The World's Largest City

By Paul Hardy

Juanito and Magda traveled 24 hours on a broken-down, smelly bus to arrive in MEXICO CITY. What they didn't know was that 3,000 other migrants had moved in that day, as they do every day. Juanito had been a farmer and carpenter and the couple, along with three small children, were in search of one thing: Opportunity.

Juanito dreamed of opening his own carpentry shop. Magda wished for better education for her children so they would have a brighter future with fewer struggles and poverty than she and her husband had known. They stood in a line of 400 people to register for food stamps to pick up milk and tortillas. Their dreams of a better day crashed around them as reality set in.

Giving way to the stress, Juanito turned to the only method of coping he had ever seen. The harder their circumstances became, the more he drank sour beer mash. Every weekend became a brawl as Magda's heart was gripped with the bitterness of living in a lean-to shack. She had no money for the uniforms the school required and the children joined the two million street kids in Mexico City begging for money at main intersections.

In 1990, God called my wife, Suzie, and me to leave Spain after seven years, and transfer to the largest city in the world. As we looked at the needs of Mexico City, we realized the task was overwhelming, and we wondered, Is there any way we could ever make even a dent among the masses with the gospel?

Methods we used

Sports Evangelism: This is a great opportunity to attract Mexican young people to listen to a gospel presentation at half -or after the game. As sports teams from North America give their testimonies of the saving grace of God, Mexican young people realize Christians can have healthy fun.

Counseling: People arriving in the mega-cities are assaulted by overcrowding, horrendous traffic, and air that burns the lungs. They are physically tired from the rapid pace of life and desperately need help. Disappointed with the city, many succumb to addiction, emotional trauma, and broken relationships. They need to hear the message of hope.

When Rafael and Lili moved to Mexico City, he was an electrical engineer, and she a gifted real estate agent. Soon after moving and trying to adjust, the stresses of big city life set in. Rafael began to drink. Lili exploded with fits of rage. They met a missionary who patiently introduced them to the Lord Jesus Christ. Rafael was transformed into the most joyous leader in their church. Lili began to witness of Jesus Christ everywhere she went. Early in March 2000, Rafael suffered abdominal pain and was rushed to the hospital where he died of a heart attack. As he was promoted to glory, the church and his widow rejoiced in his testimony and legacy.

Education: Learning basic skills is a survival technique for many who arrive in an urban melting pot. Missionaries may offer English lessons as a bridge to help people better their quality of life. At the same time, they hear the truth of the gospel. The church can become a healing community for many who have lost their way among the ocean of urban dwellers.

Why are cities important?

Missionaries who work in a city often experience less of a cultural gap than those working in jungles and small villages. The availability of medical services and education for the family makes adaptation smoother.
Reaching the city mobilizes the middle class to reach others. Even though most urban areas have only a small middle class, these educated people can reach other groups within the community. When trained properly, they become a spiritual force to start ministries in poverty-stricken areas.
Reaching the city focuses on the big picture. As we see the global trend toward urbanization, our outlook broadens.

The apostle Paul gives an example in Acts 18. When he arrived in the great city of Athens, Paul was distressed because he saw the city was full of idols. Like Paul, we, too, need to observe lost people in the world's cities. Paul looked over the situation, then set a strategy. He went to the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews and Gentiles, then headed for the marketplace. God gave Paul this encouragement: "I have many people in that city" (Acts 18:10).

God says the same thing about the cities of the world today. May I encourage you to observe, pray for, and strategize for the world's cities.