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"Chips Off The Old Block"
News From Marilyn Wood
Serving Christ through:
Spanish American Evangelism
3135 Forney Lane
El Paso, TX 79935
Volume III Number 1
Summer 1984
Dear Friends,
I've been saying to myself for weeks that I'm going to get a
newsletter written, but it seems like something is always coming up
at the office and I just don't have the time to write. Well, I've finally
found the time and was I embarrassed when I realized that the last
time I wrote was last September! Please accept my apologies for
being so tardy.
If you remember, the last time I wrote I was getting ready to go to
the National Missionary Convention in Des Moines and also speak to
all of my supporting churches. The convention was great, and I had a
wonderful time visiting with all of my supporting
congregationsmeeting old friends and making new ones.
While in Joplin, Missouri, my friend. Alma, and I took sometime
and went to Branson, Missouri, to visit Silver Dollar City. It was right
in the middle of their Fall Arts and Crafts Festival and did we have
fun. Isabel Dittemore graciously opened up her home to us for the
three days we were there (before the convention), and it was really
nice to be able to share with her. For those of you who haven't heard
of Mrs. Dittemore, she has spent over 40 years in mission work in
AsiaChina, Japan, and Taiwan.
After the convention I spent about 3 days on the campus of Ozark
Bible Collegestaying in the dorm, speaking at Lord's Reapers {for
a few minutes), sharing in the chapel service, etc. It was the week
before Missions Emphasis Week, and they were trying to take
advantage of all the missionaries passing through towngetting the
students exposed to as many missionaries as possible.
Returning to El Paso it was once again back to the office work. I
continued taking care of all the literature orders and doing the other
secretarial duties. If memory serves me correctly, we ended up
printing around 800,000 tracts for the year and distributing close to
1,000,000 pieces of literature.
Since Christmas was on a week-end, a friend and I drove up to
Denver on Friday and came back on Monday. It was a long trip for
such a short time, but it was nice to be with the family for the
holiday. My folks came out from Dodge City. The only one not there
was my brother. It snowed again this year, but fortunately, not as
much as last year. But it was just as cold, if not colder. I'm glad I live
where it's much warmer.
Three weeks after Christmas I flew back to Denver to help my
sister out when she had her fourth baby - this time a boy. His name
is Paul Jacob Roberts. I spent about 9 days with them and enjoyed
every minute of it. Her husband had gotten transferred to Houston in
October but managed to arrive in Denver before Paul arrived on the
scene. He was able to stay with the family a fewdays before having
to return to work. They finally sold their house in March, and the
whole family is together again in Houston. Even though they're now
in the same state, they're almost 200 miles further from me!
As most of you are aware, in February Bill Baker traded his small
press for a much larger one. That required doing some remodeling to
the office buildingespecially in the print shop. We also had a
retired couple visiting us, and the husband started painting the inside
of the building. That came to an abrupt halt when he developed
phlebitis and spent some time in the hospital. We still haven't
finished painting the building but plan to do so within in the next
month or two. Any volunteers? . _
In March we once again made our annual trek to Oaxtepec for the
Mexican Missionaries Reunion. I went down a few days early with
the Bill Burr family. We got to do some sightseeing in Mexico City,
which I've wanted to do for two years now. Among other things we
saw the Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park, Garibaldi
Plaza where the Mariachi Bands are in full force, and the Ballet
Folklorico.
This year around 180 people attended the reunion. The adult
sessions were led by Jim Girdwood of Ozark Bible College. He spoke
on prophecy, but in a much different manner than all of us are used
to. It was really quite interesting.
We went down on the train but came back on a chartered bus.
There were 46 of us who made the 2-day trip on the bus. Quite an
experience and very enjoyable. We were able to see a lot more of the
country that way, and we had a lot of fellowship with each other.
Also, Bill Baker and Bill Burr were able to point out to everyone the
various areas where we have mission work, sites of historical interest,
etc.
