Happy New Year! Thank you for your continued prayer, friendship, and financial support during this past year.
For most of December we enjoyed a visit from JM’s parents. During their time here (their first visit to Uruguay), in addition to getting reacquainted with the grandchildren, they were able to see several churches and other works both in the Montevideo area and the interior. One especially helpful project they worked on with us was the cleaning of the Bible institute books and their transfer to the ground-floor meeting area of the EMU office building. We’re thankful for the switch, since it makes many good titles available to Bible institute and FEBU students, to teachers, and to the national workers. JM enjoyed the privilege of translating for both Dad and Mom as they testified to Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha in Pando of God’s saving and leading. While here they witnessed Sebastián’s and Gonzalo’s baptisms. The twins have attended Sunday school and other services since childhood. Over the course of several years they have professed faith and have gained much instruction from church classes and camp programs. It was a joy to see them identify publicly with the name of Jesus Christ.
Family and friends, including two high school classmates,
witnessed the baptismal service.
Summer camps take place for almost the entire month of January. Gonzalo will be helping the staff one week and many of the teens and children from Pando will be attending as campers. JM will participate in staff training (January 7-10), will preach for morning and evening services during the jóvenes (teen and young adult) week (19-24), and will counsel during the adolescentes (younger teens) camp (26-31). We would appreciate prayer not only for the Spirit’s working in hearts but also for God’s grace and protection for Déborah and the kids during JM’s absence. This is also a natural and necessary time to provide information and encouragement (at our camp in Guazuvirá and at other camps elsewhere) concerning the opportunities for young men and women to receive formal Bible and ministry training, either in FEBU or the Bible institute.
On March 2 we would like to see another good group of students begin classes. This will be the second year of the FEBU Bible-college project. It appears that most of the first-year students will return; and the Lord has provided teachers for the second year of classes. Matías and Kristine Espinel returned to Uruguay in September and will be especially busy this year: in addition to Matías’ work as teacher and director, their third child is due in March. Déborah and JM will be working together on a third semester of Spanish Grammar & Composition. The first two semesters proved to be extremely time-consuming for Déborah, due in part to scarcity of resources. Though FEBU is not a liberal arts school per se, we nonetheless view such disciplines as grammar, writing, speech, and music as extremely important in the development of a Christian worldview—not to mention the skills that such classes offer for Bible study and preaching. JM will continue to help with administration and will teach Church Music during the first semester. Full-time students are required to participate in a practical ministry assignment. Manuel, who has now completed a year of classes, went with us to Pando most of last year and plans to continue helping us and the Garwoods there.
In mid-December Iglesia Bíblica Maranatha hosted a Bible study
and Christmas Tea for the ladies.
The day before classes begin (March 1), Tabaré Vázquez will return to the Presidency and the Frente Amplio party will begin its third term in power on the presidential level. We know that God is governing all of this. Please pray for the success of the gospel in this country. There are many needs. Recently we helped in a project to put together Christmas toys for one of the government-run orphanage facilities. Sadly, conditions in the orphanage are far better than the reality that some children experience in a home with one or even two parents.
Organizing and wrapping gifts! Praising the Lord for His work!
This was an entirely indigenous project!
Other needs are immigrating to Uruguay. We see and sometimes meet them: European students, Indians, North American retirees or religious workers. Others—Syrian refugees or prisoners received from Guantánamo Bay—we have not yet met. Uruguay has a small but real gospel witness, and some will hear. And God will save. Thank you for your global awareness and for your participation in Jesus’ mission to “save His people from their sins” (Mt 1:21).
