Overview |
Richard & Margine Mercado
Mexican Gospel Mission International MAY-AUGUST 2014 NEWSLETTER
Dear Co-Worker Friends, David’s words in Psalm 68:19 express our heartfelt gratitude to the Lord and to you faithful partners in our labors for the Lord, Blessed be the Lord, who daily loadeth us with benefits, even the God of our salvation. Selah (literally, JUST THINK OF THAT!) And when Margine and I reflect on our Lord’s rich and faithful DAILY blessings, we can only lift our heart and voice in grateful praise to Him. Since our last communication to you many and daily have been His benefits to us. David speaks of the Lord loading him with those blessings, and we both can gratefully echo the same! Despite the health issues that often characterize the aging process, we both lift our voices in praise to the Lord that He continues to grant us many open doors for ongoing ministries: preaching, mentoring and counseling, personal evangelism, intercessory praying. Some of the highlight experiences the Lord has granted us since our last prayer letter include preaching the 15th anniversary Bible messages at Iglesia Bautista Monte Calvario at Jiutepec, Morelos, about an hour south of Mexico City. Pastor Esteban Pasos and his dear wife, Hilda, as well as all the church family, showed us very warm and gracious hospitality. Both Pastor Pasos and Hilda are graduates of our Ebenezer Bible College in Hermosillo, and several of the church brethren attended this year’s Ebenezer graduation ceremonies in Hermosillo to celebrate those special days with some from their church who were graduating. About a month before the Ebenezer commencement exercises it was a special joy to be invited to preach five messages at the annual Tuesday-Friday Bible Conference. A number of the pastors in the Hermosillo area (eight in number) brought some rich Bible sermons during the day, and I was given the privilege of preaching the evening services, which averaged between five and six hundred; and, best of all, saw a goodly number of souls responding to the gospel invitation, with each inquirer being dealt with by faithful and well-equipped personal workers. Another special highlight is how the Lord worked in giving us the privilege to preach bilingually for the funeral services for Esperanza, a dear former active believe and worker, especially in the nursery department and children’s work at the mother church and school in Phoenix. The chapel was full, and the dear souls seemed very attentive to the Word. When we gave the gospel appeal and invitation, some 12-15 dear souls raised their hands professing to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as their Savior and only right to Heaven—PTL! We are also praising the Lord that two of our grandchildren, Kaylan Whitaker and Zachary Mercado, have “tasted” the blessing of missionary service: Zach for a two-week sports evangelism ministry in the Philippines and Kaylan in a yet ongoing ministry among abused women in China. We praise the Lord that by His grace all of our grandchildren and their children are following and serving the Lord—glory to God! Do drop us a line, if you would. It brings a special lift to our hearts to hear from you so-special friends and supporters. Maranatha! Yours very gratefully—under the same Feathers, Dick and Margine Mercado Your missionaries to the Hispanics both sides of the international border |