Dear Friends in Christ,
O Lord, I beseech thee, let now thine ear be attentive to the prayer of thy servant, and to the prayer of thy servants, who desire to fear thy name: and prosper, I pray thee, thy servant this day… Nehemiah 1:11
Happy New Year! When I first got saved in 1976, I heard several messages assuring us that the Lord was coming back way before 2024. I’m thankful to have opportunities to serve my Lord in another New Year!
A special thank you to those who sent special Christmas offerings! They were such a blessing, as I have so many expenses getting relocated.
Furlough: I drove almost 8,000 miles on my furlough out east, from Arkansas, Alabama, on up into Canada! It was a blessing that Caleb, my oldest grandson came along to help me! I was encouraged by my supporting churches, even a couple without a pastor and one changing pastors, staying the course, still seeking to see souls saved through various outreaches. It was a blessing to get to know them better and to minister to them! I’m so thankful for churches that faithfully support the “Hands to the Work” ministry!
Please pray that my support base would increase, so I can make more trips!
“Hands to the Work”: In December I picked up pews in Missouri, then later that month took them on a 3,200 mile trip to Chihuahua with a piano, pulpit, tables, etc.; final destination Ruiz, Nayarit Mexico. We took them 45 pews, a piano, pulpit, gospel tracts and several other things, for which they were very thankful. The young men in the Bible institute jumped in and helped assemble the pews in 2 days! It was also a blessing to preach in their midweek service!
Leaving Nayarit, just after passing the city of Durango, Durango, a spring on the trailer broke. Since the trailer was empty, I disabled that axle and came on to the border. When the axle broke, it damaged 2 tires, so I’ll need to replace them. On the way to Oklahoma I bought a spring in Odessa, TX and they let me change it out in their parking lot! From there, I stopped in Weatherford, TX to pick up some pews and take them to the warehouse in OKC to disassemble and get them ready to haul them to Mexico.
I gave a ride up to OKC to a man who had hit bottom, and he called on the Lord to save him!
Surgery: I had a much needed hernia surgery on December 26. It was supposed to be laparoscopic, but they had to open it up and remove scar tissue, etc. from a previous surgery, so it took over twice as long. I’m thankful the doctor was thorough, but I can’t lift anything heavier than 10 pounds for 6 weeks!
Praise: Good Christmas and a New Year with new opportunities to serve; Uneventful furlough; Very good trip to Nayarit; Souls saved; God’s provision and protection; Hernia fixed
Prayer: Souls to be saved and God to be glorified through this ministry; Complete recovery
Ron Winter
Your Co-laborer, Ministering to Churches in Mexico
July, August & September 2023
Dear Friends in Christ,
Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church…that we might be fellow helpers to the truth. -3 John 1:6a, 8b
25th Anniversary: My son Josh and his family of 6 went with me to Mexico to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the first church we started, the Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa in Anáhuac, Chihuahua. My son Andrew also came down to preach at the celebration. It was a great time to reminisce and fellowship with the church, old members and new!
The day before the anniversary, José Luis, a pastor friend from Jimenez, Chihuahua married a young lady from the church in Anáhuac!
“Hands to the Work” ministry: After the anniversary celebrations on Sunday, we went 2 hours to Delicias, Chihuahua and unloaded a set of pews to their new church home that night. On Monday, we left pews at the church in Camargo for another church in the area. Then drove 2 days south to deliver a set of pews to Zamora, Michoacán. Heading north, I preached Wednesday night in Mazatlán, Sinaloa, then left some windows in Los Mochis, Sinaloa. We unloaded pews, doors, windows and 50 boxes of school uniforms in Navojoa, Sonora for the children’s home and Bible Institute there and for other churches in the area. I preached in Navojoa on Sunday morning and 3 adults trusted Christ as their Saviour! Sunday afternoon, we left the last set of pews in Los Hornos, Sonora, on the way to preach in Guasave, Sonora where another man was saved!
It was a long, hard 14 day, 4,200 mile trip, but a big blessing to at least 7 churches!
We had 3 breakdowns on the trip, but all were where we could get replacement parts, so we weren’t stranded by the highway, and the Lord provided for the parts! Praise the Lord!
