Author: ronwintermissions

Dear Friends in Christ,

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” 1 Peter 3:15

Anáhuac: The Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa had its Faith Promise Mission Conference in January.
The church has been supporting five missionaries and two Bible Institutes here in Mexico at $50 per month. With the new promise, we should be able to do a little more than last year. For most, it is a real step of faith to trust the Lord for what they don’t readily have.
Our annual sweetheart banquet was well attended and Bro. Otoniel brought a timely message, challenging couples to love one another in the love of Christ.
We took 22 from our church to a fellowship at a church in Chihuahua City, about an hour and a half from here. It was a great example for our folks to see that church open their doors and hearts to receive us. The theme was “Crisis in the Family” and every message was a blessing.
Through the visitation and ministries of the church we’ve seen eight people come to know the Lord, as well as others that our people have won on their own.

Construction: We are getting the roof on the new auditorium. We had a great turnout of men and teen boys for the last work day.
There is a contractor in the church in Chihuahua City that wants to bring several of their men and teens to help us put the concrete floor in. We hope to have the first half done this week. Amen!!

Assistant Pastor: Otoniel and his family came last June to fulfill their year of service for completion of their studies at the Bible Institute. He also came with the possibility of taking the church in Anáhuac as pastor. After observing them, it is obvious that he has a pastor’s heart and loves the people here.
Please pray for wisdom as we seek the right timing in this transition and move forward in our ministry.

Couples Conference: We were invited to preach a couples conference at a church in Cuauhtémoc. It was very well attended, we had complete liberty to preach, and most of the couples came forward in the invitations. The people brought visitors and the last night, one visiting couple was saved. Amen!!

Mexican Citizenship: We have been denied citizenship at least for now but we may be able to reapply later. We have applied for our new FM-2 work visas. Please pray that they come soon.

Praise: People saved; Privilege of serving the Lord

Prayer: Missions offerings; Construction; The power of God on our lives; National Pastor; FM-2 Visas

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ;” Titus 2:13

We hope all you had a Merry Christmas and that you will have a blessed New Year!!
Most of our supporters have been faithful every month, although some churches are having financial difficulties. Some have been a special blessing in sending us special Christmas offerings besides the regular support. Thank you and God bless all of you for standing with us and for being a blessing!!

Anáhuac: The Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa is seeing the blessings of the Lord in spite of the devil’s attempt to discourage us. We haven’t seen the souls saved that we would like, but the Lord has sent visitors to most every service.
Please pray for Rosa and Joanna her daughter, whom we led to the Lord. They have family problems and have yet to come to church. Rosa’s uncle was the first person we won to the Lord in Anáhuac. He was faithful to come to church until his death. This is the first fruit we’ve seen as a result of his death eight years ago.
We had our Christmas program with all of the children’s and teen classes participating. It was a real blessing to hear the children reciting the lines they had memorized. The teens performed a short cantata that was a blessing as they told the Christmas story through song. The ladies prepared a wonderful meal and the fellowship was great! We had 124 in attendance, with one saved! This is always a special day for our church!!

Construction: The new auditorium is going up slowly. Building materials suppliers here say that steel prices will go up a lot after the first of the year, but the Lord has provided and we have purchased all of the steel for the roof! Our people have been giving special offerings, and the other day a friend who lives near Anáhuac but doesn’t attend our church, came by with $550 dollars especially for the roof. Praise the Lord! Although we haven’t solicited funds, the Lord is supplying. Another friend showed us how to make the three roof beams, and we should have the roof on soon. Amen!!

Youth Conference: We took ten of our teens to a youth conference the end of December. Most of them went forward at the invitations, and came back encouraged. Pray that they will continue to be strong in the commitments they made to the Lord.

Family: We are getting some feed-back from our Mexican citizenship application, but haven’t been approved as yet. Please pray that we will still be approved if it is the Lord’s will.
Connie’s brother and his wife came to see us for a week in December. It was their first time to visit Mexico and we had a great visit. Our youngest, Bethany was able to come home for almost a month for Christmas break from Bible College. It is sure a blessing to be with family at the holidays!

Praise: Lord’s provision; Christmas program; Construction; Youth conference; Family

Prayer: Souls saved; Rosa & Joanna; Mexican citizenship

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Construction: Six years ago, the Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa bought its own property to build a church building which would give it more permanence. Four years ago, the church moved into the first phase of their building, which would in the future be used for the Sunday school and fellowship hall. Since then, the church has been saving for the auditorium on which we have now begun construction. It will allow the church to grow and have more ministries. All of our men work during the day, 6 days a week, so time is limited when they can help. Our folks are now giving special offerings for the roof. Inflation is really taking its toll, but we know that the work is the Lord’s and that He will provide! Amen!
Our sending church helped fund the transport of some windows, doors, church pews, and etc… that were donated from the United States. Bro. Warren with “Wagons with Provisions” transported them to Presidio, Texas. Then because of some Mexican politics, the Mexican trucking company that wanted to bring the materials to us was unable to. Some men from our church went up to the border and we brought them in ourselves. The Lord used several people to be a blessing! Amen!

