^{Spanish Missions Bulletin}

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

March 2003

"Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee."  Mark 5:19

Dear Friends in Christ,

Thank you for your prayers and support for the first part of the year.

Family News

Since this is the first year Karen is not traveling with me on deputation, she is planting a vegetable garden.  Please pray for her as she is the major care-giver (24/7) for David.  We are praying for the Lord to wake up his brain concerning toilet-training.  Besides putting on his shirts, pants and "pull-ups", he is almost able to put on his socks.  Mary Elizabeth is home-schooled and involved in several extracurricular activities including Awanas, basketball, and choir.  She takes part in music competition on flute, piano, and violin.  The Lord has graciously provided music lessons at a reduced cost.

Compilation of the 2002 Missionary Reports

4,594 Professions of faith

580 Baptisms

3,626 Church services

1,357 Bible classes

41,960 Gospel tracts distributed

Video Presentation

Praise God for the response to the video presentation sent to everyone on our mailing list.  Please pray that it will continue to be used to inform other pastors of the needs of the ministry.

Videos on Revelation and Apocalypse

We received 400 videos on Revelation and the Apocalypse for distribution.  Praise God we were able to take them into Mexico without a problem.  The plan is to give them to the native pastors attending a Bible School commencement and Conference in May at Iglesia del Pueblo, Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico.

The meeting presents an excellent opportunity to disperse literature and videos as last year more than 70  pastors attended.  These "tools" then are used in their respective fields.  We have found them to be very effective to present the gospel in areas where electricity and TV are not available.  In the past, we have supplied power-plants to some of the pastors to enable them to show the videos, especially in the jungle areas.  Only God knows the impact this medium can have in the lives of people.

Springtime Camp Meeting

Please pray for the springtime Annual Camp Meeting outside Leon, Guanajuato the third week in April.  Pastor Isidro Ontiveros, our Field Representative in that area has been looking for a rancher to lend him a field in which to hold the meeting and believes he has finally found one.  It is a big undertaking as usually over one thousand young people and adults attend.  We thank God for providing $1,000 to this worthy cause.

The "facilities" are rustic, to say the least.  Families set-up their own tents and camp-fires.  Mrs. Jacinta Ontiveros and the ladies of the church cook for those who attend without a family.

Pray with us that many would make decisions for Christ and that many would make decisions for full-time Christian service.

Blessings and petitions from Isidro Ontiveros, Leon, Guanajuato 

Pray for wisdom in accomplishing the renovation of the Bible Institute building in Leon.  Plans are for it to accommodate one hundred students.

The police had a warrant for the arrest of one of the men working on the renovation and took him to jail.  Pastor Ontiveros witnessed to him and upon his release, the man returned to work a new man in Christ!

Mrs. Ontiveros began home-schooling her children upon the realization of the wrong influence in the public schools.  Soon, other children and young people of the church began attending.  Along with the Bible Institute, a Christian Day School has begun.

We continue to be enthusiastic because we have paid for the land, and we have seen how the church members share our burden for this place.  The brethren have contributed much to this cause.  I thank God that we continue - since the beginning of this year - with our goals to win souls.  We have set aside another day during the week to knock on doors to take the gospel to new people.  The brethren of the mission join us in this endeavor.  We already have three colonias (neighborhoods) which we have visited.  After the people have visited our services and been saved, we give the honor and glory to our Lord Jesus Christ.

From the Colonia Avuntamiento we have two couples and a young man, all of whom have been faithful in attending our services.  Please pray for them; Lorena and Isaias, Alejandro and Blanca, and Daniel.  The attendance has reached about 50 people.  We continue to grow, albeit with several needs.  We continue to have faith in God and in you who continue to support us - not only supporting us as the missionaries, but also supporting the souls that have been saved in the beloved La Paz, Baja California Sur, saved from the eternal fire.  

We have completed our evangelization of one Colonia that has about 700 families.  Approximately 3,000 persons have heard the message of Jesus and 200 individuals have accepted Him as their Savior.  We are planning a campaign during March 12-14 2003.

Pray for the construction of our temple (church building).

Pray for the power of God in my life.

Pray for more souls to be saved

Pray for additional soul winners in our Mission.  God greatly bless you in all of your goals and endeavors.

Pastor Isidro Ontiveros

An heir of God through Christ,

Joel Silos, D.D.