Malawi
Jim Franklin
~Marlene (wife)
PO Box 753, Blantyre, Malawi, Africa
001-265-632-068
chchristbtml@malawi.net
Thu, 7 May 1998 03:43:36 -0500
Marlene is planning on coming back to the US around the 8th of June for the rest of the summer (to visit their children and her aged parents)   ~ Mary Cutter
January & February 1998 Report  ~  by Jim Franklin
The weather in Malawi seems to be inconsistent. Rains have continued in a good portion of the country. However, there are areas where rain did not continue long enough and crops wilted. And, there are some areas where torrential rains have caused serious flooding. Many people in the Phalombe district at the foot of Mount Mulanje and Nkhata Bay along the lakeshore have lost both their homes and their crops to flash floods. A few deaths have been reported. 
A major problem in Malawi this year has been hunger. This is due to the failure of last years crops. Crop failure is not limited to insufficient rain. Unless hybrid corn seed is planted and the crops fertilized twice, the harvest will be a dismal failure. So many poor people are not able to buy either hybrid seed or fertilizer. Though they work very hard, they will reap only a few puny "nubbins" here and there.
The greater portion of my time here in Malawi for the last two months has been spent trying to distribute relief to scores of hungry brethren. We thank God for the concerned, considerate, caring, benevolent brethren in the States who have contributed to this relief.
I continue to visit congregations every week to encourage them in the Faith. For example, on the 15th of February, I preached at the Mandimwi congregation in Thyolo district where there were around 400 in attendance. I preached on the subject of The Lord's Supper with special emphasis being made concerning the spiritual condition of the communicants. There were 37 confessions.
The work m Mozambique is spreading. As I mentioned in the last report, two men were sent from Malawi to check out the possibility of establishing a congregation in Chimoio, Mozambique. Chimoio is near border of Zimbabwe just east of Mutare. Good news! Bro. Nkhwazi, the preacher we sent, baptized 27 people. Thus, a new congregation was established.  These new brethren in Chimoio insisted that Bro. Nkhwazi visit Beira to preach to others with whom they were associated. He visited Beira and baptized 20. So, another new congregation was established. Beira is a major seaport city located on the coast of the Indian Ocean. I plan to send Bro. Nkhwazi to visit the work again within a week or so in order that he might encourage these brethren.
However, this is not the end of the good news concerning Chimoio and Beira. I have just received a letter from Bro. Mlambo in Zimbabwe informing me that he has just been made aware of a small group of brethren in both Chimoio and Beira which began meeting in October of 1994. It seems that there are now different groups in both Chimoio and Beira of the same faith who are not aware of each others' existence. We will now start making plans to bring these brethren together and for me to visit them as quickly as I can possibly arrange the time to do so. (I need to be cloned!)
I am now in the process of preparing subjects for our annual "Preachers and Leaders Study" during the dry season. Our plans are to conduct studies in congregations central to others in the different districts. We did this last year and it proved to be a much better method of conveying strong teachings to the congregational leaders than when we had just the preachers to attend studies in Blantyre.
May the Lord bless each and every one of you who support this work, whether financially or with you supplications to God on our behalf.

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Zambia
Roger Boone
~Judy (wife)
~~Rachel - 12  (daughter)
~~Sara - 10  (daughter)
~~Rebekah - 6  (daughter)
~~Aaron - 3  (son)
P.O. Box 37073, Lusaka 10101, Zambia
Boone@Zamnet.zm
It is my understanding that they are to stay in Africa all summer as they have several people from the US who plan to visit them this summer.   ~ Mary Cutter

---

Trips to Africa Being Planned:
Bill & Daisy Davis are scheduled to go to Harare, Zimbabwe probably sometime in December if the Lord wills it. They are planning a trip over there this summer to check it out and make arrangements for their move. That work is not totally financed yet and needs much prayers and financial support.  ~ Mary Cutter


   

Australia

Armadale Western Australia
Keith Thompson
~ Anne (wife)
~~ Jamie (son) (wife)
~~ Jamie (son)
c/o John Halls
P.O. Box 152
Armadale W.A.
6112
Australia
hallcom@eon.net.au
Thu, 10 Dec 1998 03:34:56 -0600 (CST)
[ Email from John Halls ]
Dear Brethren, The church in Armadale Western Australia sends you greetings in Christ's name. The church here has been worshipping since 1984 when it started meeting following the evangelistic work of Brother Jerry Cutter. We are a small congregation of five families in a suburb of the city of Perth.  We are looking for congregations to help support the evangelist who has been working with us since 1991. Keith has a faithful wife, Anne and a ten year old son, Jamie. Not only has he been working with the congregation here in Armadale, but also he has been highly involved in the work in Russia.  Keith was fully supported up until two years ago when that support ceased.  From that time he has been studying full-time at University to gain a teaching degree. We would like Keith to be able to dedicate himself to the work here full time once again, but are unable to meet the full cost of support. If your congregation is able to assist in supporting Keith we would be most appreciative.  If you  require more information or you would like to contact us our address is:
P.O. Box 152, Armadale W.A.  6112  Australia.  e-mail address: hallcom@eon.net.au   ~ In Christian service, John Halls
Endorsement Letters:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sun, 13 Dec 1998 21:03:01 -0600 (CST)
Dear David,
I spoke with my father and he told me that I could tell you that if anyone was worthy of financial support it was Keith. God bless and may faithful gospel preachers be supported liberally.
In Him,
Jimmy Cutter
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sun, 13 Dec 1998 16:11:20 -0600 (CST)
Dear Bro. David,
I heartily endorse this request. ...Bro Keith Thompson and his family are worthy of respect, endorsement and support.
In His Service,
Glen Osburn
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Additional endorsement email after we sent out bulk email support request
Mon, 14 Dec 1998 16:20:44 -0600 (CST)
David,
I also have been to visit Kieth in the Australian work and believe any resources sent his way for support would be well spent.  Kieth has a love for the truth that was truly a light on top of a hill shining for all to see.  I whole heartedly endorse the request for support on behalf of Bro. Keith Thompson and his family.
Todd M. Tucker
Benicia, California


   

Central America

Honduras
Tony Melton
~ Norma (wife)
~~ Joshua & James (two sons)
A.P. 20026
Comayaguela D.C.
Honduras, C.A. (snail mail: send cards, letters in this format)
Church of Christ ~ Preacher of the Gospel ~ Missionary Work
TONYM@datum.hn
Mon, 30 Nov 1998 14:00:28 -0600 (CST)
As of this time we are not accepting any additional funds for relief work in Honduras. Bro. Tony has stated that he has enough money now from what has been contributed to date. We have already begun sending money back.  The response was overwelming from all across the brotherhood.  We want to thank everyone for their support and prayers for the brethern during this trying time. Bro. Tony is slowly getting arround to the different congregations as he can. Bro. Murl Helwig will be going down in March for some additional help.  I will probably get an updated report out to the brotherhood around the first of the year.  Again, thanks for all your help!!  ~ Steve Stockam 

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Dominican Republic
% Murl R. Helwig
7446 Saddlewood St.
San Antonio, TX 78238
(210) 523-1864
MRHQIK@aol.com

Support Trip to Dominican Republic & Venezuela

Hans Roodschild (submitted by Jeff & Shelley Totter for Hans)

roodschild@juno.com

Safety of the Brethren & Advancement of the Church in Dominican Republic
Mon, 17 May 1999 17:40:16 -0500 (CDT)
A letter to home:  Hello Mom, Dad & Everybody!!!!
I'm alive and kinda well here in the Republico Dominicana.   I did get sick 2 days ago & lost my strength.  But I feel fine now.   Everybody was right, this is a trip that will change your life.  Each day I get up now, I am thankful for even the little things.  I've learned how much we in America have been blessed, and how little we REALLY need to survive in this world.   Now granted, it takes a lot to be at ease, but really little to survive.  I don't feel sorry for them, I feel sorry for us, because we've lost our simplicity and lost our dependency on each other & God.  I need to be going, lots to say, but little battery power to use on this computer.  So God Bless and I love you all.  I'll see you soon, Si Dios Quiere (If God Wants)  Jon Roodschild

Wed, 12 May 1999 20:48:06 -0500 (CDT)

Jon Roodschild, Ralph Noak (both of the Allen, TX congregation) and Murl Helwig (of the San Antonio congregation) are on a two-week support trip to the Dominican Republic. Please pray for their safety and for the advancement of the Church in this foreign country. After the two weeks, Jon will be returning home. Murl & Ralph will be traveling on to Venezuela.. Pray that much fruit will come from these journeys.

