SLM New Mexico:
Reaching out to the Spanish Speaking Communities
By Darryl and Joan Evans
George and Mary Baker founded Bible Studies By Mail, Inc., in 1979. After serving as missionaries in Peru and Colombia, they had a God-given, heartfelt compassion to evangelize and mentor Hispanic people in the United States. The Spanish Bible study materials they used ministering in South America had been published by SLM. So, they began using those same Spanish studies, along with English studies, to reach the Hispanic and non-Hispanic community in Las Cruces, New Mexico and beyond.
Leonard Ramirez is one of the many Hispanics the Bakers reached with God’s message of salvation and Christ’s teaching, presented through SLM’s study materials. He is a combat marine corps veteran and a retired state police officer. In the ‘80s, while serving as a policeman in Las Cruces, he told a couple about his desire to study the Bible. They told Leonard to look up George Baker in the phone book because he and his wife, Mary, were giving out Bible studies and they were free.
Leonard found the Bakers’ name in the phone book and, after calling and talking with Mary, he went to their home and picked up his first studies. He shares: “I took lessons home and started them that evening. I was hooked. I would finish the lessons and couldn’t wait to get the following lessons. The lessons were great. I finally understood what God was all about and how His Son, Jesus Christ, died for my sins. My hunger to know God was being fed. Through these lessons I gave my life to Jesus Christ.” Leonard Ramirez, age 70, currently serves as the ministry’s Advisory Board President.
Leonard, along with numerous other Hispanics, came to know God personally through Bible study and the Gospel message about Jesus Christ. Their word of mouth has spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in jails and in public. The ministry’s outreach continues to thrive by God’s grace, because His Word is presented in all study materials.
On April 16, 2018, Dominique hesitantly entered the office of Bible Studies By Mail, after being encouraged to do so by Darryl Evans. His wife, Joan, came from the back of the office and met Dominique in the large room. They talked. Joan gave her a place to sit and do lessons. God began to call His daughter (Dominique) back into fellowship with Him. She was listening, crying, and on the verge of turning around.
Their word of mouth has spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in jails and in public.
On the morning of April 18th, Dominique returned to our office. In a panic, she told Joan she needed a place to live because she was homeless. That very morning, she and her boyfriend, Edgar Aragon, had been caught living in a storage unit behind our office and expelled by the storage rental management. As she shared her dilemma and tears flowed, we assured her that God would provide a place for her to live. Edgar would return to his mother’s home, but Dominique was not welcome there anymore.
We assured Dominique throughout the day that God is good and that He would handle all her needs. And, lo and behold, He did! That morning and afternoon, after she had shared more of her personal life story, God opened our hearts and gave us His compassion for her. The Lord moved us to invite Dominique to live in our home for as long as she would need to. She lived with us for 110 days! And it was a spiritually growing time for all three of us—thank You, Jesus!
Dominique and Edgar are engaged to be married in our church, Bethel Bible Fellowship. They are both believers and each is growing at their own spiritual pace. Dominique has several Christian friendships and is strong in her faith. Edgar has few Christian friendships and needs mentoring. They attend church and Sunday school together. Just a month after their wedding, Dominique and Edgar plan to attend their first marriage retreat.
Leonard Ramirez, Dominique Betancourt, and Edgar Aragon are Hispanics who have been touched by the love of Jesus Christ made evident through the study materials and the changed lives at Bible Studies By Mail.