In April Alma Zuelli arrived to begin working with us. She has
really been a blessing. Her main areas of work are typesetting and
working on the mailing list. I find myself wondering how I got
everything done before she arrived. We're able to get so much more
done with two of us working on the secretarial end of things.
The first week of June was the Vacation Bible School at Eastside.
I had the privilege of being co-director of it. Because so many women
work, we wound up with only 14 full-time helpers {including
ourselves), but with the Lord's help, we had a very good school. 69
children enrolled. Of these only 11 are members at Eastside. There
are about 23 prospective families out of this group. Our missions
offering this year was the best everaround $225.00and I really
felt good about that.
The VBS closing program was on Friday night, and on Saturday
morning I left for Kansas to be the missionary for the Junior High
week at Cedar Bluff Christian Camp. It's located about 90 miles
north of Dodge, so I was able to spend a few days with my parents
and also visit other friends there.
Since I've been back at the office, I've typeset the Spanish
Directory of the Ministry, taken inventory of the literature, taken
care of a few literature orders, and done just the general office work
that I must do.
The week of July 30-August 3 will find me back in Kansas. This
time at Pawnee Rock serving as the missionary for their Vacation
Bible School. This was arranged shortly after I returned from camp.
Looking ahead to Septemberail of us at SAE plan to go to
Phoenix, Arizona, for the National Missionary Convention. I hope to
see some of you there. The dates are September 9-12.
Regarding the literature ministry: As of July 10 we had filled at
least 192 ordersor one order per day. Almost 320,000 tracts have
been sent out during this period. We now have sent literature to 11
countries. Uruguay is the newest one. I have 28 letters sitting on my
desk. Most of them contain requests for tracts. However, I won't fill
these orders until Bart and Bill finish printing 460,000 tracts.
We received the paper for these tracts last week, and Bart and Bill
are hard at work trying to get the tracts printed. When they finish,
we'll have a supply of tracts that will include 8 different titles. This
will be the best selection of tracts we have had in months. We just
thank God that He has provided for our needs in this area.
With the production of these tracts, we will have printed around
900,000 tracts this year. If the Lord continues to provide the funds,
It will be quite easy for us to reach our goal of 2,000,000 tracts this
year. We're really excited about that.
Bill Baker, the director, plans to leave within the next two weeks
for Central America. He will be taking some tracts and New
Testaments with him to distribute along the way. The purpose of the
trip is to meet with various Christian leaders in these areas to see how
we might be of help in supplying them with literature. Please be in
prayer for him as he makes this trip. He'll be gone approximately 3
weeks.
The peso was up to $200.00 pesos for 1 dollar, but It has dropped
down to about $190.00 pesos for 1 dollarstill far too high. We
wonder how the ordinary man in the street can make it, and many
times he can't. Of course, inflation and unemployment are still very
much a problem.
Yet, in spite of these financial problems, more and more of the
Mexican people are showing a willingness to help pay for the
literature they receive. Every once in a while someone will send in a
request for tracts and Include $100.00 pesos. Two men in Juarez give
Ed money from time to time for the tracts that he takes to them.
One man in particular, a director of a funeral home, spends every
Wednesday afternoon distributing tracts. Each week, without fail, he
has given at least $500.00 pesos. We are really heartened by their
willingness to help pay for the literature and thus help us to print
and distribute more.
While I was in camp last month, I picked up some additional
support. This, however, will offset some support I'm losing due to
the ill health of some of my supporters. I thank the Lord that He is
continuing to provide for my needs. So far this year my support has
averaged a little over $820.00 a month. (Only $750.00 a month is
pledged.) My monthly expenses are averaging around $800.00 a
month, so you see I have very little left over for savings and
emergencies. The trustees have authorized the single personnel to
raise up to $1,300.00 a month. As you can see, I'ma long way from
that goal.
Again, I want to thank all of you for your helpboth for your
prayers and your giving. The Lord continues to supply all my needs
through you, and I thank Him for each one of you.