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Mexico
Rodríguez Jr., Juan
~~Nellie Rachel, daughter
~~Juan III, son
~~Joshua, son
~~Daniel, son

3328 Cortez Blvd.
Laredo, Texas 78043
(956) 729-8638
juanjr@laredo.globalpc.net
THE MEXICO WORKS NEEDS HELP !
Thu, 29 Apr 1999 23:29:29 -0500 (CDT)
Dear Brethren; Greetings in the Lord! We trust that this finds all of you doing fine and working for the Lord. We are all well and continue to be very busy in the Lord work in Mexico. The work in Mexico continues to go forward, in spite of the oppositions of the devil. For this we rejoice and give God the honor and glory. And we want to thank, from the buttom of our heart, each and everyone of you who are a faithful supporter to this work. At this time we want to let you know about our present needs: Needs in the Mexico City area: Just got back from Mexico City, where we have five congregations in that area. The work is going great as many precious souls are being saved. But there are some urgent needs: a) The congregations that meets at Col. Mar=EDa Isabel needs a place to meet. They are about 35 members. This is the congregations that was converted from the Iglesia Ni Cristo from the Philippines, after we had the public debate 3 years ago. They have been meeting in a rented building, but now the owner of that place wants to sell the building. So he is asking the members to buy it or leave it. He is asking $ 6,000.00 American Dollars for the building. He wants $ 3,000.00 right away and the rest on payments. The congregation is requesting the $ 3,000.00 to secure the building and then they will continue with the payments. I believe this is the best route to follow as most of the members live in that area around the building, and if the congregation would have to move to other area, several members would be lost. This congregation is located in the outskirts of Mexico City, that's why the building is not too expensive. Could you brethren help in this great need? Your help is needed right away, as the owner gave them just one month to decide. b) The congregation at Minas has been working on the construction of their own building. They have received some help from the Garland congregation and from individuals but most of the building has been constructed by themselves. Right now they have put up the walls and are ready to put the roof, but they ran out of money. Could you brethren help them with the money for the roof? they are needing some $ 3,500.00 to finish the building. This is the first congregation that was established in Mexico City and is located in a good area. They are about 40 members in that congregation. Bro. Jaime Contreras is doing a great work in that grand city of 22,000,000 people. Can you help? c) Bro. Eduardo Salinas, the preacher for the congregation in Martinez de la Torre, Veracruz is needing support. he needs $ 400.00 monthly support. He has a wife and 4 kids. He is a good preacher and good worker. Can you help? d) Bro. Joaqu=EDn Swastez, the preacher for the congregation of Apasco, Mexico needs $ 175.00 monthly support. He has a wife and one daughter. He is doing mission work in the Apasco area. Needs in other places: a) Bro. Samel Esparza, the preacher for the congregation in San Francisco del Rincon, Guanajuato is requesting help to purchase a lot so that they start working on their building. They have around $ 900.00 dollars but need $ 2,500.00 to buy the lot. They have a good size congregation of about 45 members, and they really need a place to meet. This is a strong congregation with several leaders, who are willing to work themselves in the building if they had the lot. d) The newly established congregation in San Bernabe in the Monterrey area needs help to purchase the place where they are meeting. They are renting the place, but the lady died and now the family wants to sell the place. This is a good opportunity, as they are asking only $ 3,000.00 for the building. They are about 25 members in this congregation. Bro. Sergio Correa is doing a great work with this congregation. He is a young man with a wife and 5 kids. he is presently needing support. He is needing $ 300.00 monthly support. He is a good preacher and a good worker, with a lot of enthusiasm. Finally, we are looking for a congregation to sponsor our evangelistic trips to visit the different congregations in Mexico. We now live in Laredo, Texas and are working with the two congregations both sides of the border, but are also involved in the overall work in Mexico. So, we need to make visits to the different congregations and preachers all over Mexico. Could you brethren help us with money to make this trips. $ 300.00 per month will be enough to make those monthly trips to the different congregations. We could report to the congregation the way that we spend that money. I believe that this kind of work is very necessary. We need to work with the congregations and preachers on a regular basis, to keep the work going and progressing. Please consider all of these needs and please help us as much as you can. You may be confident that your money will be well spent and will serve to spread the kingdom of the Lord in Mexico, and will bring much fruit for the Lord. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to write us or call us, at the following address: JUAN RODRIGUEZ JR. 3328 Cortez Blvd. Laredo, Texas 78043 Phone (956) 729-8638 juanjr@laredo.globalpc.net   Please continue to help us and to pray for us in Mexico and at both Laredos. May the Almighty richly bless you for all your good works, is our prayer. In His Service, Juan Rodr=EDguez Jr.

Evangelistic Goals For All Cultures In North America In The Year 2000

A Topic Presented By:  Juan Rodríguez,  Jr. 
Oklahoma City Preacher's Study ~ December 1998
The Work Among Hispanic Brethren
I believe with all of my heart that the Gospel is universal in nature. By that I mean that it is for all men regardless of race, color, language, or social status. In the great commission, as we call it, the words spoken by our Lord and saviour in Matthew 28:19,20 "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you"., we find that we are to preach the gospel to all the world.  All men have the opportunity to be saved, and it is our responsibility to preach the gospel to them.  The church of the Lord in this great nation has done a tremendous job in taking the gospel into many parts of the world, and for this you all should be commended. We have heard of the mission work going on around the world:  The work in Africa, Mexico, Central America, The Philippines, Hawaii, Australia, India, Israel, and lately Russia, and many other places. I want to encourage you to continue to do so, and I wish I had the time and the opportunity to talk about mission work. But my topic, at this time, deals with the evangelistic goals for the cultures in the United States, in particular among the Hispanic brethren. Indeed is a much needed subject!  But I would like to broaden my subject and cover, if you please, the Hispanic people in LatinAmerica as well. Maybe I'm not the best qualified person to talk about the Hispanic work in the USA, as I have been working among them for only one year and a half, and there are others like my brother Elias Rodriguez, Raymond Fox, and Randy Tidmore who have been working with these people for a longer period of time. But I have been working with the Hispanic culture in Mexico for the last 25 years, and have made trips to preach to my people in the States quite often; I believe I can tell you something about my people, the Latinos.

We have many cultures in the USA who need the gospel, and the great question is: What are we doing to reach them? They need the Lord as much as those in Africa, Mexico or Russia. I believe with all of my heart that we need a change of attitude toward the Hispanic people in this country.  For many years the church in the States has concentrated his efforts in foreign mission work, which is good and commendable, but I feel that we have neglected the Hispanic culture in the USA.

According to the "U. S. Census Bureau - The Official Statistics", March 1997, there are 29,703,000 Hispanic people living in this country. The population of Hispanics in California is 7,687,938; and in Texas is 4,339,905. The larger cities in the USA are full of Hispanics: Los Angeles - 3,448,613; Chicago - 2,731,743; Houston - 1,702,086; San Diego - 1,151,977; Dallas - 1,022,830, and we could mention San Antonio, Miami, etc., etc. All over, you have Spanish speaking people. It is estimated that by the year 2000, the Hispanic population will be the "largest minority", even above the Afro-American or Asian population! And brethren, these are hungering for the pure gospel and dying spiritually. It is then our responsibility to do our best to evangelize these people. But it is important that we make plans and set some short and long term goals to accomplish this evangelization. Let me present to you some goals that I believe will help us all to do this task.

This is a short-term goal.-
I.- WE NEED TO ESTABLISH HISPANIC CONGREGATIONS IN THE LARGER CITIES IN THE USA.
In recent years we have seen several congregations established in California and Texas. During this year we were able to establish congregations in San Antonio and Houston, Texas. My brother Julio established congregations in Garland and Corsicana, Texas. My brother Elias is attempting to establish one in Los Angeles, California. All of these congregations, together with the ones already established in El Paso, Laredo, Waco, Ft. Worth, in the State of Texas, plus the ones in San Diego, Santa Barbara, Potterville, Salinas, Tulare, and Huntington Park, in the State of California, make a total of 15 congregations; but that is nothing compared with the great Hispanic population in this country. We need to reach these people! The denominations are really growing among the Hispanics, specially the Mormons, Jehovah's Witnesses and Pentecostal groups. We are losing ground to them. They are winning these people for destruction, as they are presenting to them a perverted gospel.  Hispanic people are very receptive to the gospel. They want to serve the Lord. They have a soul just like you and I, and need salvation!

Now, when I talk about Hispanics, I'm referring to those people born in the USA from Latinamerican parents. There is a great difference between the Hispanics born and raised here in this country, and those coming from the Latin-American countries seeking a job. The Hispanics born here are American citizens, with the same rights like you all, people that are going to live and die in this country. The other Hispanics seeking a job, may be illegal aliens and would not adjust to the American way of life; they want to return to their home countries. Of course we need to convert them too, as they have a soul and need salvation, just like you and me. And later they can go back to their homeland and take the gospel to their people.  To accomplish this we must establish congregations among the Hispanics of this nation, the USA.

A.- Now, how can we accomplish this goal? How can we establish more Spanish speaking congregations in the USA?

