April 10, 2013 - Padilla

Dear Fellow Workers in the Gospel,

 Our Father in heaven is both holy and good! We have once again experienced his goodness in all the blessings he is pouring on us. Thank you for praying with us and for us. Let me tell you of his good answers to your prayers!

 1. Easter service

We distributed about 2,000 flyers to our neighbors and friends, and through it all we were praying that God would bring at least 10 people as a result of this effort.  Well, I think only 3 came as a result of the flyers, but 17 others came for the first time.  Please join us in thanking God for drawing 20 new visitors this Easter. 

The one family that came as result of the flyers had basically dropped out of church for the last 10 years. Earlier in the week they experienced some severe trials in their lives. Upon returning home one evening, they saw our flyer and decided it was God indicating to them that they needed to return to him....and so they came.

 Please pray for them: Teo, Corri and Mercedes that God would graciously bring them to himself and grant them new hearts and a new life in Christ Jesus.

 2. 15 new families for Las Tierras

 I have shared with you that we have established as a prayer goal and desire that God add to our number 15 new families this year. Please continue to pray to that end. Thus far, we have had 3 new families come and want to be a part of Las Tierras, for which we thank God. There is another family, a father and a son, that would like to integrate in LTCC, but have to resolve issues with other family members. Please pray that God would make a way for Clay and his son to make LTCC their church family.

 3. Summer Pastoral Intern

 We are thankful to the Lord that he seems to be providing a pastoral intern for this summer. Please pray for Axel Sotelo and his wife Janine. They are living in Las Cruces, New Mexico and sense a call to full time vocational ministry. Axel is from Mexico, and his wife lived and served in Mexico for a number of years. Pray that God might pave the way for them to serve Las Tierras and our community this summer.

 4. Financial Support

 We bless God for each of you who have sacrificially and generously given so that we might serve on the border these last 7 1/2 years....hard to believe. During these years, as well as during the years in Spain, God has provided through you so that we never lacked financial support!

 As we draw near to taking a leave of absence from MTW starting July 1, we will continue to rely on the Lord and his people to provide our support. Las Tierras Church has committed, as God enables her, to provide my full salary and benefits starting July1. Honestly, I believe it will be a challenge as we are a financially modest community.

 So I would ask you to pray for us- the Padilla family and the Las Tierras Church family, to grow our faith in our generous Lord, and that as we are made more aware of his generous love and grace toward us in Christ, that God would make us generous and cheerful givers.

 Also, would you pray about continuing your support but directing it to Las Tierras Church? Your continued financial gifts can be directed to support pastoral interns, our future facility fund or our outreach as we seek a time and place to start another church plant.

 Grace and peace to you!

Manuel "Tito"