^{Spanish Missions Bulletin}

Rev. Joel Silos, Director
P.O. Box 40398
San Antonio, TX  78229-1398
(210) 615-1945

Dear friends in Christ,

Greetings in Jesus, Name above all names. Thank you for praying for us. The Lord in His infinite mercy and grace answers prayer!

On May 22, five-year-old David had a tube placed in his right ear. Other than suffering with nausea, due to the anesthesia, he did well. Nine-year-old Mary Elizabeth, who is home-schooled, placed high in math and reading when she was tested recently. Please pray with us for the Lord to supply for her music lessons.

Karen is unable to travel in Mexico because David needs medical attention often. In her place, my 73-year-old mother, Rebecca, who does our office work, is willing and ready to travel with me.

A report of two trips follows:

(The missionaries are in capital letters, and the cities, towns or villages are underlined.)

March 11, 2001

JUAN ANTONIO HERNANDEZ, Rio Bravo, Tamaulipas, Iglesia Bautista Biblica Jerusalem: morning service

ALFONSO CALDERON, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Iglesia Bautista Monte de Sion: evening service.

April 5, 2001 (my 46^th birthday)

We left San Antonio at 2:30 P.M. with a big load of Bibles, literature, videos, and cassettes. Crossed the border into Mexico at 5 P.M.; secured visas and filled out the necessary paper work for the 1981 Dodge van; and cleared all the check points with green lights. We traveled on the toll roads as they are better constructed. Also, it is fairly safe to park overnight at the toll plazas. Guards with machine guns and sawed-off shotguns are there to protect the workers.

April 6, 2001

 MARIO PINALES, El Estribo, Coahuila, Iglesia Bautista El Buen 

The work is strong. We went to his mission in Aquiles, and saw the roof and the walls where services are held. Windows, flooring, and benches are still needed. (Brother Mario makes brooms and mops for added family support.)

MARCELO GARCIA Santo Nino de Arriba, Coahuila, Iglesia Bautista Sinai

They have finished their building and a good group of people was gathering for a service that Friday evening.

April 7 , 2001

JOAQUIN BLANCO, Suchil, Durango, Iglesia Bautista de la Gracia

The work is at a standstill.

Leon, Guanajuato: Eight hours after leaving Suchil, we arrived in Leon, a city of 3,000,000 inhabitants, and parked outside of Iglesia Bautista Betel. Pastor Isidro Ontiveros is a godly soulwinner whom I have known for 17 years. Ten men, graduates of his Bible Institute, serve under our Board in the area.

April 8, 2001

Brother Ontiveros guided us to the following Sunday Schools and/or services:

JOSE VALADEZ, Presa Nueva de Jalpa, Iglesia Bautista del Pueblo

FERNANDO SALINAS, , Mision Jezreel (by the city garbage dump)

ISMAEL FLORES, San Francisco del Rincon, Mision Bautista Betel

Note: It is next to impossible to describe what it takes to find the different men as they work in areas that have dirt roads without signs. They have no telephones, so we cannot call them. People are friendly when we ask for help, and that presents an opportunity to give them a tract and an invitation to the services. It was 3:00 P.M. when we returned to our starting point, too tired to even eat.

The evening service in Brother Ontiveros’ church was packed to overflowing. It was a blessing to see and hear the people’s participation and enthusiasm. One after another, young and old, stood up to quote verses. The song service was long, as was the preaching, yet no one was anxious to leave.

April 9-14, 2001

We had come to Leon for what we thought to be a conference, but instead found a camp meeting. The men and churches we support, and others, came together under extremely rustic conditions on a ranch an hour away from the city. The landscape held cactus, thorn bushes, and mesquite trees. Close to 1,000 people gathered. Blind, handicapped, elderly, and families with babies, attended. The numerous young people were divided into groups of twelve and assigned to a counselor. Dormitories for them were set up with sheets of plastic hung on ropes strung between trees and the beds were flattened cardboard boxes. A bathhouse was a room-sized area enclosed with plastic and a dirt floor which quickly turned into mud. The only source of available water came through a spout from a well for the cattle, but it was good drinking water.

