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"Chips Off The Old Block"
News From Marilyn Wood
Serving Christ through:
Spanish American Evangelism
3135 Forney Lane
EIPaso,TX 79935
Volume VII Number 1
r^ /^u f- j Summer 1988
Dear Christtan Friends,
It may not be June 21st, but summer is definitely here. Last week's
high in El Paso was 101, and the weatherman said to expect more of
the same. Unlike the rest of the country, this is the hottest time of year
here in El Paso.
Anyway summer Is here, and that means camps. Vacation Bible
Schools, and other such activities. This summer promises to be different
from the past in that I'll not be representing SAE in any camps or VBS's.
However, I will be busy. More about that later in this letter.
When I last wrote, I was getting ready for Christmas. The holidays
with the family were really nice and went much smoother than Ithought
they might. All the family was in Denver, with the exception of my brother
and sister-in-law, and we had a great time. You may have heard about
the blizzard Denver had on the 26th and 27th of December. Yes, we
were in it. In fact, we didn't go to church because it was so strong.
I was scheduled to play the organ for the Gateway Christian Church
in Aurora that morning. They've gotten a new electronic organ since
I was there last summer, and I was really looking forward to playing
it for the worship service. Maybe next year.
The week of March 1-3 found me in Eagle Pass, Texas, at the Bi
lingual Convention, hosted by Colegio Biblico. Rosa Baker and I played
the piano and organ for the major sessions. We had done it twice before,
and we really enjoy playing together when we get the chance.
The annual Mexican Missionary Reunion was two weeks later in
Saltillo. I wasn't sure I'd be able to go, but at the last minute the Lord
provided the money, and I flew from Juarez to Monterrey, which is just
about 60 miles from Saltillo. Several others who were working with the
kids reunion came into Monterrey at about the same time, so
missionaries Lowell and Brenda Tate and Bob Walker only had to make
one trip to come and get all of us. Sam Stone, editor of The Christian
Standard ^as our guest speaker. Dr. Eleanor Daniel also came to help
with the kids reunion and was able to spend some time with the adults
sharing in the area of Christian Education. As always the reunion was
a great week of spiritual refreshing and fellowship.
The week of April 19-22 found me in Joplin, Missouri, attending the
National Church Music Leaders Conference. Ozark Christian College
hosted the conference, sponsored by the Association of Christian Col
lege Music Educators. Since I hadn't had any further music education
since I left college 17 years ago, and since I'm doing so much with
it in church, I felt it was about time I got a little more education. The
main drawing card for me was Diane Bish, church organist at Coral
Ridge Presbyterian Church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. She had an
organ workshop at the conference which was a really big help to me.
In fact, all the workshops and sessions I attended were a big help. I'm
encouraging several others from here to go the conference next year.
It will be held in Mesa, Arizona. I can't say enough about this
conference; I feel I really got my money's worth and then some.
Things are going really well at SAE. We just sent the galleys of "Joyas
de Doctrina Biblica" (Gems of Bible Doctrine) by Denver Sizemore to
College Press for them to print. It should be available quite soon for
distribution. Raul Is working on several other books for College Press
to print. "Joyas..." is the fourth one we've sent to College Press. We
also have two other books that we printed here. They are "Discipulando
para Jesus" (Discipling for Jesus) by Lawrence Wiseman and
"Evangelismo Personal" (Personal Evangelism) by C. J. Sharp. These
books represent just a "drop in the bucket" compared to what we have
available in English, but we are trying to get more literature into the
hands of the people.
Over 350,000 pieces of literature have been distributed so far this
year. (This includes almost 20,000 New Testaments.) Bill is doing his
best to get more tracts printed, so that we can get them into the hands
of the people. The waiting list for tracts is probably close to 100. We're
doing our best to get the literature out, but it does take time and money.
Bill has printed over 360,000 tracts so far this year and plans to print
another 150,000 this month. We have enough paper on hand to print
between 300,000 and 400,000 more tracts.
Since the first of the year, we've received three shipments of New
Testaments totalling 20,000, and we understand another shipment of
5,000 is on its way. The last shipment of 5,000 lasted only a month.
We're amazed at how fast they're going. Several people have come
to the office and taken boxes to use in evangelistic meetings, door-to-
door calling, etc. We have requests coming in almost daily for them.
The New Testmaents are provided to us through the efforts of Christian
Gospel Distributors in Monroe, Oregon. Ray Ewing, director of this
organization, contracts each year with the American Bible Society for
these New Testaments. Because Mr. Ewing orders large quantities at
one time, he is able to get the New Testaments at a reduced cost40
cents each.
