The first one saved, Eduardo, brought by my son, Joseph, asked to be baptized on Friday. On Sunday, he was baptized with his aunt. Our theme was "Hunting for Treasures in the Bible" -- a pirate theme. Everything had to do with treasures and the sea. Our goal for offering was 600 pesos (or almost 60 dollars) to have John/Romans made for the Fiji Islands. We had 633 pesos given.

God made it possible for a few of our Bible Institute students to help us with the pirate skits and puppets (three of our students teach in a school to help others get their equivalent of a GED and were given their vacation on the same week). Although they were a great help, what gave me great satisfaction was to see our members of our new church teaching missionary stories, teaching verses, doing puppets, and performing skits (things that they never thought they could do before) and loving it.

Pray as we have the blessing of working with more than a dozen new families represented by the children including three new military families. In fact, 46 of the children that attended were new. Many were disappointed that Bible School ended and wanted it to go on and on.

On Sunday, we had our closing program and the giving out of diplomas. I had no idea how it would turn out. I was just praying that a few unsaved parents would come out and that God's power would be on the message. On Sunday, 98
people came to church, 64 adults and 34 children, the second largest attendance in our church's nine-month history (it was not until later that I realized it was our nine-month anniversary to the date -- what an anniversary present from the Lord)! Several new parents and their children came out and the program went great. Many of the parents were not going to come, but their children insisted.

As I preached, I was focusing on one of the fathers, Manuel, a professional cyclist that I had been working on for quite a while. Although he listened intently, he did not raise his hand for salvation (pray for him); but John, a doctor in the Belize army and father of the boy who brought the most visitors (22 visitors) raised his hand and accepted Christ as his Savior. We had been praying for him for several months as well.

In fact, John was going to return to Belize in September and was going to take his mother-in-law, our Sunday School teacher, and his father-in-law, our church treasurer and secretary, with him. After church, he let me know that he received papers to stay in Mexico another six months. Praise the Lord! That will give us more time to see him and his wife (saved a few months earlier) grow in the Lord.

Another great thing about Sunday is that only 24 of those who came had come because of the program. In other words, 74 who came were regular members or visitors who came not knowing of the program -- the highest attendance ever apart from the two big days of our spring campaign. It looks like people are coming back from vacation and we are looking for a good fall.

We had our fall registration for the Bible Institute and we have 12 students -- nine young men and three young ladies with possibly two more young ladies to register. Gasper, a young man from our new church is entering the Institute. Both he and his wife are excited about serving God. We should have three graduates this year: a young man, Angel, graduating with a degree in pastoral theology, and two young women, graduating with degrees in elementary education.

Please pray for wisdom as I am counseling several young people, who entered the Institute as 18 to 20-year olds and now are in their mid-20's, about life-changing decisions such as their future ministries and future mates.

Thank you for your prayers.