Author: ronwintermissions

Dear Friends in Christ, July & August 2013

“Ye have not chosen me, but I have chosen you, and ordained you, that ye should go and bring forth fruit, and that your fruit should remain: that whatsoever ye shall ask of the Father in my name, he may give it you.” John 15:16

Camargo: The “summer slump” hit us hard, with the jalapeño, oregano, and soon pecan and onion harvests, people changing jobs, illnesses etc. It seems like some weeks we take 1 step forward and 2 back. Of course, we know Satan doesn’t want people to be saved and living for the Lord.

We’re keeping up with seven Bible Studies (with more than one family in some) and these people are asking a lot more questions as they understand that many of their past beliefs are invalid, and that the Bible is the only authority. We plan to join them together as soon as the Lord allows.

Eliseo Ruiz and several of his grown kids and families have been studying with us. Pray that those who are not saved will be, and that they all learn to forgive one another (though that is not the culture here). Raul and his “wife” and two kids are back together. So many couples here are just living together. When they introduce their “wife”, some then say they are not really married. So at least, there is some sense of right and wrong.

Jesús Rojas and Maxi and some of their kids and families really seem to want to study the Bible but due to illnesses, 2 new babies, and changing work schedules, they still haven’t been able to. We had been teaching one son, Victor and his family. He doesn’t touch a drop of alcohol for 2 weeks away at work but as soon as he gets home he gets completely smashed, so he hasn’t been studying lately.  Please pray for the Rojas families to come to the Lord.

It doesn’t appear that Rosa will allow Manuel to study, as their traditions are so “sacred”. Religion is probably one of Satan’s greatest tools.  The Holy Spirit continually amazes us by bringing people to Bible studies and speaking to them through His Word. Adrián, a young man who had studied with the Jehovah’s Witnesses wanted to derail one study by denying the deity of Christ with 3 verses taken out of context. After seeing at least 20 verses that directly or indirectly verified that basic Bible doctrine, he wanted to listen. Pray that we can continue to study with him and another new family, Juan and Leticia.

Visas: Our work permits were renewed in a record 6 weeks from start to finish. We won’t have to renew them now for 3 years and then they are to become permanent. Praise the Lord!

Praise: Working of the Holy Spirit; Word of God; Work permits in hand; Privilege to serve God

Prayer: Power of the Holy Spirit; Safety; Rojas families; Ruiz families; Starting the church;

Couples to get married and do right; Adrián, Juan & Leticia to continue studying

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Praise ye the LORD. O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.” Psalms 106:1

Camargo: The Bible studies continue to go well. As in any teaching situation, some of the students have more of a desire to learn than others. We are looking forward to joining the different Bible study families together to form a church and are praying for wisdom and the timing of that. In our last letter we asked prayer for Amalio who was waiting for a kidney but he recently passed away. We do not know for sure if he was saved. We continue studying with his family, Zeferino and Rosa. Anzelmo and Lina have also been studying for a few weeks now. Joel had another doctor visit for the cancer on his cheek, but they just told him to wait. He is seeking a second opinion. When Victor comes home from the mine, he gets drunk, so we are just trying to reach his wife, Raquel and family and work with him whenever we can. He seems to know he needs help. Manuel and Rosa have not been able to study as his health has been bad, but he assures me that in a week he will be ready. Jesús and Maxi are to begin studying this week, along with some of their grown  children and their families. Raul and his family have been very faithful studying with us, but now they are having some marital problems. Satan is alive and well. Please pray for each of these families that the Holy Spirit would do what only He can do; first, to convict of sin and draw people to the Lord, and also renew their bodies and minds according to His will.

Health: Connie just had her quarterly blood tests and everything still looks good. Amen!

Visas: Actually no longer called “visas”, our “Temporary Residence” permits are in renewal and for the first time ever, will supposedly last for 3 years, but at a cost of about  $1,650 dollars. Please pray that we can get them quickly.

Family: Joshua and Kristin had their second boy, Elijah David, on May 20. Although we don’t like being apart, we were glad that Connie could be in the states for a short time to help each of the kids. All 9 of our grandbabies are doing well now, praise the Lord!

Praise: Good Bible Studies; Health; Grandbabies

Prayer: People to understand and be saved; Wisdom; Bible Studies; Joel & Manuel – health; Visas

In His Service,

“This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief. Howbeit for this cause I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might shew forth all longsuffering, for a pattern to them which should hereafter believe on him to life everlasting.” I Timothy 1:15-16

Camargo: Camargo is an agricultural community. The vast majority of the people earn a living, (if you would call it that – taking home around $10 dollars a day) planting, weeding, and picking, in fields of all types of vegetables. They are still in a severe drought here and the water in the irrigation reservoir is so low they are not able to plant all they used to, which makes jobs scarce. With the economy as it is, they work whenever they can. Although we are having good Bible studies each week, it becomes challenging to work around schedules.
Please pray for Amalio, who is on a waiting list for a kidney. He has lost his ability to speak; having reacted to some medication they gave him.
Continue to pray for Joel, as he will have more surgery in June, to remove the cancer in his cheek.
We just started a new study with Victor and Raquel. He works in a mine in the mountains, so is gone a month and back here one week. It is difficult for them to maintain a schedule to study, with the needs of the family and friends who draw them away from God. They just need the Lord.
We are starting a new study with an elderly neighbor couple, Manuel and Rosa. He reads his Bible and really wants to study, but she really thinks her church is enough. Please pray for his health and that they get saved.
Mirta, from whom we rent the store-front, is already saved, and attends very faithfully. Her mother says she wants to study the Bible; pray for her.
There is so much to be done here!