Several have asked for complete Bibles, and so far we have been
unable to provide them. However, Bill talked with a representative from
the ABS and found we can get complete Bibles for $1.50. So we have
started a fund to buy Bibles. Right now we have $15.00 in the fund,
and we hope to see it grow,too.
As you can see, the three of us who work at SAE full-timeare keeping
busy. Our biggest needs continue to be money for postage to ship
literature and New Testaments and to buy paper to print the tracts and
additional workersespecially another printer and a secretary. If you
know of anyone interested in doing mission work who might fit into one
of these positions, please let me know. And pray with us that the Lord
will lead the right persons here to do these jobs.
As for the work at the church, I continue to serve as the organist
for the morning worship service, the pianist for the evening service,
and choir director for both choirs. We recently had an "All Choir Day"
at the church. The Eastside Angels presented their spring musical
"AmazinGrace" for the morning worship service on May 15th and the
adult choir presented the cantata "The Power and the Glory" for the
evening service that same day. Both choirs did an excellent jobseveral
people said they thought the presentations this spring were the best
yet. I got several ideas at the music conference in April that I'm hoping
to incorporate with both choirs this next fall.
We're getting ready for VBS at Eastside in July, and for once Jacky
Harris and I won't be involved with the music. That seems a little strange,
but we have several musically talented people in the congregation, and
three of them are going to be handling that. I'll be an assistant in the
2's and 3's class. Definitely a change for me.
By far the biggest activity I'm going to have this summer is the care
of my nieces and nephews throughout most of the month of July. Yes,
I'm joining the ranks of working moms for a while. All five of us are
looking forward to the visit, but I know it means a definite change in
lifestyle for meat least for a little while. The kids are spending the
month of June with my folks in Dodge City, Kansas. I'm going up 4th
of July week-end for my high school class's 40th Birthday Party (Class
of '66) on the 2nd, and I'll bring them back with me on the 5th. Several
of my friends have volunteered to help me out by babysitting while I
work, and I'm really grateful for that. Others have looked at me as though
I'm crazy, but I've wanted to have the kids come for a visit for several
years now, and it's finally working out. (For those of you who are
interested the kids are Phillip12, Allison10, Sarah7, and Paul4.
I Imagine Phillip and Allie will be a big help to me with the other two.)
I still don't have a roommate, but since the kids are coming, it works
out better that way. I must admit that sometimes I wish I did have one
though. At other times I'm glad I have the apartment to myself. So far
the Lord has provided for the rent and other extra expenses, and I've
been able to stay put. I praise the Lord for that. I've lived in my apartment
now for five yearsthe longest I've lived in any one place in over 20
years!
Looking ahead to fall, the main event coming up is the National
Missionary Convention. We will be taking the Latin American Plaza
for the displav. Right now we have 19 of the 20 spaces spoken for. I'll
be participating in a workshop dealing with opportunities for singles
on the mission field. Bob Pate, missionary in Honduras, who was also
minister at my home church in Dodge City when I was in college, will
also be participating in the same workshop. The missionary conven
tion is in Dallas this year; dates are September 25-28. I hope to see
many of you there. Be sure to come by the Plaza and see us.
Since the first of the year, some of my supporters have increased
their monthly support, and I've picked up some new support. This has
been one of the ways the Lord has provided. It's a really big help, as
you can imagine. Despite the increase in giving though, my monthly
average support is still below what the trustees have set as a monthly
base. The Lord does provide, and I thank Him for that. I do thank all
of you for your prayers, too. In many ways this has been a rough year,
and I could not have made it without the Lord and your love and support
behind me. Thank you.
May God bless you all as you continue to serve Himwherever you are.
In Christ,
arilyh Wood
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"Chips Off The Did Block"
News From Marilyn Wood
Serving Christ through:
Spanish American Evangelism
Volume VII Number 2
Winter 1988
Dear Christian Friends,
As I sit here composing this letter, it is December 8th and the weather
man has told us to expect 1" to 2" of snow tonight and more tomorrow.
Truly, you can feel Christmas in the air, and it's time once again to wish
all of you a Blessed Christmas and a wonderful New Year in the Lord.
My month of "motherhood" in July went fairly well. I had my nieces
and nephews for almost four weeks, and it was a rewarding experience
in many ways. My parents came down the last week-end of July and
took them back to Kansas where they stayed for just a few days until
their father was able to come and get them. I talk to them about once
a month, and they're all doing well.
Work at S.A.E. has really gone well these past few months. Bill has
kept the press "rolling" and has printed over 780,000 tracts so far. He's
currently working on another tract (150,000 copies) and plans to finish
that in time to start another tract before the end of the year. His personal
goal is to print 1,000,000 tracts in this calendar year.
