May 3, 2004

Dear Friends,

I thought that you who read my last letter might want to know how we were faring with the repeated break-ins and thefts. We are thankful to announce that we haven´t had anymore forced entries, but we did have someone steal money directly out of my day timer wallet. It worked out as a great opportunity for us to share with young Christians how we should live in a fallen world. A world in which both “saints n´ sinners” go through trials and troubles. Our response was that our God continues to reign in power and might and in mercy and will meet our every need.

The enemy has tried to attack us any other ways that convince us that he's not happy with where we´re going with Jesus. Our folks continue to evangelize their neighbors and are progressively preparing for more effective ministry. Just today we were blessed of the Lord to be able to overcome a major misunderstanding in an inter-personal relationship that threatened to shipwreck our youth outreach. God worked powerfully through prayer and the Word to restore deep and sweet fellowship. What does it say in the Word? “We´ve been made more than conquerors through Jesus Christ our Lord” Praise the Lord for that truth!

In one of our mission team´s trips to the interior town of Guarau, we rejoiced to hear how God saved and transformed the lives of a married couple who own and run a bar. The mission team set up their bus and stage in the busiest part of the community, which happened to be in front of that bar. The bar owner's wife had had a slight heart attack a few days earlier and had to be taken to the hospital. While in the hospital, God already began to convict her of unresolved bitterness and resentment toward old friends. She felt that she needed to get things right with these folks and resolved to do so when she returned home. The mission team offers free blood pressure readings and this lady stepped out of the bar into the health booth where the team also offers spiritual counseling and the gospel. While she was getting her blood pressure checked she heard the gospel. Later that night, still in front of the bar the mission preacher shared the gospel again and the first folks to accept the invitation to repent and trust Christ were the man and his wife who owned the bar. Isn't God great! In that same presentation 15 other persons also accepted Christ as their Savior and Lord. Please continue to pray for us and these ministries. God has worked so faithfully in response to prayer and we know that our success depends on this grace toward us.

May the Lord bless you all.

In Christ's love,