PRAYER LETTERS
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2017
Dear Friends in Christ, January/February 2017
Susie and I are doing well with good health and many blessings on the ministry. We praise God for His blessings in the churches. There have been over 38 souls saved and several presented for baptism! Friend Day was one of the special events that many churches participated in by passing out thousands of fliers and invitations to the communities. Dozens of new adults and children arrived and heard the Gospel. Many of them trusted in Jesus, and the children were given candy and surprises.
We praise the Lord for the Bible Institute students and their involvement in ministry. The students have won more than 25 to Christ these two months. They ha
d a great missions trip to Los Fresnillos (‘fresneeyos’) for a week and spent several days at a pastors’ conference there singing, doing dramas, teaching, and soul winning. Several pastors were encouraged to send their prospective Bible Institute students to our school starting in September.
The students funded most of their trip through the pies they made and sold in the churches and communities months before. This annual trip is one-third of their missions grade, so all students must participate in order to pass the missions course.
We are very thankful for the churches that contributed to paying off the loan to repair the staff and married dorm roofs damaged by the earthquakes last September. Now we can work on the roof for our house that was also damaged. Also, we thank a dear friend for his special gift that allowed us to buy lawn tractors and equipment for the college and youth camp. Thank you and God bless you all.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
Yours in Christ,
Rick and Susie
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2016
Dear Friends in Christ, November/December 2016
We praise God for His blessings in the churches. There have been over 35 souls saved and several presented for baptism! The churches continue discipling new converts and training future church leaders. The newest work, Los Jardines, is going well and being led by Cirilo de la Rosa.
In November a church group of men from Bayshore Bible Ch. came to work on some closets and other things for the Bible Institute dormitories. They did a tremendous amount of work in just a few days and also raised money to buy water heaters for the dorms. The students were thrilled to finally have hot water!
The Bible Institute students have won more than 16 to Christ these two months. Along with the maintenance and cleaning work they do in the afternoons, they also are involved with soul winning, discipling, their studies, and making pies to sell in order to raise funds for their annual missions trip in February to Fresnillo, Zacatecas.
Susie’s “Christmas Kids” was a great success due to the participation of several churches sending offerings to buy candy and toys for the church kids and Bible students. She was able to prepare over 500 bags of candy and presents for them in at least eight of the churches. Thank you for your participation in sharing the love of God with them. God bless you all.
Yours in Christ, Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
Rick and Susie
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2016
Dear Friends in Christ, September/October 2016
Susie and I are doing well and in good health, although both of us recently have been sick with a bronchial infection.
We praise God for His blessings in the churches. There have been more than 38 souls saved and thousands of fliers have been distributed during evangelistic efforts in several churches! The Garcia Church is experiencing new growth, and the remodeling of the building is going well.
We thank the Lord for the new work getting started in Los Jardines de Cadereyta. The first month (September) saw 30 saved! Several new discipleships are now on going. In October we won 12 to Christ and a Saturday morning “Kids Club” has been started! Bro. Cirilo will be the pastor of the new work.
The Bible Institute is going well with a great group of students this year. They have won 30 to Christ these two months over the weekends when they return to their area churches.
Please pray for these two married couples at the institute. They have sold what belongings they had, paid their debts, left their homes, and came to study for the ministry. Both young ladies are with child and have certain needs. They are receiving very little help outside what we can do for them. Would a Sunday School class or someone consider supplying them with a scholarship to pay their monthly tuition and book fees?
Tuition is $40 per month for each couple. The book fees for each couple is a one-time payment of $55 (the couple shares each book). Thank you for your consideration to help these worthy students study for the ministry. God bless.
Yours in Christ, Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
Rick and Susie
JULY / AUGUST 2016
Dear Friends in Christ, July/August 2016
Susie and I are doing well and in good health. We were able to take a short break in June from the work in Mexico to visit a few churches and see some of our family. You may remember our Grandson James who was born with spine a bifida.
At three months in the womb the doctors recommended that he be aborted because he would be a vegetable, be horribly crippled and deformed. His parents said no. At two, James is doing remarkably well. He is very intelligent and is not deformed or crippled. His ankles are a little weak, but he will be able to walk soon. He can pull himself up, stand, and walk while holding onto something or someone. He is a special blessing from the Lord as are all of our grandchildren.
