Hands to the Work – Ron Winter

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,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.” I Thes. 5:24

Anáhuac: The “Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa” continues to be faithful with its Faith Promise commitment that it made in January. Praise the Lord! It has taken some time for them to see that the church is their responsibility, but little by little they are growing in their faith and faithfulness.
We have had eight people make professions of faith, and four baptized.
Guillermina, the grandmother of one of our teens, broke her leg. We visited her in the hospital, but could not convince her to trust the Lord, as she cannot get past trusting in her “Virgin of Guadalupe”. Please pray for her as we continue visiting her that she would understand and be converted. She has a lot of family in Anáhuac, and could be the key to many coming to Christ. After praying with Guillermina, a lady in the hallway called us back to pray with her husband. He had obviously heard the gospel, but had never accepted the Lord as his Savior. He called on the Lord once and for all, and was saved!
Saul, the brother of a lady in our church had an accident working on a big truck, and should have died instantly, but the Lord had other plans. We had visited him several times, and were just now able to lead him to Christ. Praise the Lord! His family is very Catholic. Please pray for him and them.
Ricardo and Monia were expecting their first baby, and it died shortly after being born. We had tried to win Ricardo to the Lord, but his business and life were just too important. Since this tragedy, we were able to get them to come to church one time. Please pray for their comfort and salvation.

Teens: Our teens had really gotten discouraged with the daily attacks of Satan by teachers, other students, rock music, and even parents. Four churches got together for a picnic to which 58 attended, and the fellowship and preaching really gave them a shot in the arm.
We went to camp the week after Easter. The theme of the camp was “Transformed to Serve”. The Spirit of God came down. At least half and sometimes all of the 80 teens came forward at the invitations. The next Sunday, most of the 17 teens that went with us, came and gave testimonies. It was great! Please pray that they will stay strong, and serve as they committed to do.
Twelve teens just finished a 26 lesson discipleship course! Praise the Lord!
God called Adrián, 20, to full-time service, but Satan has really been fighting him. He had two car wrecks within three weeks of each other, one car was completely demolished. Please pray that he would put his confidence and future in the Lord’s hands.

Workers: Otoniel and his family will be graduating from a Bible institute, and will be coming to work with us for one year of service, as of the 21 of June. Please pray for them and for our church.

FM-3 Visas: Please pray that our work visas would come back soon.

Prayer: Salvation of Guillermina, Ricardo and Monia; Teens to stay encouraged; Adrián – Surrender; Saul – growth & family; Pastor for the church; Otoniel and family – year of service; FM-3 visas
Praise: People saved; Saul; Baptisms; Great camp

In His Service,

Dear Friends in Christ,

“Let a man so account of us, as of the ministers of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God. “ 1 Corinthians 4:1

Mission Conference: The “Iglesia Bautista Semilla Preciosa” had its annual Faith Promise Mission Conference the middle of January, and it was a huge success. The majority of our folks came out every night for the preaching, followed by a meal. Brother Bill Wall, a missionary who has a church about a half an hour away, preached the conference and was greatly used of the Lord to challenge our people to faithfulness. We weren’t meeting our Faith Promise commitment before, and now we have raised each of our 5 missionaries by $10 a month, as well as taken on a sixth missionary and the church is giving enough that we can still take on a couple of others. AMEN!! In fact, they are giving more to Faith Promise than for the tithe, which has also increased after the conference!

Kid’s Day: Some people in the U.S. had contacted us about sending down some special gifts for kids at Christmas time. The gifts didn’t arrive until the 2nd week of January, so we had a special service about God’s great gift to us, with special lessons, puppets and message for children. We had asked for fifty gifts, but they sent over a hundred nice gifts. We invited kids all over town and had 92 kids in the service, plus a few of their parents, so with our regulars, we had a new record attendance of 152!! Afterward, 13 adults and kids made a profession of faith. AMEN!!

Soul Winning: We have knocked every door in this town of 16,000 several times, and have had quite a few make a profession of faith at the door. Although we try to be sure they understand, and keep going back to visit them, we can’t get people to come to a service even one time. God has still blessed and sent others, but we are really searching for the key to getting this people to understand the truth. Their Jesus, that they still have on the cross, who shares his glory with saints and virgins, is not the Christ of the Bible, the creator of all things. Pray for the church to be more effective here in Anáhuac.

Valentine’s Day: Ten couples from our church went out to eat together for their “Day of Love and Friendship”. Besides the food, games, and special message, it was a great time of fun and fellowship.

Construction: We had no idea that the Lord would still have us here to build the main auditorium for our church, but we need the room, especially a nursery. A Christian friend loaned us a backhoe so we could dig out for the foundation. AMEN! The church has been saving money, and should have enough to get the walls up and the roof on, and then they will finish one part at a time as they have the money.

Prayer Requests: Faith Promise and Tithe to keep coming in; Wisdom for outreach – Soul winning; Construction – wisdom and money; Continued prayer – Otoniel & family coming to work with us in June; Pastor for the church

Praise: People saved; Good Faith Promise Conference; Unity in the church

In His Service,