Tom and Linda Gilmer : May 2022 Prayer Letter

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

May 2022
Dear Friends of Zion:
Your prayers and offerings, which keep our ministries expanding, are greatly appreciated.

Exciting news is coming from the Guacuri church, as you will note in Harold Ralph’s prayer letter. Rita, mentioned in our February prayer letter, was joyfully baptized, along with four others. We work with the Guacuri church on Sunday mornings with Linda playing for the singing. The pastor in training, Uarlison, and his wife Graziele, a dynamic children’s worker, are studying at the Instituto Batista Missionário (Baptist Missionary Institute), which we helped to start with the late Pastor Josué Felix about 50 years ago, now a ministry of the Cidade Ademar Baptist Church.

The July Bi-Annual Congress of the National Bible Baptist Fellowship of Brazil is almost here. Brother Marcos Antonio da Silva, pastor of our first church, is President of this Fellowship of about 340 Fundamental Baptist Churches. He is leading the Congress, which will be held in Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco, on the Atlantic coast. The cost per person attending is $700, which includes housing, meals, and passage. We need to help 25 pastors take their wives, and also some promising, potential pastors, missionaries, ministers of music and educators.

The purpose of the Congress is to revive and re-challenge pastors, missionaries, and students in training for the ministry. The theme: Sound Doctrine. It also provides an evangelistic thrust for the region where it is held. Local Brazilian churches have given the money for 50 national missionary families to participate. Actually, the missionaries will have a week of classes and relaxation, as well as the fellowship of the Congress the following week.

My pastor, Donald Tritt, took me to a Sword of the Lord Conference when I was only fifteen and had surrendered my life to preach a short time before. The impact of the emphasis and orientation of that soulwinning conference remains with me to this day.

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

PRAISE:

1. Professions of faith: 6.
2. Baptism of Rita (see Harold Ralph’s letter).
3. Cataract surgery is scheduled for Linda on June 24 and July 4. Knee replacement surgery is not imminent for the time being, depending on exercises, treatments, and continued mobility.
4. Medical exams show good health for both Tom and Linda.

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 (lacks 22%).
4. Youth rally at our first church this month.
5. Ladies’ retreat in Sept.; Linda & Rachel, speakers.
6. Sponsors for at least 25 pastors and their wives and promising young people to attend the Bi-Annual
   Congress to be held in Recife in July.