Mariano was born and raised in the indigenous village of El Carrizal, a Chatino native speaker. Because his father died, at age 13 he quit school and went to town to find a job to help support his mother. There he heard the gospel from a missionary, responded, began growing in the Lord, and went to a Bible School. After completing the Bible Institute, M got involved in ministry. Then he contacted Dan & Dorothy Case (Mexico), who are translating Scripture into the Chatino language, expressing his desire to help translate the Scriptures into his mother tongue. The Cases were overjoyed with his passion to reach his own people! After training him in translation principles and teaching him how to read his own language, it has been amazing to see him progress rapidly and provide better, clearer, and more meaningful ways of communicating in Chatino. In addition, he is going to his village to share God’s Word!