CEE Story From The Mission Field
Generations of Faithfulness
December 3, 2007
Seba and Erin Vazquez moved to Poland this fall as missionaries with the International Mission Board (IMB). In their obedience to God’s call on their lives, they are not only furthering the spread of the Gospel, they are continuing a family tradition that began more than 100 years ago.
In 1906, Thomas Spight arrived in Agentina as an IMB missionary.
“He spoke Spanish poorly, dressed ridiculously too formal and had major health problems,” Seba said, “but he was obedient to the Lords call and that changed my family forever.”
While walking around the poorest parts of Buenos Aires wearing a top hat and a three- piece suit, Spight met a man named Angel sitting on the doorstep of the bakery where he worked. In very poor Spanish he invited Angel to a Wednesday night Bible study and gave him a Gospel tract. Angel was only semi-literate, but he managed to read parts of the tract and attend the meeting, where he accepted Christ. After a few weeks of Bible study he told Spight that he made and sold bread every day, but he wanted to give away the Bread of Life. Angel asked Spight to teach him how to do this. That was the beginning of generations of faithfulness--Angel was Seba’s great-grandfather.
“Angel used to always say that he remembered how Mr. Spight handed him that tract as if it were the greatest treasure in all the world, and not just some piece of paper,” Seba said. “What an encouraging thought, that God can use less-than-perfect missionaries to do incredible things that continue through generations.”
Angel’s ministry training resulted in the establishment of the first Baptist seminary in Buenos Aires, which is still operating today. Seba’s grandfather, Ramon, followed his father into the ministry, eventually moving his family from Argentina to Texas. His son Raul, Seba’s father, was called to pastor churches in Argentina, Texas and Florida before going into state convention work. Seba’s older brother, Andres, works as a teacher and youth minister. And also served as an IMB missionary in Spain. Seba pastored a church in Texas until leaving for the mission field this fall.
“What I thought was so neat about our story was that each generation of my family has broadened its scope of ministry,” Seba said. “My great-grandfather worked in his home country of Argentina; my grandfather worked with hispanics in a different country (United States); my father worked with all ethnic groups in the United States as the language missions director for the Florida Baptist Convention; and my brother and I have felt called to international missions. All of this began with the faithfulness of one IMB missionary named Thomas Spight.”
Seba shared this story recently at a meeting he and Erin attended. While Seba was explaining how God can use little moments of faithfulness for His glory, a man in the audience stood up and said, “It's true…I was saved under your grandfather’s ministry!”
Approximately 50 years earlier, this man accepted Christ at the church where Ramon was pastoring. Seba’s father, Raul, was his Sunday school teacher. The man was at the meeting because his daughter was preparing to be a missionary to Spain.
“I was speechless,” Seba said. “I immediately realized that no one can really grasp the domino effect caused by obeying God.”
As Seba and Erin embark on their journey of obedience in Poland, they are excited about how God might use them to win a lost world for Christ. Though their call to missions is uniquely their own, their heritage serves as a constant reminder of the scope of possibilities when serving Almighty God.
“Because one missionary was brave enough to go to another country, learn a new language and share his faith, four generations of our family have served God as ministers,” Seba said. “God is full of surprises. He likes showing off how great He can be.”
Seba and Erin are only one couple supported by the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering® (LMCO). Southern Baptists sent Thomas Spight to Argentina 100 years ago, while Lottie was still living in China. The generosity of that time is still being seen today through the ministry of the Vazquez family. One hundred percent of the LMCO goes to support missions, and God can use your gifts for generations to come, too. Please prayerfully give this Christmas season so that more “Angels” can be reached with the Gospel of Christ.