^{Spanish Missions Bulletin}

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

December 2002

"And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: For He shall save the people from their sins."  Matthew 1:21

Dear Friends in Christ,

Merry Christmas in the Name of the Lord!  Blessings for the New Year.  My hope is that the year will be one to remember the love of God.

Family News

John Dancer from Damascus, Virginia, is a young man who hand-crafts violins.  He constructed one for Mary Elizabeth.  We praise God for John's willingness, kindness, and generosity.  The violin represents many hours of skillful work.  It is a priceless gift!

One of the reasons we have discontinued to travel as a family is that David is autistic and has Down's syndrome.  David has a need of extensive therapy: physical, occupational, and speech.  Two of his accomplishments are that he is able to put on his shirt, albeit backwards, and to put on his "pull-ups."

Tracts and T-shirts

We received over 200,000 Spanish tracts, plus hundreds of t-shirts, size's toddler to 3X.  They were received in time to include in Christmas goody-bags designated for Mexico.

Video Presentation

For the past two years, a member of our board of Directors has voluntarily worked with me to produce a video presentation.  This member saw the need of our sharing about our work in Mexico.  Pictures of the missionaries and their churches are included.  Our hope is to mail you a copy to better inform you of our outreach.

Goals Reached

Some of the missionaries have organized their work into churches that are now autonomous.  To date, seventy-nine churches have been established.

There are some Bible School graduates who are in need of monthly support since they are ready to plant churches.  Because the economy is depressed, additional funds need to be raised to assist these men.  Please pray for us as we present the needs and goals of this ministry in churches in the United States. 

Conference

The planned January Conference in Telchaquillo, Yucatan was canceled.

Board Meeting

Although some Board members were unable to attend due to bad weather and/or sickness, the meeting was very constructive.  Thank you for praying.

Praise God for Answered prayer

He has provided a video overhead projector.

On-going prayer requests

Newer office machines

Purchase of a car

Open doors to present the ministry in churches.

Camp Meeting next April in Leon, Guanajuato.  Usually there are over 1,000 in attendance.  The conditions are rustic, to say the least.  Three services are held daily besides Bible Study classes.  Many young people are saved and surrender to full-time service.

The Bible School in Leon, Guanajuato.  The renovation of their building continues.  Wisdom is needed in completing the job.

Blessings and petitions from the missionaries' letters received in November 2002

Jose Rodriguez M., Ahualulco de Mercado, Jalisco

It is a pleasure to send this letter to make you participant of the beautiful blessings our God is showering upon us and the work.  We are grateful for the support that you send for it helps us to accomplish more than before.  We are able to go into more towns and villages.

Please pray with us for a vehicle.  I ride the bus to go into small villages and towns around us.  Places like: Etzatlan with 35,000 population; San Ignacio, 10,000; San Juan Escobedo, 20,000; Tehuchitlan, 30,000; El Tehuchiteco, 5,000.  In Las Jimenes, up in the mountains, there are seven families who have been saved.

Francisco Pat Coba, Telchaquillo, Yucatan:  I greet you in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ.  I pray that when you receive this letter, you will be enjoying Gods richest blessing.

Many families are without houses because of Hurricane Isadore.  Trees and utility poles are still lying everywhere.  For almost one month we did not have electricity nor water, but, thanks to God, things are slowly becoming normal again.  The church members and I are doing the cleaning-up and repairing two Sunday School rooms that were completely destroyed.  Praise God, we just about have the rooms ready for the teachers to begin anew the activities with the children.

For me, all this has been an experience to make me continue trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ and to continue in the Lord's work.  I also want to communicate to you that the young people's meetings in the church have begun again.  We want to reach the young people because many of them are into drinking liquor and using drugs.  That is why we purpose to reach them with the gospel so that they may be saved.

We shall continue communicating with you.  Good-bye for now, your brother in Christ.

Camerino Vargas Martinez, Vista Hermosa, Oaxaca:  

Dear brethren,

With this present letter, I greet you, desiring you are well.  That is my wish.  We here continue working with God's help, though we are enduring trials.  Also, the devil is attacking us.  In the middle of October, he tried to lead astray from the way of the Lord my blood-related family.  Thanks be to the Lord, they repented.  Only my father continues in rebellion.  I also share with you of one family who had left the church, but they are enthusiastically attending services again.

I ask that you pray for my wife, for my little daughter, Sara, who is very sick, and for me.  We are going through some hard moments economically.  Please pray for us!

We pray for you.  This is all for now.  May God bless you.

Rodolfo Pacheco Dzul, Puerto Progreso, Yucatan:  

I greet you cordially hoping that when you receive this letter, you will be enjoying God's blessings.

We are well, the work is going forward, the members who sustained material losses because of the hurricane, are recuperating.  At that time there was discouragement in the lives of the believers.

We are motivated and ask the Lord to fill us with His power that we may have the capacity to do His work, that we can triumph over the trials that confront us.  One of the greatest trials is my daughter Agibail's health problems.  Since she contracted hepatitis C, she is sick constantly and has colon problems.  Pray for my wife who is three months' pregnant.

May the Lord greatly bless you.

An heir of God through Christ,

Joel Silos, D.D.