Our Global Partners in Mexico
Get to know our Global Partners in Mexico…
Tarahumara Ministries
CA Church has partnered with Pastor Tomas and Tarahumara Ministries for over 15 years. Tarahumara Ministries began out of Pastor Tomas’ desire to reach the impoverished Tarahumara tribe living in the remote Copper Canyon of northern Mexico. Together with his team, Pastor Tomas brought much needed assistance to the impoverished Tarahumara tribe who were dying of hunger and hypothermia, all while sharing of God’s love for His people. Now the ministry has grown into a community consisting of a boarding school/orphanage, a medical clinic and multiple church plants. Today Pastor Tomas and his team have expanded their work into many other areas of Mexico, working alongside local pastors in Babicora, Ensenada, Ahuatitla, Jalisco, Durango, Oaxaca and Chiapas.
How do we partner together? Alongside our Town Centre and Rail City campuses, each year CA Church is committed to sending multiple short-term mission teams to these different areas of Mexico. In the Copper Canyon, CA facilitates the boarding school’s only child sponsorship program. We also support local pastors and church plants while giving towards three feeding programs throughout the country.
Tomas Bencome (aka Pastor)
Pastor Tomas Bencomo is the founder of Tarahumara Ministries. He is also the current President of the C&MA in Mexico. He is married to his lovely wife Maria and has one son Joshua, who along with his wife Cindy, share their beautiful daughter Michelle. Currently Pastor Tomas resides in Juarez Mexico and oversees the local church of Encuentro con Dios (Encounter with God) and it’s church plant in El Paso. Pastor Tomas’ vision for Tarahumara Ministries began in the Copper Canyon of the Sierra Mountains where he had a desire to bring physical, material and spiritual aid to the indigenous Tarahumaran people. Now Pastor Tomas and his staff are dedicated to obeying Christ’s calling, not only in this area but many others, by sharing God’s love through biblical teaching, church planting, offering medical aid, providing food and clothing and most importantly forming relationships with various indigenous groups throughout the country.
Brenda Granados
Brenda Granados has worked alongside Pastor Tomas since 1990 after he invited her to come and open a Bible School in Juarez. Brenda is a missionary and involved with the leadership of Tarahumara Ministries. She wears many hats and is also the Women’s Pastor in their church Encuentro con Dios (Encounter with God) and is serving as the National Secretary for the C&MA (Christian and Missionary Alliance) in Mexico. Brenda was born and raised in Baja California and gave her life to Christ at 16 years old. She then graduated with a degree in missions after studying at the GYE Bible Institute in northern California. She is fluent in both English and Spanish and is often the main translator for CA’s short-term mission teams. Like Pastor Tomas, Brenda also resides in Juarez Mexico but both are often in transit to their various ministry outreaches. Brenda has adopted 5 children and is a loving mother and wonderful friend to many.
Sandra Luz Gonzalez
Sandra is one of the original missionaries of Tarahumara Ministries. As a single woman in her 20s she responded to God’s call to leave her successful job in the city and move to the remote Copper Canyon to help direct the, then newly established, boarding school in Guacavyo. Because of her family background, at a young age Sandra had a heart for orphaned children and knew she would surrender her life to serving God in whichever way he led. Since then Sandra has married her husband Manuel (a local Tarahumaran), adopted four Tarahumaran children and also had two of her own. Currently she pastors a nearby church in Nabuchique and serves as the local sheriff.
Sergio Delgado
Sergio (who is better known as Pipo) is a hands-on missionary who has worked with Tarahumara Ministries for many years. Everyone who visits Mexico on a mission trip with CA can affirm that Pipo’s joyful spirit is contagious. Like Brenda and Pastor Tomas, Pipo also lives in Juarez but is often driving back and forth to the Copper Canyon transporting teams of people, material and other necessities. Pipo is very handy and is often busy fixing trucks or working on machinery. Pipo also helps with the farming needs in Rio Chico alongside Juan Diego. Pipo has a big heart and can often be found sharing his faith with others. He has a lovely wife named Sofia, two daughters and is also a Grandpa!
David & Claudia Cartas
David & Claudia are faithful missionaries from the southern state of Oaxaca, Mexico. As a family of four, David, Claudia and their two daughters moved to the remote location of the Copper Canyon to become the directors of the boarding school/orphanage in the Guacayvo. Recently the couple has just added a third daughter to their family! David & Claudia oversee the care of over 100 children that attend the boarding school and minister to their families through the local community and church. They are obedient servants who have surrendered their life to God’s call.
Luis & Amelia
Porfirio & Lorena
Luis and Porfirio are indigenous pastors to a region in central Mexico, Jalisco. In this area of Mexico the indigenous people are known as the Huichole. In the Huichole tribe Animism is the predominant belief system. Christianity is viewed as a threat and because of this the persecution of Christians is common. New believers living in these remote areas are often kicked out of their communities, with little to no belongings, and barred from any accessible food sources. Therefore Pastors Luis & Porfirio are working alongside Tarahumara Ministries to build a House of Refuge which will be used as a safe house for the Christians in this region. They also minister to neighbouring villages (such as San Antonio) by facilitating feeding programs and traveling as missionaries to share the gospel.
Enrique & Alma Rosas
Enrique & Alma pastor the local Alliance church in Ensenada, Baja California.
Alma & Guillermo Renteria
Guillermo & Alma are pastors of the Alliance Church in the city of Cuauhtémoc, Mexico which is located “halfway” between Juarez and the boarding school in the Copper Canyon. They also help to pastor other Alliance congregations in smaller towns such as Peña Blanca. Guillermo & Alma have one beautiful daughter named Alejandra. Because Cuauhtémoc is colloquially known as home to three main people groups (the Mexicans, the Tarahumarans and Mennonites) the ministry of Alma and Guillermo has a broad scope.
Juan Diego
Juan Diego is a young man who is originally from the Copper Canyon and attended the boarding school in Guacayvo. Juan Diego lived for a period of time in Juarez at the Bible Institue and is one of Brenda’s adopted children. Today Juan serves with Tarahumara Ministries working mainly in Rio Chico, a farm owned by Pastor Tomas that also supports the ministry. Rio Chico is located enroute to the Copper Canyon and serves as a retreat centre for teams and a location for Encuentro con Dios to host their summer camp. Currently the farm has cattle, a green house and fields of various crops including beans. Much of what is grown in Rio Chico is used to feed the children at the boarding school.
Alex & Irene
Alex & Irene have served in many ways with Tarahumara Ministries but now reside in Babicora, another area of Northern Mexico, where Alex pastors the local Alliance church. Alex and Irene have two sons, Caleb and Joab. From Babicora, Alex and Irene go out to serve in other nearby areas, such as San Ignacio. In addition they work alongside missionary doctors to bring medical aid to remote places.
Julio & Maria Ortega
Julio & Maria are evangelists who have four lovely children and who together serve the Guacayvo community in the Copper Canyon. Both native to the area, Julio helps to lead in local churches (such as Cebollin) while living with his wife and four children at the boarding school. Maria works with the children who attend the boarding school by caring for their daily and spiritual needs. Recently Julio felt God’s call to plant a church in his home village of Guaguachique. For months he would hike for hours to this village, with many pounds of beans on his back to minister to the community there. Today we are happy to report that not only are there believers in Guaguachique but there is also a church building!
Jose & Ruby Lopez
Jose Lopez is the pastor of an Alliance Church in Juchitan, Oaxaca. He lives there along with his beautiful wife Amelia and their daughter Hannah.
