Tom Gilmer: August 2015 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

Thank you for praying and giving so that we might continue working in Brazil. We will celebrate 49 years of ministry here on August 30! Much sowing was done during July, and more tracts than usual were given out. Praise God for the consolation that the Bible says sowing is as important as reaping. May the seed that was sown reap a harvest of souls.

July is a vacation month in Brazil. By law, Brazilian employees—including pastors—have a right to a full month’s paid vacation. Pastor Marcos, of Templo Batista de Indianópolis (TBI), and his family visited relatives and a TBI missionary in Northwest Brazil. During his absence, it fell to me to help fill the gap with hospital visits. Sr. Augusto, an 86-year-old member of TBI, an ex-alcoholic and father of twelve, was in intensive care several weeks. I tried to coordinate my visits to coincide with family visitation hours so I could witness to unsaved family members. Pastor Marcos returned from vacation in time to visit Sr. Augusto once before he passed into eternity. Burial here in Brazil is within 24 hours of death. Two funeral services, one late-night and one morning, gave further opportunities to preach the Gospel to his family. His grandson, a tremendous Christian and member of TBI, led the singing for both funerals.

My favorite method for teaching ministerial students is through hands-on activity, sharing pastoral theology on the go. This past month a Bible institute student accompanied me on a visit to an invalid Jewish Christian who misses attending church regularly. The next visit afforded two hours of pastoral instruction as we were detained, waiting to see Dona Marta, another Jewess that accepted Christ years ago, who was in ICU (the Intensive Care Unit). I had never had an opportunity to witness to her daughter. To get the Gospel message across to the daughter, I spoke to Dona Marta, comforting her by reminding her of what I had said on the day she accepted Jesus as her Messiah. The ministerial student was impressed by the daughter’s receptivity, admitting that Jesus must be the Messiah and had transformed her mother’s life. But she was not yet ready to call upon the Lord for salvation.

Another grandchild of ours, Karen, daughter of Thomas, Jr., and Luciana Gilmer, participated in a missions trip to Staten Island, NY to work with a missionary to a Liberian community. (The Lord has brought the worldwide mission field to the USA!) Karen helped in a VBS-type outreach and other projects for a week. More 4^th-generation missions! Praise the Lord, and may God bless you richly.

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

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