^{Spanish Missions Bulletin}

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

August 2006

I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. John 15:5

Dear Friends in Christ,

May this letter find each of you enjoying God's richest blessings!  Since the inception of Spanish Baptist Missions in 1974, we have had the privilege of being an encouragement with monthly support to young couples who have felt called of the Lord to plant churches.

Translation of a letter from PABLO CERDA VELAZQUEZ, Abasolo, Tamaulipas, Mexico:

I am grateful to the Lord for His infinite mercy and love in this first year of evangelizing in Abasolo.  It has not been easy for we have faced many problems which have caused us to become discouraged and think of quitting.  Even though I have felt like the Israelites in the desert, I know God has been with me as He was with them and never abandoned them.

To begin with, I had many doubts and questions: "How am I going to do this work?  Where do I start?"  One of the biggest questions was concerning my wife and daughters:  "How am I going to support them?"

At the beginning we had a family who was very faithful in attending all of the services.  Then, because of lack of jobs in this area, they moved to Ciudad Victoria which is about an hour away.  We kept contact with them and tried to help them find a church, but it was to no avail.  The conclusion is that we hold services in their home once a month as we have to go to a bank in that city to receive the offering Spanish Baptist Missions sends.  We are praying that as we lead more people to Christ, they will in turn help cover the cost of going every week.

We have now completed one year of service and have a family of four, four young people and fifteen children attending the services.  These compose the start of a church.

I heard a pastor say in a conference:  "Have a dream, share that dream, and make that dream come true".  With that in mind, these are our goals for this next year: 50 in attendance, win more souls, continue instructing the new believers, buy a property, build a church building, and continue the services in Ciudad Victoria.  Please help us by praying for us.  II Cor. 10:3

News from Francisco Pat Coba

Blanca Ivet is Brother Francisco Pat Coba's daughter and has been her father's "right hand" for several years directing the church choir and playing the guitar in the services.  She also holds children's Bible classes during the week.

Since her marriage last November 2005, she and her husband Luis are evangelizing in the Villa de Tecoh and have led several people to the Lord.  They are praying that these new believers will soon be baptized and a church will be formed.  Both Blanca and Luis are enrolled in a Bible Institute in Merida, Yucatan.

Some Other Prayer Requests:

Julian del Angel Arguellos, La Gargantilla Mpio de Pisaflores, Hidalgo

Asks for prayer for a village by name El Plan.  There are very few homes but the people have asked him to go preach and already he has held a first service.

Pablo Cerda Velazquez, Abasolo, Tamaulipas

Asks prayer for his wife who has health problems.  Also prayer for new persons attending the services.

Francisco Pat Coba, Telchaquillo, Yucatan

In July 2006 the young people attended a Youth Camp in a town east of Merida.  Several Baptist churches were represented.  Pray for the young people who were saved and for those who purposed to serve the Lord full-time.

Isidro Ontiveros. Leon, Guanajuato

In July 2006 they began visiting a new colonia by name of Lomas de Echeveste to witness door to door and ask that we pray for them.  They also ask that we pray for Raquel who is seven years old and had a foot amputated because of cancer.  Pray for her parents, Pastor and Mrs. Uvaldo Acosta.

Jose Guadalupe Urquieta, Silao, Guanajuato

Asks that we remember him in prayer for the problem he is having with his eyesight.  He has already lost some of the sight in one eye.

Family News

Karen and I thank you for upholding us and our family in prayer.

As the new school year begins, Mary is busy with Awana's, a robotics club, and violin lessons.   The day she dissected a four-foot snake that she found in her chicken coop, Karen called the home-school Biology teacher.  Mary is now enrolled in Biology and Algebra I Classes.

David's teachers have requested that he ride the bus to school.  With Karen's "help" he is up at 5:30 every morning in order to be ready and waiting.  As for toilet training, Karen came up with the idea of a watch with an alarm to go off every hour to remind David to go to the bathroom.  We are happy to report that it works over 50% of the time!

As for myself, I continue to travel.  In Mexico, to supply the native missionaries with needed materials.  In the States, I give requested updates to supporting churches (some of which have supported the ministry over thirty years).  I participate in Missions conferences and present the need to new individuals and churches.  Our hope is that the Lord would impress them to pray and under-gird the ministry.

Pray for us.

Joel Silos, D.D.