
On November 29 the assembly here in San Felipe held a Tea to remember the 60 years of the Lord's faithfulness since the assembly was planted. The idea was to gather the believers as well as former members of the assembly or those who used to attend Sunday School. There were about 90 people present, and most stayed for the gospel meeting. The believers were also invited to bring family members, and one young woman and her three little children came from a neighbouring town. She has since brought her children to Sunday School. Our S. S. has become very small, and we are looking for ways to grow it once again. This family lives a slow bus trip away. I think it takes most of an hour to travel the distance, but the mother-in-law has been very faithful on Sundays since she moved here.
She has a sick husband who requires a lot of care, so we don't see her at other times, but some have visited her. There is another family that comes from that town, and a small gospel work is going on there, but the going has been difficult. There is a church of Satan near the town, and it has a lot of fortune tellers who claim to receive their messages from dark sources. It reminds me of the church in Revelation located where "Satan's seat" was. It seems that would describe the town of Putaendo. This assembly is among the older assemblies of Chile and existed in great weakness before the Jones family moved here in 1963. Many were reached and saved over the following years, and the gospel went out by radio for 50 years.
We also had the last of the weekly classes that another sister and I had been carrying on in the apartment of two sisters. Classes do not seem to be very large anymore, with smaller families and so much to keep them otherwise occupied. However one or two children from our class have started coming to SS, and that has been very rewarding. If possible, I would like to hold a week of DVBS during the summer holidays just ahead, using the community building if available.
One Saturday we held a meeting in another part of the city, in the apartment of a sister who is a widow. Evelyn and I used to hold classes there years ago, and this sister has been talking to some of her neighbours who attended. She told us that they wanted me to go and meet with them once again, so we set a date. She had five neighbours in; some others had not been able to come. She wanted a brother to go along to speak the gospel to them, so a couple from the assembly agreed to do so I have since talked to the older sister about having further adult classes or meetings for those mothers who are not employed.
We also had special meetings throughout the first week of December. Of the several people that I invited, one of them came almost all week. She came again to the regular ministry meeting the following week, so the gospel was preached as well as ministry. She told me she realizes there is something more she needs but has not come since. The visitors and activities of this season have been partly to blame.
Both assemblies of the area held their Award evening and tea for the Sunday school this month with good attendance. The gospel was clearly preached both times. As usual, it was a good opportunity to talk to some parents who used to come to SS and now send their children.
I send my best wishes for the year ahead. May the Lord bless and help you in your task of carrying forward the work of Gospel.
Spring 2016
Written by Margaret Jones - CHILE