The churches are doing well and many have done VBSs. They have seen over 30 souls saved and several baptized! We chartered a bus and took 50 people from two of our churches in Monterrey to the city of Cuernavaca south of Mexico City, a 14 hour bus ride. We were there for a week to do a missions conference with one of our missionary families. We had a great time evangelizing in the community, presenting dramas and skits at two plazas, and yours truly preached each night of the conference. God blessed with 201 souls trusting Christ! Several of the new converts came to the evening services.
Please pray that we have a great year at the institute, churches, and new works getting established. Also, please remember “Susie’s Christmas Kids” offering. Last year with your offerings, she was able to prepare Christmas bags with candy and toys for about 500 kids in the churches. Please consider helping them this year. It is a tremendous blessing for them. If possible please send it in October. God bless.
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
Yours in Christ,
Rick and Susie
APRIL / MAY 2016
Dear Friends in Christ, April / May 2016
Susie and I are doing well and in good health. Things were really busy these two months with Children’s Day celebrations in the churches and with all the preparations for the Bible College graduation. The churches have seen over 45 souls saved and more than 14 baptized!
The students of the Ambassador Baptist Bible College and Seminary saw 53 saved during their soul winning efforts! They worked hard helping us to get everything ready for the main event on May 6th.
We had a great graduation with 11 graduating of which eight were in the BA program through LBU. Graduation Day started with the three institute graduates preaching during the morning session and doing a wonderful job, then having lunch and recessing until 5:00 pm.
That evening we returned to the campus with in attendance and more than 20 churches represented.
Our keynote speaker was Pastor Horacio Quiñones from Zacatecas who preached a tremendous challenge to our grads and the congregation. Special music included an orchestra from one of the area churches, a Rondalla group from another church, and our own school choir.
Susie prepared the main course for the post-graduation dinner which consisted of 150 lbs. of brisket and 75 lbs. of cole slaw. We had a wonderful time of fellowship, and we praise the Lord for His wonderful blessings and for your prayers and support to help make it all possible. God bless you all.
Yours in Christ, Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
Rick and Susie
JANUARY / FEBRUARY 2016
Dear Friends in Christ, January/February 2016
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank the Lord for you and deeply appreciate your faithful prayers and financial support for the work in Mexico.
Susie and I are doing well, our annual physicals were good, and there are no problems with my annual checkup with the cardiologist. Other than the arthritis that flares up, we feel great. Susie’s Christmas Kids Offering allowed over 500 kids to receive bags of candy and gifts for Christmas in 8 of the churches and the Bible Institute!
We praise the Lord for the many blessings in the churches these two months. The churches have seen more than 27 souls saved! Several have presented themselves for baptism, and many have begun personal discipleship. Others have enrolled in evangelism classes and some in leadership training as well.
The students of the Ambassador Baptist Bible College and Seminary (Instituto Bautista Bíblico Embajadores y Seminario) returned from
their mission trip in Fresnillo, Zacatecas. They presented a drama and the choir sang before a group of 64 pastors plus church members at a regional fellowship meeting. Their soul winning efforts these two months saw 53 people turn to Christ!
God bless you all.
Yours in Christ,
Rick and Susie
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2015
Dear Friends in Christ, November/December 2015
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank the Lord for you and deeply appreciate your faithful prayers and financial support for the work in Mexico.
We praise the Lord for the many blessings in the churches these two months as they shared the Gospel of Christ with a population steeped in religious tradition and false doctrine. The Catholic Church celebrates the Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe on December 12th.
There are many pilgrimages and traditional celebrations honoring and worshipping Mary as the “Mother of God”. To them she is deity and co-redeemer with Jesus Christ.
But praise God, the churches have seen more than 35 souls saved during this time! And Susie’s Christmas Kids Offering allowed over 500 kids to receive bags of candy and gifts for Christmas in 8 of the churches and the Bible Institute! Several parents were saved through this special effort. Thank you all so much for the offerings given to make that possible.
