Used by God in Acapulco in the Aftermath of Hurricane Otis
Photos by Angel Baez
Several days after the October 25 landfall of Hurricane Otis, Angel Baez, missions pastor at Calvary Chapel Monrovia in Monrovia, CA, received a phone call from Acapulco, Mexico. Calling from amid the chaos in the coastal city—where dozens had been killed by the hurricane and hundreds of buildings had been destroyed—Pastor Hassan Villegas of Calvary Chapel Acapulco was reaching out to communicate the devastation that had hit the church body. There was an immediate need for food and supplies; the pastors’ conversation was cut off early due to a bad cell signal and lack of power, but Pastor Angel could hear the urgency in Pastor Hassan’s voice.
[Gallery] The October 25, 2023, landfall of Hurricane Otis caused chaos in the coastal city of Acapulco, Mexico. Dozens were killed by the West Coast hurricane—with sustained winds of 165 mph—and hundreds of buildings were destroyed. Pictured here is Calvary Chapel Acapulco’s building before and after the hurricane damage. Pastor Hassan Villegas reached out to CC Monrovia, CA, Missions Pastor Angel Baez to urgently communicate the immediate need for food and supplies. CC Monrovia supports the Acapulco Calvary Chapels through its missions’ ministry.
Right away, Pastor Angel began seeking how the Lord might help him contribute to the efforts of Calvary believers in the city. Calvary Acapulco and its sister churches are some of many that Calvary Monrovia supports through its missions ministry.
“Along with the city of Acapulco, the body of Christ was also brought to their knees,” Angel explained. “The difference was that on their knees, they began to pray how they would be of use to God in the midst of this devastation.”
We are hard-pressed on every side, yet not crushed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not forsaken; struck down, but not destroyed—always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10
The beautiful coast of Acapulco has changed dramatically since the landfall of Hurricane Otis. “All the greenery is completely gone,” said Pastor Angel.
Those from Calvary Chapel Chilpancingo—one of four Calvary Chapels planted by believers from Calvary Acapulco since its founding in 2013—found that their building had not been damaged by the storm, having only experienced heavy rains. The church began operating as a food pantry, aiding other churches that had been subject to greater devastation, including Calvary Acapulco.
Pastor Angel was determined to transport additional supplies to the Acapulco congregations—and he found quickly that his goal would be attainable. By October 30, five days after the hurricane had hit, “God had opened the door for Calvary Monrovia to head in Acapulco’s direction,” Pastor Angel said.
CC Acapulco sister church, Calvary Chapel Colosio, also in the city, sets up their church building as a supply depot to provide food for the community. “Along with the city of Acapulco, the body of Christ was also brought to their knees,” explained Pastor Angel. “The difference was that on their knees, they began to pray how they would be of use to God in the midst of this devastation.”
Pastor Angel Baez leads an impromptu Bible study at CC Colosio after assisting them with relief efforts. The senior pastor asked Angel to encourage his flock from God’s Word. Angel recalled, “I shared with them from Mark 1:19 & Matthew 26:39. In both of the Scriptures, Jesus is said to have ‘gone a little further’; that even Jesus found Himself in situations that were overwhelming, yet He would always go a little further. So must we, even though we’re exhausted—as they definitely were.”
But the journey would not be without its challenges. Hurricane Otis had slammed the Acapulco coast with sustained winds of 165 miles per hour. Acapulco’s international airport was one of many structures destroyed by the storm, requiring Angel to fly into Mexico City, instead, and to navigate his way to Acapulco from there. Due to the disaster, public transportation was inaccessible; however, other Calvary believers stepped in to help the pastor make the hours-long journey to the city.
Pastor Angel Baez (left) spends time with Dr. Angel Gutierrez (second left) of Acapulco and his family. The doctor opened his home and made his vehicles available to the pastor on both of his trips to Acapulco, cancelling their workdays to assist him. Because the hurricane destroyed the international airport in Acapulco, Pastor Angel had to fly into Mexico City and navigate his way to Acapulco, hours away.
“[I] would see the hand of the Lord in being able to connect with three other Calvary Chapel pastors and a family who also fellowships at Calvary Chapel Acapulco,” Pastor Angel recalled. “This family would also provide housing and their vehicles, making themselves available in helping CC Monrovia deliver the God-given provision.”
The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous run to it and are safe. Proverbs 18:10
As Calvary Chapel Acapulco continues to recover, it has set up a soup kitchen at its facility for the city’s residents. Here, workers helping to rebuild and clean up the debris enjoy the fellowship’s hospitality.
With three vehicles full of food and water, Pastor Angel reached the Villegases’ apartment on October 31. Pastor Hassan’s wife Stacy told him he had come just in time—the family had nearly run out of resources, having only a few days’ worth of food and a single day’s ration of water remaining.
“The resources that God provided gave the churches and its shepherd time to come up for air,” said Angel, “and to figure out how they would serve our King in using this chaos and devastation to bring the city of Acapulco and its residents the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
The CC Acapulco sanctuary before the hurricane. After its members repaired some of the damage, they are now using natural light to be able to hold church services on Sundays. According to Pastor Angel, Acapulco’s temperature averages about 90° most of the year, bringing high humidity and pesky mosquitos.
Calvary Monrovia has continued to support CC Acapulco, with Pastor Angel having made a second trip since October 30 and planning a third that began December 3. During the December trip, Pastor Angel will assist Pastor Hassan and teach in the affected churches, additionally helping with the soup kitchen that CC Acapulco has now set up on-site. “In the little cities that are in the mountains, where people don’t have [much] money, they’re still not recovering, so we’re going to try to reach those places,” the pastor added. “It’s painful to see the people that I love broken and hurting, but to see their response in spite of what they’re going through has been amazing. It’s a blessing to see God showing Himself mighty and faithful again, that the church has responded by being God’s hands and feet, and that people are getting saved.”
CC Acapulco Pastor Hassan Villegas and his wife, Stacy, earlier in the year during an outreach to children. They wearily but happily greeted Pastor Angel as he brought food and water from the U.S. to reinforce the church after the hurricane. The relief was welcome as they were down to a few days’ worth of food and a single day’s ration of water remaining. “The resources that God provided gave the churches and its shepherd time to come up for air,” said Angel, “and to figure out how they would serve our King in using this chaos and devastation to bring the city of Acapulco and its residents the Gospel of Jesus Christ.”
Learn more about CC Monrovia at ccmonrovia.org
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