Praise the Lord, I’ve been in Spain for nearly two months now. It’s been a busy time, but it is great to see what the Lord has been doing here in the meantime. I’d like to briefly share some of what has been going on here in the city of Irún.

Iglesia Bautista Bíblica de Irún
Of course the most visible part of ministry here is what goes on every Sunday in our church building. It has been such a privilege to be preaching now on a regular basis. One day, Lord willing, I hope to pastor a church here in the Basque Region. Now in the meantime, I believe that the responsibility of regularly preparing and preaching messages is invaluable experience. I’m grateful that my grandfather, Al Bonikowsky, allows me this opportunity.

Another big area of ministry is the teen/young singles group. During my time with them I have been teaching specifically about making the Great Commission central in our lives. Please pray that the Lord would unify them more and project them into the harvest field of Irún. I believe God wants to use this group to accomplish great things.

Advance of the Gospel
A few times a month, along with some of the men from church, I go to an open part of town to give out gospel literature. We usually hand out tracts to the people walking by, but we also set up a table with Bibles and Christian books to give out to those who show an interest. This ministry is headed up by a man from church named Rogelio. It is encouraging to see his passion for the lost people of Irún. Pray for the many unsaved contacts we have met through this ministry.

Another productive outreach we have been able to start has been simply getting together to play soccer in town. I have encouraged the young men in church (and some not so young) who come out to play to think of this as a great opportunity to bring friends to meet their Christian brothers. It is very easy to get people to come to play a game of soccer, and it can serve as a bridge to connect believers with those who need the Gospel. Earlier this month, Andres, one of our young people from Equatorial Guinea, brought a friend to a pick-up game with the rest of the church group. This friend then came to a youth activity the next week and to church this last Sunday. We are keeping as much contact with him as possible, and praying that he well soon accept the Gospel. How awesome is it to be able to play soccer specifically to accomplish the Great Commission for God’s glory in Irún?

Aierdi
I try to go once a week with my grandfather to work at the Aierdi Farmhouse. Progress there is gradual, but certainly visible. Last month, two work teams from the US came as a missions trip. They accomplished more in the few days they were here than we could have ourselves in a very long time! We recently had a church-wide day of fellowship at the farmhouse on a weekend, and it was a great opportunity to relax, praise God, and enjoy great fellowship.

Graduate school
Last, and certainly not least, I am hard at work in my Master’s program through Northland Graduate School. My classes have kept me busy, but I am convinced they are well worth the investment of time and money. I believe learning is basically the process of gradually realizing how much you don’t know. That’s how it feels to me at least. However, I’m so grateful for opportunity I have to easily study while staying active in ministry. It’s a privilege that was unavailable not many years ago.

Thank you again for your prayer and encouragement. It is so exciting to be part of the Lord’s glorious, miraculous plan for the Basque Region of Spain!
As a quick reminder, please pray that:

• God would save the young man we met playing soccer, as well as other lost contacts from Irún.
• We make closer contact with more who need Christ.
• The singles group would continue to mature and focus.
• The Lord make me grow through practical experience and continual study.
• God would be glorified in every aspect of our ministry here.

God bless,
David
Ps. 34:3