1.- We need to call on several Spanish-speaking qualified preachers from Mexico or Central America to come to the USA and work among the Latinos to establish these congregations. Once they have established congregations here they may return to their home country to continue to work among their own people.  Let me give you an example of this kind of procedure: You know that Soccer was not a very popular sport here in this country. But people involved in business and sports wanted to bring this game to the USA and make it popular. So, what was the procedure? They brought some famous players from all over the world to teach this sport; and now Soccer is becoming more and more popular in this country.  In the same way, we could have some Spanish speaking preachers to come to the USA and work among the Hispanic population.  We also need to make full use of qualified, Spanish speaking preachers that already live in the United States.

2.- We need to train leaders and preachers out of those Hispanic members, in the Spanish speaking congregations already established. These Hispanic leaders and preachers would be the ones to evangelize their own people. They would know the Hispanic culture better than anyone else, and they would be acquainted with the American way of life in this country as well. There are several young men in these congregations that can be trained and developed into leaders and evangelists for the Latinos living in this country. Moreover, most of the Hispanics living in the USA have relatives in the Latin-American countries that could be reached in the future. They could take the gospel to their people themselves or send somebody else. So young Hispanics will be a link to evangelize the Hispanic world.

3.- We also need more American young men to learn the Spanish language and the Hispanic culture. Many are learning it because of a secular job, like teachers, factory workers, etc., but we need men willing to learn it because of the gospel. We need more young men like Jonathan Bunner, who is not only learning the Spanish language, but also the Hispanic culture. For almost two years he has been with us in Mexico, and I am happy to say that he is now preaching in Spanish. He still has a long way to go, but he has  already been a tremendous help to the work in Mexico. We need more young men like him. May our goal be to identify young men who are willing to be trained.   Now let me also mention this very important matter. It is one thing to learn the language and another thing to learn the culture. According to Webster's dictionary, the word culture means: "A particular form of  civilization, especially the beliefs, customs, arts and institutions of a society at a given time" I understand by this definition that culture is to learn to think like them, act like them, understand their way of life and try to live like them, as much as possible. Bro. Glen Osburn stated in one of his sermons, speaking about evangelizing and converting people to Christ, "try to make them Christians not Americans". In other words, if we want to be effective and win them for Christ, we need to be one of them, culturally speaking. Many times we want to convert people but from our own "bunker", from our own environment, from our own culture, if you please; in this way we will not be effective because they will see us as strangers, and not like one of them.

I want to say that brethren like Tony Melton, Randy Tidmore, Murl Helwig and Brian Burns deserve our love and respect for their work among the Hispanics in the country of Honduras. These are brethren that have learned the language and the culture of the people of that country. We need more brethren like them!

But I want to urge these, my brethren, to continue to work with Hispanics when they come back to the States. You know the Hispanic language and culture; you can be very effective in saving these people.

I want to suggest to the congregations using these missionaries when they come back home, to develop a bilingual program, so that these preachers can reach out to Hispanics in their community. When such a preacher knocks doors and meets somebody who is Hispanic he can invite him to church, and make him feel that he is welcomed. Later when there are several Hispanics interested in the gospel, the congregation may allow them to meet on the afternoon, in their own building.

Now, American young preachers and leaders, you can be a missionary for the Hispanic people, in your own country! Or, Lord willing later you may be the missionary in Argentina, Puerto Rico, Panama or Spain. But you need to get ready now, learning the language and the culture of the Hispanics.

I want to invite anyone of you young preachers or leaders willing to learn my language and culture, to come to both Laredos and learn it with us. We would be very glad to have you and to teach you as much as we can.  You still would be living in the States but getting a taste of the Hispanic culture. We need your help and you need our help; together we can accomplish this great goal of saving the lost, among the Hispanic people.

A long-term goal within this same point is: TO ESTABLISHED CONGREGATIONS IN THE REST OF CENTRAL AMERICA, SOUTH AMERICA, THE CARIBBEAN, AND EUROPE.

There are a millions and millions of people in these countries who speak the Spanish language. There is a sect that originated in Guadalajara, Mexico, called "The Light of the World" and they are reaching these countries. Brethren, we can do it too! It is possible with God's help!   Speaking about South America, we have a whole continent that we need to reach. There many countries in that continent: Argentina, Perú, Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, Ecuador, Venezuela, Uruguay, Paraguay, and others with millions and millions of Spanish speaking people who are lost and need to know about the pure gospel of Christ. They know about Christ, as the Son of God, but they have received a perverted gospel, which will condemn their souls in the final day. From those same congregations that are already established and that can be established in the future in this country, we can get the men that can go and evangelize all of these other countries. Start now to prepare.

II.- WE NEED TO ADVERTISE THE CHURCH OF CHRIST AMONG THE HISPANIC PEOPLE.

I have been talking to many Hispanics through the internet. In those discussion forums and chats, some of my first questions are: Where do you go to church? And the answer will always be some kind of wird or strange name, referring to a Pentecostal group or some denomination. The next question is, Do you know about the church of Christ, have you heard about the church of Christ? And almost everybody will answer "No, I haven't heard about it", or they would say, "Amen, we are all the church of Christ, halleluya, praise the Lord" This shows their lack of knowledge of the true church of Christ. Indeed, we need to advertise the church of our Lord.  In Monterrey, Mexico there are many newspapers in the city: El Diario, Mas Noticias, El Porvenir, ABC, El Sol and El Norte. All of them are good papers, but El Norte is the leading paper in the city; they sell more papers than the others; and do you know why? Simply because on almost every corner they will have a stand or a boy offering the paper, and they send boys through the streets of the colonias shouting: "El Norte, El Norte". And let me tell you, they are doing this not only in Monterrey but in many other cities of Mexico. this shows us the importance of advertisement. We need to advertise, we need to announce the church of our Lord to the hispanic people.

A.- How can we accomplish this goal?  How can we present the church of Christ to the Hispanic people?

1.- We can do this work through the printed page.

a) We can advertise the church by passing out tracts. We can, and must train our members to knock doors and pass out tracts, from house to house.  Teach them to always carry tracts in their pocket, purse, or car. When they go to a public restaurant, leave a tract on the table with the tip, not instead of the tip. When writing letters to friends or relatives, drop a tract in the envelope, include one even in the bills they pay. We can leave a tract in a phone booth, at a laundrymat, on the seat of a taxi or bus, in the restroom, etc., etc. What happens to the tract may no longer concern us; we have sown the seed, we have advertised the church.

b) We can put an add in the paper offering a correspondence course, or a short article about the church, advertising the church with the address and time of services.

2.- We can advertise by preaching on the radio or the television.  There is no reason why we could not have a radio program or a television program for the Hispanics. There are brethren among us who can preach on the radio or the television. The denominations have their own programs, and not only programs but they even own radio and t. v. stations. I really get upset when I listen to the perverted gospel that they preach and how people, my own people, accept those lies. Those preachers are stealing their money and condemning their souls. But many times the people don't know better. So it is our responsibility to preach them the pure gospel of Christ.

3. We can have a Web Page in Spanish in the Internet, with discussions forums and live chats, to present the Truth and the Lord's church. We can preach through the internet. I appreciate the work that Bro. Randy Tidmore is doing in this respect, but we need to do more, much more, if we want to really be effective.

III.- WE NEED TO PRODUCE TRACTS, DOCTRINAL STUDIES,  CORRESPONDENCE COURSES, SERMON BOOKS, COMMENTARIES AND ANY OTHER PRINTED MATERIAL IN SPANISH.

For many years we have been using tracts and printed material from the "cups and classes" brethren. But I believe that one important goal for us is to produce our own material. I'm proposing that we train our members to do personal work and pass out tracts, but in many cases we do not have tracts or printed material to do this kind of work. Several of our brethren have written tracts and we are happy for that, such is the case of Brethren Tony Melton, Randy Tidmore, Raymond Fox, Elias Rodriguez and myself; but we need to produce much more material if we want to evangelize the hispanics, not only in the States but in all of Latinamerica. There is a great need in this area! The preachers in Mexico, and I believe this is true everywhere, are always asking us for tracts to hand out and they ask for printed material for their own use. 

Let me share with you some facts about the tremendous impact that tracts have among the Hispanic population in Latinamerica. This is taken from a newsletter from the Spanish Literature Ministry in Wichita Falls, Texas. It reads, "Recent reports from Cuba, Honduras, and Nicaragua show encouraging results involving the use of Spanish literature. For Example, * over nine hundred ninety baptisms in 1998 have been reported from Cuba.   * over seven hundred thirty baptisms and over three hundred restorations in 1998 have been reported from Nicaragua.  * over sixty baptisms in 1998 have been reported from Honduras. These are just examples of results that can happen when campaign teams are properly equipped for the job at hand. Each year, we ship 30 to 40 tons of literature to the Spanish-speaking world. We are so thankful that those who receive these tools are using them to expand the kingdom"

We can see that the digressives are using the printed material and are reporting lots of results! We have the men that can accomplish this goal, of producing tracts and printed material, but we need the resources to do it.

As we are coming quickly to the close of a century, the year 2000, we need to have a vision of getting prepared and meet these goals to evangelize the world, and fulfill the great commission. We need to reach all cultures in America and save the lost of every race. God has given us the time, the opportunity, and the means to do it. The Almighty is going to hold us responsible if we fail to accomplish His will.

