Tom and Linda Gilmer : April 2021 Prayer Letter

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

April 2021

Dear Friends of Zion:

Thank you for another month of prayers and offerings to keep our work expanding.

PRAISE THE LORD, doctors have ruled out surgery to replace the broken rods in my (Tom’s) back for the time being. I live, work, even drive without pain and use an orthopedic vest only as needed for some activities.

PRAYER IS NEEDED for Marcos Antonio da Silva, pastor of our first church, Templo Batista de Indianópolis. Both he and his wife, Elíliam, have Covid19. Their daughter, Stephanie, the church secretary, has also tested positive. Elíliam has been hospitalized for several days, on a ventilator, but is showing signs of improvement. Pastor Marcos is now hospitalized, as well. Their son-in-law, Jorge de Oliveira, pastor of a church in another state, had an emergency appendectomy. Jorge´s wife, Ingrid, is recuperating from emergency eye surgery. All of this has occurred in a week!

Recently I wrote two paragraphs for this prayer letter regarding the beginning of a model alphabetization course for young people and adults, using as its textbook the Bible that missionary Harold Ralph Gilmer diagrammed especially for this purpose. Plans were to start the course this month at the Guacuri church, led by Harold Ralph and other missionaries that work with us in church planting. Because of health issues involving the two teachers that were to be in charge of the program, it had to be cancelled. Missionary Graziele suffered a miscarriage, and her trainee, a public school teacher named Cyva, received the sad news that her teenage daughter, Barbara, has multiple sclerosis! Please read Harold Ralph’s enclosed letter regarding their physical issues. This reading program is of extreme importance, and I believe it is under satanic attack. Cyva, the school teacher, is well aware of the need because of sixth graders and even high school graduates who are functionally illiterate due to a “no fail” educational system that was adopted from “the best” American educators. Students are passed from grade to grade, regardless of their reading level.

THIS IS A PRAYER LETTER INDEED! May God richly bless you all.

Yours for the Messiah,
Tom and Linda Gilmer

PRAISE:

1. Professions of faith: 2.
2. A software company is producing an App with our written Bible text and a voice recording.
3. Special one-time offerings helping to make up the lack of monthly support still needed for Harold Ralph and Lílian.
4. Tom working pain-free without surgery.

PRAYER:

1. Salvation decisions: Jews and Gentiles.
2. Projects (Bible study helps, media and printed; larger Bible warehouse, Tetum Bible translation).
3. Full support for Harold Ralph Gilmer.
4. Health issues: Pastor Marcos, wife and daughter,
   Covid-19; Pastor Jorge Oliveira and wife Ingrid,
   surgeries; Graziele, miscarriage; Barbara, MS.
5. Alphabetization program.
6. A small church that lost its pastor has asked our help to
   get back on its feet.