‘I cannot ignore the need’: River Ministry missionary provides “tangible support” to families in Reynosa, Mexico

Based in McAllen, Victor Castillo, pastor of Rio Grande Bible Church, has served as a Texas Baptists River Ministry missionary since 2023. Castillo coordinates “exploration trips” with churches that express interest in traveling to the border to serve with River Ministry. 

Texas Baptists’ River Ministry connects churches to specific projects along the Texas/Mexico border and in the most populous Mexican cities. The specific projects and areas of ministry include medical clinics, counseling sessions, events to help various family needs, outreach, VBS and social events.

Castillo has worked as a news correspondent and reporter for 22 years. He said this profession has given him “many ministry opportunities.” 

“I live in McAllen, [and] we are like ten miles from the border of Mexico… So every time I visit somebody to do newsgathering, I have many opportunities to also pray with somebody and share the gospel of Christ. Even though I'm going there for a job-related thing, God puts in front of me many ministry opportunities,” said Castillo.

Castillo said joining the River Ministry team was a “very natural fit” due to having access to migrant communities in need via his news reporting. 

“I will always figure out how [my work] could be turned into a ministry opportunity, so that's how [my wife and I] found a fit in the River ministry,” said Castillo. 

Responding with compassion and tangible support

Castillo said he and his wife, Ayde, have been able to specifically minister to those amidst “the migrant crisis in Reynosa.” 

“I'm [in Reynosa] doing newsgathering, but I cannot ignore the need. So I go back and tell my wife, there's this family with a couple of babies [who] need clothing, they need help. So we would go back and provide some humanitarian aid,” explained Castillo. 

Castillo was also involved in delivering humanitarian aid to families in Reynosa in March when heavy rainfall led to flooding in the city. 

Castillo and other River Ministry missionaries teamed up with ministry partners to deliver items such as groceries, diapers, bottled water and cleaning supplies "directly into the hands of those who need it most.” 

“[We] respond not only with compassion, but with tangible support, and that made a big impact in their lives because even in the middle of a crisis, they know that they're not forgotten,” said Castillo.

Castillo shared that one couple who were impacted by the flood and River Ministry’s support are now planting a church in their neighborhood. 

“They had been praying about how to support the families that they're serving [in the area] and the Lord provided through River ministry and some faithful partners [for the church plant]. So they saw this [flood relief] as God's response to their prayer,” said Castillo. 

Faith grows through service

Castillo said his faith has increased through being “boots on the ground,” serving with River Ministry. 

“We've been saved by grace through faith [as written] in Ephesians chapter two. But in the book of James, he talks about ‘if your faith is with no works, then your faith is dead.’ So faith with works is how our faith grows,” explained Castillo. 

He said he has also seen evidence of this in the lives of churches, universities and other ministries that come to the border to serve. 

“When they're on the ground, loving others and sharing Christ, I can see in their faces how their faith is encouraged and how their faith also grows,” said Castillo. “So more than [believing] that we go somewhere as a missionary to give something, we are the ones who receive more [and] are benefited.” 

Castillo said River Ministry is an important ministry to invest in because its mission is the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. 

“Whether it be with medical clinics, whether it be among migrants, whether it be with parenting conferences, with planting churches, everything [River Ministry does] has to do with the Great Commandment and the Great Commission,” said Castillo. “[God’s] commandment is to go to the remote areas of the world, to the ends of the world and nothing should stop us.”

Considering River Ministry 

In addition to coordinating exploration trips for churches, Castillo travels to churches around the state to “make presentations” about River Ministry to pastors and answer any questions. He is also invited to “preach and share stories of transformation” from River Ministry.

Castillo encouraged churches that “there's plenty of mission opportunities.” 

“Our faith grows when we serve,” said Castillo. “We get encouragement by serving… We just have to pray about it. Talk to our leadership in church and say, ‘What do you think? Should we go here and there or wherever the Holy Spirit may be guiding us?” 

He encouraged churches to get involved with River Ministry by reaching out and inviting a missionary, like himself, to come to their church and “share about these testimonies of life transformation” or by giving financially. 

“River Ministry is sustained, of course, by God's hand, but only through offerings. So… invite someone to come preach [at your church] and share testimonies, and consider maybe initially, just sending offerings to support River Ministry missionaries. Then, possibly consider making an exploration trip with one of us,” said Castillo.

To learn more about River Ministry or to give a gift, visit txb.org/riverministry.