“No Way” Places The Story of El Rancho del Rey God’s Open Door in Monterrey, Mexico By Anne L. Moller Edited by Charles H. Lewis “No Way” Places By Anne L. Moller Edited by Charles H. Lewis Published 2013 by Del Rey Missions, Inc./El Rancho Del Rey P.O. Box 1827 McAllen, TX 78505-1827 COPYRIGHT © 2013 by Del Rey Missions, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system without written permission from Del Rey Missions Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in a review. Cover by Anne L. Moller Christmas newsletter, Dec. 1982 Contents Forward Page 1 Introduction 3 Chapter 1 Mexicali Stars 9 Chapter 2 The First Star 13 Chapter 3 Mexicali Joe 17 Chapter 4 Eduardo 21 Chapter 5 The Sleeping Lady 25 Chapter 6 Shadows 29 Chapter 7 Arches & Triumph 31 Chapter 8 Bruno’s Prayer 35 Chapter 9 A Way Through the Fire 39 Chapter 10 A Way Out 43 Chapter 11 Little Ishmaels 47 Chapter 12 El Medico 51 Chapter 13 El Salvaje (Part One) 55 Chapter 14 El Salvaje (Part Two) 63 Chapter 15 La Venida 69 Chapter 16 Choco’s Angel 73 Chapter 17 The Real Orphans 77 Chapter 18 Wallpaper 81 Chapter 19 The Dormitory Walls 85 Chapter 20 The Way to Win 89 Chapter 21 His Way 93 Chapter 23 Tears of Joy 97 Chapter 24 Chiapas 101 Chapter 25 David’s Sons 105 Chapter 26 The Wide Wide World 110 Chapter 27 The Other Side of Love 113 Chapter 28 Let’s Fly 119 Chapter 29 Thou Shalt Laugh 125 Chapter 30 Kings and Queens 129 Chapter 31 Open Doors…? 133 Chapter 32 Image of God or?? 137 Chapter 33 Worshippers 139 Chapter 34 A Song 143 Chapter 35 Another Chance 145 Chapter 36 The Kingdom 149 Chapter 37 Fishing 153 Chapter 38 Pioneer 157 Chapter 39 Bread Upon the Waters 161 Chapter 40 Father’s Business 165 Chapter 41 Morning Glories…Or Entanglements? 169 Chapter 42 Stay the Course 173 Epilogue 177 Forward It has been a great privilege to have personally witnessed God’s work at El Rancho del Rey in Monterrey, Mexico. El Rancho del Rey is both a Christian group home for at-risk Mexican boys, and a “forward operating base” for the spread of the Gospel of Jesus Christ in northern Mexico. It was founded by the American missionary couple, Hank and Anne Moller, in 1956. After nearly six decades, El Rancho del Rey continues to fulfill its original purposes, but the work is now in the capable, and God-fearing hands of the Moller’s son, Danny, who is the current Executive Director. More than 1,000 boys have been rescued from life on the streets of Monterrey and other surrounding towns in Mexico by El Rancho del Rey. Many of these boys are now fathers and grandfathers who return to visit El Rancho to bear witness in their lives to the saving grace of their Lord and Savior, whom they came to know first at El Rancho del Rey. Where they might have been human fodder for the drug gangs so prevalent in the area, many of them have become pastors, or have otherwise established successful careers and become stable fathers and spiritual leaders in their families and communities. For some time, I pondered how I might write a history of the Moller’s work in Mexico, until discovering that it had already been done. Anne Moller considered herself to be, first and foremost, a missionary, but she was also a gifted writer and poet who, over the course of her service, wrote monthly newsletters to the supporters of the Moller’s work in the United States. Each newsletter was a beautiful self-contained story, with an occasional poem thrown in, about God’s work through El Rancho del Rey. She never took credit for any of the great things that happened in the lives of the children of El Rancho and her beloved people of Mexico, it was always God’s gracious, redemptive, and powerful – if not actually miraculous - work. Anne tells us here that, after some years, her American friends convinced her that she needed to write a history of El Rancho del Rey. In 1979, what had simply been a newsletter became “No Way” Places, the history of El Rancho del Rey, published in monthly installments. 