Furlough: I’m currently on a furlough to report to supporting churches out East and North to inform them in person, that I’m changing my base of operations for the “Hands to the Work” ministry from Mexico to Oklahoma. I also need to raise more ministry support!
My 11 year-old grandson, Caleb came along to help me and is seeing many educational sites and beautiful scenery, and is making new friends at every church! It has been great to spend some time with him, as I’ve never had much time with him or any of my grandchildren.
We’ve also had numerous opportunities to witness and pass out gospel tracts in barber shops, laundromats, filling stations, etc.! We find a person here and there that is very thankful we shared the gospel with them! Some still want to know the truth!
Community Baptist in Siler City, NC took the ministry on for support! Praise the Lord!
It’s been a blessing to update the churches as to my change of ministry, to renew old acquaintances and meet new people as far north as Aylmer, Ontario, Canada!
Praise: 25 years of 1st church; Safety, 7 Mexican states, materials to 7 churches, preached 6 times with 4 saved! Supporting churches still holding the ropes in spite of adversities!
Prayer: Safety on furlough; Opportunities to witness, souls to be saved; Churches challenged
Ron Winter
Your Co-laborer, Ministering to Churches in Mexico
May & June 2023
Dear Friends in Christ,
…He that hath two coats, let him impart to him that hath none; and he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Luke 3:11
Camargo: Since turning the Iglesia Bíblica Bautista over to a Mexican pastor, it appears they are doing well. They continue knocking doors and had VBS this week with a high day of 110! The parents of some of the kids visited on Sunday, the last day! So several children and adults heard the gospel for the first time! Lord willing they will continue attending!
The offerings are meeting their needs and attendances have remained steady. Amen!
My Transition has been a challenge. I believe it’s culture shock, as I really enjoyed living in Mexico! It’s been hard no longer starting and pastoring churches, though I know I’m not able to continue in that capacity. I’m very busy with the new ministry which helps! Most things in the U.S. cost double what they cost in Mexico, and the faster pace is also difficult. I’ve also been living with some of my kids while working on a travel trailer to live in until I can get my own place. So, though it is a blessing to not be so lonely and to enjoy my family, I miss my independence.
Hands to the Work: The Lord is blessing the ministry to strengthen Mexican churches with doors, windows, pianos, musical instruments, church furniture, etc.!
Two brothers in Christ brought pews, pulpits, pianos, doors and windows that I have stored in a warehouse that First Baptist of Del City, OK is loaning me. A church near Tulsa donated pews that several men from Eastland Baptist helped me disassemble to haul them.
My trailer is loaded with 4 sets of pews, windows, doors and a piano for a more than 4,000 mile trip to deliver to 5 different churches, travelling through 7 different Mexican states. My son Josh and his family are going with me.
En route, we are going to attend the 25th anniversary celebration of the first church we started; the Iglesia Bautista, Semilla Preciosa in Anáhuac, Chihuahua. Praise the Lord, that church is doing very well under the leadership of Pastor Eduardo Orozco!
Furlough: I’ve been able to show my change of ministry to some of the churches that support me in person. I reported to some in Kansas and a church in Missouri sent 70 double pew chairs for 2 churches to the Navajos in Arizona. From the end of August through October, I’ll be reporting to churches out east and up into Canada.
Praise: Church and new pastor in Camargo doing well; The Lord’s blessings on my new life and ministry; 25 years of the church in Anáhuac; My supporters!
Prayer: Souls to be saved; My new life; Hands to the Work ministry and souls to be saved because of it; 4,000 mile trip to Mexico; Furlough August – October
Ron Winter
Your Co-laborer, Ministering to Churches in Mexico
March & April 2023
Dear Friends in Christ,
And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the LORD God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. 2 Kings 2:14
Camargo: The Iglesia Bíblica Bautista is autonomous!
The last weekend of March we had the organization service for the Bible Baptist Church in Camargo, Chihuahua, to change it from mission status to official church status. My pastor, Edward Barclay, came down to pass the authority from the First Baptist Church of Milford Ohio to the Bible Baptist Church in Camargo, for it to be independent.
We dedicated the building to the memory of my wife Connie, who gave the last 4 years of her life to the church in Camargo. We had the ribbon cutting ceremony and presented a picture of Connie and a dedicatory plaque, which is displayed in the entry of the building.
