word on revival

Hey All,

I heard a word from the Lord this morning.  Just have to share it with you all.  God has been answering many of the requests from the last letter so a hearty thank you to each of you and a praise to God for His swift power in answer to our petitions.  so to encourage you even further, i got inspired by this verse this morning.  A number of us have been fasting and praying for revival this lent season.  topics for intercession include daily prayer for revival and the sending out of workers into the final harvest here in the last days. Here's what God said to encourage us to keep vigilant in prayer and not to faint. hope its a blessing to you.

 Ask the LORD for rain in the springtime, 

it is the LORD who sends the thunderstorms.

He gives showers of rain to all people, and plants of the field to everyone.

zech 10:1

  I feel very strongly in my spirit that God is really behind what we're doing this spring.  He just wants all that He does down here on earth to be in response to our prayers.  Its like He wants us to almost feel like it was our idea or something, only we know all revival starts with Him.  He has a thunderstorm of power revving up to send out workers, to get revival, repentance, salvation and change in our state and nation.  NOW is the time to pray!  Now is the season for new things to spring up by divine surprise.  This outpouring of His Spirit will be poured out on all people, just like brother Joel told us (Joel 2:28,29).  In turn the results will mean spiritual food, the bread of life, made available to everyone. 

 The nations are going to be glad as they hear of His saving love and power.  The gospel will spread out with even greater speed, greater unction. I see a ridiculously happy multitude of evangelists boarding plans and trekking thru jungles and mountains eager to get the Word out.  I see the mighty angels laughing as the Holy Spirit like a batter who knows He's awesome, whacks that little ball out of the park!  What a great day of rejoicing this is for the believer as we join in with Gods perfect timing and saving love to be a part of the biggest revival this world has ever seen.

 

hey everyone,

things are humming along down here in Culiacan.  I've been very busy in the ministry and in the english school leaving little time to slow down and write an update for you all.  In addition I've been dealing with one illness after another, so when I'm done with a class or a drive out to the camps I come home and die on my bed.  Prayers for strength would really be great right about now.

 

booboo helping make gospel CDs

So, we're getting ready to add two new camps to our schedule but we need Gods mind to know which of the remaining 100+ we should choose to focus on.  Some camps have large groups of folks from the deep jungles of the south.  These people listen intently to the message of salvation and respond to the Lord with fervency and gratitude.  Other times we find a laziness and a carelessness, often among the spanish speakers, who have already heard the gospel and just like us to visit to talk to them about the bible.  this group is nice enough but bears little fruit, making small effort themselves to continue with the Lord.  Naturally we want to focus our energy on group 1.  We just really need God to show us where they are.

          In another awesome answer to prayer, God has sent a missionary couple here to work with the indigenous as well.  They are my age but have been working in other parts of Mexico for some 30 odd years.  They are a tremendous source of encouragement and wisdom.  we have started having regular missionary meetings to seek to edify one another along with the other missionaries in our area.  what a blessing.

 

 Lastly, i wanted to ask you all to pray for my coworker and friend Gerardo.  Please pray that he can find some kind of tech school to learn a trade, as well as a job that allows him to support himself while continuing to preach in the camps.

 

Ok,  here are the prayer points in brief and a hearty blessing to all of you up there supporting the work in your prayers.

 

• God make me strong and healthy to keep serving Him with joy and vigor
• God direct our steps to what camps to visit next
• God help the indigenous to really lay hold of the Lord and pursue Him even after they leave Culiacan
• God continue to raise up more english students, ie. financial independence
• God provide a great job, training school and better living situation for Gerardo
• God provide a house for next season
• God keep us all walking closely with Him, spreading the gospel to all who will listen until He comes to get us

 

Maranatha, come Lord Jesus

 

sal

Hi Everyone,

  I wanted to thank you all for your prayers and your financial support this past year.  God has done so much with what we each have brought to the table it's amazing.  This past fall we saw quite a number saved and a steady group of about 15 people coming regularly to church.  Its such a privilege and joy to disciple people who are so hungry for the word of God.

    In just a few days, I'll be making my annual trek up to Caborca in the northern part of mexico.  It will just be a quick 10 day trip to reach out to the indigenous Mexican indians, most of whom come from the state of Chiapas where it is very difficult to be a christian.  A big part of your financial support goes to bibles and CDs for audio gospel to this region.  If any one wants to make a special one time contribution to that project now is a great time.

