Hello again praying friends.
Well, this is the last night, Lord willing, without Faith, Mikey, Cristiana and Caralyn. We have certainly missed them a lot here and the Lord has helped us survive. :-) We are thankful for that.
This week, we had a real blessing. On Wednesday, Jose and America were married in a civil ceremony. They had been living together for the past 6 years. They have one son, Jose Ruben. It was a real blessing and answer to prayer to see them get married, especially after Jose said about 4 months ago that he never was going to get married. We believe that he still needs to be saved, but we are thankful as only the Lord could have worked in his heart to get him to this point. Today they invited Carissa, Matthew, Cherith and me over for dinner. It took quite a while before we ate, but we had a good time of talking with them. Pray for them to do what the Lord wants them to do day by day.
Continue to pray for Sylvia and her husband Roberto for salvation. Roberto, her son, is in rehab. More than rehab, Roberto needs to be regenerated. Pray for the Lord's work there.
It was a real blessing to have Nicolas and his family back again to church today. He had missed the last two weeks and was really struggling with some serious issues. He works for a so-called Christian man who really has done him wrong many times. It has caused Nico to doubt a lot of things. We had an excellent talk on the way home from church this afternoon. Nico says that he had gotten his eyes off of Christ. Praise the Lord for showing Nico this problem and pray for him to continue to be faithful. It is a tremendous blessing to me personally to see what the Lord has done in his life. Nico's wife Liliana is expecting in about a month and a half. She has a heavy work load and is very tired at this time. Please pray for the Lord's provision for their finances in the birth of their baby. An added blessing today is that when we were ready to go to church (we normally drive Nico and his family down with us), Liliana's sister, Sara, was waiting with her three children and ready to accompany us. Some of you may remember that she is the lady who almost died in our van one night at 3:30 in the morning as we were trying to get her to a hospital after she delivered in the living room of the house next door. Please pray for her to have more than a passing interest in the things of Christ.
We had very well-attended services today. The Lord in His providence had our SS and worship service preaching focus on humility--Christ's humiliation and exaltation in SS and the gospel cultivating humility in our own hearts as we meditate on it day by day. Please pray that we truly would be a humble group of believers. The Lord resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.
Faith and the rest of the family, as well as Mr. Frank Davis, a friend from our home church, and Ethan Reagan, a friend of Mikey's from Westerville Bible Church all arrive tomorrow. We are looking forward to a good week with each of them. Pray for their safety on Monday. The family is supposed to arrive in Mexico City at 12:20 and Mr. D and Ethan at 12:52. We appreciate your prayers.
In Christ,
Mike for all the Goldfi
Sunday, July 22
Sunday, July 15
Goldfuss update (July 15)
Dear Praying friends,
Well, it's one week down without Mom and Wife and eight days to go until they get back. They are coming back on Monday the 23rd. Matthew and Cherith were really missing Faith at the beginning of the week. They still miss her a lot but are having a good time together and Carissa has been a tremendous help here at home playing with them and keeping things in order. She will make a very good mommy some day.
Jason had to leave on Monday. He was a big help in his week and a half here. On Monday he helped by burning a good number of CD's for our "tape" ministry. We have been using a simple voice recorder to record our messages in church and the people have been snapping them up just about as fast as we get them out. Please pray that the Lord will use this ministry in the lives of the church people here to keep them under the sound of the Word throughout the week.
Keep praying for Silvia's son Roberto. He went into a rehab place on Monday which is to take about three months. We know that true change can only happen in Roberto's heart by the new birth from the Holy Spirit. Please pray that the Word that he has heard will be accompanied by the Holy Spirit's power and draw Roberto to Christ. Please pray for Silvia to not worry about Roberto and to focus on her own relationship to Christ during this time. Her husband, also named Roberto, will not come to church with her but will read the Bible with her. Please pray for the Lord to use this and Silvia's changed life to bring Roberto the husband to Christ also. On Thursday we were able to loan them our lawn mower to cut the grass at their home where they live up here on the mountain. They invited us to a special meal yesterday (Saturday.) I had a brief opportunity to share the gospel with Roberto. Pray for the Lord's working in his heart.
