OUR BEGINNING

 

Way of the Cross Ministries began in January 1988, when it became known that a children’s home in Matamoras, Mexico was in desperate need of assistance. Ben Butler of Harlingen, Texas and an eventual co-founder of the ministry brought its plight before a group of Christian laymen.

After taking a building once used as a house of prostitution and turning it into a children’s home with running water, plumbing and light, we dedicated it to the Lord and celebrated with volunteers from both sides of the border. There was food for all and the Lord provided a powerful evangelist to preach the Word of God from the top of a converted school bus. There was a great harvest of souls that day. Little did anyone know that The Way of the Cross Ministries was being born.

One vision for the ministry was to acquire a bus so that they could deliver God’s Word to the people when and wherever the Lord directed. In the spring of 1989 with the help of a local church, an old school bus was purchased. The bus was painted and fitted with a platform stage, a lighting system, sound system and a 20 foot lighted cross. The Way of the Cross rolled into action in April of 1989.

The group began taking the bus into different Colonias throughout Matamoras. They visited areas where poverty abounds, where there is no electricity or running water and the people literally live in shacks. They went to preach the gospel, the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and experienced tremendous results.

It became apparent that a formal organization had to be formed. A Board of Advisors was added, and a formal plan of operation developed to insure that the Lord’s work would be properly done and that His resources would be used wisely. In the spring of 1989, Ben Butler and Murry McClain established SEEK YE THE WAY OF THE CROSS MINISTRIES. By the end of 1990 the ministry became a full-time organization.