2 “No Way” Places Anne’s God-given talent as a poet infused everything she wrote, giving her a peculiar poetic style permeated with unbridled enthusiasm and passion for God’s work. In editing her writing, I have been reluctant to change a single word. In fact, I have not changed a single word in the body of Anne’s text, except to correct the very, very infrequent misspelling (she was a meticulous self-editor). I have also occasionally added a comma or two to a run-on sentence, but only when it was essential to its understanding. I have also tried to use artwork and photographs that were original to each edition of “No Way” Places, although their formatting and placement in each chapter may not occur in the original position in relation to the text. Because there were no original negatives to work with, the quality of the some of the images, as copied from the published “No Way” Places, were so poor that they could not be used. In those cases, other photographs from the collections at El Rancho del Rey, or photographs taken by this writer, may have been substituted. Also, when she introduced the 22nd Chapter of “No Way” Places, Anne wrote that she felt it would have been more appropriate had it been the prologue to her history. Because of that, I have honored her wishes, and combined Chapter 22 with her introduction, where it fits perfectly into the chronological order of her story, with its original title, Where the Cloud Led. Therefore, it is no mistake: there is no Chapter 22 between Chapters 21 & 23. As will become apparent to the reader, Anne and Hank Moller held nothing of themselves back; their lives were fully surrendered to their Lord and Savior. This fact was made manifest in their unqualified commitment to their work and in the love they deeply felt for the people of Mexico. Once on the “mission field”, their home became Mexico, and the people of Mexico their family. There would be no long sabbaticals in the States, no retirement, no quitting – ever. They believed deeply that if they were fulfilling God’s command in the Great Commission, He would provide for their every need, and over and over again, He always has. Charles H. Lewis Falls Village, CT January, 2013 Friends who have followed our Missionary efforts at El Rancho del Rey in Monterrey, Mexico, have encouraged us to write a book relating our “South of the Border” experiences. Because of these requests I am writing a book of short stories that will be called “NO WAY” PLACES. The first chapter takes place in Mexicali along the Baja California Border, beneath the “Mexicali Stars.” So many times during our first twenty five years in Mexico [this was written April, 1979, ed.] we have come to places where, like the children of Israel by the Red Sea, there was no way – no way out; no way back, no way through. Yet God brought us over on the other side just as miraculously as He took the children of Israel across the Red Sea. He who rules the winds and waves, still backs up the waters when His children call upon Him in their distresses. 4 “No Way” Places In this series of short stories I have recalled many trying and blessed times which all worked together for our good and God’s glory. These experiences have made Mexico a significant part of our lives, confirming our belief that we are here because we were called here by God. Where the Cloud Led (Originally Chapter 22) A short time after graduating from Bible School (1949), while seeking the Lord’s will concerning our place of service, we began corresponding with a missionary in Ecuador. He was an Englishman associated with groups known as the “Plymouth Brethren”. They are fundamental Christians so named “Plymouth Brethren” by other Christians because of first having come into prominence in Plymouth, England, though they prefer to simply be called “brethren” and that with a small “b”. Both Hank and I were saved while fellowshipping with a local group of brethren in the Hatboro, Pa. area. Under some fine teachers, we received our early basic spiritual training. However, it was during our four years of evening study at Philadelphia School of the Bible that we had been challenged concerning the mission field. We particularly felt called to the Latin American people. Our English Missionary friend, Dr. Wilfred Tidmarsh, wrote letters to us concerning his work among the Quichua Indians of the Eastern Ecuadorian lowland jungles and of his need for helpers. We found the correspondence fascinating because, he particularly requested help for a boys’ school at Shandia in the jungles of the Oriente. We had been very active in Bible Club and Bible Camp work, therefore, we were attracted to the possibility of also working on the field among the youth. Mrs. Tidmarsh had been injured in an airplane accident on take- off from Quito en route to the Eastern jungle.