Friday, November 18

A Late (or early) Update-- Depending on How You Look at It

Dear Praying friends,

We did not write an update as things have been very hectic and sometimes overwhelming. It is wonderful to know that "He is the Rock, His work is perfect." Deut. 32:4

PRAYER REQUESTS:
  • Faithful men.
  • Both Marcos and Morgan have been having major struggles in their spiritual lives. They need prayer for victory. This is difficult for us as we have helped them as much as we can help them. They just need to determine to stay in God’s Word and do what it says. This is particularly crucial as they are the only ones that are qualified to preach. They will be preaching in the month of December while we are gone for three weeks to see family. Mike’s family is having a reunion as we have not been back in almost five years—(not including his father’s funeral). His family is paying for the trip so that we can attend. Our little church needs prayer while we are gone. Please pray for much growth in Morgan and Marcos.
  • Elsa’s housing situation is difficult. Pray for an inexpensive room close to school to become available for her.
  • We have been ministering this week to a family that has recently come from Florida where they lived for eight years. The wife is Mexican and the husband is German. They have six children ranging in ages 8 to 22 and are home-schooled. They were recommended to our church by mutual friends in the States. The whole family visited on Sunday and seemed to be very bored. This was so sad for us as Mike was preaching on the sufficiency of Christ alone and loving Him with all of your heart. They were concerned by the lack of activities for their children and want to go to a very large church of over 4,000 in the north of the city almost two hours away. Through some special opportunities this week, they have shared some real family needs. The oldest son is very ill and needs urgent surgery to remove most of his colon. The second child, 19 and a daughter, just left home and is not speaking to the parents. Pray for us to kindly be able to continue to share that our children do not just need activities—although they can be nice and helpful, but what they need is a personal relationship with Christ Himself.
  • Teresa needs prayer as she was left responsible for her 10 month old great-niece, Sara. Teresa’s niece drinks heavily and was abusive--hitting and neglecting the baby. Teresa’s husband could not bear the situation, and even though it was not his family---he brought the baby home to Teresa. We all got baby clothes together (as the baby did not have anything) and just two days ago Teresa took the baby back to her own brother, the baby’s grandfather, to make that family stand up to its responsibility. Pray for little Sara. It is another hard situation. We have prayed with Teresa about the Lord’s will. On one hand, it would be a wonderful opportunity to try to raise that baby in the Lord. And on the other hand, Teresa is in her late 50s with an unsaved husband and all of her family problems. Please continue to pray for the Lord’s perfect will and for Alberto’s salvation.
  • Some may remember Itza. He was very faithful the second through the fourth years of the ministry---and even played the piano the whole year that we were on furlough. He is still in the army, but not doing well. His mother asked that Mike go and see him because Itza is now very suicidal. The problem is that he is now located in another city. Please pray for the Lord to work in his life through the problems that he is going through and that his entire family will finally become serious about serving the Lord.
  • The landlord of the church wants us to get out of where we are meeting. (This is after we have moved in his building 2 times.) We now have until February. We are trying to teach our people that the Lord has a purpose in everything and not to become upset or angry, but to look at the situation as from the Lord. We are all praying that if it is the Lord’s will that He would give us a permanent building for the church. There is a very nice building not far from us that is for rent or for sale. Our landlord plans to go with some from the church to recommend us as renters. Pray that the Lord would show Himself strong to our little congregation—and that if it is the Lord’s will that he would offer us an unbelievably low price for the building.

PRAISES:

  • Erasmo has a new job. This is such an answer to prayer for the Lopez family. They have been attending for four years and up until now ---he has never felt the responsibility to be the main provider for his family. This has been such a struggle for Matilde. Pray that he will remain faithful to his job and thus be a blessing to the church and the Lord’s people.
    The children’s Sunday school class is going very well. There have been between 10-15 children every week. This is such a contrast as earlier this year our children were the only ones who would attend. The mothers could not get their children there that early (11 am)(????) But the Lord has worked in their hearts and they are being faithful. Sarai, Juana, Elsa, Reme, and Faith are all taking turns teaching.
  • Church attendance has been between 45-50 people for several weeks now!

Thank you so much for praying, and so sorry for all of the details. It does help to relieve our burden a little; however, to know that you are specifically taking each request to the Lord.

In Christ, Mike, Faith, Mikey, Cristiana, Carissa, Matthew, and Cherith Goldfuss

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