        In light of giving, i needed to alert you all to a few changes.  As of this year, Agape will no longer be handling my funds.  Instead my church back home, First Baptist, has agreed to handle my accounts and donations for me. This means that from now on, any donations you would like to make need to be checks made out to First Baptist Church, with Mexico Mission in the memo.  Also a note included with a check is the best safeguard that the money will go to its intended destination.  The church address is:

first baptist church

2075 Johnson Ave

San Luis Obispo 

CA 93401

Here is a link for the First Baptist Church website where you can find me under missions.

http://fbcslo.wordpress.com

          Thank you all once again for your faithfulness in supporting me thru prayer, finances and your words of encouragement.  its what keeps me going.

Lastly. let me close with a brief list of prayer requests for the coming year.

• continued provision and protection as my teams and I aim to spread the gospel to the indigenous people of mexico.
• Increase in the number of workers so we can double the number of camps we visit. 
• Workers and funds for Caborca coming up jan 19th
• Pray God increases the number of students at my English school so I can bring in more income and  can be less dependent on outside funding.
• Pray God provides for me to buy the house I'm currently renting in culiacan.

Many blessings to you all in the coming new year.  I pray God prepares us all for His soon coming by giving us pure hearts and a readiness to share the gospel.  Lift up your heads for your redemption draws near!

Love

sal

Hi everyone,

First of all a big thanks again to those of you who contributed to the flood relief last month.  Things have dried up now,  most the broken sewer pipes are fixed, and praise God the mosquitos are finally starting to dwindle.  Those in the small towns who lost everything will still need prayer, ask God to help them seek the Lord for their needs and find Him to be all sufficient.

      As for me,  I'm glad to find there are enough people already here in the camps to fill up 4 nights a week.  Even though I've been doing this for a year now, I'm still so pleasantly surprised at the grand reception they give us.  One of the common responses when i ask someone if they are a christian and if they want a bible is this.  "well i'm not a christian but i really would like to read the Word of God."  Oh MY GOSH OF COURSE HERES A BIBLE!  

           This past monday i started up bible study again in camp san Nico with a number of these not-christian-yet types.  Esther translated as i shared how receiving Jesus into your heart begins a life long relationship similar to the first time you receive a guest into your home.  You're not really friends if thats the only conversation you've ever had.  We need to keep the friendship going.  I'm making great effort this year to teach people how to seek God directly in prayer and in the word right from day 1 of salvation.  Its common around here for people to only worship, pray and hear the word at church time while forgetting him the rest of the time.  We talked a lot on monday how babies need to learn to be self feeding as do babes in Christ.  Please pray I'm able to communicate this effectively

Esther, Booboo, me and the kids of San Nico.

    I also want to thank you all once again for the truck, we're packing it with more and more people each week, as we go to church in Villa Juarez.

------- hold on a minute.... here comes the ice cream man.... gotta go share Jesus.... brb------

       So, after a full sunday morning at Amigos and Hermanos, i rest up for an hour or so before leaving for Pastor Cesar's church in Villa Juarez.  On the way i'll stop by two or three different camps, to pick-up whoever wants to join us.  this always reminds me of the verse that says go to the highways and byways and compel them to come in.  Its a lot of fun and there are more people each week.  The church is still small enough to fit in Cesar's front patio, but not for long.  I'm looking forward to preaching there one of these sundays when pastor Cesar has to go visit another church plant.  please pray God gives me something very encouraging to edify the church.

Add 8 more people to this picture to get an idea of how many we're packing in now

    Lastly, i wanted to share about Abel.   I told many of you about him in service last summer when i spoke.  He and his family are still doing really well.  In fact, they now join us in reaching out to the other camps.  This is so wonderful to see.  I pray all the others coming to small group bible studies will pursue the Lord the way he and his family have.

this is abel, and Cesars gang at Almas birthday party.  they were so proud to serve us dinner ;o)

so prayer requests in summery are as follows:

more workers sent out to visit more camps

continued open doors into the camps

young believers truly grow in Christ

God anoints my messages

God adds students to my school and thus more gas in my tank

The Lord enlarges our understanding and vision of His will for this season of ministry

Gerardo and Ruben, on mission to Oaxaca this month with my boss Mike Hendricks, get some good missionary training

Gerardo and Ruben with guitars donated from FBC members

Thanks all for your prayers and faithful monetary support.  I really appreciate it and God is clearly using you all in many lives.

