Church Work

We have started remodeling the old part of our church building. Several men came to help. They were all excited and enjoyed learning how to lay tile. Previously, the kitchen had a cement floor that would tear up a mop in a month! It was time to lay tile on the floor. We closed in four windows, painted, and spruced up the area. 

Our church attendance has reached 65, and with more people there are sometimes more problems! We had to ask a family to leave due to causing division. That was a very difficult thing for me to do! We have stabilized and have started to grow. My newest helper, Jorge, is struggling with following directions, so I have had to 'sit him down' as he is not a benefit to the ministry right now.  My main helper, Luis, is a big help to me and to my son-in-law. Luis loves to learn and is a quick helper. He visits without being asked to and looks for things that need tobe done around the church building. I never have to wonder if he 'has my back'. 

Violence and gang activity are still a problem in our area. Doors, windows, wiring, house fixtures, even dogs get stolen! There is no respect of property. All around our church building, there is graffiti, trash, and destruction. Luis tries to keep our church building painted and looking nice. In this society, the children are not taught to throw their trash away and we struggle to teach our church kids to be responsible with their trash, but we fight culture on a regular basis on this matter. 

Our building has been painted 23 times due to gang activity! 

Prayer Requests:

* Pray for good health this summer

*Pray for our church, La Iglesia Bautista Tabernaculo

*Pray for my son-in-law, John,  and he is seeking a National to take over the work he pastors. 

48 Years in the Ministry

Ministry Update: This year marks 48 years in the ministry. I am blessed and I am so grateful for the opportunity to serve the Lord. The church surprised me again this year with a celebration service. I was prepared for it one week, thinking that something just 'wasn't right' with the people, but the Sunday I thought they were up to something, nothing happened! Lo and behold, my son-in-law and his church and my associate and our church were planning something all along. My daughter even helped plan a video presentation of picture dating all the way back from my days in Peru! We had a wonderful time of fellowship and a great day of celebrating the ministry. 

The church is doing well and has been growing. I have a good group of men that go out each week on visitation. Every week, they hand out 800 tracts or more. I am not able to go out as much right now due to the wind, but my men assure me they are getting the work done. 

Several of our people have really gone through the trials these last few months. First, a young man who used to be in our teen group, was stabbed and near the point of death. Praise the Lord, he is doing well and re cooperating. Our song leader, Manuel,  and his son-in-law were physically attacked and robbed. Manuel suffered a mild stroke a few weeks later, but is doing better now. 

Health Update: Please pray for me as I have a few health issues due to the Agent Orange poisoning. I am learning that I need to stay out of the cold and the wind as it affects my lungs and also the degenerative disc in my back.  With nicer weather coming, I am looking forward to being able to visit more with the men. 

A Wedding, A Revival, and a Soul Saved!

A Wedding 

Whew! Things have been busy around here. Bro. Terry Jones, my director from BIMI, came down to Mexico to preach a revival in my church and an organization service for my son-in-law. During the revival, we had a wedding ceremony for Jorge and Griselda. They have lived together for close to 9 years and have four children. In the last year, they have been saved and baptized and have been growing spiritually in our church. This wedding ceremony was a beautiful thing to see and I feel privileged to be a part of their lives! 

A Revival

Bro. Terry preached the beginning of the revival with heart stirring messages. We had services Friday through Tuesday night.  Due to some health issues, the end of the revival was preached by a young man from another local Baptist church. He didn't know he was going to preach that night, but when I asked him to preach for us, he was ready. The message he preached was one that went right along with what Bro. Terry had started with and the Lord had His hand in it all.  We had special music every night. Some of our people have never been in special meetings like this and it was a joy to have the fellowship and God working through each one of us. We had some visitors come through, even a dog! You just never know who is going to show up!

...And a Soul Saved!

An elderly man had visited a few nights and one night, he brought his grandson. He said he wanted to bring his grandson to get saved. After speaking with him, I felt in my heart that the grandson did not fully understand the message of salvation and was not ready. The man came another night and came forward after the service so he himself could be saved. Now, he was ready and said he couldn't wait to talk to someone and get his eternity settled in Heaven. What a way to end a Revival!!! I was so excited!  

After the Revival service at my church, we had an organization service at La Iglesia Bautista Ortega where my son-in-law is pastoring. My grandson leads the singing over there. I keep offering to pay him to come work in my church, but his parents aren't too accommodating!

  I helped start that church over 20 years ago and it has had it's bumps in the road. In the last year and a half, I've had to make some changes in the church and this was a

 re-dedication of sorts for this work. John has a good group of people working with him and will soon be looking for a national to take over the work. 

*My 'Photos of the Week' page has been updated. 