We are thankful that Memo and Karina came back today after missing for two weeks. It was good to have them. However, the Lopez family, Erasmo and Matilde and four children were missing. Also Nicolas and his family were missing for the second straight week. Several others were absent also so please pray for wisdom to know who to visit when this week and also what to say during those visits. Please pray for all of us to be faithful to the Lord in doing the simple things day by day that we know we should do.
Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers and for your faithful financial support and encouragement. We appreciate you all very very much.
In Christ,
Mike for all the Goldfi
Well, it's one week down without Mom and Wife and eight days to go until they get back. They are coming back on Monday the 23rd. Matthew and Cherith were really missing Faith at the beginning of the week. They still miss her a lot but are having a good time together and Carissa has been a tremendous help here at home playing with them and keeping things in order. She will make a very good mommy some day.
Jason had to leave on Monday. He was a big help in his week and a half here. On Monday he helped by burning a good number of CD's for our "tape" ministry. We have been using a simple voice recorder to record our messages in church and the people have been snapping them up just about as fast as we get them out. Please pray that the Lord will use this ministry in the lives of the church people here to keep them under the sound of the Word throughout the week.
Keep praying for Silvia's son Roberto. He went into a rehab place on Monday which is to take about three months. We know that true change can only happen in Roberto's heart by the new birth from the Holy Spirit. Please pray that the Word that he has heard will be accompanied by the Holy Spirit's power and draw Roberto to Christ. Please pray for Silvia to not worry about Roberto and to focus on her own relationship to Christ during this time. Her husband, also named Roberto, will not come to church with her but will read the Bible with her. Please pray for the Lord to use this and Silvia's changed life to bring Roberto the husband to Christ also. On Thursday we were able to loan them our lawn mower to cut the grass at their home where they live up here on the mountain. They invited us to a special meal yesterday (Saturday.) I had a brief opportunity to share the gospel with Roberto. Pray for the Lord's working in his heart.
We are thankful that Memo and Karina came back today after missing for two weeks. It was good to have them. However, the Lopez family, Erasmo and Matilde and four children were missing. Also Nicolas and his family were missing for the second straight week. Several others were absent also so please pray for wisdom to know who to visit when this week and also what to say during those visits. Please pray for all of us to be faithful to the Lord in doing the simple things day by day that we know we should do.
Thank you so much for keeping us in your prayers and for your faithful financial support and encouragement. We appreciate you all very very much.
In Christ,
Mike for all the Goldfi
Sunday, July 8
Goldfuss update (July 8)
Dear Praying friends,
Well, it was another busy week trying to recover from the team last week and getting ready for Faith and three of the kids to go to the States. Mikey and Cristiana are each going to be attending a week of camp at Peniel Bible Camp the next two weeks. I suggested to Faith that it would be nice if she could accompany them and spend most of the two weeks at her mom and dad's house in PA.
I'll give a few details about the preparations to get them home. We found out about 1 1/2 months ago that Mikey's passport had expired last year. On June 2 we called the US embassy here to get our appointment for Mikey and Caralyn's passport applications. They said that the first date available was July 6, one day before their departure. We told them about the next day travel plans and they said that we would be able to get a temporary/emergency passport the same day—no problem. Going Friday to the embassy was an absolute disaster. They told us that there was no way to give us that kind of passport as the trip wasn't an emergency. :-( They said we should have come in during the past five weeks to renew Mikey's passport. I told them that we did exactly what they told us to do on the phone—come on July 6. They said that it was our fault. The passport applications were approved and we paid for them, but we were told that they would take two weeks to get to us. So we came home and I spent almost three hours on the phone talking to different airlines, embassy people, etc., to try to come to some resolution. Finally we got one person to say that they had called the airlines and that the physical receipt from the embassy would be enough to get them all on the plane. Saturday we went early to the airport and the ticket counter man gave us absolutely no problems. When we had to say goodbye, Carissa, Matthew, Cherith, Jason and I all came home.
