Sembradores de Cristo Ministries

History of our work in Zacatecas

       There are now five members of the Elliott family: Ben, Diana, Nehemias, Shalom, &  most recently Hadassah Elliott. They currently reside in Del Rio, TX where Ben works as a Spanish high school teacher during the school year.  During the summers, Christmas break, and Spring Break they reside in Palmas Altas, Jerez, Zacatecas, MX. In Del Rio Ben plays the guitar and sings on the worship team at their local church, Esperanza Del Rio Community Church. Ben considers both Esperanza Del Rio Community Church and New Covenant Fellowship churches in Stillwater, OK to be the Elliott family’s sending churches.

         As a couple, Diana and Ben have been married for 7 yrs now. Ben and Diana begin their ministry working with mission team groups in Cd. Acuna, MX on the border of Texas in 2004 doing evangelism, construction, VBS, and other ministry. They began taking groups to the interior of Mexico in Saltillo , MX doing evangelistic ministry before beginning their work in Zacatecas. God had called them to go to Zacatecas full-time after going on a one-week mission trip to a small village close to Zacatecas city that had no church/no gospel. They prayed over the Zacatecas map and felt the Holy Spirit’s direction to go to a mountain range called “La sierra de los cardos” near Jerez, Zacatecas. 

         In November 2005, Ben, Diana, and Antonio (Diana’s father) traveled to Jerez through mountain villages until arriving in one called Palmas Altas.  They went in faith that God had called them to this area.  They did not know anyone from the area (no contacts), they did not know where they would be staying, nor what they would be eating. They went in faith that God who had called them would supply their every need. Within one hour of arrival at Palmas Altas, all their needs for that week's stay were met. They have been working in “La Sierra de los Cardos” area now for almost 4 years. 

        Palmas Altas continues to be the village that they base their ministry out of. The Garcia family of Palmas Altas continues to host the Elliott family and mission teams from their home. The Elliott family is 100% dedicated to seeing churches be raised up/built in these areas. They do not own a single piece of property there but gather the people at the volleyball courts and in homes. They desire to live in the Jerez area and be in full-time ministry but have not been able to raise sufficient support to do so. While in the villages, the Elliott family works as one team with Diana doing children’s ministry and Brother Ben leading music and preaching.

       The Elliott family also loves hosting mission teams and encourages them to come to this wonderfully scenic land with beautiful mountains, fruit trees, weather, and MUCH need for the gospel. Much opposition to the gospel has risen over the years due to the strong presence of idolatry in the area, however, many have come to Christ in the villages of Palmas Altas, Villa Hermosa, Guadalupe Victoria, Monte de los Garcia, Parral, Monte Escobedo, and Susticacan.

Diana's testimony

Diana grew up in a Christian home in Cd. Acuna, MX on the border of the U.S. Throughout most of her life her parents have owned and operated a Christian children’s home. Diana gave her life to Christ at the age of 8 and  immediately started serving the Lord in the area of children’s ministry. She remembers teaching Bible songs and stories to children older than herself at her church and at the children’s home. Diana knew that God had called her to marry a Christian missionary from the United States. She dedicated her life to serving God and waiting for God to put the right man in her life. She served God faithfully throughout her teenage and college years always helping her mother with the children’s home. She completed a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology in 2002 and got engaged to Ben in December 2003.  Diana loves spending time with her children and doing children’s ministry.    

Ben's testimony

Ben grew up in a Christian home in rural Oklahoma. He remembers giving his life to Christ at the age of 4 at the steps of his home with his 6 yr old sister leading him in a prayer of salvation. At age 9, Ben was baptized. Ben felt a calling on his life to Mexico on his first mission trip at age 11. Ben was heavily criticized and ridiculed for being a believer in his hometown school finding it difficult at times to live as a true Christian. In his teenage years he begin playing in a Christian band as a drummer and began to discover more and more joy in Christ. He was always involved in his church's youth group and went on practically every Mexico mission trip that was offered never forgetting God’s calling on his life. Ben believed that God was calling him to an unreachead/mountainous area of Mexico, that he would learn Spanish, and that God would bring a Christian Mexican woman into his life. Ben continued to serve God in college and became fluent in Spanish at the age of 20 when he served at a children’s home in Mexico . Ben completed a Bachelor’s degree in Spanish Education in May 2003 and his Master’s degree in Ministry in February 2009.  Today Ben loves playing the guitar, drums, basketball, running, spending time with his family, and more than anything- preaching the gospel in Zacatecas and anywhere else.