Pressure in Negritas Increasing

We need to pray for Lupe, Leticia, and all of the believers in Negritas. Ever since they returned to their home town in Mexico believers have suffered a great deal of criticism, mocking, and open rejection. Until now, that has not slowed them down very much. About a month ago, the local Catholic priest spoke out in church about those who want to read and study the Bible at home. He called these people dangerous members of bad sects. He also called on the people of the Catholic church to immediately identify anyone who might be participating in such activities. Little did the priest know that Lupe and Leti and three others who attend their Bible studies were present in the congregation that day. Since then the priest has said that those who participate in such independent Bible studies would not be allowed to attend Catholic mass.


When the priest first mentioned brought this subject up a month ago, Lupe visited all of the people in his home Bible studies to find out what their response was. At that time everyone told him that they wanted to continue in the Bible studies. Since that time presure has ramped up and two of their Bible studies have been at least temporarily cancelled.


Pray for Lupe and Leti, Fidencio and Rosa, Francisco and Lupe, Modesta, Dul, Reyes, Reina, and Victoriano. Pray for their children. Pray for the Catholic priest to come to faith and begin preaching Jesus. Pray for Lupe as he is praying about going and speaking with the Catholic priest. Pray for Carmen , Flaviola, and Jenaro as they continue to have Bible studies in their homes. Pray for Beto, María Guadalupe, and Teresa as they have temporarily suspended their Bible studies. Pray that all would continue to read the Bible, that God would open their spiritual eyes, that they would wholeheartedly follow Jesus.





Lupe and Leti last year at our church in Jefferson.

Pray for José

José received Jesus as his Savior over two years ago and almost immediately began devouring God’s word. During 2008 he read the New Testament over 10 times and he told me he was interested in teaching God’s word.

José was one of those we sent back to his home town in Mexico to share Jesus with others and start a church. When he arrived last January he started to witness but within two months he stopped reading the Bible and stopped coming to church. It is very difficult to live for Jesus in a small town in Mexico.

I have been praying for the Holy Spirit to convict José and not allow him to drift away. Lupe had a chance to talk with José and he told Lupe that he had no peace in his heart. 1 John 3:9, “No one who is born of God will continue to sin, because God's seed remains in him; he cannot go on sinning, because he has been born of God.”

José has started to read the Bible again some. Pray for him to be fully restored and to become a strong witness for Jesus in Negritas. Pray for Lupe, Leticia, and the rest of the believers in Negritas to be strong in the face of open opposition.

Pray for Mari and her friend.

Mari is a young lady who grew up in our ministry. She is a junior at a University here in Oregon. She has a Muslim friend who would like to study the Bible with her. We sent her a Bible study for the book of John that she will be using with her friend starting this week. Mari is excited at this great opportunity. She has never led any kind of Bible study before. Please pray for Mari to be led by Jesus and for her friend to come to know Jesus as her personal savior.

We had a great time at Family Camp

Church Family Camp this year was the second weekend of September. We had a great time. Here are some pictures:

We also baptized 2 people: Carmelo and his wife Cristina. They received Jesus as their Savior last year and are really growing and living for Jesus.

Mission to Negritas Report (from our newsletter)

In our last newsletter we shared that we sent 11 people from our ministry back to their home town of Negritas to live for Jesus and share the Gospel.

They started a new church which meets on Sunday evenings at 5 pm. Lupe and Leticia Alvarez have taken the lead and he is now pastoring the new church. Lupe and Leti also teaching 4 home Bible studies every week.

Leticia teaching a Bible Study

We went to visit them in Negritas in August. We drove down in a donated Ford Expedition which we left there for Lupe and Leti to use as a ministry vehicle. The trip down took three and a half days, including driving all night the first night.


Jerilyn visiting Andrea




The main reason for our visit was to encourage Lupe and Leticia as well as the rest who are meeting together every week. It is amazing how the enemy uses every little thing to try to discourage. Satan does not want an evangelical witness in this little community.




Jon teaching a Bible study




One of the things we did while we were there was to set up an office for Lupe and Leti. We took them a used computer and spent time almost every day teaching them how to use it. We took them into town and found an internet café that they could use to Email us and even talk to us using Skype. All of this is new to them and they need a lot of practice and prayer.


Outdoor church

There are four new believers in Negritas and several more who are interested. Most people are afraid to express their interest openly because of the fear of persecution. Everyone there is struggling to stay strong in the face of open opposition. Please pray for them!


This family is reading the Bible together every day. Fidencio came to Christ in our ministry in Oregon. His wife Rosa has put her faith in Jesus within the last year.

If you would like to know how you can support Lupe and Leticia please email us at sousaj@bauercom.net.

We are in Mexico!

After driving all night the first day we arrived in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico and spent the night. One and a half days later we arrived at our destination - Negritas, Mexico. Pray for wisdom as we encourage Lupe and Leticia. They were anxiously waiting for us and expressed a great need for our fellowship and encouragement. They feel very alone at times and many people are trying to discourage them. Just two days before our arrival someone from the community visited Lupe and told him to give up; what gave him the right to teach anyone?; you are going to fail anyway!



The only training that Lupe has is sitting under our ministry for 8 years. We were not expecting God to send him back to Mexico to start a church. But that is what happened! A church is started and Lupe is doing a great job of pastoring it. Please pray for Lupe and Leti.



Lupe teaching a home Bible study Thursday night.

Pray for us - We are on our way to Mexico!

Jon and Jerilyn are heading to Mexico to visit and encourage Lupe, Leticia and the rest of those that we sent back home to start a church and shine Jesus' light in their community. Pray for God's protection on the way - pray that Jerilyn will not get a migraine from the travel.

We are taking a Ford Expedition to Lupe and Leti as a ministry vehicle. Pray that we can import the vehicle without problems. We are also taking them many other ministry tools. Mostly they need encouragement because just as Paul wrote, "For a great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries."

Pray for wisdom for us to know how best to encourge them. Jon will be preaching and teaching a lot. We will be visiting a lot of people.


Lupe and Leticia leading worship in the liquor store.