If any one of you writes me back and shares prayer requests, I'd love to pray more specifically for you.

Biggest blessings ever!

sal

PS  dont forget you can join me, natalie, gerardo, ruben and several others on a short mission trip to Caborca this january.  Its only about 500 bucks and 10 days out of your life to bring bibles and the gospel message to people who have never heard it before.  pretty awesome.  com'on pastor Tom,  you know you wanna!

This coming January 3 - 10, I will be taking a mission trip to Caborca, Mexico.  Mexicans and Americans will work together to bring the gospel to people who have little opportunity to hear it.  We will present the Jesus Film in work camps around the Caborca area to migrant farm workers.

  Most of these men come from the state of Chiapas where it is very difficult to be a Christian or share ones faith. Last year, there was a tremendous reception for the gospel, and never enough bibles to meet the demand.  They listened eagerly as we preached the gospel and shared the Jesus Film.  They were so excited to receive the Bible in written or audio form it was amazing.  I can hardly wait to get up there again this year and see what God will do this time.

    We have an open door with a Pastor in El Diamente, to use the bible school building there.

    If you would like to join us from the states the cost will be $300 per person.  This will include your food, housing, gas to and from the camps, and pay for Bibles and CDs that we'll distribute.  The only things not covered by this cost will be your gas or flight down to Caborca and any souvenirs or snacks you want to purchase while you are there.

      Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have about the trip or what it will be like.  My email is sallyagapeprojects@gmail.com

See you in Caborca! 

pictures of drive down from Tijuana to Culiacan, Sept 2013

Gerardo, ministry partner, driver and booboo babysitter

This is where you are supposed to have made sure you have enough gas and water

Sunset after the hurricane in obregon

kind souls like Gerardos Aunt took us in along the journey

a reminder that God keeps His promises

We made it home, a day late, but very happy to be here!

We made it!

Well guys, I'm back in Culiacan! 

The Lord definitely carried booboo and I all the way down here.  I met up with my driver and ministry partner Gerardo in Tijuana.  we tanked up and headed off west thru Tecate and on near Mexicali.  After dealing with the car paperwork and a few other details we began the long trek across the barren desert over to Sonoyta.  Imagine no water, no food, no gas, no hotel,  nothin'!   and thats where we were when we discovered our tank was empty!  We were 70 kilometers out and i told Gerardo it would be a miracle if we made it. well we did, I love miracles!

    The next fun thing that happened was a flash hurricane style storm over Obregon.  we hid under the roof of a gas station as it was impossible to drive.  Gerardo braved the elements to grab the guitars and several boxes of bibles from the back.  He crammed them on top of booboo and I and there we sat for almost an hour.  finally we left, me still with a guitar practically up my nose and booboo hiding her head 'til it was over.  At last we passed thru the worst of it, a few hours off schedule but glad to be alive albeit wet, stinky, dirty and hungry.

    When we finally arrived in Culiacan a day late, and emptied out the car, i discovered nearly ALL my clothes were wet. Nothing was damaged but its taken me two days now to get everything hung out on the line or draped over whatever I could find.  

       So I've still got loads of mess and disorder to sort out but the phones work again, the AC is on high,  the plumber and gardner come saturday to fix things, and I'm so thankful to be here.

         Students have been dropping by already asking when we can start classes.  I just got this sense this summer that God was going to really bless my little English school here and it sure looks like thats happening.  

         You know, in addition to your prayers, i think a lot of this blessing can be attributed to the almost constant worship that went on during the 4 day drive down here. we had the praise music cranked as we sang song after song.  Its as if our praise became a weapon to slash thru whatever troubles the enemy had planned for us and our shouting the victory in hope became the victory in real time.  

    Lets hope to remember that next time things look dicey!

Well, I'll get some cool pictures on facebook and the website as soon as I can get the rest of my stuff organized and find the camera,  I'm sure its under something.

Thanks again for the wonderful prayer send off at FBC, and many other gestures of kindness and care.  i miss you all already.  Even so, I'm very glad to be here.   I can feel that God is going to do some great things this season and I'm so grateful your prayers and contributions are enabling me to be a part of it.

Biggest blessings possible for all of you!

sal