Dear Friends,
DECEMBER
December is always an activity- packed month for our family and the work here in El Salvador. It actually started mid-November when we made a trip to Southern Mexico to visit Tammie’s aunt, Missionary Billie Sloan, and attend the 15th annual Ladies’ Christmas Banquet. During this banquet I preached to over 150 ladies from the area. Mrs. Sloan has had an open door to be a close and personal witness to ladies in high power throughout the state of Chiapas. Many of these ladies have come to Christ through the Christmas Banquet. I have come away from that meeting convicted and with a greater vision of reaching our city and state officials for Christ.
Upon our return to Santa Ana, we had five days to finish last-minute preparations for our Central American Pastors’ Conference. It was a great time of spiritual refreshment, fellowship, and challenge to continue in the labor set before us.
GRANDMOTHER “TITA”
We were blessed with a visit from my mother during December. She has been a great blessing to us over the years. We very rarely get to spend Christmas with her, and it was a real treat to get to be with her during this time of year.
DANIEL CAME HOME!
We also enjoyed having all of our children under one roof this Christmas. Daniel finished his first semester at Bible college and was able to come home for Christmas. He was here for two weeks and returned to school on January 1, just in time for the deep freeze of the Great Lakes area. We thank the Lord for keeping him safe and providing for his needs. We do miss him very much, but at the same time, we are very proud of him and happy to know that he is happy in God’s will for his life.
JANUARY
Like many of you, we have started the New Year with a renewed enthusiasm, purpose, and focus on what the Lord would have us to do for Him this year. Our church and Bible institute staff and I have worked together to plan the year, and we look forward to seeing many more people come to Christ as a result of new ministries, new outreach programs, and the training of new laborers for Christ.
During 2013 we saw an average of 202 in church attendance. We saw 4,184 people come to Christ for salvation, 1,439 visitors attend church, and 15 baptisms. We praise the Lord for all of this!
BIBLE INSTITUTE DORMS AND CLASSES
Yesterday the Bible institute students coming from Honduras arrived and moved into the refurbished dorms. We painted, cleaned, and added the needed furniture to the dorm room. Three young men, one returning student and two new ones, will be living in this dorm, as well as an intern from Hyles-Anderson College, Bro. Cameron Howell, who is coming to spend three months on the mission field. We still need to remodel the bathroom and purchase a chest of drawers for this dorm room.
Classes started on Monday, January 20, with 17 enrolled students. Many of our young people have graduated from high school this year and want to start going to the Bible institute.
2014 FURLOUGH
I have prayerfully considered and sought advice on taking another short furlough with the intention of reporting to some of our supporting churches, but more than that, we need to add to our monthly support income. Many missionaries have suffered drastic support loss over the last couple of years. We are thankful to the many churches that have remained faithful to support foreign missions despite the financial hardship that has come their way. We live by faith that God will and does supply our every need. It is a great encouragement to see how so many allow God to work through them to fill our needs.
PRAYER NEEDS
• Furlough April 15-June 5
• Youth in our church to give their lives to God
• National pastors, Roberto Salguero and Manases Rivera: financial help, health, and wisdom for these men.
• Larger and newer family car.
• Church building to be paid for in full
• 2014 presidential elections in El Salvador—the official elections were held this past Sunday,
February 2, but there was not a winner. There will be a second vote on March 9.
Thank you for praying for us and giving sacrificially to help us serve the Lord on the foreign field.
Joyfully in His service,
Henry Gonzalez