Juan Rodríguez Jr., 3328 Cortez Blvd., Laredo, Texas 78043.
***
MEXICO REPORT

10/20/1998, at 9:11 PM

Greetings to all the faithful everywhere! Mission work is a vital part of the Church of our Lord. We need to evangelize the world, in order to fulfill the great commission of Matt. 28:19, 20 "therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit; and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you".
We are happy for the mission work going around on the world. We are excited to know of the church of the Lord in the African continent, in Central America, Russia, Hawaii, Israel, The Philippines, Republican Dominican, and of course in the great country of Mexico. May the Almighty richly bless each and every one of these works; and every one of you, as members of the church in the United States, for your work of love toward all of us.
We are happy to report to you about the great work being done in the country of Mexico. Many of you are familiar with this work, as you have been faithful supporters to this work, for many years and in many ways. But for those of you, who don't know much about this work, we would like to present some facts about the church of the Lord in this part of God's world.
The Work in Mexico is the closest mission work to the U.S.A., as it is just on the other side of the Southern border.
The Republic of Mexico has 32 states and one Federal District. We are presently working in 11 of these states, and have some 40 congregations with 25 preachers. The majority of these preachers are full-time preachers, and others are part time. Most of them are being supported with funds from the States, but some larger congregations in Mexico are beginning to help with the support of the native preachers, and to take care of their own expenses and needs. There are congregations with 80 (adults), 60, 50, 30, and some with 10 members.
Most of the congregations are in the northeastern part of Mexico, just below the Texas border (Nuevo Laredo, Monterrey, Saltillo, and a lot of villages); but we also have congregations on the Gulf of Mexico (El Higo, Pueblito, Martinez de la Torre, Veracruz); in the Central part of Mexico (San Luis Potosí, Zacatecas, León); in Mexico City (Minas, Puente Blanco, Maria Isabel, Apasco); on the South of Mexico (Cuautla, Morelos); up in the mountains of Oaxaca, among the Indians; and on the Yucatan Peninsula (the Island of El Carmen, Campeche).
In the Monterrey-Saltillo area we are working with 5 congregations, who have their own leaders, and some of them are well-educated men. One of them, Bro. Juan castellanos, is an Electronic Engineer with his Master degree. Others are schoolteachers and factory workers.
Lately we are seeing a host of children and young people who are now the third generation of the church in Mexico. The congregations are maturing and more young men are developing into good leaders. So the future looks bright! And I am happy to say that the work in Mexico continues to grow and prosper, in spite of the oppositions of the devil. We have our problems and needs, but I believe that we are in the right track; and with the help of the Almighty and your continued help, the Work in Mexico will continue to go forward.
AN UP TO DATE REPORT  ~  FIVE MORE CONGREGATIONS
In the past year 5 more congregations have been established: Cuautla, Morelos; Apasco, Mexico; La Noria, Veracruz; Martinez de la Torre, Veracruz; and Col. San Bernabe, in the Monterrey area.
The congregation at La Noria, Veracruz was established through the efforts of Bre. Pedro Alvarez and Daniel Alvarado. They baptized a whole Baptist congregation of 15 members. Since the first of the year they have almost double the membership.
The congregation at Martinez de la Torre was established through the efforts of Bro. Eduardo Salinas. Remember the public debate that we had with The Iglesia Ni Christo from the Philippines, two years ago? At that time we converted 21 members but lost the preacher, 4 members and several visitors. Well, after several months of being with this group, Bro. Salinas realized that he was wrong and that this church was wrong; so he and the rest of the congregation decided to leave that denomination and come back to the true church. And now he has learned the lesson and is really working for the Lord and His church. Since he came back he has been able to establish this new congregation.
The congregation at Col. San Bernabé in the Monterrey area was established through the efforts of Bro. Abel Valdez and the San Pedro congregation. Since they started this congregation they have had a lot of baptisms and visitors almost every service. At the present time they are renting a building and are saving some money to buy this place.
Brother Abel Salinas established the Cuautla, Morelos congregation. He also is preaching at the congregations of Puente Blanco and Maria Isabel in Mexico City. Several of the leaders take turns to preach at this new congregation.
The Apasco, Mexico congregation was established by Bro. Joaquin Swastez.  This place is about two hours from the Federal District.
MISSIONARY TRIP IN APRIL '98
During the last two weeks of April, brethren Wayne McKamie, Bill Verner, Dewey Stevens, Jonathan Bunner and this writer were able to visit different congregations in the Mexico City, up in the mountains of Oaxaca, Veracruz and Tamaulipas areas. During our trip we were able to baptized seven! We also took a lot of tracts and song books to those preachers and congregations. Bro. Bill Verner bought a good quantity of tracts, 1500 songbooks and 1000 Bibles. WE WANT TO THANK BRO. BILL VERNER FOR HIS CONTINUED SUPPORT TO THE WORK IN MEXICO, AND MANY OTHER WORKS IN THE WORLD.  WE THANK GOD FOR MEN LIKE HIM WHO ARE WILLING TO SPEND AND BE SPENT FOR THE LORD!
BAPTISMS IN DIFFERENT PLACES
During the last six months we have had a good number of baptisms at the different congregations. During the last week of April, my brother Julio Rodriguez and Bro. Manuel Treviño from the Garland, Texas congregation visited the congregation at San Pedro in Monterrey and baptized 5. The brethren from the newly established congregation at San Bernabe report 6 more baptisms. Bro. Samuel Esparza reports 5 baptisms at Leon, Guanajuato. Bro. Jaime Contreras reports 2 at Mexico City; Jaime Luna Jr. reports 4 at Ciudad Victoria, Filiberto Martinez 3 at Matehuala. During our annual meetings at Monterrey we baptized 3, and Saltillo we baptized 1.  For these results we rejoice and give God the honor and glory!
PREACHERS' STUDIES IN MEXICO
One thing that has really helped us Preachers in Mexico, and the Church as a whole, is the Preachers' Study that we have every year. Brother Wayne McKamie has done a great job in conducting these studies in Mexico. We want to thank the congregations of Fairview, La., McGregor, Texas, and Bro. Bill Verner for supporting the Study all of these years. (We will be reporting to you about the Study just held, September 30-October 2, 1998, as soon as possible).
WE LIVE IN LAREDO, TEXAS
Since September 1997, we have been living in Laredo, Texas and working with the two congregations on both sides of the border; as well as visiting the congregations in the interior of Mexico. My Brother Elias moved back to California and we had to take care of the work in both Laredos. The work in this area is going good, as we have had several conversions and restorations. We have been able to purchase a lot for the Mexican church in Nuevo Laredo and are already building a small building. In Laredo, Texas we have rented a small building and are already meeting there. We had been meeting in our home until last May. We want to invite all of you to come to see us in Laredo. We are a small congregation and need your help. We would be very glad to have you and to take you across the border to El Mercado, so that you can buy some curious. Please come and worship with us!
MORE YOUNG PEOPLE ARE LEARNING SPANISH
I want to say that I am very happy to see a lot of young people, in the States, learning the Spanish language. No too long ago, the only ones that I knew that could speak Spanish were brethren Jim Hickey and Benny Johnson. But now a lot of young people are learning my language, (Paul Wilkerson, Joel Blalock, Randy Tidmore, Tony Melton, Brian Burns, Raymond Fox, etc., etc.) and I want to encourage all of you to do it. We have a lot of Spanish speaking people in the world, and even in this country who needs the Gospel. And we need to prepare our young people to take them the Word of God in Spanish. For one year and a half, Brother Jonathan Bunner from West Virginia has been with us in Mexico, and I am happy to say that he is now preaching in Spanish. He has been a great help to the Work in Mexico! He likes Mexico so well that he even got married to a Mexican girl, Sister Mary Cruz Cisneros from Santa Catarina, Nuevo Leon. We need more young men like him, I don't mean to get married to a Mexican girl, but one who wants to work for the Lord among the Spanish speaking people. He has survived 18 months in Mexico, and you can do it too.
WE NEED HELP!
I feel that I would not be honest to my people in Mexico if I don't mention some of our needs. I am sure that you realize that in a work of this nature, needs arise almost daily. We need support for preachers, we need money to build some meeting places, and we need benches for the congregation in Laredo, Texas. We need traveling expenses to visit the different congregations, etc., etc. If you are able, please help us. You can be confident that your money will be well spent and that it will bring much fruit for the Lord. You may contact Bro. Wayne Mckamie or myself for more information on this!
CLOSING REMARKS
THANKS MANY THANKS FROM THE BOTTOM OF OUR HEART FOR YOUR CONTINUED HELP TO THE WORK IN MEXICO, AND I PLEAD WITH YOU TO CONTINUE TO HELP US AND TO PRAY FOR US, IN THIS GREAT WORK OF SAVING SOULS IN MEXICO.  ~ Juan Rodriguez Jr.   Juanjr@laredo.globalpc.net
MEXICO REPORT
09-15-98

