Tom and Linda Gilmer: April 2016 Prayer Letter

Dear Friends of Zion:

Thank you for your offerings and prayers for our work and for Divine intervention in Brazil’s political, criminal, and economic crises. Positive steps are being taken, giving some hope, but turmoil persists at the moment. Within a few days a vote will be taken on whether or not to impeach the current President. Whichever way it goes, the situation is precarious and in danger of becoming worse than ever. Please continue to pray.

One of our supporting churches asked questions that other contributors may have as well: “What was the percentage of your church’s growth last year?” and “How many national missionaries does your church support?” My first reaction was that we do not ask churches we start to send us attendance reports, etc. Later we were in a service when Pastor Marcos from our first church (TBI – Templo Batista de Indianópolis) gave a yearly detailed report to the people. He said the attendance has grown 35 % in the past year! I called each of the six churches we have helped to start and asked how many missionaries they support. The answer thrilled me: a total of 75 Brazilian national missionaries and 8 mission projects in Brazil and other countries. Praise the Lord!!!

TBI now has all property titles and documents in order with the approval of the city government and is free to modify the façade (the front of the building), observing current building codes. Thank God the church has the money in hand for this project. Pastor Marcos and I were out photographing various buildings to analyze what can be done within city regulations and to finalize our ideas for renovating the front. One stop was at a leading synagogue. I gave tracts to anyone who passed by. Two young men, obviously rabbinical students, asked who we are and why we were there. They noticed my Star of David lapel pin. We identified ourselves, and I gave them tracts and a church bulletin, as well as our Friends of Zion card with a pledge to pray for the peace of Jerusalem. One of them said my name “Gilmer” is of Jewish origin. I gave him my e-mail and told him to get proof so I could apply for Aliyah (official return to Israel as an Israeli citizen), because my own search comes up blank every time!

As we were driving away, Pastor Marcos asked if I remembered what was on the back of the church bulletin I gave the young Jews. It was a full-page article he had written on THE EMPTY TOMB, presenting the plan of salvation and a picture of Jesus’ empty tomb! “. . . My word . . . shall not return unto me void . . .” (Isaiah 55:11).

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE:

Professions of faith: 29.
Progress on Guacuri church project, even though many plans of action have changed.
More tracts, more sowing, more reaping, and tracts with new titles going to press.
James Edwin, my brother, better.

PRAYER: