In 1970, pastor Dick Dye and his wife Ann began their missionary career in Acapulco, working in connection with the National Presbyterian Church.  They were joined by Ellen Barnett in 1975.  Evangelism, both in Acapulco and in villages in the state of Guerrero, along with theological education by extension, was the focus of the first years of ministry.  Then Mission to the World began to move toward urban church planting.  The decision was made to have their first team in Acapulco, at that time a very fast-growing city.  In 1978, Maranatha Presbyterian Church was formed, marking the actual beginning of the project.  By then the Bill Goodman and Josué Mayo families had arrived.  The church-planting team continued to grow with the arrival of Jennie Wilson, the Tom Courtney, Joe Creech and Kenton Wood families, and various short-termers during the next ten years. 
In February of 1987, Ignacio Castañeda of the Aztec Presbytery in Mexico City accepted the call as Maranatha's first pastor.  Several converts trained by the missionaries were ordained and became part of the early leadership of the fledgling churches.  On May 27, 1989, Maranatha Presbytery was officially formed with five organized churches, completing the 10-year goal of the team.  The new presbytery became part of the National Presbyterian Church of Mexico. Of the original team, Ellen Barnett is the only one who continues in Acapulco, working with the Maranatha Bible Institute, teacher training, and the development of the Christian school. 

New Horizon Christian Elementary School www.nhacapulco.com