I am working on a report about the work in Mexico.  I will send it to you soon.  Please put our name in the prayer list under Evangelistic efforts in Mexico and in both Laredos ~ Juan Rodriguez

Venezuela
% Murl R. Helwig
7446 Saddlewood St.
San Antonio, TX 78238
210-523-1864
MRHQIK@aol.com
Support Trip to Dominican Republic & Venezuela

Hans Roodschild (submitted by Jeff & Shelley Totter for Hans)

roodschild@juno.com

Safety of the Brethren & Advancement of the Church in Dominican Republic

Wed, 12 May 1999 20:48:06 -0500 (CDT)

Jon Roodschild, Ralph Noak (both of the Allen, TX congregation) and Murl Helwig (of the San Antonio congregation) are on a two-week support trip to the Dominican Republic. Please pray for their safety and for the advancement of the Church in this foreign country. After the two weeks, Jon will be returning home. Murl & Ralph will be traveling on to Venezuela.. Pray that much fruit will come from these journeys.
Spanish Work Report

El Pregonero Latino

February 1999

I am happy to make this report because I know that many are anxious to learn of the results of the work in Venezuela. I was anxious about this trip because, like the first trip to the Dominican Republic, I was traveling on uncharted waters, so too speak. However, upon arrival I was greeted by faithful brethren, who over the next few days I would learn to love, trust, and appreciate their great love for the gospel and the church.

On January 12, 1999, I left for Caracas, Venezuela, at the invitation of a small congregation who had been converted from digression. Their change or conversion was a result of the paper, El Pregonero Latino, and through direct correspondence. The congregation consists of ten baptized members, four adults who are attending regularly, and five children.

I was very impressed by the desire and hunger these brethren have for the truth of God’s Word. The brethren did an in depth study of the Lord’s Supper utilizing the Scripture along with printed material I supplied before making the change from "cups" to "one cup." They invited me to Venezuela to aid them in their continuing study of the Lord’s Supper, the worship service, and many other subjects.

The time spent in Caracas was spent not entirely with these brethren because they had arranged for me to study with the male members of two digressive congregations. One congregation, Caricua, is located just a short distance from Caracas. I had two formal discussions with these brethren and a private discussion with a young couple from the same congregation who wanted to continue the study. I believe there will be some from this congregation who will accept the Truth, however, we must wait and see because it is the Lord who gives the increase.

I also traveled to the interior of the country to Guanare for another discussion with the brethren there. Guanare is located about seven hours by bus from Caracas. It was a much hotter climate there than Caracas. The discussion the first night centered around the Lord’s day. The following evening the discussion centered on the scriptural way to observe the Lord’s Supper. I believe there were some who displayed a sincere desire to follow the Scriptures, but there were others who strongly rejected the way Jesus commanded to partake of the Lord’s Supper. Again, we must wait to see what will be the result from these studies.

The congregation in Caracas, Venezuela represents, to the best of my knowledge and information, the first faithful congregation in South America. I pray that this will be only the first of many more faithful congregations and that many souls will obey the gospel of Christ. The brethren in Caracas have the desire to work for the spreading of the gospel of Christ.

Brother Roberto Custodio in the Dominican Republic has reported that the congregation in San Cristobal is doing well. They are looking forward to meeting me on my next trip there. I am looking forward to this and see the progress the church is making in that part of the world.

I would like to thank all who are participating in this work for your prayers, and, also, for the financial support that makes this work possible. I pray that as we labor together we can continue to spread the gospel even further as we endeavor only to preach the Truth. If you have any questions or comments, please do not hesitate to contact me or the Nacogdoches Road congregation.

I wish all could meet these brethren face to face that I have been privileged to know and work with over the last several years. I, therefore, wish to thank all for allowing me this privilege. The only sacrifice I have made in this work is having to be separated from my wife, Retha, who has constantly supported and encouraged me, and my family. I must thank my wife for the many, many sacrifices she has made for the work. The miles traveling back home from one of these trips always seems longer than going because I am always anxious to be back home with her and the family. Your Brother In Christ, Murl R. Helwig

     

Philippines

Permenter, P. Duane
PO Box 80687
Midland, TX 79708
(915) 520-6508
wtpermen@aol.com
Philippines Report

Thu, 11 Feb 1999 09:04:02 -0600 (CST)

 

Dear Brethren:

It was an honor to travel with Brother Don King and Virgilio O. Danao Senior while working in the Philippines. This was my fifth trip to the Philippines and one of the best I have experienced. Our brethren are doing an outstanding work in this part of the world!

 

While in the Philippines we traveled approximately 1900 miles, preached about twenty times and conducted several individual studies. We emphasized the importance of church attendance and dealt with various other issues. During our trip, the local preachers immersed forty-one people into Jesus Christ! We also helped some needy brethren whose crops were destroyed by a typhoon a few months ago. On behalf of those brethren, Don and myself, a heartfelt thank you to the generous brethren at Planz Road, Bakersfield and Oakdale, California for providing this assistance.

 

During the trip we learned that six congregations from the individual cups and Sunday school brethren (one numbered sixty members) recently started worshiping scripturally. While in Baguio City, we learned of this new work and met some of the brethren. Brother Fernando Alvaro and Eduardo O. Danao are the Filipino preachers directly involved in this effort. Some of these individuals visited our services in Pangasinan and were very receptive to the teaching. Seven made public confessions for worshiping in error. Two were preachers from the liberal church of Christ and promise to be strong leaders in the future. It was thrilling to see men and women with honest hearts respond to the old Jerusalem gospel!

 

We enjoyed seeing many brethren from previous trips. The preachers are working and living in harmony and the church is growing as a result. In fact, the Filipino church is now reaching out to new areas. The strength of the Filipino Church enabled Brother Virgilio to leave the Philippines and attend to a new work in Hawaii. Other men have risen to supply what lacked in Virgilio's absence. The growth of the churches in the four years since I last visited is truly encouraging to all of us, a credit to all those who support it and most of all, glorifying to God. I understand that now more than eighty congregations in the Philippines are worshiping according to the Bible pattern.

 

The church in Midland, Texas is sponsoring a new evangelistic effort on the island of Mindanao. Last June, Eduardo O. Danao and Conrado Libertino met Kevin and Nelfa Taylor from Midland in Dipolog City, Nelfa's hometown. After about a month's work, a new congregation was born. They baptized twelve into Christ. This small group of believers has continued meeting each Lord's day. And now Brother Libertino is moving there to teach and strengthen these new brethren and to evangelize the area. He also has family in the cups church a short distance from the new congregation, and is hoping to convert them to the truth. Brother Libertino's move is scheduled for Feb.1. This work in Mindanao is something that the brethren in the Philippines have been working towards for a long time and now the vision is being fulfilled. Please keep this new group of believers in your prayers.

This was an exciting trip and I appreciate the opportunity that was afforded me to be a small part in this work. The Lord's work in the Philippines means more to me than I can express with words, and I wholeheartedly express my thanks for the support of all the congregations involved. Specifically, Midland, TX, Stockton, CA, Lodi, CA, Oakdale, CA and Fremont, CA, who of course oversees the work throughout the year. During the last few months more than a hundred were added to the faithful in the Philippine Islands. What power the gospel has on the honest heart and to God be the glory! May the peace of our Lord Jesus Christ bless you is my prayer.

 

Brotherly,

P. Duane Permenter

evangelist


    

Russia

    
Moscow, Tambov & Michurinsk   ~  Combined Report

By:  Kostya Alekseev ~ Evangelist from Russia

Thu, 12 Nov 1998 22:02:43 -0600 (CST)

