NOVEMBER 23 TAUSTE

We had our first service in Tauste this evening, in Antonio and Dunia’s house. Four of us came from Zaragoza (Juan, Feli, Fernando Blanco and I) and there were 11 others from Tauste including two visitors, Sara and Magdalena, friends of Karina. We had no muscicians, but both Sue and I decided that it is EXTREMELY important that we praise God, so we sang acapella. I preached on God’s name, God Almighty (El Shaddai). I can only assume that it was what the Lord wanted me to preach, since there were at least three lost people there, they need to know who is this God that we serve and trust in. Later, we had a time of fellowship and it seemed to go well, Diana and Dani walked with Karina, her dad, Jorge, and her friends. It definitely seems like a good way to feed the believers that cannot come to Zaragoza, to preach the gospel to others we don’t know, and to create a community of believers there in Tauste. It is imperative that we cover the entire work with much prayer.

NOVEMBER 20 TOWNS OF TERUEL

Today we had the most people we have ever had on an excursion to the towns. Besides our regular crowd of Juan, David and Eduardo, we also had Simona and Yakeline with us. Juan, Eduardo and Yakeline had several good conversations with people, while David, Simona and I did most of the tract distribution in the houses. Afterwards we arrived in Herrera to find not only Alina and Virgil waiting for us, but also his brother Emilio. It was a pleasure to be able to preach in Spanish and hear them say that they understood everything perfectly. We arrived back in Zaragoza at 11pm after having traveled about 425 kilometers, also the most that we have ever done. The names of the towns with their respective populations are as follows: Cuevas de Almudén (111), Jarque de la Val (106), Hinojosa de Jarque(186), Cobatillas, Santa Barbara, Camarillas(131), Aguilar de Alfambra(88), Ababuj(85), El Pobo(155), Monteagudo del Castillo(68), Jorcas(54), and Galve(144). Twelve towns in all, with almost 1300 inhabitants, that were able to receive the gospel, many for probably the first time!!! Glory to God!!

NOVEMBER 19 TAUSTE

We had another record group today, 10 of us, so we had to go in two separate cars. I had to spend some extra time looking over the list of contacts that we have in order to make wise use of our people resources. I also found it necessary to cut off both Eduardo and Medardo who have a tendency to go on and on about whatever we are talking about, or about a totally different subject. The rest of the group was in agreement with me, that it was more important for us to get to work than sit around all morning discussing various subjects. I have found that as the group grows I am forced more and more often to exert authority for the good of the entire group. I am getting a little taste of what it is like to be a pastor, and it makes me appreciate all the more the work that both José Zamora and Pastor Grace do. Simona and Lady had a couple of good visits with some Romanian women, Medardo and David were able to have a good conversation with another Spaniard, Yakeline and Ana Fuertes were able to give a Jesus video to a young man who called because of a tract. Eduardo and I tried to do follow up on the people he spoke with last week, but they weren’t as interested this week. It is the usual story, either they are just being polite the first time, and it appears they are interested, or they really are but someone they know talks to them and warns them about getting involved with a “cult.” That is why it is so important to do follow-up, to separate the wheat from the “chaff.” Dunia is VERY excited about our first meeting coming up on Sunday.

NOVEMBER 18 CARIÑENA

We had some great news today. Adoración told us that not only did she receive the Lord as her savior, but that has also decided that she wants to be baptized!! Afterwards, we went out in three pairs, and each of us had at least one good visit. Juan and Eduardo went to visit Julian, who had been to the Expo and spoke with someone from our church. Margarita and David went to visit an elderly lady who they had spoken to a few weeks before, while Sue and I went to speak to a woman who used to be one of Adoración’s friends in the JWS. It was an interesting conversation, because she said she became one of them because of their testimony, not always criticizing and gossiping about others. Then she told us that she believes the way to eternal life is to be good, but she knows that neither her nor anyone else is good enough to have it. She actually said, that IF THERE WERE a hell, she would go there. This woman definitely needs the Spirit of God to reveal the truth to her before it is too late. Her name is Victorina and she is 80 years old.

