progress and prayer report

Hi guys!

Thanks for praying, God's building His church and i thank Him every day for the privilege to be a part of it.  here's the latest progress/prayer report.

monday- camp emilio

Geraldo, a 17 year old going on 30, now preaches in this camp every week.  i sit in the back room and read bible stories to the children.  This week God led him to have a concerted time of prayer.  moments later one of the men was so convicted of sin, he confessed to beating his wife just the night before.  So glad to see the Spirit of God is speaking to people, teaching, convicting, and growing and strengthening their faith.  This group begs me to take them to church but i just cant drive the distance to get them all and bring them all back.  pray God raises up a church close enough for them to get to.  they just want to worship God so much!

tuesday- camp chula vista

Claudia translates for me while i lead the small bible study at Rosario's house.  One family from this camp turned up at Amigos and Hermanos this sunday.  what a joy!  i pray they will keep coming and bring the other young believers along with them.  they are nahuats originally from Guerrero, southern mexico.

wednesday- church service at Amigos and Hermanos

I'm finding more and more people are stepping up to go out to camps with me.  praise God for their desire to spread the word.  this past wednesday we had an umpalumpa band playing during the worship time.  there was a big big man playing a trombone, a singer with a cowboy hat, and a guy on the accordian.  what a hoot!

I thank God for this church, they've seriously adopted me as one of their own. so sweet.

thursday-camp vaqueta

Marissa preaches with power to a group of men and women each week.  I've been teaching the children the bible and handing out Jesus film DVDs.  Tonight the Lord really helped me to build relationships with a couple of families.  One girl of about 12 whose name is Diana, enjoyed learning that she is a princess to the Lord.  Lets pray her dad will allow the family to come to church this sunday.  A nice catholic guy named Edgar, chased us down as we were leaving tonight.  Hey miss, remember me, i espeek a iingliish!  he said.  i gave him a new testament in hopes that he will draw nearer to the Lord.

friday-evangelism with the Neelies

Since Jovita and the church in Villamoro took over at camp cuota, i've been tagging along with the neelies on fridays looking for a place to start another small group.  pray God guides our steps to those men of peace who will receive the word of God with gladness.  And lets thank God for Jovita and pastor Amado who have continued discipleship after i've moved on.  praise God

This sunday pastor amado and the little church in villamora have invited me to preach again.  Esther will translate while i bring a word from 1 corinthians about living godly lives in preparation for the Lords return.  Pray God helps a bunch and things dont get lost in translation.

Lastly, i just wanted to formally invite every last one of you to join us on our caborca trip this year.  We'll endure record high temperatures and all sorts of missionary adventures to bring the word of God to the grape harvest workers of northern mexico.  the difficulties of the area seem like nothing when compared to the joy of seeing these people receive Christ for the first time.  This will be a joint trip involving both FBC and Shoreline.  Talk to Natalie Arnett for more details.

thanks so much for your blessings of support, prayer and encouragement.

you guys are awesome

sally

ps,  i've nearly got half the money ($950) saved up for the pick- up truck.  Thanks for the contributions!

latest and greatest

hi everyone,

      How is everything in California?  Winter is definitely over down here.  we'll  be turning off the hot water soon, and putting away sweaters and boots, seeing as its in the 90's already.  the ministry is heating up too.  its so awesome to see people continue to show up week after week to learn about the Lord.  its taken me quite a while now to actually appreciate how little they know about the bible.  One night when Marissa was leading the bible study, i sat down with the kids and started reading to them from the childrens bible.  i would read a well known story like the prodigal son or the good samaritan.  i'd get about half way thru and ask them, "so then what do you think happened?"  all i got was eager blank stares.  wow.  Moses and the children of Israel came to the red sea with the Egyptians close behind, oh no,  then what happened??  AND THEY DONT EVEN KNOW! amazing.

         We've been handing out new testaments and tracks and thats been great but most of them really need someone to sit down and explain face to face.  They are fascinated with the bible and the things that Jesus said and did, but having someone come out there and tell them in person makes a huge difference.  I'm so glad they all seem to posses the patience of Job as i stumble and bumble with my spanish to explain.

As many of you probably saw on facebook, i got another offer to teach at a local christian school, praise God! while aiming to explain my rules, i played aritha franklins Respect and definitely got the kids attention with that.  what a hoot dancing around the school yard singing into pens for mic's!

       thanks for your prayers for my little business here.  it is growing week by week.  my goal right now is to be able to earn enough to pay my own rent, food, gas and bills so i can use the support money thats coming in to get a truck.  i've been using the van for this season and i'm so glad i had it to bring down my furniture.  i'll use it when the team comes down this april (spaces still available, act fast!) and then i think its time to sell.  Mike is suggesting i get something a bit newer with much better gas mileage.  a truck should suit my needs perfectly.

        

So, at the moment i'm making plans to leave culiacan the last day of may and head for caborca.  anyone who wants to join me for a 12 day mission trip into un-charted un-reached territory is more than welcome.  I'll be passing by Hermosillo if anyone wants to fly in there and get picked up.  after caborca i'll make my way home and bring anyone back with me.  sound like fun?  the camps there have been mapped out by our faithful brother dave mcmullen but very few have been visited with the gospel CDs or the Jesus film.  its a great opportunity to reach the unreached.  all you guys who soaked up that perspectives class, now's your chance to put it into action.

ok, its almost time to run to church and jump up and down praising Jesus!    Thanks again for your financial support and prayers, now if you write back, i can pray much more specifically for you too!  I miss all you guys and look forward to seeing you this summer.  Until then i'll be preaching the gospel to every creature!

blessings!

sal

Mama Cande hosted a Saturday night fish fry.  i skipped the fish but had a blast singing along with the guitar crowd, her grand kids, aka the plebes.