^{Spanish Missions Bulletin}

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

May  2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

We are grateful for your prayers and financial support that make possible for this ministry to reach with the gospel the untold in Mexico.  The main emphasis of the ministry of Spanish Baptist Missions is to encourage and support church planters that are sent out of local churches to areas without a gospel witness.  At this time there are ten additional pastors who have asked for support.  Please pray that the Lord will supply according to His will.

Presentations

In raising funds, it is necessary to make-on average-40 contacts in order to obtain one service in which to present the ministry.  It takes ten or more presentations to secure a new supporting church.

Because of the current economic situation, churches are also facing monetary challenges.  Our support level has dropped considerably in the last three months.  Please join us in praying for the Lord to meet our needs.

Camp Leon, Guanajuato

In March 2008, over 900 persons attended camp sponsored by Iglesia Bautista Betel and pastor Isidro Ontiveros.  The theme was "it is better to give than to receive".  Personal evangelism was conducted by the counselors in small groups.  Many came to know the Savior, praise His Name!

With a special offering from a supporting church, ten people with special needs and their caregivers were able to attend camp.  An elderly lady who can barely walk said, "No one had ever shown an interest in helping me attend a church camp".

Mephibosheth Ministry-Eating At The King's Table

Reading in the New Testament, I find that most of the people the Lord Jesus helped had special needs besides the spiritual: physical, mental, and/or emotional.  Seeing the love He had for them, we are burdened to do the same.  Only 10 percent are being reached with the gospel.  These are souls who need to be saved.  Therefore, we encourage the churches that are being planted to have a burden for people with disabilities.

Bibles And Literature

We praise God for a shipment of 200 Bibles, New Testaments, and booklets of John and Romans besides 160,000 gospel tracts.  This literature will be given to the pastors attending the annual Pastors' Conference May 26-29 in Matamoros, Tamaulipas.  Since they come from many areas in Mexico, the literature will be widely distributed.

 Pastors' Conference

Help us pray for the Lord's leading concerning a Pastors' Conference in Leon, Guanajuato in September 2008.  Last year, 45 pastors and their families attended.  It was a time of great encouragement to all.  We expect attendance to double this year.

Family News

Within the past three years, I have experienced several staph infections in my right eye.  The ophthalmologist thought I might have lupus.  After several tests, that has been ruled out.  Pray that the doctors will be able to find the cause of the infections.

Please pray for Mary as she goes on a mission trip to Barbados the week of May 25.  She also plans to be a short term missionary the last week of June at a camp for special needs children here in Texas.  Mary is attending summer school and will begin her senior year in August.

David can spell and read a few words.  He plays "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" on the piano and is learning "Jesus Loves Me".  We continue to encourage David with his toilet training.

The flooring in our house is finally being replaced.  As you may recall, it was damaged by a kitchen fire last October.  Keep Karen in your prayers as she is boxing items in the house.

My nephew, Marine Nathan Silos, is mostly recuperated after suffering head trauma and hearing loss while serving in Iraq.  There is a possibility he will return to Iraq or Afghanistan by the end of the year.

My sister Becky will begin radiation therapy soon.  Thank you for praying for her and for Nathan.  The Lord is faithful to hear and answer prayer!

Following Are Translated Excerpts From Letters From Some Of The Missionaries

Martin Santos Roldan, Pisaflores, Hidalgo, Iglesia Cristo Viene (Christ Cometh Baptist Church):  With this letter I communicate my gratefulness for the offering received for two months.  It has been of great help as the rent was due on the house where we hold services.  It came at an opportune moment.  I share with you a most important event: the evangelistic campaign in March had better results than in previous campaigns.  We continue to pray for the Lord to use us in evangelism.

Francisco Pat Coba, Telchaquillo, Yucatan, Iglesia Monte Horeb (Mount Horeb Baptist Church):  We pray you will be enjoying God's richest blessings when you receive this letter.  Thank you for praying for the souls of Yucatan.  Our work is growing; we have nine new persons attending the services regularly.  Six more persons have accepted Christ and we pray they will soon come to church.  We pray for you and send greetings to all the brethren who help support the work in Mexico.

Ignacia Guel Ontiveros (Pastor Isidro Ontiveros' wife) Iglesia Betel (Bethel Baptist Church):  We thank our God for his great blessings shed upon our lives.  We are very grateful for your great support, not just monetary, but also for your prayers.  As human beings, we need it.  The Lord worked mightily at camp.  The young people now have another mentality and several want to prepare for full-time service, along with some adults.  In the church, the people are working harder at winning souls and we have had baptisms.  At six o'clock in the morning several ladies meet for prayer with me and  my husband.  Brethren, our Savior still has many people who want to serve Him.  Pastors and missionaries continue strong, in spite of hardships and discouragements.  We press forward knowing that what awaits us is much better and wonderful than what we have to endure here.

Julian del Angel Arguelles, La Gargantilla, Hidalgo, Bautista Emanuel, (Emmanuel Baptist Church):  We are always grateful to God and to you for the unconditional support for me and my family.  I greet you in the Name above all names, Jesus Christ.  Help me pray for the following: (1) an evangelistic campaign in May, (2) a vehicle to replace our van.  It broke down when we were carrying block for the church building, (3) for an assistant to help minister in four other towns: San Vicente; La Lagua; El Plan del Alamo; and Tripuente.

Brethren, Continue to pray for us as we strive toward the mark.

An heir of God in Christ,

Joel Silos, D.D.