Biography

Manuel became a Christian at age 15 and after being discipled became a Sunday School teacher and worship leader.  In 1988 he began visiting Chiconautla to lead a Bible study. This group grew into a church, and Manuel eventually quit his secular job to be pastor of this small flock of believers.  He later finished his theology degree through Logos Bible College and was ordained as a minister, and in 2004 he completed his MA in Theology.

Laura grew up in a Christian family and made a commitment to further investigate God’s call in her life for missions at the 1987 Urbana student missions conference.  A year and a half later she spent the summer serving through Spearhead in Mexico City, which was a life-changing experience.  After graduating from Westmont College in 1990 with a degree in Intercultural Studies, she returned to Mexico for Spearhead’s one-year program, during which she met Manuel.  Manuel and Laura were married in November 1993 and have served together in Mexico since then.  

Vivanco Kids 12-2022

Vivanco Family

L to R (12/2023): Nicolas (18), Emily (28), Kelly (21), Bethany (almost 14), Manuel, Caleb (25), & Laura

About Our Family

Psalm 127:3--Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a real blessing.

We are blessed to be the parents of five children.  Our home school, Living Hope Home School, is currently in its 24th year.  It has been a great joy for us to be directly and fully involved in our kids' growth and development in this way through high school. Our daughter Emily and son Caleb are graduates of Biola University, and our daughter Kelly and son Nicolas are currently students at Westmont College. All four young adult kids reside in California.

Aside from ministry, as a family we enjoy camping, horseback riding, and other recreational activities.