Pastor Lionel Sanchez of Mezcala has a remarkable story of volunteering and service … and redemption.
Sanchez is a 53-year-old of indigenous heritage from Mezcala who was incarcerated for 17 years in California and U.S. federal prisons. He is now the pastor of the Mezcala Christian Church that he founded when he returned home.
Sanchez is the director of a program in the lakeside town of Mezcala that provides local children with 250 free breakfasts each week. Also, each Saturday morning, he joins volunteers from the Mezcala Church and Grace Church in Riberas del Pilar to give 40 to 60 local children Sunday school and crafts classes, plus a free lunch.
Sanchez regularly picks up between 50 to 100 large bottles of free water from the Abundant Life Church in San Antonio’s clean water program for needy Mezcala-area families. He also provides a free taxi service to Chapala and Guadalajara for low-income Mezcala-area residents who need medical treatment in the city. And every Saturday afternoon he takes 20 to 30 disadvantaged kids to the park in La Floresta for pizza and sports fun with other children from four Lakeside orphanages.
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