Goldfuss update

Dear Prayer Partners,

Praises:
Last Sunday was such a big blessing even though it was very unusual, and we were not sure exactly what the Lord was doing.
It started with Mike being invited to speak again to over 200 people in an AA meeting.  Again we were surprised because he always shares the gospel very clearly,
and it is exactly opposite of what they are teaching.  He states that what they are teaching there will not help, but only the Lord can break the chains that bind. 
BUT, they keep inviting him back!!! Mike is just thankful for the opportunity.
One man volunteered to preach for our normal services in place of Mike because Mike would need to leave before church was over.  Mike was able to work with
him two different times during the week, and he was ready---until Saturday, . . . when he called Nico.  He felt unworthy to preach because of some anger issues
he was dealing with after his boss refused to pay him.  (Unfortunately we have seen this kind of thing before.)  Because work is hard to find, people are afraid to
leave to leave a job.  Sometimes people don't even have enough money to get to work---and life becomes very difficult.)  Nico explained to him that we all are
sinners and struggle; and that the only way anyone can stand up to preach is knowing that we are sinners covered with the grace of our Lord.  But alas, the young
man really didn't even have enough money to come to church because he lives farther away.  SO, Nico, who had been studying four different topics, became the next candidate. 
He was nervous, but said that he would do it.
Mike preached Sunday school and then left for the preaching at the anniversary of the AA.  I cannot explain to you how wonderful it was to watch everything take
place without our intervention.  The Lord, who was arranging everything, allowed a man to come who had not been there for 3 years!  He had left his wife and family
for another woman---- and , of course, there has been a lot of pain and suffering that we have tried to help the wife and children through.  The wife, however, even
stopped coming for the last 6 months.  So here they were, and he was embarrassed to enter the church. We all welcomed him into the church stating that none
of us is without sin, and we all needed to be here because of that.  The wife came with him, and she was having a hard time because she wants to forgive him
with the Lord's help, but her own heart is harboring bitterness.  Praise the Lord they stayed.  
Nico's message was very direct about "lovers of self."  It was very good and very needed for everyone.  The couple even stayed for lunch and the married class.  
I know that the men were in charge while we were gone this summer, but it was truly amazing for me, Faith, to see all the men working together for myself.
One led the service.  Another preached.  Another man took charge of the meal.  While yet another led the marriage class.  Two of these mentioned above
counted the offering and took care of the books.  The marriage class was a blessing.  We have one older couple that is growing In the Lord, but they are still
"going at it" a little bit during the class.  The leader of the class lovingly spoke to them from the Bible.  Two other men (one not mentioned yet) chimed
in---all with graciousness.  All of this was while the separated couple sat and listened.  The leader even had to correct bad doctrine and thinking.  By the grace
of God, he caught it all.  All of this blessing and we still have the first man ready to speak.  :-) 

Prayer requests:
1.  Continued growth of these men.
2.  For Juana and her family.  They should find out the results of her tests on November 7th.
3.  Salvation for a number of visitors that have been coming.
4.  For school.  We just finished the first quarter!  We are a little behind due to a late start because of our LONG trip coming back from the States. 
5.  Our health.  Matthew especially has been having a very difficult time with asthma because of the pollution.

A final blessing was that several of the youth got to go to Six Flags together on Thursday and they had a great time!  It was a special time for unity.
Thank you so much for praying!

Faith for all the Goldfii

Goldfuss update

Dear Prayer Partners,

Praises:
1.  One visiting lady, Carmelita, has come back two times and also brought her grandson.  In talking to her, she doesn't have a good grasp of the gospel.
2.  The 5 men who said they would come to church two weeks ago, didn't. They said they would come this past Sunday; and didn't.  But, two of them came last night to our midweek service.  Mike is loaning them an MP3 player with a dramatized audio New Testament.  One of them today said that he "heard things last night in listening to that that he never ever knew before."  Pray for God to use His Word to open their hearts.
3.  Our church is rallying around Juana in prayer, presence, love, and monetary gifts.  We praise the Lord for their unity.  Sarai, Juana's daughter, is overwhelmed by the love that has been shown to her mother and family.  Our men's meeting last Friday evening involved some excellent questions as to how we can help Juana and her family and deal with her health situation.  All of us prayed about 40 minutes together with extremely heartfelt, serious, and caring prayers to our sovereign God for Juana, each letting our requests be made known and also trusting for God's will to be done on earth as it is in heaven.
4.  Lauren, our former schoolteacher, is coming from next Wednesday to Sunday.  That will be very joyful for the children as well as helpful to mom in school as she can oversee the older girls.

