Tom Gilmer: February 2018 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

Thank you for continuing to support our ministries with your prayers and offerings.

An entry in Linda’s diary on January 5 says: “At the grocery store today, the young man who bagged my groceries said to me, when I gave him a tip: ‘Do you have one of those little papers? I love to read those little papers!’ I had only one tract left in my purse: ‘Eu Sou o Caminho’ (‘I Am the Way’). I asked him if he had read that one already. He said, ‘It doesn’t matter! I’ll read it again!’ I emphasized to him that Jesus is not A WAY but THE WAY. He said, ‘He’s the ONLY ONE, isn’t He?’ A few months ago he was excited that he was going on an excursion to Aparecida do Norte to visit the patron saint of Brazil. I told him only Jesus could help him.” Thank God the message is getting through to him.

“Did we really?” I exclaimed when I read the 2017 Report for Bible Publication and Distribution:

ONE MILLION, ONE HUNDRED NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND (1,195,000) copies of the ENTIRE BIBLE

SEVEN MILLION, THIRTY THOUSAND (7,030,000) NEW TESTAMENTS WITH PS AND PV in the ACF (Trinitarian) text were distributed in Brazil and every Portuguese-speaking country last year. NINETY-FIVE THOUSAND (95,000) ENTIRE BIBLES

THIRTY THOUSAND (30,000) NEW TESTAMENTS WITH PS AND PV went out directly from our local headquarters, and the rest by special arrangements with various publishers and distributors. What a miracle! When we reflect on how God put us in touch with leading, concerned Brazilians in 1967-68 to form the Trinitarian Bible Society of Brazil, in collaboration with Bearing Precious Seed churches, with the objective of revising, preserving, and publishing the most reliable text of the Bible in Portuguese, we can only say: “To God be the glory, GREAT THINGS HE HATH DONE” –AND IS DOING!

SÃO MIGUEL PAULISTA CONGREGATION: Our first church, Templo Batista da Indianópolis (TBI), voted with excitement and by faith to release Brother Jorge Oliveira to begin Sunday evening services in São Miguel and to increase his salary by $500 per month with funds that will have to come in from offerings given by the new congregation and/or special offerings. Linda and I wish to give $300 from our work fund every month for the next twelve months. Jorge will continue as secretary for TBI during the week and assisting Pastor Marcos in all the other church services. May God richly bless this new endeavor and you all who help make it possible.

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE:

1 Professions of faith: 4.
2.José, a Jewish man from another city, whom we won to the Lord many years ago, called to ask how we are and said that BBN Radio in Portuguese is a help to him.
3.1,195,000 Bibles and over 7,030,000 New Testaments with PS and PV distributed in 2017.
4.Linda is much better, pain diminishing weekly.

PRAYER:

Salvation of Jews and Gentiles.
Ongoing projects (Bible study helps, media outlets, and warehouse for Bibles).
Offerings for new churches: $4,000 for piano and remodeling the Guacuri congregation and $300 monthly for the São Miguel Paulista congregation.
Healing for grandchildren Jonathan and Charity.