Dear brethren,
Thank you for your patience, love, support and prayers. I want you to know how sorry I feel that I was unable to tell you about what was going here. There were very serious communication problems which made it impossible.  I want assure you that the Gospel is spreading in Tambov, in Michurinsk and in many other cities and towns in Russia. A lot of work has been done and much more is ahead. And though now in many ways it is difficult, we feel no despair because we know the importance of what we do and Who we do it for . A lot of people in Tambov and Michurinsk have been able to hear the Gospel. Some of them accepted it and decided to give their lives to our Lord, but for many of them it is hard because of the way they were raised and treated by the government. There are many problems in Russia, money, work, getting paid when you work - it is a difficult life. A lot of people in the world sometimes just can't imagine what it is. Sometimes people are afraid to lose their friends, jobs, families. We tell them that God loves them and has a plan for them and they will be able to get what they need if they trust our Lord. We invite people to our Sunday worships and Wednesday studies and quite often they tell us they feel that we are like one big family and that they would be happy to join us or to have their children raised as christians. But they are afraid to make the last step. We understand them because we remember  that we were the same some time ago. We love them and keep teaching and praying for them.   In Tambov we have a serious problem now - it looks like that we will lose our rented room where we have our Sunday worships and will have to find something else. The government issued a new law, and now it takes 15 years to become a legal church. But before that happens we are supposed to be registered as a religious group, and the authorities will be checking or inspecting us for 15 years. The local authorities are responsible for this registration but they don't know how to do it because though there is a law, there are no specific rules, details of how to do it. So now we are waiting for that. We don't know if we will be able to rent a room after the rules come into effect, and we are registered, but now it is absolutely impossible for us to to rent a public building or a room if it happens and we lose our present room. It is practically impossible to have our meetings at somebody's apartment because now we have regularly 20-25 people at worships and sometimes we have many guests, and then there are about 40 altogether.   The christians in Tambov don't wait until our American brothers come or someone who has a good knowledge of the Bible is available. The christians act themselves, teaching and studying the Bible. We are very thankful for every visit from our American brothers, but we have learned to act on our own.The christians invite people,  teach and explain. Much of the teaching is done in the families of christians and there are some results. We have had several baptisms in Tambov and Michurinsk, and almost all of them were the members of the families of christians. I think our mutual efforts made it possible.  Last year and this year I tried to help members of the church develop the desire to do personal work. Quite often I took people with me from Tambov to Michurinsk.  I believe there were five church members with me there at different times. I took them to private Bible studies to show how to do it.  Some of them were there several times, and I think that they developed their skills in this kind of work. I'm planning to continue this work in the future.   I continue to teach and lecture in worship services and during Wednesday studies. We have studied a lot of subjects. Last time we talked about what happens when people die. It was a hard study because some of the christians were influenced by the Adventists' ideas. On the whole I can tell that both in Tambov and in Michurinsk we experience the attacks from Pentecostal, Adventist, Charismatic and Jehovah Witnesses people. I don' think they will cause any harm in Tambov because the congregation here is strong, and we have discussed their beliefs many times. But in Michurinsk one girl decided to stop coming to church because of what Jehovah Witnesses taught her. I knew nothing about her meetings with them because she kept it a secret. Now I am studying with her and trying to explain to her the verses she has problems with.  Also the young man who I trained to conduct public services and one girl (both of them are from Michurinsk) moved to St. Petersburg to study at a drama school. There they joined some charismatic group. I can't influence them there but I'm thinking about sending them some written materials explaining the charismatic movement. Also in Michurinsk we lost two girls. Their parents made them stop coming to church. We tried to talk with them but without any success. They are under age and don't want to act against the will of their parents.  I continue to go to Michurinsk 2 or 3 Sundays a month. Also, though it was difficult, I managed to organize regular studies with christians there on Thursdays. If there is a need or I have an appointment, I go there at other times. We study the Bible, go to the homes of christians and study with unbelievers and even with the members of different religious groups. Both in Michurinsk and in Tambov there are people who are very close to being baptized. The end of the last year and the beginning of this year were very difficult for the church in Michurinsk because of the personal problems among some christians. It took a lot of patience to solve that problem and now everything is stabilizing.  I have translated about 25 booklets and a lot of articles for the christians in Tambov and Michurinsk. They are written by American preachers and about the most difficult subjects in the Bible. I am going to print them and distribute among the christians. Also I am finishing a small book to help christians to talk with unbelievers.   Now I want to say a few words about the work in Moscow. The preparation for the work this past summer wasn't easy, and sometimes I even felt that it would be impossible, but finally everything worked out. We had English classes and worked with individuals. It was, now I can say, the usual work for us. Though we didn't have as many baptisms as I hoped, the work in Moscow was a great joy for me. As always the American brothers Jimmy Vannoy, Steve  Ramsey and Paul Willmon did a great job. I want to thank them for their work and I think all the christians in Russia who assisted them and heard our reports will join me in this. I think that Moscovites are nice people but they were introduced to so many religious ideas that some of them lost their orientation and, perhaps some think that they know everything in life. Also a lot of them have good jobs, and making money for them is the main goal. I think it is possible to work in Moscow and that such work is very important. Moscow is the capital of Russia, its cultural center. To have a strong, big congregation here will benefit the whole Russia.    Now I am thinking about having English classes based on the Bible the same way we had before both in Tambov and Michurinsk. The absence of our registration prevents us from public advertising, but maybe those classes would be a good opportunity to share the good news with many people.  We hope and pray that the hearts of more people in Russia will be opened to the truth. Please keep the work in Russia in your prayers. May God bless you for your interest and help in spreading the Gospel in Russia.  For every good thing that has been accomplished we give God the glory.  ~ Kostya Alekseev
---------------------------------
Kostya Alekseev is supported by the congregation in Corsicana, Tx.   You can see that Kostya is a talented and dedicated worker. This is our first report in about over a year because of never ending communication problems in Russia.   We currently have a deficit of $650 per month in support. Any amount of monthly support or a lump sum would be appreciated.   ~ Jimmy Vannoy  vannoy4@airmail.net

---

Penza
04-29-98
These are the names of preachers who were in Penza:   (~Sincerely, Kate Romanova)
Jimmy Cutter, Dana Cutter, Jillian, Neil and Colin - U.S.A.
Raymond Fox - U.S.A.
Smith Bibens - U.S.A.
Doug Edwards - U.S.A.
Bob Loudermilk, Denis - U.S.A.
Rick Cutter - U.S.A.
Jerry & Pat Cutter, -U.S.A.
Ron Courter - U.S.A.
Richard Bunner - U.S.A.
David & Shirley Gillieys - U.S.A.
Doug & Lori Hawkins - U.S.A.
Keith, Anne, & Jamie Thompson - Australia
Gene Grant - U.S.A.

On 1/20/1999, at 4:32 AM, Keith Thomson thomson@eon.net.au   wrote:

Dear Brethren, I would like to take this opportunity to report on the resent trip that my family and I made to Russia. We were fortunate to spend eight weeks working with the brethren there, mainly with the church in Penza. This is a strong church which truly loves the Lord and desires to do as He commands. The brethren there are very loving and strive to make a visit there as comfortable as possible.   While we were there we met for private studies three time a week. Over the stay we were engaged in completing a series of studies on the life of Christ, and in-depth look at the Sermon on the Mount and we were able to study several of the Lord's parables. The brethren were keen to study the word and were ready with numerous questions. We had a few visitors come to these studies and they listened very well and also asked some pertinent questions.  Previously I have been working with the church in Saransk, approximately 60 miles to the north. Unfortunately I had been told that the church there no longer met, but on traveling there I found that they were indeed meeting.  A number had left, including my contact, but three brethren remained faithful. I was able to encourage the Christians there and possibly other will come back to the true church. I was also able to spend time with the brethren Moscow. In the nation's capital there is a small congregation that are fervent of the work of the Lord. Serge and Olga Govozdevu started the work there and work hard to keep the church going. They are good, faithful and hospitable Christians that want help with the work and truly deserve it.  I would like to thank all those congregations that help with this trip to Russia. It is an important work a one very worthy of support. The churches there need help and encouragement. I ask people to become involved in this work. The work is not always easy, but the rewards can be great.  In Christ's service, Keith Thomson

---

Saransk
Keith Thompson
~ Anne (wife)
~~ Jamie (son)

5 Carringal Place

Armadale W.A.

6112

Australia

Thomson@eon.net.au
Sun, 03 May 1998 16:54:33 +0800

A Call For Help

I am writing on behalf of a congregation of faithful Christians in Saransk Russia. These are a group of good people that I have known for a number of years. I have been privileged enough to have been able to travel to Russia a number of times to work with these people, on one occasion I was able to stay there for a period of six months with my family. I was last there in January this year when I stayed for a month working with them.

The church there has gone through a lot in its short period of existence. Most recently, in the beginning of '97 the church was split apart with false teaching. As a result of this all of the leaders left, leaving a number of faithful women, who had been members for a number of years and two brothers who had been in the church only a matter of months. To their enormous credit this small band of Christians remained faithful and continued as best they could to do the things they believed in.

These Christians still require help. They are babes longing to be fed the word and I believe it is the duty of us, their brothers and sisters to help them if we are at all able. I am therefore requesting a congregation or congregations to get involved in this work, and for any faithful teachers you are able to do like wise. These are people who are deserving our help, they have shown there fortitude.

If you are able to help in this work at all, or would like to have more information, please feel free to contact me. Jerry Cutter and Gene Grant have also been helping with the work and I am sure would be a source of information.