I found out last night that the ticket taker at the plane was very difficult and had radioed to take all of Faith and the kids' luggage off of the plane and that they were NOT going to let them get on and fly. However, Faith stood her ground well and argued that it was not our fault, that we had express permission from the airline to fly and that she was not going to lose all the money for the tickets for something that was not her fault. Praise the Lord they ended up in Cleveland last night (Saturday) about 11:30 PM.
Please pray for the Lord to work greatly in Cristi and Mikey's hearts during the next two weeks of camp. They have a good head knowledge of the things of the Lord but we are very concerned for them to internalize those things and to have real hearts and love for our Lord and His glory. Please pray for Faith to have a very relaxing time with her mom and with Caralyn in PA.
This week here in Mexico I've had some good opportunities. On Thursday night, I was able to speak with Roberto, Sylvia's drug-addicted son for two hours. He told me that he had no desire to give up the drugs and that he enjoyed it. He doesn't fear any consequences. I was feeling pretty hopeless for a time, but prayed and asked the Lord to help me make some headway with him. I tried to really get him to see that he has offended God by his sin and what the consequences of that sin are if he continues in it, dies in it and goes to judgment before Christ still in those sins. Only the Holy Spirit can convince Roberto of his sin. Only our God can draw him to the Son. After talking Thursday night, Roberto went out and got high again on Friday. Sylvia was able to get him into a rehab place on Saturday. Please pray that he will read God's Word there and and that God would graciously grant him the faith and repentance to be saved.
Today we were down a good bit in the church attendance. It is often common to have a big group and lots of excitement and then to be very down the next week. Please pray that the people wouldn't be depending on a "high" from last week with the team to get them through their lives spiritually. I have been preaching lately on the necessity of continuing in and meditating on the gospel of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ for daily victory. It has been a great challenge to my own heart. Pray that the Lord would help each of us in the Padierna Bible Church to put these truths into practice.
Jason has been a blessing to have here this whole week. Unfortunately he has to leave tomorrow. Please pray for Carissa, Matthew, Cherith and I as we hold down the fort here at home. We certainly will miss mom and the other kids the next two weeks.
We covet your prayers for the work here that the Lord would empower us to do His will day by day. We long to see Him open the windows of heaven and pour out His Spirit savingly on multitudes of people in this city. Pray that we will be prepared, useful and clean vessels that He can use mightily. We want to see the Lord work here because of us, not in spite of us. Pray that we will be faithful in our daily walk with the Lord. Just because we are missionaries doesn't mean that we don't struggle with that too.
Thank you so much for your prayers and for your faithful financial support and encouragement. We appreciate you all very very much.
In Christ,
Mike for all the Goldfi
Well, it was another busy week trying to recover from the team last week and getting ready for Faith and three of the kids to go to the States. Mikey and Cristiana are each going to be attending a week of camp at Peniel Bible Camp the next two weeks. I suggested to Faith that it would be nice if she could accompany them and spend most of the two weeks at her mom and dad's house in PA.
I'll give a few details about the preparations to get them home. We found out about 1 1/2 months ago that Mikey's passport had expired last year. On June 2 we called the US embassy here to get our appointment for Mikey and Caralyn's passport applications. They said that the first date available was July 6, one day before their departure. We told them about the next day travel plans and they said that we would be able to get a temporary/emergency passport the same day—no problem. Going Friday to the embassy was an absolute disaster. They told us that there was no way to give us that kind of passport as the trip wasn't an emergency. :-( They said we should have come in during the past five weeks to renew Mikey's passport. I told them that we did exactly what they told us to do on the phone—come on July 6. They said that it was our fault. The passport applications were approved and we paid for them, but we were told that they would take two weeks to get to us. So we came home and I spent almost three hours on the phone talking to different airlines, embassy people, etc., to try to come to some resolution. Finally we got one person to say that they had called the airlines and that the physical receipt from the embassy would be enough to get them all on the plane. Saturday we went early to the airport and the ticket counter man gave us absolutely no problems. When we had to say goodbye, Carissa, Matthew, Cherith, Jason and I all came home.
