up close, but that’s still not the
reason.
History buffs think it’s the World-Famous Cave Paintings. The oldest
cave painting recorded in Baja California is dated 7400 years ago.
More than 200 painted caves have been found throughout the
peninsula. Experts believe that there are yet several caves to be
discovered. From the Lighthouse, our base of operation, a short trip
offers you the opportunity to admire the majestic beauty of the natural
landscapes of the San Francisco mountain range and to enjoy one of
its most valued treasures: the monumental cave paintings that are
found in the depths of its canyons. All of the above are good reasons
to be in San Ignacio, but not THE ONE.
The one reason we are located in San Ignacio is this is where God
called us to place the school. From San Ignacio, we are a short drive to
many farm camps in the Vizcaino Valley. The migrant farm labor in the
valley is made up of people from all over Mexico. We work with a lot of
different people who are living in the valley from unreached people
groups from the state of Oaxaca. There are about 4000 or more
Mixtecos and a group of Triquis that are living in the valley. One of the
visions of ESMI is to train up some Mixteco and Triqui pastors so they
can return to their villages in Oaxaca and be instrumental in planting
churches in their villages. Missionaries have been working to plant
churches in the indigenous groups in Oaxaca for over 40 years with
little success. We are praying that the Lord will raise up the national
church planters who will be able to do the job the Lord has called us to
do. This is the reason we are in San Ignacio. There are a lot of
unreached people that live here.
Now you have the real reason we are in San Ignacio. It’s not the large
grove of lush green date palms or the Pacific Gray Whale. It’s not the
Cave Paintings or the San Francisco mountain range. It’s just God’s
love of people and our desire to be obedient to his call. Now you have
the true answer to Why San Ignacio.
We have been asked that question many times. When we tell people
that they can either take a 12-hour bus ride from Tijuana or fly to
Loreto, the closest international airport, and then take a 3 1/2-hour bus
ride to reach San Ignacio, they ask, “Then why San Ignacio?” No, we’re
not in San Ignacio because it’s convenient.
It’s obvious when you’ve arrived in San Ignacio. The arid desert terrain
gives way to a large grove of lush green date palms that surround the
tropical oasis of San Ignacio. There’s a large spring-fed pond and small
river on the outskirts of town that feed into the central plaza and village
next to the eighteenth century Jesuit mission. The relaxed atmosphere
in San Ignacio exemplifies a very traditional and culturally unchanged
old Mexico-style ambiance. The town of San Ignacio is the gateway to
San Ignacio Lagoon, the winter-time sanctuary of the Pacific Gray
Whale. Although it is a beautiful place to study, that’s not the reason
we’re in San Ignacio.
If you’re into nature, this may be it. The lagoon is located 59 kilometers
(36 miles) from San Ignacio and Highway 1 in Baja California Sur. The
lagoon stretches sixteen miles into the desert and has a maximum width
of five miles. The lagoon is divided into three sections. The upper
lagoon is the shallowest part and is known as the birthing area where
pregnant females travel to in order to bear their young. At the middle
lagoon, you find mothers traveling with their newborns, getting them
ready to join the majority of the whales at the lower lagoon. At the lower
lagoon, you find the majority of the cetaceans, and this is where most of
the social behavior occurs. Here, males and females congregate
looking for mates. In addition, the newborn calves with their mothers
travel the length of the lower lagoon preparing themselves for the long
journey north to their summer feeding grounds in the Arctic. It’s great
that we get to see one of God’s wonders up close, but that’s still not the
reason.
History buffs think it’s the World-Famous Cave Paintings. The oldest
cave painting recorded in Baja California is dated 7400 years ago.
More than 200 painted caves have been found throughout the
peninsula. Experts believe that there are yet several caves to be
discovered. From the Lighthouse, our base of operation, a short trip
offers you the opportunity to admire the majestic beauty of the natural
landscapes of the San Francisco mountain range and to enjoy one of
its most valued treasures: the monumental cave paintings that are
found in the depths of its canyons. All of the above are good reasons
to be in San Ignacio, but not THE ONE.
The one reason we are located in San Ignacio is this is where God
called us to place the school. From San Ignacio, we are a short drive to
many farm camps in the Vizcaino Valley. The migrant farm labor in the
valley is made up of people from all over Mexico. We work with a lot of
different people who are living in the valley from unreached people
groups from the state of Oaxaca. There are about 4000 or more
Mixtecos and a group of Triquis that are living in the valley. One of the
visions of ESMI is to train up some Mixteco and Triqui pastors so they
can return to their villages in Oaxaca and be instrumental in planting
churches in their villages. Missionaries have been working to plant
churches in the indigenous groups in Oaxaca for over 40 years with
little success. We are praying that the Lord will raise up the national
church planters who will be able to do the job the Lord has called us to
do. This is the reason we are in San Ignacio. There are a lot of
unreached people that live here.
Now you have the real reason we are in San Ignacio. It’s not the large
grove of lush green date palms or the Pacific Gray Whale. It’s not the
Cave Paintings or the San Francisco mountain range. It’s just God’s
love of people and our desire to be obedient to his call. Now you have
the true answer to Why San Ignacio.
For more information on how you can be part
of the work, email us at: INFO@ESMI-MX.ORG
of the work, email us at: INFO@ESMI-MX.ORG
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