Matthew Henry (1662-1714) on Luke 17:13, The Ten Lepers. "He lifted up his voice in his praises, as he had done in his prayers. Those that have received mercy from God should publish it to others, that they may praise God too, and may be encouraged by their experiences to trust in Him."
This struck me as the exact mantra of the World Mission Prayer League, praise God! On Saturday the 22nd (today) we as a family are going to help the Crossroads Mission here in Nogales, serving a Thanksgiving meal to eight or nine hundred people who mostly come from Nogales, Sonora Mexico. We ask you to "lift up your voices" in prayer for me as I preach and for all the services that will be conducted there today.
Tomorrow Alfonso and I will visit door to door again in Mascarenas as well as start a Sunday service there again. So far there is a Thursday service led by brother Casimilo and the Sabbath school for children assisted by Pastor Antonio.
On the visits that Alfonso and I are making we have found a couple of fallen soldiers we really want to see restored. Both were once preachers and evangelists. Pray for Humberto from Buenos Aires and Ramon in Mascarenas.
We had a great time with Pastor Guadalupe and his wife Emilia from Mazatlan last weekend. Missions was the theme of their visit, and both the congregation in Mazatlan and ours here in Nogales have committed themselves to pray for and support financially Gabriela, a doctor from Ecuador, who wants to serve in the middle east (both have been giving ten % of the tithe for this cause for some time now).
Brother Del Palmer, director of World Missions with the AFLC was with us this week for a couple of days, and went with me to Buenos Aires. On the way I was telling him about Gabriela, and he said that sounds like the sister that is right now studying at the AFLC Bible school. She's from Ecuador... a doctor... wants to go as a missionary to the middle east... and whose name is Gabriela, coincidence? He tried to set up and conference call with her so, as a congregation, we could encourage her, but she wasn't there at the time. Anyway, we now have her phone number there in Mpls.
Thank you all for "lifting up your voices in prayer," that many more will be able to "lift up their voices in praise." Your fellow workers,
Darwin, Mary Ann and Gracie Jackson (Michelle, Cezar, and Fernanda too!)
"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8
