MISSION URUGUAY 2013

Dear beloved in Christ,

I am writing you from Uruguay. Rosa and I came a week ago in order to ministry in two different camps and preach in several churches. This would be our third missionary trip to this country.  Years ago the Lord used a Lady missionary from Templo Calvario Baptist Church to bring the Gospel to Spain, I am the fruit of her labor. The church invited me in their 50 anniversary, and Rosa and I were able to come in that occasion. My first invitation was for the Family camp and the Workers Camp at Camp Emmanuel. WE are here again, rejoicing in what the Lord is doing in this country and rejoicing as we see how He has blessed our time here in a very special way.

Family Camp was a tremendous blessing. Most of the people that attended where Christians, only a few where not saved. I gave a series of messages about Josuah as a Father. I took his decision as he said “I and my house, we will serve the Lord” and presented through several passages the responsibility that we have as parents. I saw many broken hearts and tears in the eyes of the listeners as the Lord dealt with each heart.

We had an intensive and busy weekend. Saturday evening I preached in a youth meeting in one of the churches located in a very poor neighborhood, in the middle of what the Uruguayans called “Red district.” There were several rough looking teenagers I preached with all my heart as I cold remember my old life, lost in sin, as a member of a street gang, the first time I listened about the Bible, was in a meeting where I attended with my gang… I went there not to “listen” but to “disturb” and yet, God took a hold of me, and by His Grace He saved me… I told that to the teens and challenged them to believe in Christ!

On Sunday I preached in two different churches and we had a precious time of fellowship with their pastors. At night we visited a family that works with Jewish people here in Montevideo, we also met a pastor that has a ministry among deaf people… It was a very interesting experience… we went to sleep quite late as we talked about the Lord and the ministry.

Today, Monday, we have started a new week of camps. This time it is going to be a “Workers Camp” for pastors and missionaries working here in Uruguay. I will be preaching about Joshua as a Leader. What a great challenge and responsibility I have as I will be talking to men and women that have been serving the Lord for years in this country. I have a big burdened to preach about the problems of leadership and the work of the Lord, as well as the growing apostasy in our churches as a result of the lack of obedience toward the principles of being a servant… please pray for us that the Lord would use the messages for His Glory.

Meanwhile in Spain, the Lord is taking care of our children. We left them there with our relatives. They are fine, and the church at Castellbisbal is also doing well as several of the men are taking care of the ministry, the preaching and the work there.

As you well know the Lord has opened unusual doors of ministry outside our field of service, Spain. We have been preaching in several South American countries and have invitations that we had to turn away because we just could not make it. Most of the times the churches that invited us paid  for my trip, but I wanted Rosa to come with me as a precious help for the ministry and I had to pay for her airplane ticket. The time in the different countries has been also a time of extra expenses as different needs rose. I have been praying and considering this before the Lord. I think that it will really help us for the future to have a special “Ministry Abroad found” where we could save money dedicated only for those occasions.

I have much I would like to share about our trip to Uruguay, I hope to write you again soon and tell you about the “great things the Lord has done…” May the Lord keep you and bless you.