Tom Gilmer: October 2013 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

Another month has passed with God’s provision. Your continued offerings and prayers are much appreciated.

JEWISH MINISTRIES: Praise the Lord you prayed, and Luna’s husband, Silvino, had to return to the USA temporarily or lose his Green Card.  In the meantime Dr. Igor located a house for this Hebrew Christian couple near his church in an outlying, less expensive area of São Paulo, where there are more people who can help Luna get to a hospital quickly when needed.  God intervened marvelously to care for this couple.  Our first church, Templo Batista de Indianópolis, and Jewish mission did all they could to help them for nine months.

FRIENDS OF ZION GROUPS had record attendance (200-plus in São Paulo and 500-plus in Fortaleza) to hear Dr. Raymond Edge, a Dead Sea Scrolls scholar who studied seven years at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem. He is convinced the scrolls prove—and do not discredit—the veracity of the Masoretic Hebrew text, preserved by the Jews.  The purpose of his ten-day marathon visit was to help missionary Alex Hensley with a special building and outreach program in Caraguatatuba, São Paulo, but he graciously shared his Bible preservation studies with Friends of  Zion groups, several churches and seminaries here in Brazil, as well.

CHURCH EXPANSION:  In recent months I spoke at the Ebenezer Baptist Church, started many years ago by missionary Don Leaf and Pastor Nilton Osmar Malves, our first “preacher boy.”  The church was in a building campaign, funds were scarce, people were discouraged, and they even cut some missionaries’ support, including Pastor Alexandre’s, to stretch their budget.  My experience in building several churches over the years helped me encourage them.  But the last time I spoke there, no unsaved people were present. Many seats were empty.  I told them, “We don’t need a larger auditorium if we don’t work to fill the one we have!  No new people means no souls saved and no new building funds!”  The pastor invited me to speak for the dedication of the new auditorium.  I told him, “Tell the people to bring unsaved people.  If not, I’ll send some out to the open bars and offer $5.00 to anyone who will come to church and hear a sermon!  I’ve done this before!”  Unfortunately, on Saturday night before the inauguration, a virus hit me and I had to cancel at the last minute.  Monday morning the pastor called, laughing and rejoicing in the Lord, to tell me that he told his people what I said, and they brought in unsaved people.   Three accepted Christ in the Sunday morning service, and four on Sunday night!  Praise the Lord!!!   And, oh, yes, I gave him some ideas that can produce money for further expansion and to start supporting Pastor Alexandre and other Brazilian missionaries again.  May God bless!

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE: