The Messenger :: Missions Department Newsletter    •    Spring 2006

In This Issue Columbia Mission Trip Stephen's Thoughts Mexico Trip Honduras Van Donation Columbia Mission Trip by Shirley Edwards The team started their week by attending Christian Community of Faith Church, pastored by Andrew McMillan from Virginia. The Lord has blessed this church with five thousand members and eight thousand cell groups. The team spent the rest of Sunday sorting out the donated school supplies and teacher gifts. On Monday the Bethesda team met with three hundred Columbian teachers. Only two hundred were expected. As Tish Peterson remarked, "We all knew this was huge, but we didn't know how HUGE it was until we met Lee Bueno and her staff." She emphasized to each of us how unparalleled the reception of The Book of Hope is in Columbian history. No other evangelical tool has EVER been allowed into the country. The Columbians were amazed that Americans would visit their city. Almost no Americans ever come to visit because of how dangerous they perceive Columbia to be. The teachers are embarrassed at the view that the world has of their country. On Tuesday the team divided into six small groups to go to schools all over Medellin to present The Book of Hope, called The Book of Life by Columbians. Each group had an interpreter, but many of the team members expressed the desire to speak Spanish. When the children asked questions, the team members wished that they could just answer them. During the school presentations, the team performed skits to serve as "ice breakers." Then, the interpreters explained to the children the significance of the skit. The team was somewhat limited as to what they could say. For, example, they could say "Jesus," but they could not say "sin," "salvation," or "the blood." One thing that was very rewarding was the fact that when the teachers who had attended the workshop recognized the American team members, they gave them a big welcoming hug. The three poorest schools in the city were rewarded with Bethesda's donated school supplies. The recipients were overwhelmed to the point of tears at our generosity. On Wednesday evening the team went back to Andrew McMillan's church for worship. The service was awesome with the men dancing at the front of the church. The church recognized our team by calling them to the front, applauding their efforts, and giving them gifts. God gave the team favor in health and energy. They visited seventy-five schools, passing out 12,800 copies of The Book of Hope. If the statistics prove true, that is 12,800 souls added to the kingdom. We claim that harvest in the name of Jesus! Steve Evans arrived on Tuesday. He, Jose, and Nita New were invited into a male teacher's classrooms after one of the auditorium presentations. There, the students were so eager to know the gospel that they asked pointed questions like "Who is Jesus?" and "Is there a heaven?" Steve said that they had everything but an altar call. Praise the name of Jesus! What a divine breakthrough! Cindy, Jo, and Tish, along with their interpreter Raphael had a close call. They went to the poorest of the poor areas to pass out books. It was an area inhabited by the mere dregs of society. Raphael hurriedly helped them to pass out the books. He seemed to be distraught, and later he apologized to the tem for putting them in harm's way. He told them that these people are so desperate that they could have easily kidnapped the wealthy Americans for ransom. The team members, however, felt that this place needed Christ more than any other place in Columbia.                   Stephen's Thoughts The seven meetings (in two cities) in five days made for a tiring evangelistic campaign - but look what the Lord did!! Hundreds of people were saved, healed, set free from bitterness, and filled with the Holy Spirit and Fire. Jesus is so wonderful!! Words would fail to express how great God is - but here are a few snapshots of His amazing grace and power: • In the fire conference in Bucaramanga, the Lord moved powerfully upon the 200 plus pastors and leaders. It was like an aircraft carrier blew through there as people were crying out to God with all their heart and soul. I went to lay hands on the people, but felt impressed to just stand beside them and hold their (upraised) hands. Over and over, the Spirit of God touched them and they would slowly slip to their knees and bow down before Him. It was so intimate, so beautiful, so holy! • In the evangelistic service in Bucaramanga, eight hundred people crammed into the L-shaped church. Every seat was taken, with people standing along the walls, even spilling out into the street. The Holy Spirit responded to their hunger and humility with a powerful outpouring. 200 people responded to the salvation message. Many more received prayer for healing and boldness to witness. And what really touched my heart was the one hundred plus people who kissed our cheeks and hugged our necks after the service. It felt like family - and we certainly left part of our heart in Bucaramanga. • In the four services in Medellin, over 10,000 people heard the Gospel of Jesus. Friday and Saturday night were both tremendous meetings, but Sunday morning will remain with me forever! Steve New shared a prophetic word with the congregation moments before I was supposed to speak- - and it was like fire swept over my entire body. It was so powerful and so anointed that when I reached the podium all I could do was call for the congregation to hurry to the altar to respond to the prophetic word. The glory of God swept in upon us, and Pastor Andrew and I hit the ground, face down before the Lord and the people. I have no idea how long we remained pressed down before the glory of God, but the Lord was confirming His word and responding to the humility and hunger of the people. Friends, we serve an awesome and holy God. Maybe now would be a good time to slip to your knees and just lift your hands and worship Him! He is WORTHY!! Every Blessing, Stephen Evans Mantle Ministries Mexico Trip October 21-23, 2005 This trip was fraught with many trials as Satan endeavored to destroy our work. The Mexican government decided that they would accept no more medical mission trips in Piedras Negras. Because Dale had prayed, prepared, and planned for Piedras Negras, he was reluctant