Beyond our limits

Beyond Our Limits

BY TRAVENA ROGAN | WBS SUPPORT

AN INSPIRATIONAL STORY FROM OUR WBS SUPPORT TEAM

The following story comes from my friend, Erika, who through World Bible School’s Follow-up program, found members of the church to baptize her ailing grandmother.

The morning sun was peeking through my window. I sluggishly got out of bed, put on my slippers, and walked toward my mom’s room to find her on her knees praying. This for me, was nothing new. My mom, Teresa, has prayed for decades petitioning our Father, for her mom, Carmen, and her siblings, still in Mexico, to obey the Gospel.

My Grandma Carmen’s, health began to deteriorate due to congestive heart failure. She was a beloved parent growing old without a relationship with Christ. My mom’s time in prayer increased as she wore the burden of physical and spiritual concern for her mom dying outside of Christ.

We increased our prayers with growing spiritual resolve and faith for God to answer in His good timing. One day my uncle called unexpectedly. We did not know that grandma was worsening, and he felt the siblings needed to be there. My mom flew from Tennessee to Mexico to spend time with her mother. Thankful for time together, we did not know how God was opening doors.

As my mom, Teresa, arrived in Mexico, her mother’s heart had softened toward the Gospel of Jesus. Hearing God’s truth became significantly important to her. She expressed her fear of dying and wanting to learn more about God from her daughter. As they studied together, Grandma soon desired to become a Christian and asked to be baptized.

Our family was concerned about how she could be baptized due to her declining health and mobility. She had no bathtub at home, only a standing shower. My mom reached out to me as I was attending Wednesday night ladies’ Bible class in Tennessee. I shared this challenge with my class. “My mom is in Mexico with my grandma, and she has been studying the Bible with her. But my grandma is very ill and she cannot get around at all. She wants to be baptized. My mom has called some churches for help, but no one knows how to help her. Can we all pray that my grandma can become baptized and that someone will help her and my mom?”

Travena, who works for World Bible School and attends the same ladies’ class said, “Erika, we will get your grandma baptized with God’s help. WBS has people and connections all over the world. After class, can you give me your grandma’s address and contact information for your mom? I will reach out to our contacts in Mexico and see what we can do.”

Travena contacted Carlos Hernandez, who works as our Spanish coordinator in Honduras. He later reported, “Upon receiving an email from Travena about an elderly lady in Mexico City, I immediately felt the urgency to help. My first step was to reach out to the church community in Mexico to find brothers and sisters who lived closest to her.

A brother named Mauricio Perez volunteered not only to go himself, but also to gather a team of other brothers to assist. After multiple phone calls to coordinate the visit, Mauricio and team managed to source a portable baptistry for Carmen. This baptism could be summed up in three words: faith, connection, and grace. Carmen is now our sister in Christ!

Here is how my mom described my grandma’s baptism, “The day was a little cloudy. As she came up from the water, the sun broke through and shined over my mom. God gave me the gift of His peace on that day. He let me know that my prayers mattered. They mattered to Him, and He answered.

After her baptism, my grandma hungered after the Word and attended worship faithfully. God blessed her for a little while with feeling better. She was eager and faithful to attend worship and be with her church family. Carmen was baptized in September 2025 and passed peacefully December 2, 2025. After her passing my mom said, “My mother was no longer fearful of dying. She told me and my daughter that ‘she will be waiting to see us again.’ Although I grieved for her, I know that she is safe with Jesus. I have tears of joy. God provided time for me to be with her. I’m thankful for those who made sure her request for baptism was honored. We are grateful to the Lord for His answer to our prayers. Now, after seeing the love showered over my grandma, my aunts, uncles and cousins are now more willing to consider God’s Word.

After Carmen’s passing, I shared with Erika some of WBS tools which she can use to study and share her faith with the rest of her family. God is not finished with this family, just as the Scripture says, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” 2 Peter 3:9