Hands to the Work – Ron Winter

Dear Friends in Christ,

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

Holidays: We would like to take this opportunity to wish every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!! A special thank you to those who gave special Christmas offerings!
We were blessed to be with some dear friends for Thanksgiving!
To be with friends and family on holidays and special occasions, are the things that a missionary cherishes most, as that is often not possible.
We are planning to be in Missouri with Connie’s family and Lord willing with all of our kids for Christmas. We are looking forward to making memories.

Furlough: The Lord has been so good to us in our travels. He has provided for our expenses, and has provided special places to “hang our hat” between meetings. He’s kept us safe from harm, blessed us with good health and has proven himself faithful in every situation.
We weren’t able to schedule meetings for some services, but we still had opportunity to present the work in México, and preach on those days.
We have been able to renew old acquaintances, some of which we hadn’t seen for many years, as well as meeting new people that God used to minister to us.
We are especially thankful for the opportunities we’ve had to testify for the Lord as we have traveled. We pray that the tracts and gospel witness will bring forth fruit.
Furlough phone – U.S. cell 915-497-0084

México: The Precious Seed Baptist Church in Anáhuac seems to be doing well since we turned it over to a Mexican pastor. They have invited us to come and preach their mission conference in January. We are sure looking forward to seeing the church, and being able to challenge them to greater involvement in home and world missions.
Please pray with us that our house in México will sell. Also pray for our housing and move to the west side of México.

Prayer Requests: Continued protection and provision; To be an encouragement to churches; Mission Conference in Anáhuac; House to sell; Housing and move

Praise: Great Thanksgiving; Provision and protection; People God used to minister to us; Opportunities to share the gospel; Good report from the church in Anáhuac

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“…The harvest truly is great, but the labourers are few: pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth labourers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2

Furlough: Our furlough is under way, and we have seen repeated blessings of the Lord in our travels with safety and provision. We have also seen God’s presence in the meetings we have been in. It has been a blessing to report to churches that support us, as well as to be in some new churches.

We had the opportunity to preach and present our ministry in Spanish in a couple of churches that have ministries to Hispanics. What a blessing!

In another church I preached to the Jr. Church, and at the invitation, I asked for the children to raise their hand if they wanted to be saved. A dad, who had come in with his little girl, raised his hand. One of the workers asked if his daughter wanted to be saved, to which he responded, “No, I need to be saved!” Praise the Lord!

We left a gospel tract for our waitress in a restaurant, who upon finding it, ran out of the restaurant, into the store in front, to thank us for being concerned for her.

I was witnessing to a man from India, in a motel, and he was so concerned for America because they have so much, but appreciate it so little. He did not get saved but he listened.

Mission Conference: It was a blessing to attend the Mission Conference at our sending church. The emphasis was on Asia, and the tremendous need for new missionaries to surrender and go to countries that have very little gospel witness. Please pray for laborers!

Direction: We have been praying about the exact location where we should go to begin another work. We believe that God is leading us to the state of Sinaloa, Mexico.  Please pray for the Lord’s direction in our lives and ministry.

Prayer: Furlough and traveling safety; Lord’s direction in our lives

Praise: Souls saved; God’s provision

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.”
Joshua 1:9

FM-2 Visas: After a year and a half since we started the renewal of our Mexican work visas, we finally have them in hand!! Thank you for your prayers concerning this matter.   We had come up to the United States for our son Joshua’s wedding, and to begin our furlough when we received word (a couple of weeks later) from Mexico City that they had finally been approved. After returning to Mexico, we turned the documents in to the Immigration office in Chihuahua City, and they got the visas prepared for us in just 3 days! Praise the Lord!

Anáhuac: When we went back to Mexico for our visas, we attended a service at the Precious Seed Baptist Church. Bro. Gonzalo seems to be doing well and the church is stable.
They took several teens to camp and many of them made life-changing decisions. The church had just completed Vacation Bible School, with a high of 136 and around 20 kids have continued coming to services, at least Sunday mornings. Amen!
It was a blessing to see things doing well!

Furlough: We’re getting a new video presentation made and are setting up meetings with our supporting churches. We also need to raise some additional support, to cover the additional expenses of moving and starting a new work. Please pray for us to know the Lord’s direction in relocating to another area of Mexico.

Family: Joshua and Kristin had a beautiful wedding on June 27! We have been able to spend a day here and there with each of our kids (and grandbabies) since we have been in the states. What a blessing!

Prayer: Our furlough, that we’d be a blessing to the churches, to win souls, to raise the additional funds needed to relocate, also for safety as we travel; The Lord’s direction as to where we should move and begin another church; The church in Anáhuac to grow and go forward; For us all to be found faithful until the Lord comes for us!