Please continue to pray for all of us here at SAE as we try to do
our best to spread the Gospel to those in the Spanish-speaking world.
May God bless you all in your labors for Him.
In Christ,
Marilyn Wood
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Volume 111
"Chips Off The Old Block"
News From Marilyn Wood
Serving Christ through:
Spanish American Evangelism
3135 Forney Lane
El Paso. TX 79935
Number 2
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December 1984
Dear Friends,
This letter Is sent to bring you special greetings for this
wonderful time of the year. I pray that all of you are looking
forward to the holidays and at the same time not forgetting the
purpose for this special season.
When I last wrote, I was preparing to go to Pawnee Rock,
Kansas, for a Vactlon Bible School, It was an evening VBS and went
quite well. I always enjoy getting a chance to meet new people and
presenting the work of SAE to them.
In September the Baker's, Alma Zuelli, and I went to Phoenix,
Arizona, for the National Missionary Convention. Alma and I went
together and did a little sight-seeing on the way up and back. We
spent some time visiting the San Xavier del Bac mission outside of
Tucson and also the Sonora Desert Museum. It was really fascinating.
The convention was good. I appreciated Brother Knofel
Staton's lectures each morning. And I got a thrill getting to visit with
Rhonda Geiger, whom I worked with at the Christian Day School in
San Juan, and Francisco Barajas, minister in Inglewood, California. {I
had worked with him and his wife in Mexico in camps and a VBS.)
Of course, there were several other friends there I hadn't seen in
quite some time. I was so glad to get to visit with them.
During the missionary business meeting at the convention, I was
elected secretary for the 1986 convention. This convention will be
held in Indianapolis back-to-back with the North American Christian
Convention in the summer. Because of this the executive committees
of both conventions are getting together this month to start planning
the conventions. I'll be making a flying trip to Indianapolis next
week for this meeting.
In October Bill Baker finally made his trip to Guatemala and El
Salvador, There were some problems, but all in all it was a successful
trip, and he's already making plans to return next summer. One of
the thrills of the trip was distributing New Testaments to 200
soldiers in both countries.
Most of you, I'm sure, have heard about the gas explosion In
Mexico City. SAE headed up a city-wide relief effort, and the
response was great. Alma, Rosa Baker, and I spent many hours
sorting and boxing all the clothes. Bill plans to leave in the very near
future with the clothes, food, medicine, etc. that was given. He will
also be taking New Testaments for distribution along with the other
items. Some of our missionaries in Mexico City will be handling the
distribution of these items. That way we'll have a better follow-up,
and many contacts can be made for the Lord.
Our literature production has not gone quite as well as we had
planned. There have been some problems, but things have been done
during the year to help up-grade our production, and so 1985 should
be a great year. We continue to receive orders at the rate of almost 1
per day. By the end of the year, around 500,000 pieces of literature
will have been distributed. With the distribution in Central America
and in Mexico City, our cupboards are practically bare once again.
As most of you know, I'm actively involved with the Eastside
Christian Church here in El Paso. One of the ways I serve is being the
organist. I'm also in charge of arranging the special music each
Sunday. For a little over a year we had been without a choir, so In
October I started it up again. We've been working on the cantata "A
Christmas Tapestry" to be presented on December 16. I wish you all
could hear it; it's beautiful. The children's choir also has a part (I've
been working with the children, too.), and the congregation will get
the opportunity to sing Christmas carols during the cantata. If you're
in El Paso on the 16th, be sure to come to Eastside at 6:00 p.m.
As for Christmas, I'm hoping to go to Houston to spend the
holiday with my sister and her family. She has four children now,
and it's such fun to spend some time with them. If I don't make it,
I'll be staying here in El Paso.
I do want to take this opportunity to wish you all a very Merry
Christmas and a wonderful year in the Lord in 1985. Thank you all
so much for your financial support and, most of all, for your prayers.
May God continue to bless you all as you serve Him.
In Christ,
Marilyn^ood
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