OCTOBER 31 LA PUEBLA DE ALFINDEN

This was the third time that we have gone to this town, and once again the Lord greatly blessed our time there. Not only were Ana and her sister-in-law, Anita there, but her mother-in-law, Soledad, also came. Soledad said she had been reading her Bible the night before, and the Lord told her that she needed to come and evangelize with us. She also shared with us that as she prepared lunch for her recently saved son, he asked where she was going. When she told him that she was going to evangelize in the town, his response was, “That’s good, we need to go out to the poor and needy, and not always stay in the comfort of the church building.” It appears that this young man has a better understanding of things than many Christians who have been saved for a long time. He sees these people as the Lord does, being poor and needy in the spiritual sense. There were seven of us in all, and all three groups had excellent visits, people willing to listen and hear about the Lord.

OCTOBER 30 LECIÑENA and FUENTES DE EBRO

Today was another day of following up contacts that were made at the Expo, one in each of the towns. While Juan and I delivered the materials to a young woman in Lecinena, Margarita and David went to visit a widow who they had met there on one of our previous visits to the town. She was very open to talk, as was Nadia, a Romanian young woman who visited with Juan and I after our visit. While we were “watering,” Eduardo was sowing seed in the market there, passing out tracts and talking to several of the vendors who were also very open. We also had an excellent Bible study before the visit, resolving some of the issues that arose in the car on the way to Tauste the day before. I was very glad to see the spirit of unity that is prevailing in our team, overcoming the differences that arise because of our humanness. Juan also showed once again his pastor’s heart, being the person who initiated the resolution.

OCTOBER 29 TAUSTE

Today we saw the mercy of God in action. On the way out tonO the town, there was a heated argument about the economy and immigrants. Despite the fact that we were strongly in disagreement, God blessed out visits in Tauste greatly. I had two particularly good visits, both of them related to my English students. First Eduardo and I had a good visit with Pilar Frances, who is in a theater group with Miguel Angel. Later I went alone to try to follow up on Carlos’ father. Instead, I met his mother who shared with me her belief in Jesus as the only way, her admission that the Catholic church has created many stumbling blocks to the faith of the Spaniards, and her disappointment in her in-laws when they converted to Seventh Day Advents several decades ago. Because of the seed that was sown by these same in-laws, I believe the Lord will allow us to enter into their labors.

SUE'S VISIT TO GHENT, BELGIUM














At the end of last month, Sue had the opportunity to visit Belgium. As you can see, bicycles are a VERY popular mode of transportation there. Belgium, being one of the "Low Countries," has lots of canals like Holland. It also has many ornate church buildings, much like the rest of Europe.

OCTOBER 28 CARIÑENA

Sue and I had some good visits after the Bible study today. While we were walking from one house to the center, we met Gloria, and had a good visit with her. Afterwards, we went to see Ana, who owns a paper supply store in town. She is the woman who gave us sandwiches to pass out the day we gave out food to the migrant workers. She told us that she is related to Jose Manuel, and spent almost an hour telling us about her life philosophies. Many of the things she believes are Biblical principles, but she never once mentioned God. It reminded me of some books that I have read that promote God’s principles without naming Him. Since she likes to read, we hope to give her a book that teaches the same thing and also teaches that God is the source of that wisdom.

OCTOBER 28 EJEA DE LOS CABALLEROS

We had an excellent class today. Spent the first half of the class talking about the banking crisis, Miguel and Carlos had opposing opinions about what should have been done. Carlos believes it had to be done in order to avoid a worse crisis, while Miguel believes it is very unfair that the same banks who profited so much in the good times are expecting that the government (thus, the same people!) bail them out of their trouble in bad times. I was able to direct them to the latest chapter in our leadership book, which talks about generosity as a leadership principle. We spoke about the law of sowing and reaping, and the Lord gave me the opportunity to share a couple testimonies of how the Lord provided for us after we had been generous in other moments. Carlos only had to read the first paragraph to realize that he was in agreement with what was being taught, almost every time we get together, he is more and more teachable.

OCTOBER 24 CARIÑENA

Just Eduardo and I went today, everyone else was resting from our long day the previous day. We spent a lot of extra time with Belen and her mom today, and then returned directly to Zaragoza. I sense in Eduardo a desire to teach the word, so I need to pray that the Lord will show me when and if to allow him to do that. My experience with the way the Lord works is that he might surprise us with what this man can do.

Here are several pictures from the food distribution day we had several weeks ago in Carinena. You can see Belen, her mother Adoracion, and Margarita preparing the sandwiches. Below, you can see both Romanian and African migrant workers who were very happy to receive the food.