Investing in a Cause

One of my favorite phrases is this: Invest in a cause that will outlive you. I live by this. I strive for this in the ministry in which God has given me. It's hard sometimes. Many times. Sometimes the reward for the investment is not seen. Here lately, God has been blessing over and over. Back in June, Jorge and his wife were baptized. He is now helping in the services and going out on visitation each week. With my associate, Luis, and another man named Juan, last week 420 Gospel tracts were given out. Each week, the men pass out

hundreds of tracts and are out inviting others to our church services. Jorge has been witnessing to his uncle and his uncle has been coming to the services and has been listening to the Gospel message being preached by the different men in our church. Last week, he came to me after the service and said he couldn't wait to be saved. He said he waited all day for the church doors to open so he could talk to me. I was grinning from ear to ear! I told him he didn't have to wait, but I sure was glad for the privilege of winning him to the Lord! That's cause for shoutin'! I was rejoicing with the angels over the one soul saved. 

My associate is above and beyond what I could have asked for in a helper. If he sees the church needs painting, he finds the paint in storage and does it himself. If trash is on the property, he and his wife clean it up. He e-mails me every morning and tells me what a blessing I am to him and his family and he is glad to be of service this day. What can he do to help? He's always watching out for me and won't even let me work! I am so thankful for this family and am trying not to get a big head! This family was on the verge of destruction two years ago, and here they are in the ministry. He has said from the pulpit that he is only here because of the investment my family has put in their lives. Only by the grace of God... 

Coming up soon, Jorge and his wife will have a wedding celebration. They've been together for 9 years and have 4 children. They would like to be married under God and with the church there to witness it. They are also going to be married and recognized by the government as a married couple. Lives transformed! I'm so glad I get to watch this family grow in the Lord. 

My mission director is coming down in September. We are having revival services in our church and my son-in-law, John Gilbreath,  has enlisted Bro. Terry's help in officially organizing the church he took over last year. He has been teaching the church constitution over the summer months. 

We are investing in a cause over here in Juárez. The cause for Christ. Are you investing? 

Praying for Saul

I have an urgent prayer request. My associate Luis's youngest son has a serious health condition. For several days now, he has had chest pains and headaches. This precious 5 year old boy needs your prayers. Luis and

his wife, Mary, took Saul to the doctor and he does not know what is wrong. If they take him

again to see the doctor, Saul will have to be admitted into the hospital for tests. 

Thank you to all who pray for me and the work here. Luis is my right hand man in the ministry and I beg of you to pray for his sweet son and for the family. 


Update 7/8/2013 - Monday

Saul is doing much better. He is eating, and is playing. He says he has no chest pain and the headache is gone. We believe it was the heat that caused his illness. The heat is upward to 106 sometimes and his family does not have air condition in the house. With cement housing in Mexico and no insulation, the temperature inside buildings is a bit hard to take. Thank you to those who prayed. 

Father's Day Celebration

     Any holiday or occasion is a reason to have a fellowship meal at our church! We enjoyed a Father's Day service with 63 people in attendance. The church is still growing and more people are getting involved in the work.

 Satan is fighting, though, and we've been going through some rough times with some of our people, but God is faithful and continues to bless. 

     It is getting HOT here already and the scorching heat is making it difficult to do a lot of door-to-door visiting. The men go visiting on Saturday mornings, but by 10:00, we are already in the 90's in temps. In the summer, we do more visiting within the families of our church due to the oppressive heat. We may just have to start doing this sooner this year. 

     My son-in-law, John, and I are considering starting 2 classes specifically for the men. One class will be for Arturo and Luis, our helpers, and the other for all the men in the church. Our men are eager to learn and I believe the studying together will help unify the believers we have. Please pray with us in this matter that the Lord will show us what He wants done and that we will glorify Him in all we do.

 

Baptismal Service

Praise the Lord for continual growth in the church! My associate, Luis, has been bringing the folks in week by week. The other day he told me he was out visiting and came across a man in the road who was shoveling dirt. Now, if you've ever been in Juárez, you know the roads are a bit rough. Many times there are men shoveling dirt into the pot holes during the day, hoping someone will give them a tip for trying to smooth the road out. Luis came across one such man, and felt a pull to stop and talk to him. The man said he was saved and was looking for a good church, but just didn't know where to look. He said he'd be visiting us on Sunday. Amen! 

Since we've had new families pouring in, there have been several salvation testimonies and last Sunday we had a baptismal service! After the baptismal service, Jorge and his wife said they felt so wonderful. The smile of their faces says it all. 

Health Update:

My family and I have been working on getting out back yard fixed up with flowers, bushes, and a vegetable garden. I was outside trimming the bushes one morning, planning on getting some yard work done. The rest of the day, I felt light headed, weak, and overall, not well. Rebecca took my blood pressure and it was very high. My doctor wanted me to go to the ER, but I felt that a little rest might be what I needed. When I saw my doctor the next morning, he told me I needed to stay out of the heat. Already, here in El Paso, the temperature is reaching 100 degrees! Overall I am doing well, I just need to remember to stay cool!