^{Spanish Missions Bulletin}

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

July 2003

"Wherefore, Holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the apostle and high priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;" 

 Hebrews 3:1

Dear Friends in Christ,

Karen and I want to express our gratitude for your faithfulness in prayer and financial support.  My prayer is that God may recompense each one of you.  Pray with us about a short trip we, as a family, are planning.  We want to visit supporting individuals and churches, some of which we have not visited in ten years.

Family News

It is with much joy that we are grateful to God when we see David, our seven-year old son who has Down's Syndrome and is autistic, "signing" the alphabet.  He "signs" faster than Karen and certainly much faster than I.  David is growing mentally, even though he does not talk.  Please pray with us that soon he will understand enough to become potty-trained.  Mary Elizabeth is busy sewing and reading.  She will begin her 6th grade studies in the fall with Karen home-schooling her.  In addition to teaching David and Mary Elizabeth, Karen enjoys canning the vegetables from her garden.

May 2003

Two trips were made into Mexico with boxes of Spanish tracts and videos.  Three hundred thousand tracts were furnished by Fellowship Tract League of Morrow, Ohio.  The videos were supplied by Brother Frank Woodford of Panama City, Florida.

Iglesia Bautista del Pueblo of Matamoros, Tamaulipas, Mexico, hosted a Pastors' conference May 28 to 30.  In attendance were forty-five pastors and many other full-time workers.  Each one received a packet containing tracts, videos, and some personal items donated by a dentist.

We enjoyed a time of fellowship with some of the pastors Spanish Baptist Missions has supported in the past.  It was good to know of their faithfulness and their continued establishment of churches.  We rejoice in what the Lord is doing through these men.

June 2003

I presented the ministry in churches in Virginia.  Praise God for the warm reception in each one!

Blessings and petitions translated from Letters received in June

Fernandos Salinas, Colonia Periodistas Mexicanos, Leon, Guanajuato

The month of May has been most fruitful, thanks to your prayers and -- principally -- to God who heard those prayers.  New members have been attending with regularity and have demonstrated a fervent desire to support this work of God.

I request, brethren, that you especially pray for the Canchola family who is going through many trials.  When the grown children visited their parents and became aware that their parents had become Christians, the children decided to go to church and cause trouble.  They yelled insults, but God protected us from a physical attack.

This set me to thinking that the parents would become discouraged, but the work is the Lord's.  When the father became aware of what his children had done, he returned the gift money that they had given to their mother on May 10 (Mothers' Day in Mexico).  In spite of the parents' need for the money, the father stated that if they (the children) did not want anything to do with Christ, then they (the parents) did not want anything from them.  

Missionary Miguel Angel Flores, La Paz, Baja California Sur

A miracle of God in my life:  On Monday, April 28, 2003, while visiting a church family, I began to feel pain in my chest.  Thinking the pain would subside, I started home at about 7:00 P.M.  However, the pain intensified so much that I parked my car on the side of the road.  I received a phone call and was able to inform the caller of my position.  Half of my body felt numb and I lost consciousness.  When I was found, the car's motor was running and my foot was on the brake.  The ambulance transported me to the hospital where I was informed I had suffered a heart attack.  I received two different types of rehabilitation: electroshock and medication.

I asked God to spare my life -- if it were His will -- as I wanted to serve Him.  I am physically exhausted, but I continue my studies.  The Lord miraculously has provided all my needs -- thanks to different churches who have collaborated -- with both prayers and monetary assistance.  I continue to serve my Lord.

Rodolfo Pacheco Dzul, Puerto Progreso, Yucatan Iglesia Bautista Getsemani

My family and I are doing well.  We are happy and grateful to the Lord that our son, Rodolfo Natanael, was born on the 24 of May 2003.

God's work goes forward.  The Lord has blessed us greatly.  Workers who are called will continue to spread the gospel.  The Lord has rewarded their efforts, due in part to your offerings and prayers.  Thank you for this support as together we will praise and glorify our God.  Forward, always forward!

Also, on June 29, we will begin construction on a new House of Prayer on the hacienda (large ranch) named Xcanatun.  This, with the support and the volunatary offerings of our church members.  We ask that you continue praying for us that God will guide us with His hands.

Leonardo Urquieta Glz. Leon, Guanajuato  Iglesia Bautista Jezreel

Thank you for the great love offering so we could continue constructing the church building.  Because of the building, more and more people will be saved and will meet to glorify the Name that is above all names.  We continue praying that we will be able to purchase an adjoining lot.  

Please continue to pray for Isaac and Abram, two young brothers who have multiple scleroses.  They are members of the church and faithful prayer warriors.  Isaac, who has a tracheotomy, needs to be aspirated every half hour.  Abram is Isaac's faithful companion, and feels for his brother as he gets to observe his need for aspiration.

My concern is that we experience lack of electricity often.  When I attended the Pastors' Conference in Matamoros, I commented about Isaac to some friends.  Thanks be to Brother Benjamin and to the other brethren from the church in Matamoros who provided me with a small generator, albeit in need of repair.  Because of these brethren in Matamoros -- and to the rest of my family in the Lord -- we are awaiting the repaired generator.  We understand that Isaac is a pilgrim on this earth and that a celestial city awaits him.  "But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him." I Corinthians 2:9.  "In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree where for the healing of the nations."  Revelation 22:2

May our Lord Jesus Christ continue to have mercy on these two young men -- and on us -- during our stay here on earth, where we are strangers and pilgrims.  Someday we will "arrive."

Note from Joel:

Abram and Isaac love the Lord and look forward with eagerness to attend the church services.  Since they can no longer sit straight, they are carted on a platform with wheels that Brother Leonardo built.  Now only Abram is able to go to church.  These young men live in such poverty that often the parents are not able to buy the distilled water needed for Isaac's aspirations.

Brother Leonardo is asking for help to buy a silver or gold cannula (a slender tube) which is part of the tracheotomy for Isaac.  Since the procedure was performed in January, he has not been able to talk.  The new cannula will require surgery in order to insert it.

Please continue to pray with us regarding the aforementioned request.

An heir of God through Christ,

Joel Silos, D.D.