Below is a copy of the prayer letter Mike has sent to our supporting churches.
The works have been going well here and our ministry team members are growing and doing a great job. Hotir, who is 25 years old, has officially become my assistant pastor. It has been obvious for some time how he is growing in the Lord and everyone sees the hand of the Lord upon him. We also have 6 other faithful young adults that have taken positions in the churches as teachers, sound room tech, building supervisor, music director, treasurer, and church secretary. We have raised these young people from “pups” and it is a wonderful feeling to see them as adults taking responsibility in the church.
One week after we got back we had visitors arriving. Pastor Callen’s church from St. Cloud, Fl. arrived to visit the In Christ Baptist Church in Narajito that they had helped build in 2011. They were pleased to see the further progress of the church and had a good service with the folks there. We were also blessed with a visit from Pastor White and his wife from Surrey, B.C., Canada. He preached in the mountains on Sunday morning and in our town church on Sunday night. The road was very rough but nothing like the “thrills” we had the next two Sundays. It was horrible and there were places we thought we wouldn’t get through, but praise God we did. We got home about 4:00 P.M. exhausted. Also, two young people, Caleb and Rachel Hamman from a pastor’s home in Wasilla, Ak stayed a month with us and were a huge blessing in many ways, especially in teaching music to our young people and before they left we had a keyboard and guitar specials. Our first! We’ll take visitors like this any time!
On a sad note, one of my main men, a deacon, has just passed away from cancer. His name is Leonidas and was very instrumental in helping in the mountain work of Ojo de Agua and also in our main church in La Esperanza. A mighty oak has been removed, but please pray that in this vacancy many more will be encouraged to step up and begin to be used of God. Pray for his family, wife Silveria, four teenage sons and a small daughter and granddaughter who depended upon him. Leo couldn’t read or write, but he always encouraged and exhorted others through his spoken testimony and especially through his faithful life. Heaven and he have gained, but we will miss him.
We thank you for your faithfulness and love you all. Pray for us. There is much ground to be taken for God this year.
