In January Jon took Lupe and Leticia Alvarez with their four children and two other men back to their home town of Negritas. Their desire to win their neighbors for Jesus. In all we sent eleven people home to Negritas to start a new church. That church met for the first time in Lupe and Leticia's house on January 25. There were 25-30 people in attendance. This picture was taken about half an hour after the service ended and some had already left.
Pray for this new adventure. Negritas is a very small town and closed to anything but their brand of catholicism. Pressure is very great to conform. The team has already suffered one casualty. José recieved Jesus as his savior a year and a half ago and was growing quickly as he was reading the New Testament once a month and the Old Testament once a year. When he got back to Negritas his old friends surrounded him and José has succumbed to the pressure - he is no longer reading the Bible or attending church services. Pray for José.
Other members of the team are staying strong and shining Jesus' light. They are Lupe and Leticia, Fidencio, Francisco, Dulfrano, Reyes, and Modesta. The children are also doing well. Jon and Jerilyn are going to be returning to Negritas to strengthen the believers in August.