Prayer requests:
1.  A new family visited our church about a month ago and Faith and I were able to go and visit them.  The mom said that due to her work schedule that they would not be attending for four weeks, but then they hoped to attend again. Pray that they would come again this week.  Pray that they would make it a priority to be in the Lord's house.  They do not know the Lord, but have an interest.

2.  Pray for Juana and her family at this time.  As we mentioned in our last letter, she was supposed to find out the results of a biopsy this last Tuesday.  They have postponed that until Nov. 7th.  Right now things are not looking good.  Marcos, her son worked in an institution that helps children with cancer.  One doctor that worked with him, who now works in the woman's hospital, told Marcos that his mother was at stage 4.  How he knew that before the biopsy, we are not sure.  Yet her doctors are not saying anything---and won't for these next three weeks.  It is hard for all of us to wait.  The biopsy was also very painful and Juana is now recuperating from the whole ordeal.  She has had a tremendous testimony though to our church family and to family members who are unsaved.

3.  Please pray for all of us--- for our health.  We are doing much better with stomach issues, but the pollution is so bad that everyone is having a horrible time respiratory-wise.

4.  A taxi- driver by the name of Juan Jose, who was very serious about wanting to come to church.  Pray for his salvation.

5.  Our own children's salvation and for our love for the Lord to grow.

Thank you so much for praying!

Mike, Faith, Mikey, Cristi, Carissa, Matthew, Cheri, and Cara Goldfuss.

Goldfuss update

Dear prayer Partners
Praises:
1. The school year is now underway without any any extra teachers. What a blessing that the Lord has enabled us to get everything accomplished! We are amazed! We would never have thought that this was possible. The children are all doing much more on their own and somehow Cara (the baby) learned how to read very quickly---which means a lot less work for mom than we anticipated for the next 2 years. We just thank the Lord because He is the one who is enabling everyone to be able to do so well by themselves. This is not to say that we do not need prayer--- because we do. Pray that we won't just teach and learn academics, but also godliness.

2. Lauren, one of our teachers from last year, has asked us if she could come and help with school and the ministry from February to April. She is already down here in Mexico studying Spanish and staying with another missionary couple near the university where she is studying. When we tried to find out if she was just trying to help us, she insisted that she would like to take one module off to practice with our people at church before going on to advanced Spanish. So that is a praise! I am sure that we will all be tired by then and in need of the extra help.

3. One new family and a lady have visited the church in the last weeks. We have visited them in their homes and been able to clearly share the Gospel with them. Pray that they will continue to come again and be genuinely converted.

4. Mike has been able to make friends with 5 men who have come from various pueblos to work at the tree farm on the mountain behind us. To do this, he has visited them on 7 or 8 different occasions. They are preparing for the Christmas tree season. He has been able to give the Gospel various times and they have promised to come to church with us this Sunday (tomorrow). Please pray for them to follow through.

Prayer requests:
1. Juana, a very faithful lady, has been to the doctor several times and had numerous tests. There is a lump that could possibly be cancer. She is supposed to find out the actual diagnoses this next Tuesday. Please pray with our church family for continual peace for Juana and for a cancer-free diagnosis if that is His perfect will. She is seeking to be a testimony for Christ in her family and in front of the doctors and nurses. She is concerned for the salvation of several of her sons.

2. Revival. Attendance has been good, but everyone seems to be bogged down with the difficulties that arise from daily life--and they are many. Pray that the people of the church would continue to do the work of the ministry, witnessing for Christ, and that the Lord would revive us and make us rejoice in our God. Pray for all of our hearts to burn with a love for the Lord.

3. G. , Lourdes' brother was in a very serious, life- threatening car accident right after we had spent the evening with Lourdes' family. Mike has gone to speak with him, but please pray that the Lord would open up his heart for salvation. He has made a profession in the past but has no fruit.

4. There is one in our assembly who professes faith in Christ, but has been leading a life of unrepentant sin. Pray for the Lord to work in R's heart--to either bring to conversion or restoration.

Thank you so much for your prayers and support for us.
With much love and gratitude,
Faith, Mike and all the kids