Plans for the summer

Video update

Hello everyone! Things are as busy as ever here in Irun, but I wanted to give another update covering the past couple months here as well as detail our plans for this summer. Lord willing, Raquel and I will be in the US for about 3 months, from July to October. My goals are to introduce Raquel to my stateside family, visit our 3 supporting churches, and raise more support for our work in Spain.

The Lord has been giving increased opportunity to invest in the men in our church. A couple of years ago the biggest area of growth in church was in the youth group, but now, with a couple of them recently married, as well as several new people who have come to church, we have quite a larger group of young married couples. It’s of course the Lord’s timing, as Raquel and I obviously have a lot in common with this demographic. Pray that the Lord will help both of us as we disciple and serve them.

Thank the Lord for a large living room!
Thank the Lord for a large living room!

Two of the young husbands in particular have shown evidence of the Lord doing a lot in their hearts. On their own initiative they began meeting weekly for prayer meetings, and their group has now grown to where quite a few others from church are joining forces praying for our city. I’ve had several opportunities to spend time with the husband of the Moldovian girl I mentioned in my last update as well. He is very excited about coming to church. Please pray for his salvation. Two young people got married this year, and the young man is getting more and more involved in the church ministry. He is now doing most of the audio/visual/technological jobs for the church. He’s a computer engineer, and he’s doing a better job than I ever could in most areas! It’s great to be able to spend more time with people during church services now that he’s taken over some of the responsibilities. Pray as well for another young couple that recently started coming to church. They’re very friendly, and though I haven’t had the opportunity to meet with them outside church services yet, I’m looking forward to it soon.

Our choir for the Easter cantata
Our choir for the Easter cantata

Last month we presented our Easter cantata at church on Sunday morning. Several unsaved visitors came and had the opportunity to hear the Gospel preached and sung. That Sunday evening we sang again at Iglesia Bautista Bíblica del Puerto, where Roy Keiser is the pastor, and the following week we presented it again at Iglesia Bautista Esperanza Viva, where my father pastors. Several of our choir members visited other Baptist churches in Spain to help in their cantatas as well. It’s great to see the music ministry that the Lord is nurturing in our church extend out to be a blessing to other church plants as well.

I usually design an invitation specifically for church members to share on Whatsapp, the messaging application we all use here
I usually design an invitation specifically for church members to share on Whatsapp, the messaging application we all use here

I was able to find some relatively inexpensive tickets to the US this summer, so Lord willing, Raquel and I will arrive in NYC in the evening on July 4th (hopefully in time to catch a couple of fireworks!) From there we will be flying out to Alaska to help at a Christian camp for a week before finally making it to Greenville where we will be living (for the most part). God has provided work for me while I’m there, which will help us cover living expenses in two countries simultaneously. Over the following three months, Raquel and I will be travelling about visiting friends and churches, hoping to raise additional support for the ministry. 25% of our ministry expenses are covered right now through supporting churches and individuals, and we’re praying that by the end of the summer we will be able to significantly less time working secular jobs and more time evangelizing and discipling here in Irun. If any of you reading this letter know of a church that might be interested in supporting our ministry in Spain, please put me in contact with the pastor. I have a pack with more information about our ministry philosophy and doctrine that I would love to give to interested churches. There still have several Sundays open and we’d love to visit a few more churches.

Raquel now has a 10-year visa for the USA
Raquel now has a 10-year visa for the USA

We are looking for a vehicle to use during our months in the US. If anyone is aware of a vehicle that a friend might be willing to loan us for 3 months, we would appreciate it greatly. Please pray for travelling safety and wisdom making decisions as we head into a very hectic summer! All in all though, Raquel and I are excited for the opportunity. It will be her first time in the US and there’s a lot of places and a lot of people I want to introduce Raquel to. We hope to see a lot of you who are reading this letter soon!

Thank you again for your continued prayers. God bless!

David
Ps. 34:3

A couple extra pics…

Picnic with young couples
Picnic with young couples
Baby shower
Baby shower
Preaching in the new building God provided for my father-in-law's church
Preaching in the new building God provided for my father-in-law’s church
In San Sebastian, the capital of our province
In San Sebastian, the capital of our province

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