I thank you for your attention in this matter and pray that the Lords work may continue.  ~ In Christ's service, Keith Thomson

---

Tula
George Battey
~Peggy (wife)

---

    

United States of America

    
Alabama
Dothan
Kevin Presley
Rt. 2 Box 166
Kinston, AL 36453
(334)898-1301
fishinkp@alaweb.com
Pray For The Work !  ~ New Congregation
November 29, 1998
New meeting place:  Courtyard Marriot Meeting Room.   Ross Clark Circle beside Office Depot, Dothan, AL  We will post another update as soon as a regular meeting place is secured!
November 18, 1998
There will be a faithful congregation meeting in the city of Dothan, Alabama beginning on Sunday, November 22, 1998. This is an outgrowth of our television program that has aired on WTVY-TV CBS Channel 4 in Dothan for over a year. We have at least three families living in or around Dothan that have commited to begin meeting. They have been commuting to more distant churches. We have conducted a mission meeting in the city all this week and have had a number or visitors, especially from the digressive churches in the area. We will be meeting in the motel conference room where the mission meeting has been held, at least on the first Sunday. We may have to move around for a few weeks until a regular meeting place can be found. 
Worship Times
Sunday: 10:00 AM and 2:30 PM
For more information on location of meeting please contact:

Kevin Presley (334) 898-1301 thebible@alaweb.com

Troy Spradley (334) 983-4411

Micheal Hatcher (334) 702-8848

 

---

Alabama
Opp
Greg Fleming
221 Nevins Street
Kinston, AL 36453
(334) 565-3747

gregkkay@alaweb.com

Pray For The Work !   ~ New Congregation
Mon, 25 Jan 1999 20:44:54 -0600 (CST)

We are still meeting at the Holiday Inn Express on Hwy. 331 South. The building we had hoped to rent will not be available until May. We are also looking into the purchase of some land in the area for a future building as well as looking for another rental location that would be available earlier than May. We will continue to meet at the Holiday Inn until further notice.  We have secured their room through March with the exception of the first weekend in March. On that weekend we will be meeting in the community room of South Trust Bank on Covington Ave. off of Hwy. 331 North. This could all change in the event a building becomes available, but we will let you know.   Please continue to remember us and our efforts in your prayers.  In Christ, Opp Brethren
Tue, 1 Dec 1998 19:31:20 -0600 (CST)
We met in Opp for the first time Sunday, Nov. 29, 1998. We had two services, one at 10:00 a.m. and the evening service at 4:00 p.m. First Sunday we had an attendance of 39 with 6 of those being visitors.  Services are currently being held at the Holiday Inn Express Meeting Room on Hwy. 331 South in Opp. Mid week services are not being held at this time. We are looking for a building to rent to establish a permanent address for the congregation. Services will continue to be held at the Holiday Inn, Sundays only for now at 10:00 a.m. & 4:00 p.m.  We will let you know as soon a permanent address is established. Our hope is that something will be available within the next month.  We are looking forward to a bright future and good work in the Opp area for the Church. We ask for your prayers. 
Worship Times
Sunday: 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM
Contacts:

Jeff Hughes 109 Ellis Dunn Road Opp, AL 36467 (334) 493-4499

Greg Fleming 221 Nevins Street Kinston, AL 36453 (334) 565-3747 gregkkay@alaweb.com

 

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California
San Diego
Asunción Rodríguez (Elías)
603 E 19th Street, #D
National City, CA  91950
619-474-1796
eliasr1@juno.com
Pray For The Work !
Wed, 29 Jul 1998 14:19:36 -0700
I am preaching for a Spanish Speaking congregation in downtown San Diego.  My family and I moved one year ago from Laredo, TX (God helped us to established two congregations there one on the american side and one on the mexican side) to this place, my sponsor congregation is El Cajon, CA.  They are doing a great job with us.  In the last year God has blessed the work here greatly. We have knocked 2,032 doors, we are holding 23 bible studies per week on a regular basis, we have a training sessions for the male members of the congregation to teach them how to lead songs, prayers, etc... We have been studying with 5 families (once a week) of the congregation teaching them how to hold a bible study. As a result of this work 18 people has been baptized and 5 has been restored. For all this we give the glory and honor to our heavenly Father, and we thank Him for allow us to be part of the kingdoom. We also, appreciate very much the love, concern and support that the El Cajon congregation show to the this work.  ~ In His service,  Asunción Rodríguez (Elías)

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Tehachapi
New Congregation
22150 Old Well Rd
Tehachapi, CA 93561 USA
661-822-4970
Brian Elliott
661-833-6818
bnlelliott@ncinternet.net
New Congregation starting in Tehachapi, CA
Mon, 17 Jul 2000 15:20:27 -0500 (CDT)
Beginning August 13 there will be a faithful congregation of the Church of Christ meeting in Tehachapi, CA. For those who don't know the area, Tehachapi is about a 40 mile drive east of Bakersfield on Freeway 58 and about 90 miles north of Los Angeles. Brother Jerry Barrett and his family and his Mom and Dad have been driving faithfully to Arvin or Bakersfield for years for services and they all live in the Tehachapi area. Jerry has made several contacts in the area and they have some prospects. If you know of anyone in the Tehachapi, Mojave or even Lancaster/Palmdale areas of California that you would like the brethren to contact they would be happy to. Directions to the building are (from the west) Take 58 east to Tehachapi exit. Turn right and remain on Tehachapi Blvd. into town. Meeting place is 120 E. Tehachapi Blvd. (From the east) Take 58 west, exit Tehachapi exit. Turn left and remain on Tehachapi Blvd til 120 Tehachapi Blvd. The brethren request your prayers on behalf of the new work there.

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Oregon
Salem

Thu, 25 Feb 1999 01:00:27 -0600 (CST)
The small congregation in Salem, Oregon is searching for people interested in moving here and helping with the Lord's work.  This could be a preacher, family man, retired man, or anyone who is able and willing to help in teaching and personal work.  Salem is a city near the coast, mountains, rivers, and beautiful Willamette Valley. Salem offers many opportunities, activities, and an excellent job market.  We can provide moving and relocation costs, offer limited financial monthly assistance, and other help. 

For more information please feel free to contact:

 

        Charles Cutter -- (503) 463-8001

        Rob Smith -- (541) 327-3744

~~Or~~

        On-line : Randy Cutter -- RAZORSHOME@juno.com

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Texas
Corsicana

PRISON WORK IN CORSICANA, TEXAS
by Jimmy Vannoy
105 Sunset Circle, Corsicana, TX 75110
903-872-5419
vannoy4@airmail.net
Sat, 2 Jan 1999 11:49:52 -0600 (CST)
In Hebrews 13:3, we are told to "Remember the prisoners as if chained with them." It is reasonable to consider the prisoners of that day as different from those of today because they were christians. However, things are different in Corsicana (Navarro County), Texas, because several who are in jail are christians. In the latter part of 1997, a man who was a relative of a member of the church in Corsicana was in jail and requested to be baptized. We baptized him, and looked for a way to get with him for regular Bible studies. I was directed to the chaplain of the jail, and we were given a time from 6:00-7:00 every Tuesday evening. Our program consists of teaching a Bible subject, answering inmate questions and discussing their spiritual and personal needs.  The power of God's Word has shown itself mightily in the Navarro County Jail. During 1998, 73 men were baptized into Christ. We have been amazed by this response, and we see no end in sight as long as this world continues.  Some might wonder if these men are sincere. In working with them closely, I have no reason to doubt their sincerity. Why are they so ready to respond to the gospel? My idea is that they have been humbled by their imprisonment. Humility is absolutely necessary before a person will obey the gospel and a lack of it is the reason most people refuse to obey. The prisoner has been humbled to his lowest point. He knows he has chosen the wrong path and that he needs to change his life.  The prisoners talk about the differences between us and others who go to the jail. It seems the others just try to talk and entertain, while we teach the Bible, presenting verse after verse on the subject. Prisoners come only if they want to, and we now have between 40 and 50 who come each week. We have four men from the congregation who go into the jail, and we rotate, going in pairs.  What has happened to the 73 who have been baptized. Some of them are still in the Navarro County Jail, and we teach them every Tuesday. Some have been transferred to state prisons, and I correspond with some of them about spiritual matters. One has been released and is a faithful member of the church. He is now leading songs, has given a five minute talk and is working on another. Others have gotten out and have not come to church after their release. Before we baptize them, we talk to them about the one true church of the Bible, of which they will soon be a member. I emphasize that they will soon be a member of the Church of Christ and that they are commanded to attend church when they get out. I strongly emphasize Heb. 10:25.    But their is a phenomenon that occurs in jails all over, called "jail house religion." It occurs when inmates face the humbling experience of being incarcerated. They sincerely accept religion, but many do not stay with it when they get out, for any number of reasons. We are on a campaign against jail house religion and advocate "life time religion". We talk about the need to attend church, as well as the danger of falling, at almost every study.  One of the men we work with, Robert, heard us teach at the Navarro Jail. We pass out business cards so they can contact us if they need to.  He was transferred to a state jail in Henderson and had not been baptized.  He wrote us asking for help when he got out, which was supposed to be Dec. 23. I wrote him back and asked about his religious background. He indicated that he had received a secular baptism, not for remission of sins.  I wrote him and taught him the truth about salvation. He wrote back saying he was ready to be scripturally baptized. This was taken care of by a brother in that area.  Because of some legal problems, he was not released on Dec. 23.  In his disappointment, he was transferred to the Rusk County Jail. He was placed in a jail with five other inmates, and they asked him about his Bibles he carried in a box. He began to teach them the gospel and baptized all five of them. They are not included in the 73 mentioned above. He is convinced that this opportunity is why he was not allowed to get out.  I am convinced that there are prisoners all over the United States with the same kind of hearts as those in Corsicana, Texas. Only two things stop congregations all over the US from doing this kind of work. One is the cooperation of jail officials. The Navarro County Sheriff's Department has been very cooperative, making it easy for us to teach. We, in turn, have been patient with them, understanding that their first job is to take care of the prisoners. I am sure there are prison staffs all over the US who will be just as cooperative. The second is the willingness of congregations to do the work. There is no reason to fear. We have never found a reason to fear, and we mingle with the prisoners freely. The work in Corsicana has shown that this can be a very effective way to win souls. This is not a work of one individual but an effort of four brothers working together. How can a congregation start a work like this? First, speak to the leaders of the congregation about it. If they do not have a copy of this e-mail, give them one. If you decide to do it, contact the chaplain of the local jail. If you are unsuccessful, contact the one in charge of the jail or the county sheriff. If you are successful in getting a time to teach, be there faithfully every week. Be patient with the jail staff and follow all procedures. Many congregations can work in their local jail, and it has the potential of being just as fruitful as it has been in Corsicana. For more information, you may contact me at vannoy4@airmail.net, calling at (903)872-5419 or writing at 105 Sunset Circle, Corsicana, TX 75110.

