Bro. Ivan Ramirez was saved and baptized in 1988 when he was nine years old. I had the privilege of bringing him, his two sisters, and his parents to church for the first time. Ivan went to law school, received his law degree, and began working in a local law firm. After several unsavory experiences in his law practice, he realized that being an attorney was not God’s will for his life. He surrendered to full-time service, graduated from Mount Hebron Bible Baptist Institute, and served on our church and institute staff for over 15 years. He met Laura Torres, an institute classmate, and they married shortly after graduation.

Several years ago, Ivan received God’s call to go to Israel as a missionary. After five years of deputation, Sunday evening, June 15, we had a “send-off” service for Ivan, his wife Laura, and their four sons. Because of the conflict in Israel, they are going to Spain, where they will serve, reaching the Jewish community, until they are able to proceed to Israel.

Thank you for your part in helping train Ivan and Laura and hundreds of other men and women who are serving God, spreading the Gospel all over the world. Please pray for the peace of Jerusalem and for this family to get to where God has called them.

Sunday, June 22, Mount Hebron Baptist Church celebrated its 43rd anniversary. We rejoice as we see God continue to use this church to give opportunities to our students for practical service.

Tuesday, June 10, I saw three men saved in the church soul-winning program. While out soul winning on June 17, I sat down on a bus-stop bench beside a young man. I gave him a tract, and he said, “You’re Pastor Tommy, right?” (Mexicans have a terrible time trying to pronounce my last name!) He is a member of a church in the area pastored by one of our graduates.

The state health department built a clinic on property donated by Mount Hebron to provide free medical care to our local community. Dr. Raul Mendoza, the clinic’s attending physician, was in the June 18 Wednesday night service. During the invitation, I had the joy of leading Dr. Mendoza to Christ. He was invited by one of our college students.

We are scheduled to be in seven churches during the rest of the summer for Pastors’ and Workers’ Conferences. Two of these churches are pastored by our graduates.

Please pray for my sister, Billie Sloan. She recently spent several days in the hospital with respiratory and heart issues. She is at home and improving. What a great lady!

Pray for our health. Although Emily still needs to exercise at home, we are thankful that she has been released from in-clinic therapy for her hip-replacement rehab.

Thank you for your prayers and for your financial support. We want you to know that we pray for you.

Bro. Tommy and Emily Ashcraft
John 9:4