Family: Proverbs 17:6 says, “Children’s children are the crown of old men…”
Kade Lee and Khloe Lyric, a double blessing, were born April 9, the first for our oldest son Seth and Ashley.
Our son, Andrew and Shana had their 4 weeks premature, and is in the NICU for now. We pray she will be able to come home soon.
Our son, Joshua and Kristin are having another boy the end of May.
That will give us 9 grandbabies! Praise the Lord for His blessings; lots for “Grandad and Mema” to pray for!

Praise: Good Bible Studies; Mirta; New grandbabies

Prayer: Souls saved; Amalio; Joel; Victor & Raquel; Manuel & Rosa; Mirta’s mom; Josie Lynn

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“This know also, that in the last days perilous times shall come. …evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived. But continue thou in the things which thou hast learned and hast been assured of, knowing of whom thou hast learned them;” II Timothy 3:1,13,14

Thank the Lord for the Word of God and His gospel and your prayers for us here in Camargo! Four Bible studies are still going every week and we are averaging a good number of folks in each. One was getting too large to meet in the home, so we rented a store-front building to meet in. Amen! The people are allowing us into their lives with the birth of babies, health needs, family problems and financial needs as we pray with and counsel them, showing them the love of Christ. Pray for Joel who has a cancer on his cheek that will be removed March 13. Also, pray for Janet and Manuel and their family as he works away and is home one week a month. Please pray for Jose’s family that just can’t or won’t find the time to study any more and also pray that God will lead us to more people to share the gospel with.

We had asked prayer for Zeferino to have time to study. We are now studying with him, his mother, his brother and a niece and nephew. Please pray for his family as he and his wife are separated.

Satan of course is fighting as well. The first time we met in the store-front; instead of having 20 people for the big Bible study, we had about half of the normal attendance. Lord willing the others will come back and continue. They all seem excited to study!   We went for a regular scheduled Bible study with a young couple, Mauricio and Rayna, and someone in the family had allowed Pentecostals into the house with their big speakers and commotion. Everybody was wailing, and moaning and just a big mess of emotions (we thought someone had died). They were putting hands on people and when they fell back they caught them. Excusing ourselves, Mauricio told us how sorry he was and that he just didn’t “feel anything” with them and we were able to tell him that it is not about a feeling, rather a relationship with Jesus Christ!

Many people who will allow us to teach them the Bible will also let just about any religion in to talk to them as well, because they have no peace with their religion and having tried them all, (except the truth), are simply confused! After studying with some of these people for several weeks, they still struggle with the exclusive superiority of the God of the Bible, making comments like, “The gods of all the religions are one and the same God.” Please pray for wisdom that we will know how to deal with these situations, and especially for the convicting presence of the Holy Spirit, that He would turn these people’s confidence to the Bible and Jesus Christ alone to be saved!

Prayer: Holy Spirit to convict and give understanding of the Bible; Souls to be saved; More who would allow us to present the gospel; Joel; Janet’s family; Jose’s family; Zeferino’s family; Mauricio & Rayna

Praise: Rental of store-front; Bible study with Zeferino; Opportunity to share the gospel

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:10,11

We hope that you enjoyed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Years with family and friends. We trust that you will have a Happy New Year, filled with God’s blessings. Our prayer is that the Lord would find us faithfully serving Him when He comes! Thank you to all who sent Christmas greetings and to those who sent special Christmas offerings!!

Camargo: God has opened doors and we are having weekly Bible studies in 5 different homes, Amen! I teach the adults and teens and Connie teaches the children. We are averaging between 25-30 people in total. It is encouraging when they allow us to show them who God really is, and His desire for all mankind to be saved. It has been a blessing to see the one-on-one interaction. Mayra, a young mother was so proud of her first Bible, she wrote her name on the front cover, the date and from whom she had received it. Janet
said she had never had a Bible, and that her family wanted to know what it is to be a Christian. At first it is quite difficult for people to make time for God and His Word in their busy schedules as most work 6 days a week, some all 7, barely making enough to live. Please pray for Zeferino, who works at a gas station and wants his family to study but is struggling to set a time. We continue visiting and knocking doors, looking for people who would allow us to introduce them to the Saviour. Our goal is to see people saved and a strong church that reaches their own.

Health: Connie had blood tests done in December and they all came back in the normal ranges. It has been 2 years since her last chemo treatment, and though they say she still has leukemia, she feels well. Praise the Lord!

Holidays: We celebrated Thanksgiving and Christmas alone with turkey and all the trimmings, just smaller quantities. How wonderful to receive phone calls and skype (live video) from all of our family. We really feel spoiled with the technology that makes it possible to “be with family”, even when we are a country away! Connie shared some home-made treats with neighbors and the Bible study families; everyone seemed to enjoy them!

Prayer: More Bible studies; People to be saved; Wisdom starting the church; Zeferino – schedule; Continued good health

Praise: God giving His Son to redeem us; People whose lives God is allowing us to influence; Connie’s good test results; Holiday blessings

In His Service,