to give up that site for any other site. Thus, the group of doctors, nurses, clowns. Construction workers and children's workers left Bethesda without knowing of the quandary that threatened to destroy the mission. Dale called Stephen Evans and asked that he pray for the trip. Dale, himself, prayed all the way down, and God miraculously had already solved the problem. Dr. Nawrocki met the Bethesda group, advising them to leave the meds in Texas and proceed to the hotel. When they reached the mission site, Bethesda Special Needs Orphanage and Clinic, they found it well stocked with medication left over from a previous mission trip. The medicines that the team had brought went for Dr. Nawrocki to use in his free clinics in Dallas and Fort Worth. The meds were used to restore the supply depleted by the fall hurricanes. Praise the name of Jesus: He does all things well! The statistics speak loudly and clearly that Satan was defeated, and the Lord ruled the day. Fifty-five team members treated 103 medical patients and 59 dental patients. Twenty special needs patients were treated; nine surgeries were performed. Fifty-six children took part in VBS. Seventy-six people chose Christ as their savior. The van drivers took clowns, Lollipop and Flor, into two of the colonias. They entertained the children and passed out 2000 tracts in Spanish. Workers installed glass in the windows of the dormitory and school building at the orphanage. The team also painted Reyna's new children's church in Colonia Bravo. Reyna is a former Bethesda member. Laney Sutherland painted a huge smiley face and flowers on the walls near a huge puppet theatre. Reyna is having great success with the children's ministry. They pack her church on Thursday and Friday nights. David Brauchler's preaching was wonderful. This man is a retired missionary to Latin America, who preaches in excellent Spanish. Tela, Honduras Crusade The team arrived on Monday afternoon and had the opportunity to sit in on one of the choir rehearsals for the crusade. The Spirit was present to such an extent that a woman from England on vacation was drawn by the music. She told one of the leaders that she had been running from God all her life in spite of being from a family of believers. Here, one the other side of the ocean from home, at a simple choir practice she fell to her knees and gave her heart to Jesus! Throughout the week the compassion teams, accompanied by local pastors, went into the surrounding villages to share the Gospel and to distribute food, toys and clothing. In one village a man urgently asked the team to come to his home to pray for his elderly mother. When the team accompanied him to his home and began to pray for the mother, she stopped them, saying "I need to know Jesus!" She was gloriously saved and delivered from the power of witchcraft. In another place a mother called her three daughters in from play to sit on the porch and hear the Gospel message. Twenty minutes later the entire household surrendered their lives to the Lord. Over and over again, the teams preached the Gospel from the beds of pickups, or in 12 by 12 foot houses constructed of tree limbs and tin. Again and again people responded to the pull of the Gospel. We serve such a powerful Jesus - "even the winds and the waves obey Him!" Friday afternoon, just hours before the crusade was to begin, it began to rain heavily in Tela. Everyone on the team and people back in Fort Worth were praying that the rain would stop. Finally, one member of the team stepped out on the balcony and screamed, "Stop! I command you to stop in the name of Jesus!" Before he had even closed the door, the rain stopped and the skies cleared. From that time forth, the skies were clear. The crusade was such a marvelous example of unity and love. Over eighty evangelical pastors united to pray for Tela and to assist in the crusade. They put aside their differences in order to serve the greater good - to declare that Jesus Christ is Lord of Tela, Honduras! The crusade was the largest event ever in that area with over ten thousand people attending Friday night, and thirteen hundred attending Saturday night. Praise the name of the living Saviour. Bethesda Donates Van Bethesda donated a 1988 Ford Econoline van that seats fifteen to a Mexican pastor, Roberto Martinez. Ten people, most from Bethesda, accompanied George Rodela to Acuna, Mexico for the purpose of cementing relationships with fellow Christians, spreading the Gospel, delivering children's Bibles, and celebrating the marriage that unites the daughter of the president of the pastoral alliance for the Acuna area and the son of a member of the Mexican Consulate. We have made so many trips to Acuna over the years that we have watched these two young people grow up. How marvelous it was to be treated as honored guests. On Friday night, we attended a Christmas party for the children of several churches. The children took part in games, breaking open a piñata, singing, and receiving presents and candy. The best present passed out during the evening was a Bible for each boy and girl--a pink one for girls, and a blue one for boys. In all we gave out two hundred Bibles at the Christmas party and left three hundred additional Bibles for the pastors to give out later. Pastor Roberto Martinez lives in a small village outside of Acuna. He pastors a small church without receiving a salary. He is such a humble man, entirely devoted to his flock. His van had died two weeks before we came with the donated van. He was so overjoyed that tears flowed down his cheeks. The van will allow him to pick up the members who have no way of getting to church. Finally, George carried thirty bikes that had come into the hands of the Haltom City Police. No one had claimed these bicycles; thus, they went to Mexico to make many boys and girls happy on Christmas morning. George's pickup was quite a sight, top-heavy as it was with bicycles. If you have not taken part in one of George's trips, you are missing a blessing. He believes in building relationships with the Mexican people instead of building buildings. In the picture, Ron Wilken and George are shown giving the keys to the van to Roberto and Lucy Martinez. Future trips to Mexico have not been decided on. Watch in the bulletin for announcements and watch in future issues of The Messenger.