Tom and Linda Gilmer : February 2022 Prayer Letter

Dr. Thomas and Mrs. Linda Gilmer – Church Planter, Bible Translation in São Paulo, Brazil

February 2022
Dear Friends of Zion:

Thanks to all who continue to make our work possible by praying and giving.

Discipleship, growing fruitful church members, teaching the unlearned to read and write, all takes time and is a slow process. Rita, a very simple, middle-aged woman who lives across the street from the church in Guacuri, is trying to learn to read. She attends the Sunday evening services, normally. On a recent Sunday Linda was sitting behind her and observing her participation in the service. She tried to find the page numbers in her songbook and to locate passages in her Bible but had to have help. As Harold Ralph preached, she sat glued to every word in agreement. But when the invitation was given, she didn’t raise her hand indicating she was saved. After the service, Linda asked her, “Rita, have you been saved?” “Yes!” she said. “Do you remember when you were saved?” “Yes!” she replied, pointing to the tree where she was standing when she called on the Lord. “But I’m not baptized!” Linda explained that baptism does not save but is a testimony to others that the person has been saved. “Whenever the preacher asks if you’ve been saved, you can raise your hand! Jesus is the One who saves, not baptism!” She gave a big smile of relief. And the next Sunday she raised her hand requesting baptism! May God bless her baby steps of faith and understanding and help her to become a shining witness of His transforming power.

The Lord has blessed us at the Bible Society with very committed salesmen. One of the salesmen, in holy zeal, took it upon himself to help send over one thousand Bibles into Portugal, setting himself as the guarantor for this sale. But the person who received the Bibles in Portugal did not make good on his promise, leaving our saleman with a debt of ten thousand dollars. He is making payments himself to cover the deficit, but this is a very big burden for him to carry alone. Please pray for the provision for these Bibles.

As this prayer letter goes to press, Linda is recuperating from covid. Tom has felt many symptoms and just tested positive for covid, as well. Thank you for your prayers on our behalf.

May God richly bless you all.
Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE:

1. Professions of faith: 2.
2. Small church (Parque Bristol) received $6,000 needed for legal documentation.
3. Adapting to economic crisis in Brazil.
4. Christians challenged to reinforce prayers for protection of Israel in light of Iran nuclear threat and rising anti-Semitism.

PRAYER:

1. Salvation decisions: Jews and Gentiles.
2. Ongoing projects (Bible study helps, both media and printed; larger warehouse for Bibles.
3. Full support for Harold Ralph Gilmer. (23%)
4. At least $10,000 to help pastors with financial difficulty to take their wives and some promising young people to a large conference scheduled for July in Recife.