Written by Tom & Nelly Baker
Norco Hall Before Renovations
Several of the neighbors have commented on how good the Hall looks. We have gone from being the worst looking building in the neighborhood to the nicest. There is still some work to do, but we are nearing the finish line. We have passed out one-thousand 2013 calendars around the area of the Hall. Each page of the calendar has a sticker with a picture of the Hall, the street address and a webpage address. We value your prayers that the Lord will use His Word in this way to speak to many.
This past week, a family of four who live across the street, walked into the meeting. They told us they received a calendar, visited the website and wanted to come to the meeting. We trust and pray that they will continue to come and that it will be a break-through in reaching out to the neighborhood.
Due to being in a trilingual assembly, I make a copy of my ministry notes in English, Spanish and Korean. It is extra work and very time-consuming, but it has proven to be a blessing to those whose first language is not English.
A couple of months ago we received a young man into the assembly. He had been coming faithfully to the meetings for several months, before asking for reception. He used to attend a mega church, but feels this is the place where the Lord would have him gather. He is an intelligent and exercised brother.
He is in the Navy reserves and they recently informed him that he has to do an eight-month tour in Afghanistan. His assignment is confidential, so we are not allowed to share what little he can tell us. Your prayers for his safety will be much appreciated. He is presently in training for his tour.
A young couple has been coming to the assembly meetings in Norco. Her father attended some of the conferences during my visits to Guatemala. He told his daughter to get in touch with me. As it turns out, (in Los Angles terms) they live fairly close to the hall in Norco. So it has been encouraging. They profess to be saved, but are not in the meeting.
Another sister was added to the assembly in Norco, about six months ago. She was baptized near the end of last year and it was a joy to receive her. A couple of months later, she was tested on her commitment. She has a good job close to her home, but her boss told her that she was going to have to start working on Sundays or she would be fired. She told her boss that she could not work on the Lord's Day or during the times of our midweek meetings. It looked like she was going to lose her job, but the Lord overruled. Her boss let her continue working, but her hours were cut. Even that is working out, as she often gets called in, to work extra time. Another person was received into the fellowship about four months ago.
Every year, in December, Nelly puts together prizes for the children who come to the meetings. Also, she makes something for the families who used to come. We are happy to say that, during this past month, several of those families have started coming to the meetings again. We would appreciate your prayers for their continuation and restoration. They have been saved out of the gangs; some stopped coming to the meetings, several years ago. We have kept in continual contact with them through prayers and personal visits, which takes a great deal of our time. There are a few other families that we continue to visit and pray for, and we trust they will soon return to the meetings.
One young man, through the use of drugs, had a scary encounter with the evils of the occult world. He was brought to the door of death but the Lord had mercy. It has been a real wake-up call for him. We value your prayers! Since the encounter, he has been coming to the meetings.
A couple of weeks ago a young boy from Glen's Sunday School class told us he professed to be saved. As a family, we rejoice that three of our seven grandchildren have professed. As grandparents, we appreciate that they are being raised in the environment of the assemblies and the Word of God. Every morning and evening they have family Bible time. The older ones have memorized different chapters from the Bible. Ken and family live in Grants Pass, Oregon. Glen and his family live by us in the Los Angeles area.
In November, we visited the Spanish assembly in Atlanta, Georgia. We had a week of meetings and were with them for their conference. The meetings were well attended and there were about eight-hundred at the conference.
A couple of weeks ago, we had Gospel meetings with brother John Fitzpatrick in Fresno. We were impressed with the good number that came and their attentiveness to the messages.
We were at the inaugural conference in Orangewood, Arizona, during the last weekend in January. We felt the Lord gave help, both in the ministry and Gospel. Two people professed to be saved. We stayed over for the Tuesday night meeting in the Spanish assembly in West Phoenix.
Lord willing, we will be in another conference in Guatemala, from the 20th to the 24th of March. We have been to several Guatemala conferences, the largest being over five-thousand in attendance. They tell us this one is generally even larger. They have asked me to speak three times a day, for forty-five minutes, during each session.
Following the Guatemalan conference, we plan on going to El Salvador for two weeks. We will be there for their conferences as well. We come home for a week and then leave for the McKeesport conference. We have been invited to the inaugural Spanish conference in Springdale, Arizona, the last weekend in April.
Last month, I had surgery to remove a basal cell carcinoma (skin cancer) on my forehead. Thankfully all went well, but I had a four-week recovery period, which is behind me now. The doctor says I can return to my normal schedule...whatever that might be?
Norco Hall After Renovations.
Spring 2013 Written by Tom & Nelly Baker - Mexico tnbaker7l@gmail.com