Tom Gilmer: Aug-Sep 2018 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

Linda and I thank you for your patient, prayerful support, even as we are sending a two-month prayer letter rather than the usual monthly. The end of July and first of August found us in the USA on a quick trip to take care of banking technicalities due to a change in financial secretaries at Mount Abarim Baptist Mission. Praise the Lord we were also able to visit seven of our supporting churches and meet with pastors of two other potential supporters.

Once again we find it necessary to cancel plans for a full furlough because of our involvement in the development of workers and expanding ministries here in Brazil. Thank you, our faithful supporters, who encourage us to visit you only if we should be in your area, stating that our letters keep you updated. We plan to be in the States briefly in November to fulfill promises made in the past, but we must be back to Brazil by the end of the month to participate in important meetings related to the Bible ministry. We will be in Charlotte NC, Huntsville AL, Cincinnati OH and East Pennsylvania.

Cajuru, the second church we started, is now involved in their third project. Our son-in-law, Rom Ribeiro, gave new life to the church planting efforts of Cajuru and three other small churches, helping them to officially organize and register the “Antioch Project” which he aptly describes as “a church-planting ministry of Independent Baptist Churches in the Southeast of Brazil.” Twenty-two churches are now involved. The two churches already started by the group are supplied with fulltime pastors and their own small buildings. We are also helping Aracati, our fourth church, to begin a similar project in their region.

Pastor Alexandre, our Brazilian missionary to the Jews, successfully completed his Master’s Degree in Jewish Studies at the University of São Paulo (USP). He took the minimum number of courses each semester in order to stretch out his presence at the university. He is raising funds from Brazilian churches to go to Israel for four to six weeks with his family in January 2019.  He, and we also, have contact with Brazilian Jews we helped make ALIYAH (immigration) to Israel, including some who are unsaved.

May God richly bless you all.

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE:

1. Professions of faith: 2 in July, 5 in August.
2. Increasing numbers of professing Christians running for office in Brazil’s October elections.
3. Some wise Brazilian Supreme Court decisions!
4. Successful Pastors’ Conference in July with 70 pastors and missionaries attending.

PRAYER:

1. Salvation of Jews and Gentiles.
2. Ongoing projects (Bible study helps, media outlets, and warehouse for Bibles).
3. Editorial work on the History of the Portuguese Bible (A História de a Biblia Sagrada em Português).
4. Brazil – wise decisions by those in government now; upcoming elections: new officials needed and victory over rampant robbery and assassinations.