Momentous Moments

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March/April Contreras Prayer Letter

It is Resurrection Sunday as I sit down to write this prayer letter.  We had beautiful worship services exalting the Lord Jesus Christ this morning in both the Spanish and English services of our home church Starkey Rd Baptist.  And in a few moments we will be leaving for the evening service in which 13 people will follow the Lord in believer’s baptism.  Praise our risen Savior who faithfully continues to save souls and change lives for eternity. 

Spanish Ministry

Each Sunday morning we continue to lead worship in the Spanish church service.  Joseph’s guitar student, Daniel, and our son, Andrew, are accompanying the congregational singing as well.  We are thankful to be mentoring young leaders who can serve in the Lord’s work in this way in the future. 

Joseph will be preaching twice in April for the morning Spanish church service.  Please pray the Holy Spirit will guide him in the preparation and preaching, as well as work in the hearts of those who will be present to be drawn to closer fellowship with God.  And pray for the pastoral staff of the Spanish church, Miguel Quintana, missionary church planter; Juan Cornell, who grew up on the mission field; and Joseph, also a missionary church planter.  Pray that God would give us wisdom to follow Christ, the Head of the church.

In the Community

Joseph has been witnessing to an older man, Lee.  He is of a Catholic background, but goes around attending a variety of services, including Jehovah’s Witness, and Seventh Day Adventists.  He asks Joseph many questions and Joseph has had the opportunity to explain to him clearly the basic, unchangeable principles of the Gospel and the Christian faith according to the Bible.  Pray this man will come to a saving knowledge and faith in Christ.

The other young person mentioned in previous letters, to whom Joseph teaches guitar, has been open to discuss some social topics.  He has expressed desire to visit our church and the different youth activities throughout the week.  Pray for his and his family’s salvation.

Shipping Needs

We thank the Lord for providing funds for our shipping needs to get our personal belongings sent to us from Spain.  We have received $700 thus far and will need at least $1500, possibly as much as $2000, by some quotes, for complete door to door shipping.  We have greatly reduced the amount needed to be shipped and it fits on one pallet.  Again, we thank missionary James Grant living in Asturias, Spain, for getting our things ready for shipment.  Thank you so much to all of you who have given, and please pray with us that God will provide the rest needed.  It would be great if all of it could be shipped by this Spring.

Thank you ~

The Contreras Family -
Joseph, Danielle, Isaiah, Andrew, and Michael

What You Mean to Us!

Before anything else, we want to express a very special thanks to all of you who continue to pray for our family and support us financially in the ministry. We thank God upon every remembrance of you. Philippians 1:3

The Lord’s leading in our lives to transition to home missions has been a step-by-step process, and God has put very special people in our lives to mentor us through the process.  Dr. Stephen Little and Bro Herb Taylor of Baptist Church Planters have been particularly instrumental in this way.  We thank the Lord for their wisdom and encouragement.  Please continue to pray for us and support us as we follow God’s call on our lives as full-time missionaries.

Our present service in ministries of our home church, Starkey Road Baptist Church, is important during this time.  Most of our involvement is in music ministry.  Joseph plays classical guitar during worship for the Wednesday evening Bible study and prayer meetings.   Isaiah, Andrew, and Michael play for the worship time in their youth group.  Both Danielle and Joseph collaborate with Pastor Brandon, our youth pastor, in training and preparing young people to use their musical talents to glorify God.  

Joseph and Danielle will also be leading the worship and praise time in the Spanish-speaking church services on Sundays.  Pray that God will use us to be a blessing to our church in preparing not just musical leaders, but spiritual leaders for the next generation.  Daniel Cornell is one example.  He is a missionary kid from Venezuela and attends the Spanish church services.  Joseph has been teaching him guitar for the past two months and we pray he can use what he learns in church.  His first opportunity is coming up!  He will soon play “Buscad Primero el Reino de Dios” (“Seek Ye First”). 

Our prayer is to resume deputation this Summer or the latter part of this year.  While serving in Spanish ministries here in St. Petersburg, FL, areas in other parts of the country in great need of bilingual home missionary pastors have been presenting themselves to us.  Pray that God will show us what role He would have for us in meeting the spiritual need of these communities here at home.  And pray He will continue to meet our financial needs as He faithfully has throughout our time back in the USA.

