Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
Greetings in Jesus’ love! Thank you for keeping my wife Rut and HOPE Ministries in your prayers. Rut recently had a bone exam, and we are awaiting the results.
HOPE Ministries: In previous reports, I have written about preaching events being planned and developed for several Indiana cities, including areas where churches are already established. Starting with these churches, particularly in Lafayette and Monticello, we are promoting spiritual growth activities, all in preparation for upcoming preaching events. During August, we will focus on evangelism, prayer, Bible reading, and silence and solitude. Please pray for the spiritual growth of the participating Hispanic churches through these activities.
Short-term mission trip to the Dominican Republic: As I wrote previously, I’m planning and praying to visit my home country to preach and teach the gospel there. The Indiana Creek Christian Church donated about 37% of the money needed to pay for the mission trip expenses. Praise the Lord! Thank you to the Creek congregation for that valuable donation. After receiving their gift, Rut and I started gathering Bibles, Christian books, clothes, school supplies, shoes, and food to be distributed among the people there. You can help.
Oddly enough, communion trays are difficult to acquire in the Dominican Republic. If your church has communion trays you no longer use, please consider donating them to the Dominican churches. Even older communion trays would be a great blessing to Dominican’s churches.
Colegio Biblico: Colegio Biblico (Bible College in Spanish; http://www.colegiobiblico.net/) is a Hispanic Christian college affiliated with the non-denominational Christian Churches/Churches of Christ of the Restoration Movement. This college focuses on training Spanish-speaking leaders to serve in diverse ministries around the world. Colegio Biblico (Gonzalo Flores is its president) has two campuses: one in Eagle Pass, TX and the other in Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico.
I’m currently in communication with Mr. Flores to invite him to come to Indiana to teach a seminar on how to reach the Hispanic people. Plus, he also could inform you about Colegio Biblico’s ministries and needs. With the continued growth of the Latino population in this region, this seminar will equip you on how to reach them for the Kingdom of God. The seminar will be held at the Church of Christ at Logansport. As soon as I have the date and details, I will let you know. Pray for this event, please.
We also need prayers for HOPE’s financial situation. Monthly support no longer meets our monthly expenses, and we are falling behind. If you’re not yet a financial supporter, please consider joining us in this great ministry for the glory of God. Regular contributions and even one-time contributions are so helpful. Please send them to HOPE Ministries at PO Box 211, Monticello, IN 47960. (If they’re for the short-term mission trip, just mark them as such.)
Thank you!
Rafael Tirado