I found out last night that the ticket taker at the plane was very difficult and had radioed to take all of Faith and the kids' luggage off of the plane and that they were NOT going to let them get on and fly. However, Faith stood her ground well and argued that it was not our fault, that we had express permission from the airline to fly and that she was not going to lose all the money for the tickets for something that was not her fault. Praise the Lord they ended up in Cleveland last night (Saturday) about 11:30 PM.
Please pray for the Lord to work greatly in Cristi and Mikey's hearts during the next two weeks of camp. They have a good head knowledge of the things of the Lord but we are very concerned for them to internalize those things and to have real hearts and love for our Lord and His glory. Please pray for Faith to have a very relaxing time with her mom and with Caralyn in PA.
This week here in Mexico I've had some good opportunities. On Thursday night, I was able to speak with Roberto, Sylvia's drug-addicted son for two hours. He told me that he had no desire to give up the drugs and that he enjoyed it. He doesn't fear any consequences. I was feeling pretty hopeless for a time, but prayed and asked the Lord to help me make some headway with him. I tried to really get him to see that he has offended God by his sin and what the consequences of that sin are if he continues in it, dies in it and goes to judgment before Christ still in those sins. Only the Holy Spirit can convince Roberto of his sin. Only our God can draw him to the Son. After talking Thursday night, Roberto went out and got high again on Friday. Sylvia was able to get him into a rehab place on Saturday. Please pray that he will read God's Word there and and that God would graciously grant him the faith and repentance to be saved.
Today we were down a good bit in the church attendance. It is often common to have a big group and lots of excitement and then to be very down the next week. Please pray that the people wouldn't be depending on a "high" from last week with the team to get them through their lives spiritually. I have been preaching lately on the necessity of continuing in and meditating on the gospel of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ for daily victory. It has been a great challenge to my own heart. Pray that the Lord would help each of us in the Padierna Bible Church to put these truths into practice.
Jason has been a blessing to have here this whole week. Unfortunately he has to leave tomorrow. Please pray for Carissa, Matthew, Cherith and I as we hold down the fort here at home. We certainly will miss mom and the other kids the next two weeks.
We covet your prayers for the work here that the Lord would empower us to do His will day by day. We long to see Him open the windows of heaven and pour out His Spirit savingly on multitudes of people in this city. Pray that we will be prepared, useful and clean vessels that He can use mightily. We want to see the Lord work here because of us, not in spite of us. Pray that we will be faithful in our daily walk with the Lord. Just because we are missionaries doesn't mean that we don't struggle with that too.
Thank you so much for your prayers and for your faithful financial support and encouragement. We appreciate you all very very much.
In Christ,
Mike for all the Goldfi
Tuesday, July 3
Goldfuss update (July 3)
Dear Praying friends,
WE SURVIVED!!!!!!!!!
Thank you all for praying for us while the 27 member Spanish Mission Team was with us in our home last week! We had an absolutely wonderful time with them.
Last Monday and Tuesday the team passed out hundreds of invitations for evangelistic services. The evangelistic services were Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. We rented chairs and took out a dividing wall to accommodate everyone. We praise the Lord that we had about 15 visitors! Roberto, Silvia's 35 year old son, came to all of the services. This was especially thrilling for our people as we have prayed for Roberto for more than a year as a church. Roberto did not become a Christian, but says that he now knows that he cannot make a deal with God. He knows what true salvation is. Please pray for him as he needs to be saved and freed from his drug addiction. The team ministered to our people with much beautiful singing---and they also brought a harp that was such a joy to many.