Challenges: We have been in a lengthy process, almost a year now, of getting the church property legally in the name of the church. It will cost around $3,700 dollars!
We had rented a house next door to the church for Otoniel, the assistant pastor, but the owner got deported from the United States and took his house back. We were using a room of the house for an extra children’s Sunday school class, which now meets in the church van. Although there are very few houses available, the Lord provided another house. Amen! It isn’t as handy for the church or for Otoniel and his family, but the Lord has His plan.

Ministries: Connie is trying to encourage and challenge our ladies with special meetings.
The youth group has been struggling since three of our faithful girls left for Bible College. We have had some special activities to try and encourage them. Please pray for them!

Family: Our son Andrew, and his wife Shana, gave us our second granddaughter, Julia Nicole! PTL!!

Praise: God’s faithfulness and provision; Trials that help the church to mature; Extra ministries

Prayer: Construction; Finances; Adults and Teens encouraged; Gospel outreach.
To hear about our Mexican citizenship application

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Let them praise the name of the LORD: for his name alone is excellent; his glory is above the earth and heaven.” Psalms 148:13

Anniversary: Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa (Precious Seed Baptist Church) just celebrated 9 years since we held the first services in Anáhuac. We baptized four people and had a great time of testimonies with dinner after the services. AMEN!!

Assistant: Otoniel and Gabriela and their children have settled right in. They are hard workers and have already been a blessing to our church!! Please pray for the Lord’s direction in their year of service and whether he should be the pastor.

VBS: “Fishers of Men” was the theme for vacation Bible school. We had more than a hundred children come each day, with 129 in attendance on Sunday. There were 17 children saved after hearing every day that they were sinners, and that Christ had come to seek and save them. AMEN!!

Teens: We took 12 teens to youth camp in July. The theme was “Good Soldier of Jesus Christ”.  The teaching and preaching dealt with the spiritual armor of Ephesians 6, being separated from the world, and set apart unto Christ. Several of our teens confessed sin in their lives, and surrendered to serve the Lord. Gabi had felt that she needed to go to Bible institute next year, but upon returning from camp, she made the decision to leave everything and go this year.
Pati and Gabi will begin Bible institute September third, in Torreón, Cuauhila, about six hours from home.
Going home from camp, Julián, a Mexican pastor had an accident, several teens were injured, and three were serious. They are doing better every day. Praise the Lord! This is obviously emotionally very trying for Bro. Julián, but he is also financially responsible for the hospital bills. Please pray for him, the church, and for the girls to recuperate.

Family: Connie is making necessary adjustments to her daily routine to continue recuperation of her back. Please keep praying for her.
Seth, our oldest, married Ashley Wilson on August 11 in Maysville, OK. It was a beautiful wedding!! They will be living in OKC.
Bethany, our youngest, is beginning her first year of studies at Heartland Baptist Bible College in OKC. Not only are we empty-nesters, but she will be greatly missed in our ministry.

Praise: 9th anniversary; People saved; Decisions made at camp; Seth & Ashley

Prayer: Otoniel & family – service; Bethany, Pati & Gabi in Bible College; Connie’s back;
Bro. Julián & recuperation of 3 girls.

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“…With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

Anáhuac: The summer-time crunch is upon us. Several families are leaving for vacations.
There were ten young people from our church who graduated this year, some from primary, some from secondary, and some from high school. We had a special service for them, challenging them to take the next step in their walk with the Lord. God has called 4 of our teens to full-time service, one young lady (besides our Bethany) is going to Bible institute this fall, another next fall, and the others need to trust the Lord and step out by faith. Please pray for all of them.
Lord willing, we will be taking several teens to camp the last week of July. Please pray for the Lord to work in their hearts.

Assistant: Otoniel, his wife Gabriela, their kids David 11 and Keyla 10, have just moved here after graduating from a Bible institute here in Mexico. They will complete one year of service with our church. We looked for a house to rent, and there just wasn’t much available. We prayed that God would provide a good, economical house close to the church building. One week before they arrived, we were able to rent one right next door to the church for about $50 a month (a good price even for here). Our people provided most of the furniture and pitched in to fix it up and clean it as well. AMEN! We are praying for wisdom to give them the experience that they will need.

Construction: The auditorium is going up slowly, as we are depending on the men of the church doing most of the work. (Of course, they all have full-time jobs.) We just believe that they need to take responsibility for their own church.

Salvation: In our last letter, I asked that you pray for Guillermina, grandma to one of our teens. She had broken her leg, they put a plate in, and she broke it again, and had ten new fractures. Before she went in for surgery this time, I gave her the plan of salvation again, and asked her if she would like to be saved. She said she would, but that she had always been catholic. I told her that God would save her if she would just ask Him, and she did. AMEN!! Pray for her leg to heal, and for her spiritual growth.

Family: Please pray for Connie, as she has a herniated disc in her lower back. She is undergoing therapy that should afford her comfort, without surgery. We are praying that God will heal her.
I just celebrated my 50th birthday in June! The church had a surprise birthday party for me that was a tremendous blessing to see their thoughtfulness and love!

Prayer: Graduates; Those going to Bible institute, others that should; Camp – decisions;
Otoniel; Pastor for the church; Guillermina – leg – spiritual growth;
Connie – healing of her back
Praise: People saved; For God’s provision; Church working together; Received FM-3
visas; Birthday – 50 years

In His Service,