Tom and Linda Gilmer: August 2014 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

Linda and I are grateful for your prayers and offerings, which made so much possible this past month. Pastors, church leaders and laymen were motivated by the preaching of Dr. David Teis to renew their commitment to personal soul winning and discipleship. The conference was held in a city that was non-existent when we came to Brazil. The area was just part of the Amazon Jungle in northwest Brazil. Praise the Lord, the auditorium was filled to overflowing for every service. We had many opportunities to witness, and several made professions of faith for salvation.

At the conference we met missionaries Tom and Cindy Brewer, whom we helped enter Brazil 33 years ago through the law office that operated out of our main church for many years. On Sunday afternoon, after the close of the conference, we went to the town where they have worked for the past 18 years. It was the most primitive we have seen in our 48 years in Brazil. Due to flu symptoms, I stayed at the Brewers’ house to rest and prepare for the evening service while the Brewers, Hope Teis (daughter of Dr. David and Anna Teis) and Linda took a ferry ride across the river, distributed tracts and visited people to invite them to the evening service. When Linda was in fifth grade, her teacher asked the students to draw a picture of what they wanted to do when they grew up. Linda drew herself telling a boy about Jesus in the Amazon Jungle. That afternoon her dream came true.

Returning to São Paulo, Hope Teis went with Linda and Alzira Ramos to a children’s home where New Life Baptist Church sends a mini-bus to take children to services. Rosangela, a missionary volunteer, was waiting for them there. Hope took a picture of several adolescent girls sitting on a couch as Alzira led them in singing a chorus they learned at church. A teenage boy stood behind them mocking and making fun, then sat alone on another couch. Linda began talking with him. She read Romans 3:23 and asked him if he had ever sinned. “Yes, I have!” he boasted. “Why?” Linda asked. “Because I WANTED TO!” he said defiantly. Linda turned to Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death…” “Do you know what wages are?” Linda asked. “Yeah! A payment!” he responded. “Here it says that the payment for sin is death!” “DEATH?” he said, horrified. He eagerly listened as Linda told him that Jesus had already paid for his sins and he didn’t have to die and go to hell if he trusted Jesus as his Savior. He bowed his head and asked Jesus to forgive his sins and save his soul. Hope took another picture. This time he was hugging Linda and smiling from ear to ear!

Greek professor Francisco Assis and his wife Camila were disappointed that their funds were insufficient to go to Landmark Baptist College, but the Lord opened the door for them to go to a small school in a small Texas town at a price they can afford and where they can have total saturation in English.

Thank you so much for praying. God bless you!

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE:

Professions of faith: 1 Jewess, 50 Gentiles.
Yet another secular company wants to print the Bible with Evangelism Notes or notes on Curiosities in the Bible, which Tom prepared for a special edition for newsstands; 20,000 were printed and sold in six volumes, one per week for six weeks, some years ago.
Successful conference on “Church Growth by Soul Winning and Discipleship” with Dr. David Teis.
Many victories with the VICTORY booklets.

PRAYER:

Salvation of Jews and Gentiles.
Bible study helps, especially: a.) Expanded Edition of Evangelism Notes for secular bookstores; b.) Limited notes edition for Brazilian R$1.99 Stores, similar to USA Dollar Stores.
New churches, growth of existing ones, and Guacuri, on hold.
APP’s, CD, MP3, and Audio Bible: problems and opportunities.