Hands to the Work – Ron Winter

Dear Friends in Christ,

“God is faithful, by whom ye were called unto the fellowship of his Son Jesus Christ our Lord.”  1 Corinthians 1:9

Camargo: We have been enjoying unusual 70-80 degree temperatures for about a month. The pecan harvest finished in December and from then until spring planting, there isn’t much work.  Some Christmas gifts were donated to the Iglesia Bíblica Bautista and earlier this month, we had a special kid’s program with songs, illustrated lessons and the teens helped with puppets. Everyone enjoyed the special combined service and several heard the gospel for the first time! We had our highest attendance; with a total of 45 and 25 were children. The following week we had 39 and Connie had 18 kids in her class (10 yrs. and under). Amen!  Some of the church people have been inviting folks. As a result, José and Elizabet recently came. He has been out of work for 7 months and battles with depression. They tried to convince me they knew the Lord because they were religious and had been seeking God. I asked them when they had been saved but they didn’t know what that meant. It reminded me of 38 years ago, when I thought I was a Christian but hadn’t heard the term “saved”. I had been raised in a moral, dedicated “religious” home and knew about the Lord, but I didn’t know the Lord; I had never been saved. Please pray for José, Elizabet and their family to be saved.  Pray for the salvation of Jesús and Mónica, Alma (19), Chumel (15) and his pregnant “wife”, Erica. Though Catholic, they have been faithful to study at home but haven’t come to church services yet.  Eight year old José first came to church with a friend. He lives with his grandma Elena, who has terminal cancer. Vanesa, her daughter in law, has come and is bringing other family members to church. Pray for these families’ health and salvation. Juan, Leticia and daughter Diana accepted Christ! Amen! Sadly; they recently had to move away.  Please continue praying for Daniel and Andrea who are expecting their third child in April. They started studying because of her parent’s insistence but because of his work, haven’t been able to study or come to church for weeks. The Pemex ammonia factory where he works should be back up and operational by sometime in March so hopefully they will be able to resume studying soon.  We have been praying that the Lord would send or raise up out of our midst, the man He wants to pastor the church here. We are also praying for teachers and workers.

Blessings: The Lord provided a ’03 Sport Trac to replace a ’91 Explorer with almost 400,000 miles, which another missionary had given us 10 years ago. We were able to give the Explorer which still ran great, to the pastor of the church in Anáhuac. We were also able to get a small car for another pastor. Then our laptop crashed! We found another one through a Christian friend here in Mexico, who was going to give us a 200 dollar discount. When we picked it up, he told us that Jesus had already paid it! You just can’t out give God! Amen!!

Praise: People saved; Kid’s program; Vehicles and Computer the Lord provided

Prayer: Pastor/Workers; Salvation: José/Elizabet, Jesús/Mónica & fam., Elena, José, Vanesa & fam.,  Daniel/Andréa & fam.

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world.”  1 John 4:14

Thank you for your faithful prayer and financial support. A special thanks to those who sent Christmas offerings! We hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas and wish you a great New Year – perhaps our Lord will come for us this year!!

Camargo: Attendance of the Iglesia Bíblica Bautista has been fairly consistent. It is so hard to get people who work 7 days a week to understand they have to make time for God and that He will provide better than they can for themselves. We finished up 3 more Bible studies, and started 3 new ones, and still need to start with others. Juan and Leticia and their daughter Diana are very excited to study every week. Daniel and Andrea, two children and another on the way, are now studying with us. Her parents who live in Veracruz, Mexico, had given them a Bible and a month later came 36 hours by bus to see that they were getting into a church that really teaches the Bible. They seemed very encouraged to hear me preach and teach the same things they believe about salvation, etc. In the first study, Daniel said he could not just stop going with his mother to mass and asked if I had a problem with that. I told him that he had to form his own convictions based on the Bible. Pray they understand and get saved soon! Roberto and Berenice also started studying but are really struggling to continue. Pray the Lord would convict them of their need of salvation. Please continue praying for the Rojas family. Raquel and their 14 year old son Luis have recently been saved but Victor continues coming home every two weeks and gets drunk. Raquel has come to wits end but we are trying to encourage her to be a good testimony to him, though she has been putting up with his addictions for years. We have also been trying to reach Victor’s parents, Jesús and Maxi, and some of their other kids and families.  Eliseo Ruiz admitted he was confused because of all the different “religious instruction” he has had throughout his 65 years of life. Every time I try to lead him to Christ, he either gets angry that I would doubt his salvation or he tells me another story of how God has worked miracles in his life. He has actually been the most faithful to church services. He told me he could finally see that salvation was really quite simple. Keep praying for him!

Family: We would have loved for all of our family to come to Mexico for Christmas but for several reasons, it just wasn’t possible. So, all 4 of our kids, their spouses, and all 9 of our grandbabies decided to come to El Paso and we went there to celebrate Christmas with them! Connie’s folks and brother came as well. What a blessing and great memories!! A huge Thank You to Bearing Precious Seed in El Paso for allowing us to use their building for our special family Christmas!!

Praise: Blessings of 2013; 3 new & 3 completed Bible studies; Souls saved; Family Christmas

Prayer: Salvation of Juan/Leticia, Daniel/Andrea, Roberto/Berenice, Victor, Eliseo; Faithful Attendance

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Search the scriptures; for in them ye think ye have eternal life: and they are they which testify of me.”  John 5:39

Camargo: We are seeing fruit from the Bible studies, with 10 adults and teens saved in the last month.   Others that we have studied with have given us a good testimony of their salvation but have been away from the Lord too long. Besides those who were saved, some have reaffirmed their faith in Christ and others are learning of the security of the believer. Amen!  We joined the different Bible studies together, and have had attendances in the 30’s in the services of “Iglesia Biblica Bautista”!! Many others have promised they would come, but so far the people in the services are those who have studied with us. Six families continue with Bible studies and more are pending.

We asked prayer for the Ruiz family; father and 10 grown children, 8 of which live here in Camargo.  Eliseo had a car accident and because he didn’t have insurance, they put him in jail until he could pay the damages. All 10 of his kids came to his rescue and paid to get him out. For the first service, 4 of the kids and families came and by our second service, after the accident, Eliseo and 6 of his kids and their families have come. God works in mysterious ways! (The other 2 sons here go to another church.) Continue praying for the salvation of all the Ruiz family.

A few months ago, after witnessing to a young couple, Pablo and Joana, it seemed they were so Catholic they would never accept God’s Word as the final authority. Every question they asked was given a biblical answer from their own bible. The Lord brought Pablo across my path again this week, and the first thing he asked was, “Where is your church? I’ve been thinking about what you said”.  Pray we can reach them.

Daniel, a neighbor who had never acted interested in the Bible, came over to use our microwave as theirs just broke. He asked what kind of church ours was and I told him we only teach the Bible. His mother-in-law had just visited, gave them a Bible and told them to find a church that teaches the Bible! Although they haven’t been able to come yet, they assure me they will soon.

We had asked prayer for the Rojas family and some of them are coming, as well as Juan & Leticia.  Please pray with us that in His timing, the Lord would provide the workers and Mexican pastor and family that this church needs.

Health: Praise the Lord, Connie had good results from her blood test in October!

Praise: People saved; Iglesia Biblica Bautista started; Ruiz family; Connie’s health

Prayer: Church services; Bible studies; Salvation of Ruiz family, Pablo & Joana, Daniel & family;   Rojas family and others; Workers and pastor

In His Service,

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,