When a raging fire swept through the Central de Abastos Market in Oaxaca, Mexico, four members of the Light of the World congregation in Oaxaca (La Luz del Mundo) were among the almost 100 merchants who lost everything.
Loida Cruz Luz, Sarai Cruz Luz, Nora Cruz Garcia, and Cristina Angeles Miguel had spent decades building their business when the intense fire burned it to the ground, destroying all their merchandise. But their faith in God gave them strength to never give up, even in the face of such adversity.
The May 27, 2020, fire was life-changing for dozens of families. It destroyed scores of businesses, injured one person and resulted in the destruction of an untold amount of merchandise.
Merchants scrounged what they could from the smoking rubble, and many refused to abandon their heavily damaged stores. Loida, Sarai, Nora, and Cristina were among those who would not accept defeat. The women vowed to rebuild their business again from the ground up.
They got back to work by selling their merchandise from makeshift tables since they did not have the shelter of an actual store. As always, they maintained their trust in God, knowing that He would help them surpass this challenge.
Their belief in the Gospel of Christ shone through in this critical moment.
The four women regained the strength and determination they needed to start over. They knew that if one seeks “first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you” (Matthew 6:33). These values are what helped them pick up the pieces of their lives and rebuild their business.
The merchants whose livelihoods went up in smoke have faced great challenges, but through faith and trust in God they have prevailed and been successful, despite the current coronavirus pandemic.
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