¡Great News!

The church in Heredia continues to grow stronger. ¡To God be the glory! Kimberly, a Heredia lady, was baptised into Christ this evening. She was reached out by Walter and Sendry who in turn had been reached out by Mario. This is quite a story. It deserves to be told from the begining.

Mario is the husband of Cecilia, a lady who has been a member for years. It took Mario many years to seek the Lord his wife had known for a while. He decided to put on Christ a year and a half ago after Cecilia had learned to win her husband by observing a chaste and respectful behaviour (1 Peter 3.2).

A few months after Mario's conversion, his friends Walter and Sendry Castrillo showed up one Sunday morning with their three children, Walter Jr., Lafitte, and Adriel. I had the chance to welcome them as they were making their way from the parking area to the church building. When I asked them who had invited them these were their actual words: "Our friend Mario did, and we came because he is not the same man we always knew. We want to know what made him the joyous and peaceful man he is today."  ¡This is what evangelising is all about! People need to see God's power in the changes He makes in our character. We are to be the light of the world, the salt of the earth. We are to proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called us out of darkness into His marvellous light.

Walter and Sendry immediately drew our attention. They had been evangelical all their lives, but for some reason had quit going to church. So, Roberto and I offered them a weekly Bible study in their home. They really liked the idea. They live about ten blocks from the church building. This activity has been going on for the last ten months. They keep inviting their friends and relatives to the Bible study. So, there are always other people present in the Bible study. About six months ago, Walter Jr., was baptised into Christ, and he is today very active within the Youth Group. Walter and Sendry decided that their former baptism is Scriptural.

Three weeks ago, José and Kimberly, a young married couple, began to attend the weekly Bible Study. and two weeks ago they began attending church. Last night, after the Bible Study activity, Kimberly would not allow me to go home until she knew the answers to so many questions she had. Finally, she asked, "When can I be baptised? Do I need a course?" I gave her Scriptural answers to the questions, prayed for her and she said she needed that night to make a decision. This morning she called saying she was ready for baptism and the rest is history.