Many of you assured you would keep praying for unsaved people we’ve mentioned in previous prayer letters.  After my long conversation explaining the Gospel to “Joe” at the gym, every time I have seen him since he has thanked me for taking time to talk with him.  We continue to chat at the gym about physical health and spiritual needs.  I have been teaching guitar to a young man for a few months now, the young person for whom I asked prayer in a previous letter.  God opens doors for me to mentor him about character issues, but pray he, his Mom and her friend would be open to hear the Gospel.

Finally, Paul asked in 2 Timothy 4:13, “Bring … the books, but especially the parchments.”  This is our request.  We need a special financial gift to ship our belongings back from Spain.  We have distributed the majority of our things to churches and missionaries in that area.  What remains are books with Joseph’s study notes, many of which cannot be replaced, like an original printing of Armitage’s Baptist history.  Along with those are college and seminary notebooks and family photo albums.  We need over $1500 to ship it all.  Please pray how you can help with this need.  

Furlough, Ordination, and Travel Needs

                                                                          

“For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord” (1 Thess. 1:8).  

This is certainly true in regards to your missions giving for our work in Gijón, Spain.  Thank you for faithfully praying for us and giving so that the Gospel could sound out to many people who need the Lord in this city.  The 26^th of this month we will arrive in the States to begin giving a personal report of the work, raising lacking support, and recruiting more missionaries.  We will be on the East coast this year and be out West after the New Year.

Preparations for furlough are going well.  Our plane tickets were purchased a couple of months ago, housing for our arrival in NY city is settled, and our need for a van has been supplied.  Our video is finished (after 4 tries), but we still need to print prayer cards / brochures, and prepare a simple display.  If you would like to give a special gift for this material, and also for initial furlough travel (in the month of June alone we will be in upstate NY, MN, and FL), please send it to CMC designated “Contreras furlough”.

Last month, we sent a special request for help to get caught up with Andrew´s orthodontist bill.  A number of you responded and the Lord provided through you $620 which we were able to pay this week.  Thank you so much!  If you would like to continue giving toward this need (he has one more year which will continue in the USA) please do so sending a designated gift to CMC.

We are finishing packing, putting things in storage, we finished our last English classes, and the Gijón Mariners Jr tackle football team, for whom Joseph was the strength coach, finished their season.  When we first moved to Asturias, we were told that Asturianos are friends for life.  We are motivated to come back after furlough to our friends, these young people and their families, to continue sounding out the Word of the Lord to them.  The believers who remain with us in Iglesia Bautista Libertad (Liberty Baptist Church) are older, grounded believers from Christian homes, and will be strong as they meet in homes for Bible study and prayer.  Please keep them in your prayers.

On the 18^th of May Joseph celebrates 15 years since being ordained to the ministry by Sun Valley Baptist Church of El Paso, TX.  The charge preached by Pastor Carl Chitwood of Westside Baptist Temple of El Paso, TX is as clear to Joseph now as it was when it was first preached:  to always keep the family above the ministry.  This is always a guide as we make decisions for our lives and ministry and God is good and blesses.  As a married couple we continue deeply in love with each other as we serve the Lord together, and we are so thankful for our three boys who are the greatest fruit of our ministry, who love the Lord and have a heart for what God has called us to do here as a family.

Pray for travel safety.  Thank you for having a burden for souls in Gijón, Spain.  Keep sounding out the Word to them and pray more churches will have a burden to see this city be reached with the Gospel.

In Christ,

The Contreras family

– Joseph, Danielle, Isaiah, Andrew, and Michael

Please note our temporary USA address: 

5362 SE Celestial Circle

Stuart, FL 34997

Good-bye Mr. Sanchis

Yes, it has come time to part with an old friend. He has been part of our family since our family began. In fact, he was my husband's first love. (just kidding, a little musicians joke)  Really, though, this incredibly beautiful hand-crafted Ricardo Sanchis Spanish Guitar, accompanied us in all of our journeys, has been part of our ministry, and has served us well.