Pray for Elena, Beatrice, Gabriella, Pedro, Umberto, Ortencia, numerous children, and another entire family as we follow up on them. Elena liked the color of our invitation and picked it up out of someone else's door. (She lived farther away from the church----and we did not put an invitation in her door.) Both Elena and Beatrice said that they want to come regularly to our church. Pray that this is so.
During the week, Mike took the team to the Basillica where they were exposed to unadulterated Roman Catholicism and Mary worship. They came back very somber and many related that seeing the Basillica changed their lives. Pray for the team members as many are seeking the Lord's will regarding their lives.
Saturday was the youth group meeting---however, many thought themselves to be very young and half of the church showed up at our house. Everyone first went horse back riding down the mountain and then returned for a giant cookout. Mike grilled the best chicken I have ever had and then we had tons of food on top of that. It was a good thing that we planned big because including the team members, we almost had 80 people in our home. The team organized games, did skits, and then one young man preached. It was a wonderful day.
Sunday was the big finale. The team practically held a concert and then Dr. Casillas preached. His message ended his series on submitting yourself to Christ's authority. The preaching was excellent and all our church members related the blessings that they received. If normally we are squashed ---then we were living pancakes. We again had many visitors. Sadly, three of our regular families did not come, but I am not sure where we would have put them. We would have made room for them. Please pray for Alejandro as he has decided to not come back to church and is trying to not allow Guille to attend. Alejandro had been faithful for 5 ½ years, but is not saved. He only allowed Guille to attend the Tuesday night service because she made the evening meal for church.
On a happier note, the church people really stepped up to help in the special meetings. They invited people, provided the evening meal after the evangelistic services, and provided a huge Sunday afternoon meal in honor of the team. On top of that, they took up a special offering in appreciation for the team---which was about $185 USD. Seeing that most only make $15 USD per day, this was a huge sacrifice.
Several of our people were crying when they said goodbye. It was sad to see the team leave. Three of our young people have now expressed the desire to go to a Christian college. The BJ team left a wonderful impression and gave hope to many who feel like living a godly Christian life (with the all sin in this city) is impossible. We personally were happy with their ministry to our own children and for all of the work that they did. Their great attitudes were incredible.
We KNOW that you were praying for us----and we thank you so much! The week would not have been possible without your prayers. There was only one catastrophe. On Friday, while the team was sightseeing downtown, the water hose behind the washing machine became detached and water was pouring everywhere. We found out about it because it poured down the hole where the fire poll is----all over the living room and the entire downstairs. (The washing machine is on the second floor.) It also went into our carpeted bedroom! It took 3 hours to clean up ---and the team returned to a very clean house.
Getting back to your prayers: thank you for praying for my (Faith's) back. It was amazing. I hurt badly the first day and a little in the morning of the second day. Then from Wednesday on I was pain free. All of the extra work must have loosened the muscles, or it was just your prayers. I am so thankful. So far there is no pain in my back. If it comes back, I guess we will need to invite the team back again so you can pray!
We are now preparing Mikey and Cristi to go to camp.
Thank you again for being our prayer partners. You mean so much to us.
Faith for the family
p.s. I forgot to tell you---during the week a past intern of ours, Jason Boyle, arrived. We stuck Matthew under his bed and called it a tent---and Jason got Matthew's bed. Matthew loved that. Jason is now helping Mike this week. He is planning to return to Mexico City as a missionary.
WE SURVIVED!!!!!!!!!
Thank you all for praying for us while the 27 member Spanish Mission Team was with us in our home last week! We had an absolutely wonderful time with them.