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El Paso
Randall (Randy) M. Tidmore
10681 Birthstone Drive
El Paso, TX 79935
(915) 590-5774
church@htg.net
http://www.huntel.com/~rtidmore
hermano@iglesiadecristo.org
http://www.iglesiadecristo.org

El Paso, Texas

Update

Wed, 24 Mar 1999 19:25:27 -0600 (CST)
This is a short update report, to share some exciting news about the work.

Gospel Meeting in Spanish congregation~  La Iglesia de Cristo

Our annual gospel meeting in the Spanish congregation was very uplifting. Brother Asunción (Elías) Rodríguez, as usual, did an outstanding job of proclaiming the Lord's message. We had a large number of visitors each night. After the service on Sunday, José Martínez was baptized into Christ. We have studied with José "off and on" for a long time. He is the father of Monica Abril, (one of our sisters in the English congregation). Brother José had belonged to the "Pentecostal" religion for many years. He played the guitar and sang for special occasions and funerals. Giving this up was a huge obstacle for him. However, God was merciful and gave him time, and now he is a member of the Body of Christ. We thank God for giving the increase!

Juárez, México

In the last report I mentioned our plans to test the evangelistic field in Juárez, Mexico while Elías was here. We went there, not knowing what to expect, but 1,500,00 souls are hard to overlook. We found the people very friendly and open to the gospel. From our door knocking I now have seven weekly Bible study appointments there (We only knocked doors for six blocks!). Besides those studies, I now have two others that were gained through encounters on the street or in a parking lot. I also have four others that I need to check back on, who seem to be pretty good prospects for studies. Currently, my work schedule for Juárez involves two days a week, Wednesday (door knocking and 2 studies) and Saturday (9 studies). Some of these studies are with one individual, but others are with whole families, or even multiple families. Elías and I were both surprised at how receptive the people there are.

English congregation

We are afraid that one of our families in the English congregation is going to move to Indiana. We will really miss them, if they do. However, the English congregation is enthused about the prospects for a fruitful work in Juárez, also. Seeing such potential for good in another area really helps us to have the patience necessary for working in less productive areas.

I plan to involve as many of the brothers and sisters from both congregations as possible in personal evangelism. Several have already agreed to go with me. We are now presenting studies to prepare them for this work. Right now there is a lot of enthusiasm. Please pray for us that we might be able to take full advantage of this door of opportunity the Lord has blessed us with. May God bless all the faithful there.

In His service,

Randall (Randy) Tidmore

P.S. Since I started working on this update, Moisés (a brother from our Spanish congregation) and I knocked doors, covering one more block, which produced two more studies for Wednesdays in Juárez. We also shared the gospel with three others in the street.

Sat, 9 May 1998 21:35:57 -0600
New family ~ The Lord has given growth to His cause in El Paso. We are still rejoicing. Close to the end of January, a lady called the church building and left a message, asking us to call her. She said that they (her family) wanted to worship with us, and that she wanted to know the time of our services. While we were talking, I learned that they were members of the church, and that they had been attending a "cups & classes" congregation. I explained that we still observe the Lord's supper with only one cup, and that we still meet in an undivided assembly. She was interested, and acknowledged on the phone that it was scriptural to do so. I asked her if we could meet before Sunday. She suggested that we meet her at her mother's house, on that Saturday. Cynthia and I met her (Edenia) and her mother (Maria). The Lord blessed us with setting up a Bible study with Maria, who also became interested in attending the worship services. After our second Bible study, Maria said that she wanted to be baptized as soon as possible! Since she is nearly disabled (spends most of her time in a wheelchair, but can walk some with a walker), we got permission to use a YWCA swimming pool that had a ramp with handrails for entering the water. After the baptism, Maria hugged me and began to weep loudly. She was so thrilled.
Click Here for Picture
Oh that more of God's children appreciated their salvation more!
The following Sunday, after talking with Edenia and her husband (Manuel) they decided to take their stand for the truth, and against error. Manuel is a very enthusiastic young man, who is already taking part in the services, doing everything but teaching already. I am hopeful to study with him some and to see him begin to teach soon. We are so thankful for God's blessings. I hope this doesn't sound like I am trying to take credit, or to take the glory! We are all so thankful, we could just about burst with joy. We are so happy to share this good news with our supporters, because it is fruit to your account, too. We have nothing to boast of, but that God graciously answered prayers, and sent us this family.
Click Here for Picture of Brother Mois'es & Sister Estela Terrazas
Meet Brother Moisés and Sister Estela Terrazas
I have mentioned Brother Moisés several times. He is the brother who had a cancerous tumor in his throat. He and Estela were also the first Spanish-speaking converts. It was their conversion that led to the starting of the Spanish congregation in El Paso in 1994.   Moisés has continued recovering from his bout with cancer. In fact he has taught three times. We are so thankful. His voice is still only a "loud, raspy whisper." However, we plan to buy and install a p.a. system, with a clip-on microphone, for him to use. He is anxious to be used more and more.  Now he and Brother Manuel are quite capable of carrying on the worship services. We ask you to continue to pray for him and his recovery.
Gospel Meeting
From March 29 to April 5, we had our annual Gospel meeting with Brother Asunción Rodríguez. The meeting was well attended. We didn't take an official count, but one night our building was nearly full. As a result of the work put forth during the meeting, we have some new leads. Only time will tell what the harvest will be, but the good seed was planted. Lord willing, we will continue to sow the seed and to water, in hope, trusting God to bless us with more growth in His own good time.
On the last Sunday, we had four adult visitors. One was another daughter of Maria, who has come several times now, and seems to genuinely be interested. The other three are from contacts made during the meeting, though not a direct result of it.  They are a woman, her daughter and her son. The son lives in Juarez, which we hope will lead to a door opening up there.  We got in contact with them through a woman for whom the daughter works.
Click here for Congregation's Picture
(Except for the children and four adult visitors, this is our Spanish congregation. Five members were not present.)
Since this picture was taken, two brethren who were not present have died. They were Jaime Portillo, who lost his battle with a liver destroyed by his earlier life, and José Delgado, who had a stroke about a week after the death of brother Jaime.  Both of these brethren were baptized on the same night, just about a year ago.
Please continue to pray for our Spanish congregation.  ~ Randall (Randy) M. Tidmore

    

World-Wide Efforts

    

By Way of the Internet

David Risener

  ~ Linda Risener (wife)

620 W. Broad Street, Mansfield, TX 76063 USA

gospel@NewTestamentChurch.org

817-473-6161

http://www.newtestamentchurch.org

Church of Christ, Frisco TX

Jeff & Shelley Totter

JSTotter@msn.com

Success of the Web Site and Upcoming Bible Correspondence Course

Mon, 17 May 1999 10:08:16 -0500 (CDT)

As David is making efforts to improve and expand the web site, we'd like to ask everyone to take time to pray for its success--in both spreading the gospel to the lost AND in uplifting those who are already members of Christ's body.

Let's pray for David & Linda and all of their "helpers," that they will have continued health, time, and resources to keep the web site going. The web site is an EXCELLENT medium for (1) introducing the lost to the Gospel in a "non-threatening" way (many might not come to a Gospel meeting or agree to a home-study, but might view the information on this site), (2) praising and honoring the name of God and his dear Son, (3) strengthening and teaching those who have been added to the precious body of Christ.

Especially let's all pray for the success of the soon-to-be-released Bible Correspondence Course, that a great response will be seen and as a result, souls will be converted to the truth and saved.

Please pray for all who are contributing to this World Wide Evangelistic Effort ...that God will bless our work and that many souls will be brought to Christ.  Hundreds of hours have gone into this effort by a host of dedicated brothers and sisters in the Lord.   Already over 128 leads have be generated by this effort.