Here in El Salvador, we are experiencing warm weather, as many of you in the United States are as well. As your summer comes to an end and school begins, we are coming up on the last quarter of our school year. Things are starting to wind down and pick up speed at the same time. As we end the first year of our Christian school and make exciting plans for the next year, we are also focusing a great amount of prayer and energy on our end-of-year activities.
For the last four years, one of the biggest evangelistic events of the year has been having Evangelist Darrell Ratcliff visit from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. He comes full of energy and enthusiasm, which he injects into our people as we go from school to school, preaching and teaching the Gospel to thousands of students and educators. This is a great and effectual open door for us right now, one that we enthusiastically step through as we endeavor, by the grace of God, to reach the lost young generation of Salvadorans for Christ. Please pray for those who heard the Gospel as he preached in the public schools August 27-31; 8,600 students and teachers heard the clear plan of salvation. They each received a New Testament as a gift from our church, and 5,400 professed to have accepted Christ as Saviour. What a victorious week it was!
Another very exciting event coming up is a Fires of Evangelism conference, to which we plan to take 19 church members. It will be held in Sabana Grande, Honduras, at New Life Baptist Church, led by my good friend, Bro. Samuel Hodges. We greatly admire the work that Bro. Hodges has been used of God to do there in Sabana Grande, and we look forward to introducing our church people to it. This ministry is a great example of good missionary work, a ministry worth emulating. Please pray for us as we attend the conference October 21-25.
Coming up in December, among Thanksgiving celebrations and preparations for Christmas, we will be celebrating the church’s 20th anniversary. Dr. Tommy Ashcraft, my father-in-law, will be here to preach for us on that day, December 9, and he will be staying for the remainder of the week to preach our Youth Conference. We anticipate a wonderful time during his stay with us. Please continue to pray for Dad as he navigates unfamiliar waters without Mom at his side. We greatly miss her.
Please be in much prayer for our children, Tommy and Brenda, as they begin their Fall Semester at Hyles-Anderson College. We are very pleased with how they have chosen to spend their young lives serving the Lord. Also, please pray for Daniel and Megan as they begin deputation, raising support to come and work with us here in Santa Ana. We pray that they will not have to travel too long on deputation and that God will prepare them for the ministry here during their travels. We need their help here and are very thankful that God has laid it on their hearts to come and serve Him with us. God has been very good to us.
We love you, dear folks. You have been by our side for these many years. You have helped us carry burdens and enjoy victories through God’s grace, and you have faithfully supported us and prayed for us. We will never be able to thank you enough.
Joyfully in His service, by God’s grace,
Henry Gonzalez and Family