We received another shipment of 10,000 New Testaments in
November, a total of 50,000 so far this year. It's possible we'll receive
another-5,000-before the year-is over. Of that-last shipment less than
3,000 are still here, and almost all of them are spoken for. We're just
waiting for the funds to be able to ship them out to those who have
requested them. Total literature distribution so far this year amounts
to more than 650,000 pieces (including 47,000 New Testaments). I'm
planning to get some more orders together in the next week so that
number will be even higher.
College Press got the last two books we sent them printed in time
for the missionary convention. As I mentioned before, that makes six
we have done in cooperation with them. Raul is working on the
correction of another book that has already had some translation work
done on it. There are at least three more waiting In the wings.
The last time I wrote I mentioned we had a small fund started for
the purchasing of complete Bibles. Some of you sent gifts for that
purpose, and we now have $150.00 in that fundenough for 100 Bibles.
We'll be purchasing those before too long, but it's safe to say that 100
Bibles will not last for any length of time.
All of us from S.A.E. attended the National Missionary Convention
in Dallas back in September. The main sessions were really good; the
speakers did an excellent job of developing the theme in their sermons.
The workshop I participated in went well, too. Next year there will be
two conventionsone in Cincinnati in September and one in Anaheim
in November. I hope all of you will be able to attend at least one of them.
My major involvement at church continues to be in the area of music.
This coming Sunday (Dec. 11) is the presentation of the children's
musical "The Greatest Christmas Card in the Whole Wide World"
by Fred Bock and Betty Hager. There are over 40 children participating
this yearthe largest group yet. We have more adults and parents help
ing us with props, costumes, and other areas of the production than
ever before, and we're really gratified by this. Jeanie (my assistant) and
I fully expect to have over 200 attending the performance Sunday night
(if the weather cooperates).
We had a revival in September with Ben Merold and Murray Hollis
of the Eastside Christian Church in Fullerton, California. We rejoiced
with the angels when eight people were baptized (five adults and three
children) and five more adults transferred their memberships to Eastside.
We also have a terrific pianist (Brenda Finch) now, and she and I worked
on some piano/organ duets.
The adult choir has grown, and we're doing more singing on Sunday
mornings. With Brenda as our pianist, we're not having to use
background tapes this year. We're also not doing a Christmas cantata,
but we have been working on some difficult music, as well as some
easier things. The Sunday before Christmas we're doing the "Hallelujah
Chorus" from "The Messiah" by George Frederich Handel.
In October I had a temporary roommate, Esther Lyons from Fort
Worth. She's a medical student at the Texas College of Osteopathic
Medicine and was doing her month's rotation in obstetrics at William
Beaumont Hospital. Her brother works with Bart and Kathy Morse's son,
Lynn, back in New York City. When Harold (Esther's brother) heard she
was coming to Ei Paso, he asked Lynn if he knew anyone she could
room with. Lynn asked Bart and Kathy, and they in turn talked to me.
I gave them my phone number, they gave it to Lynn who then gave
it to Harold, who told Esther about me. She got in touch with me about
two weeks before coming out. It's possible she'll do her first year's
residency (internship) here in El Paso starting next July. If I don't have
a roommate by then, she may move in.
I crossed a major milestone this fallmy 40th birthday! I celebrated
with a few friends at a local restaurant. I can truthfully say that being
40 does not bother me, but as most of you know, it does bother
insurance companies. My health insurance already is high, but it will
be going higher the beginning of the year when the policy is renewed
in January. I don't know how much, but I know it will now be over
$100.00quite a chunk out of my limited budget.
I mention the insurance to point out the need for increased support.
(My rent was raised in Octoberfortunately only $10.00 a month.) Some
of my supporters have had to drop their support this year, but I praise
the Lord that others have indicated a willingness to increase their
support. I'm still not up to the limit that the trustees have okayed, but
Cmgetting closer. As I've mentioned before, the Lord does provide, and
I do thank Him and you for all your help inthis area. He has truly blessed
me in many ways.
Looking ahead to 1989, S.A.E. will celebrate its 25th anniversary in
November. We're excited about that milestone, it's interesting to look
back and see how the ministry of Spanish American Evangelism has
"evolved'from planting churches in the El Paso/Juarez area to a radio
ministry to reaching the entire world with Spanish Christian literature.
We pray that we'll be able to expand this ministry even more in the
coming years.
The thing I'm looking forward to most right now is my annual trip
to Denver for Christmas. I'm flying this year1 1/2 hours by air beats
two days of travel in a car. Cm going up Christmas Eve Day and will
return New Year's Day. Celebrating Christmas with the kids is always
a joy.
Thanks again to all of you for your prayers and financial support.
I pray you will have a great Christmas season with your family and
friends.
In Christ,
Marilyn Wood
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