The students of the Ambassador Baptist Bible College and Seminary (Instituto Ba
utista Bíblico Embajadores y Seminario) has been working hard with their studies, raising funds for their mission trip in February, and sharing the Gospel with others. They have won 42 people to Christ in their evangelistic efforts.
We also thank the Lord for the offerings coming in to help our students on their mission trip for February. God bless you all.
Yours in Christ, Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
Rick and Susie
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2015
Dear Friends in Christ, September/October 2015
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank the Lord for you and deeply appreciate your faithful prayers and financial support for the work in Mexico.
We praise the Lord for the many blessings in the churches these two months. The Trinity B.C. (Iglesia Bautista Trinidad) celebrated “Noche Mexicana” which is in remembrance of Mexico’s independence. There were festive decorations outside, several food and drink stands, clowns and blowups for the kids.
Later the preaching of God’s Word resulted in more than 10 people being saved and 200 in attendance. The Garcia B.C. had similar services along with Beacon B.C. and several other churches with more than 30 saved and 7 baptized.
The Ambassador Baptist Bible College and Seminary (Instituto Bautista Bíblico Embajadores y Seminario) is doing well with a great group of young people. They have won 35 people to Christ in their evangelistic efforts. They also are making pies to sell in order to raise funds for their mission trip in February to Fresnillo, Zacatecas.
We thank the Lord for the churches that helped with the re-roofing of the educational building at the Bible Institute. It was a tremendous blessing to get the new metal roof on and stop all of the leaking. There is no more “bed wetting” in the dorms or wet desks in the classrooms, or soggy beans in the kitchen. PTL!
Yours in Christ,
Rick and Susie
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
July / August 2015
Dear Friends in Christ, July / August 2015
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We thank the Lord for you and deeply appreciate your faithful prayers and financial support for the work in Mexico. Susie and I are doing well and praise the Lord for His many wonderful works and blessings on the ministry. Our two youngest grandchildren (James and Sammy) turned one year old in July! It doesn’t seem possible that they are growing so fast.
It is time to ask for help for Susie’s Christmas Kids Offering. Last year she was able to buy and bag candy and presents for over 400 kids last year. We hope to be able to reach out to them and others again this year. If possible, the offerings should come in before the end of October.
The churches had VBS services during the summer with good attendance and many activities. There were clowns, games, Bible stories, and refreshments. The churches saw more than 50 children saved and 10 adults.
We are very thankful for the Bible B. C. of Gulfport, MS who came with Bro. Reinhold t
o do some work at the camp and institute campus. They worked very hard painting the educational building and finishing the bathrooms in the boys dorm. Their offering for the materials and their labor of love was a great blessing and help.
Also, we need help to put a new metal roof over the existing concrete roof that is leaking terribly. The September/October rains will be here soon. $5,500 of the $10,500 needed has been raised. Thank you and God bless you all.
Yours in Christ,
Rick and Susie
Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.
May / June 2015
Dear Friends in Christ, May / June 2015
Greetings in the name of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We thank the Lord for you and dee
ply appreciate your faithful prayers and financial support for the work in Mexico. We are doing well and thank the Lord for His many blessings in the ministry with the churches and Bible College.
We had a great commissioning service for our missionary couple out of the Iglesia Bautista Trinidad. There were nearly 200 present and four national pastors that participated. Special presentations of offerings, gifts, and a new study Bible were also made.
The churches had special services in honor of Mother’s Day. Invitations were sent out and preparations were made with special gifts, dinners, and other activities to honor the mothers and their families. The churches saw more than 37 souls saved these two months, and at least 7 baptisms.
We had a great graduation at the Ambassador Baptist Bible College on May 1st. About 35
0 were present and enjoyed a wonderful dinner and celebration after the services. Three graduated this year, and they did a great job preaching in the morning session. Pastor Aarón Rocha fr
om Linares preached the challenge to the graduates at the evening service.
Also, we have the added blessing of Missionaries Steve and Heidi Reinhold coming to work with us at the Bible College. They have moved from Cuernavaca and are getting settled in to their new surroundings. Please remember them in your prayers. God bless you all.
Yours in Christ,
Rick and Susie Thank you for your faithful prayers and support.