We ordained Bro Jorge Orozco, who had been my assistant for 4 years, to the Gospel Ministry and presented him to the church as their next pastor. The church seems united in their commitment to follow their Mexican pastor’s leadership.
The weekend finished with Pastor Barclay preaching a charge to the church, to pastor Jorge and his wife, and to me in my new ministry. In his introduction he said; “God blessed the Bible Baptist Church today; in the last 24 hours, a Church was organized, a Building was dedicated, a national Pastor was installed and a missionary finished this work well. All glory to God!”
Transition: Not only was this a huge change for the church in Camargo, but also for me, after 36 years as a missionary to Mexico. For one, most things cost twice as much in Oklahoma.
I’m living with my kids until I can find my own place.
As I moved from Mexico in April, I stopped to visit a lady from the church in Camargo who is getting cancer treatments in Odessa, Texas. I was able to lead her 2 daughters and a son in law to the Lord!
I’m setting up my itinerary to report to the churches that I’ve not presented my change of location and ministry to. Email me if you want me to come to your church a certain time.
Hands to the work: I’m still a missionary to Mexico, working the “Hands to the Work” ministry that I’ve been doing part time for the past couple of years, to take doors, windows, pews, pianos and other musical instruments, tables, chairs, Bibles, etc. to churches in Mexico. I’m gathering materials from the U.S., to distribute them in Mexico. Let me know if you or your church have or know of good items that you would want to donate to churches in Mexico.
Praise: Organization, Building dedication, Ordination and Change of pastor of Iglesia Biblica Bautista; My move to Oklahoma, souls saved in Texas
Prayer: The church in Camargo to prosper; The Lord’s direction in my “new” life and ministry; Continued support and materials to make the help to Mexican churches possible
Ron Winter
Your Co-laborer, ministering to churches in Mexico
January & February 2023
Dear Friends in Christ,
There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty. The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself. Prov. 11:24-25
Camargo: Though much of our efforts now are on getting the Iglesia Bíblica Bautista ready to organize from a mission into an autonomous church, we continue with all of the outreach ministries. Besides three services a week, we continue knocking doors, to get the gospel to the city of Camargo, with a person calling on Christ to be their Saviour now and then! I led Mario to the Lord last Wednesday and he was in church on Sunday, and says he is going to continue! Amen! The Children’s Bible clubs also meet Saturday mornings; adolescents and teens meet in the afternoon. They just went to a Teen Conference in Casas Grandes, Chihuahua, and some came back with a conviction to get more involved in their local church!
We’re praying the Lord would raise up someone from here to take on the teen ministry.
Transition: On March 25 and 26 we plan to organize the church, ordain my assistant, Jorge Orozco and for the church to call him as pastor! Amen! Please pray for him and the church that they would fall in love with Jesus Christ that this church would not only exist, but abound to the glory of God!
We’ll also dedicate the building to the memory of my wife Connie, who was a vital part of planting this church when we started in 2012, until the Lord took her home 6 ½ years ago.
I plan to report to those supporting churches that I haven’t reported to since 2017. E mail me if you would like me to come some certain time, otherwise I will call you to set a date.
Manos a la Obra: When I turn the church over, I will still be a Missionary to Mexico, with the “Hands to the Work” ministry. I’ll be working from the US to continue taking building materials, pews, Bibles, literature, hymnals and such to Mexico, to be a help and encouragement to pastors and churches. I have taken pastors down on these trips, and the Mexican people are so thankful when they see the love and burden the Americans have to see souls saved and churches started and strengthened! I would like to see this aspect of the ministry expand, for Pastors and church members, Bible College students, prospective Missionaries, and Christians who want to be a blessing and be blessed, to take a short term mission trip with me to Mexico, to challenge them in their involvement with missions, the heartbeat of God!
Please pray the Lord would bring me someone to help driving, loading, locating materials etc.
Praise: Teens challenged; Bible Baptist Church of Camargo to be autonomous; My good health that I can continue with “Hands to the Work”
Prayer: Services for Church Organization; Pastor Jorge & Michel, that they and the church would be faithful; Youth director; Building dedication; Souls saved & Christ glorified!; Assistant with “Hands to the Work”.
Ron Winter
Your Co-laborer in Camargo, Chihuahua, Mexico