Last Monday and Tuesday the team passed out hundreds of invitations for evangelistic services. The evangelistic services were Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday nights. We rented chairs and took out a dividing wall to accommodate everyone. We praise the Lord that we had about 15 visitors! Roberto, Silvia's 35 year old son, came to all of the services. This was especially thrilling for our people as we have prayed for Roberto for more than a year as a church. Roberto did not become a Christian, but says that he now knows that he cannot make a deal with God. He knows what true salvation is. Please pray for him as he needs to be saved and freed from his drug addiction. The team ministered to our people with much beautiful singing---and they also brought a harp that was such a joy to many.
Pray for Elena, Beatrice, Gabriella, Pedro, Umberto, Ortencia, numerous children, and another entire family as we follow up on them. Elena liked the color of our invitation and picked it up out of someone else's door. (She lived farther away from the church----and we did not put an invitation in her door.) Both Elena and Beatrice said that they want to come regularly to our church. Pray that this is so.
During the week, Mike took the team to the Basillica where they were exposed to unadulterated Roman Catholicism and Mary worship. They came back very somber and many related that seeing the Basillica changed their lives. Pray for the team members as many are seeking the Lord's will regarding their lives.
Saturday was the youth group meeting---however, many thought themselves to be very young and half of the church showed up at our house. Everyone first went horse back riding down the mountain and then returned for a giant cookout. Mike grilled the best chicken I have ever had and then we had tons of food on top of that. It was a good thing that we planned big because including the team members, we almost had 80 people in our home. The team organized games, did skits, and then one young man preached. It was a wonderful day.
Sunday was the big finale. The team practically held a concert and then Dr. Casillas preached. His message ended his series on submitting yourself to Christ's authority. The preaching was excellent and all our church members related the blessings that they received. If normally we are squashed ---then we were living pancakes. We again had many visitors. Sadly, three of our regular families did not come, but I am not sure where we would have put them. We would have made room for them. Please pray for Alejandro as he has decided to not come back to church and is trying to not allow Guille to attend. Alejandro had been faithful for 5 ½ years, but is not saved. He only allowed Guille to attend the Tuesday night service because she made the evening meal for church.
On a happier note, the church people really stepped up to help in the special meetings. They invited people, provided the evening meal after the evangelistic services, and provided a huge Sunday afternoon meal in honor of the team. On top of that, they took up a special offering in appreciation for the team---which was about $185 USD. Seeing that most only make $15 USD per day, this was a huge sacrifice.
Several of our people were crying when they said goodbye. It was sad to see the team leave. Three of our young people have now expressed the desire to go to a Christian college. The BJ team left a wonderful impression and gave hope to many who feel like living a godly Christian life (with the all sin in this city) is impossible. We personally were happy with their ministry to our own children and for all of the work that they did. Their great attitudes were incredible.
We KNOW that you were praying for us----and we thank you so much! The week would not have been possible without your prayers. There was only one catastrophe. On Friday, while the team was sightseeing downtown, the water hose behind the washing machine became detached and water was pouring everywhere. We found out about it because it poured down the hole where the fire poll is----all over the living room and the entire downstairs. (The washing machine is on the second floor.) It also went into our carpeted bedroom! It took 3 hours to clean up ---and the team returned to a very clean house.
Getting back to your prayers: thank you for praying for my (Faith's) back. It was amazing. I hurt badly the first day and a little in the morning of the second day. Then from Wednesday on I was pain free. All of the extra work must have loosened the muscles, or it was just your prayers. I am so thankful. So far there is no pain in my back. If it comes back, I guess we will need to invite the team back again so you can pray!
We are now preparing Mikey and Cristi to go to camp.
Thank you again for being our prayer partners. You mean so much to us.
Faith for the family
p.s. I forgot to tell you---during the week a past intern of ours, Jason Boyle, arrived. We stuck Matthew under his bed and called it a tent---and Jason got Matthew's bed. Matthew loved that. Jason is now helping Mike this week. He is planning to return to Mexico City as a missionary.
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