Praise: FM-2 Visas!!! Bro. Gonzalo & the church; God’s protection and provision in our travels

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Wait on the LORD: be of good courage, and he shall strengthen thine heart: wait, I say, on the LORD.” Psalm 27:14

Anáhuac: On April fifth, The Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa celebrated a long awaited day!
It was my last day as missionary/pastor, Bro. Gonzalo Garcia celebrated his first day as pastor, and the church ordained him into the gospel ministry. We dedicated the new auditorium to the Lord, had a special dinner followed by testimonies – which was a very emotional time for everyone and we finished the day by celebrating the Lord’s Supper and then turned the responsibilities of the church over to the new pastor.
We had been working on the construction of the new auditorium for nearly two years, as we were trying to build with only volunteers from the church. When we saw the possibility of the church calling a Mexican pastor, it was close enough to be able to get the new auditorium useable. Some men came out after work and on Saturdays to help get the building ready. The last Saturday before the big day, we had 24 people come out to help finish up last minute things and clean for Sunday. They still have several details to finish on the building, but the new pastor has plans and a desire to see it completed! The first building will be used for Sunday school classrooms for teens and children, and will serve as the kitchen and fellowship hall.
The new auditorium is really nice – to the honor and glory of God! They also now have a nursery, men’s and ladies bathrooms, an office for the pastor, and changing rooms for baptisms. There were over a hundred in attendance for the special day, with several visitors, and 2 saved. Praise the Lord – that is what it is all about!!

FM-2 Visas: After almost a year and a half, we still do not have our work visas! Please pray!!

Furlough: We have needed to leave for a furlough, but thought it best to wait on the Mexican government to get our FM-2 work visas approved, (the reason why this letter is a month overdue).
May first, Mexico’s Labor Day, through May fifth, another Mexican holiday, government offices were closed. Of course the swine flu scare came at the same time, and although there were no confirmed cases in Chihuahua, the government pushed for the shut-down of restaurants, businesses, as well as churches during that time. Now things seem to be back to normal and although we don’t have our visas, we are making furlough plans anyway. If you would like for us to be in your mission conference, or to preach some other time in your church, please let us know.

Family: Joshua, our third, will be getting married June 27th in OKC, so we are planning to be there. Of course we will have to come back to finish with our FM-2 visas when they are approved!

Prayer: The continued growth of the church in Anáhuac; Wisdom for Bro. Gonzalo and for the church to follow his leadership; Our furlough and next place of service; Our FM-2 Visas; Joshua’s wedding

Praise: Great day turning the church over to their new pastor, building dedication, etc…; God’s faithfulness in spite of the circumstances

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation;” 2 Corinthians 5:18

Mission conference: The middle of January, the “Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa” had its annual Faith Promise Mission Conference, and it was a big success. Bro. Arnulfo Nieto, a Mexican missionary, preached exactly what our church needed. The promise was about what it was last year, but with the crisis, it is an increase. We had several lost visitors every night, and although none were saved, they heard the gospel. Amen!

February 13th: We had a special time for our couples, with a special dinner at a local restaurant. We invited another church to join us, and their pastor, Bro. Enrique Giesbrecht preached to us.

February 14th: Our teens invited the teens from all of the churches in the area to celebrate the love of Christ, and had 75 teens in attendance, and 3 saved. Amen!

Construction: A member of a church in Chihuahua donated his time and came over and laid the ceramic tile in the new auditorium. It really looks nice! We are now getting the inner dividing walls in for the bathrooms, nursery, office, etc. We would like to have the building useable before turning the church over to the new pastor.

Pastor: The church called the new pastor, the middle of February. We had prayed from the time we started the church, that God would give us the man who should pastor the church. We didn’t realize God’s will in the matter until we made our plans to take a survey trip to know where the Lord would have us go next. We heard about Bro. Gonzalo Garcia, who had taught in a Bible institute and worked in churches and an orphanage. He had never pastored, because he didn’t feel qualified until he was married. Two and a half years ago he got married, and the Lord led us to him through a mutual friend.
When we secure housing for their family and get them moved we will be turning the church over to them. Please pray for a smooth transition, and for the church to win souls, grow, and go forward for the Lord.

Visitors: We have visitors in the services most every week. Please pray for their salvation, and for those who get saved to follow in believer’s baptism.

Our Plans: Since our survey trip, we have been praying about several cities here in Mexico to know where to go and start another church. We will need to go on a furlough to raise more support, as we have lost some supporting churches due to the crisis, as well as everything is more expensive.
If you would like for us to be in your mission conference or to preach in your church, we will be available starting in July.

FM-2 Visas: Our Mexican work visas have been in the renewal process for some time, but we are seeing progress. Please pray that we will get them soon.

Prayer: People to be saved; Construction; New pastor & church to go forward; Our furlough, additional funds; Next place of service; FM-2 visas

Praise: People saved; Successful Mission Conference; New pastor; God’s faithfulness

In His Service,