Fresh bread and tortillas were delivered daily from the city. The camp kitchen, manned by Mrs. Ontiveros, the pastor’s wife, and some women from the church, served the young people and anyone else who had paid the equivalent of $15.00 for the week. There was no dining room, still no grumbling, or complaining. The rest of the women set up campfires to cook for their families. The atmosphere reminded me of what I have read about camp meetings in the States during the 1800’s.

The vehicles raised clouds of dust. Therefore, I chose a spot to set up camp in an area farther from the others. My mother cooked for us in the van on the LP gas stove. Afterwards we were told the spot was over a next of coral snakes. And to think the pastor who was the main speaker put his pup tent on the ground next to our van as he wanted to be under our "umbrella". Next to him, tow vans full of adults and children set up camp. We did not see a single snake!! The Lord is truly merciful!!!

The bugle sounded at 6:30 A.M. and lights out was at 11:00 P.M. In between, the hours were filled with classes; morning, noon, and evening services; and other activities. The preaching in the services was spirited and it was not possible to keep count of the people who were saved. Over 35 persons surrendered to full time service.

During the week we met many people and interviewed new applicants to our board. Men we had supported in the past visited us. It was encouraging to know they have remained faithful in the Lord’s work.

April 15, 2001 Easter Sunday

We attended the 5:00 A.M. sunrise service at Brother Ontiveros’ church. Later, he guided us to more missionaries:

FELIPE URQUIETA, Colonia San Felipe de Jesus

LEONARDO URQUIETA, Colonia La Libertad, Iglesia Bautista Jezreel

ASUNCION LOPEZ, Colonia El Penon,Bautista Siloe

GUADALUPE URQUIETA, Silao, Mision Bautista Fundamental

April 16, 2001

CAMERINO VARGAS, Vista Hermosa, Oaxaca (874 miles distant)

Pastor Onitiveros traveled with us and when we stopped for the night in a small town, he went to the plaza to look for something to eat. While there, he led some souls to the Lord. Early the next morning we resumed our trip. The winding roads through the mountains made the pastor and my mother nauseous and the last miles were on a dirt road. The trip was worthwhile for a wonderful blessing and surprise were in store for us About a year ago, the Lord impressed Camerino to move back to Vista Hermosa where he had been born. His friends and relatives needed to be saved. So many have been won to the Lord, gospel music is played all day over a loud speaker. The small town has no communication system and Brother Camerino did not know we were going. Imagine our surprise when he told us upon our arrival that on Easter Sunday he had announced to the congregation that they would soon meet Brother Ontiveros (his sending pastor), my mother, and me, the Director of the Mission Board. On Monday, the people had killed a fatted calf although there was no planned celebration. They had begun preparing the special meal and it was ready only minutes before our arrival at 1:30 Tuesday afternoon. After the meal, water from a spring, their only source, was carried up the hill so we could bathe. A service was called for that evening. The mud-wall building, with benches fashioned out of split logs, was filled to standing room only. Others stood outside looking in through the windows and door. The children’s choir, which is taught by the pastor, sang beautifully. Brother Ontiveros preached and the spirit was amazing. Later, everyone fellowshipped around some delicious watermelon.

April 18, 2001

Lisseth, Brother Camerino’s wife, and other ladies from the church prepared breakfast for us. They ground corn manually and made fresh tortillas. We left after breakfast and traveled many miles under adverse conditions. That evening we stopped at a toll plaza to sleep for two hours before driving through Mexico City, the largest city in the world. Our arrival at Leon was at midmorning the next day. After brunch, the journey home was begun with a stop that night at a toll plaza close to Monterrey.

April 20, 2001

In spite of the fact of a few minor breakdowns of our vehicle, we arrived home safely. Praise the Lord for travel mercies over the 3,500 miles.

During our travels every missionary with whom we spoke received a leather-bound Bible for his personal use, several large-print Bibles, videos, cassettes, and boxes of tracts. I also took pictures of the men, their families, and their places of worship for the web page that is in the design process.

Thank you, Lord, for the privilege and blessing of allowing us to have a small part in your work in Mexico!

An heir of God through Christ,

Joel Silos, D.D.