Preaching the Truth

El Salvador

Dear Brethren and Sisters,

Warmest greetings and love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Though it hasn’t been long since the last newsletter, there has been lots of activity down here.

With great joy, we witnessed three more baptisms: Claudia Iracema Alvarado and Maricela De La Paz Mate on December 19, 1993 and Jorge Espinoza on December 25. The two new sisters have attended Sunday School since they were small. Sis. Iracema is part of the Fernandez family and Sis. Maricela is another of

the Guzman family. Bro. Jorge is a new member in Sonsonate where he lives with his wife, Carolina (who is also studying for baptism) and four children (all attending meetings and Sunday School). Our prayers are with our brother and sisters that God will bless their walk in His service.

Sonsonate

On December 5, regular meetings were begun in Sonsonate with breaking of bread at 9:30 and the lecture and Sunday School at 11 a.m. An ecclesial Bible class is held on Wednesday nights plus a class in one of the homes on Tuesdays. Seven brethren and sisters from San Salvador have transferred their membership to Son­sonate and drive out every Sunday. They have rented a small house with a large back yard where meetings are usually held unless it looks like rain. Since the meetings are held under a huge mango tree, sometimes there is more chance of being hit by a falling mango than by rain! Bro. Kevin Hunter plans to put up some sort of cover as a protection against rain and sun as well as falling mangoes.

Wedding in Costa Rica

Bro. Douglas Vanegas and Sis. Marisol Araya were married on December 25 in Costa Rica. We welcome Marisol as a member in San Salvador and hope she will be happy in our midst. Bro. Manuel Fernandez, who was in Costa Rica to speak at the Bible school there, officiated at the wedding. Fourteen brothers and sisters from San Salvador took the two-day bus trip down to be able to attend the wedding and the Bible school.

Visitors

It has been a pleasure to welcome a number of visitors. Bro. Dan Styles and Julia Armstrong, Royal Oak, MI and Sis. Jennifer Ghent, Toronto (Scarlett Rd.), ONT were down over the Christmas week as well as Bro. David & Sis. Francesca Schlottman, San Diego, CA. We all enjoyed dinners and fellowship together.

In the middle of January, it was great to have our son, Bro. Marc, come home for a week and a half At the same time, Sis. Paula Abel, Shelburne, ONT, Sis. Rebekah Hunter’s cousin, came down for two weeks to see Rebekah.

Then, after a 15-year absence, we were delighted to welcome my parents, Bro. Don & Sis. Phyllis Snobelen, Saanich, BC, for a two-week visit. They decided on the spur of the moment that it was again time to come and see us! Things have certainly changed since they were here last. Our special thanks to the Saanich meeting for their donation that helped purchase our Sunday School prizes for the annual prize giving and also for all the lovely toys they sent down. A special Sunday School presentation was held during my parents’ visit. It featured a mountain of cookies and butter tarts made by my mom, for which she is famous. My dad also made us up three or four hanging baskets in the hope they will flourish and not die under my brown thumb! So far they seem to be surviving. He also completely redid our front garden — the first time anyone has taken an interest in it for many years.

At the beginning of February, we welcomed Bro. Frank Woodcock for a weekend. Frank came from Guatemala where he is working for a month following up on interested friends in that country. A number of our brothers and sisters have traveled to Guatemala to help him in that work. During his weekend here, the meeting put on a dinner in his honor as Frank is the original sower of the Word in Central America. The brothers and sisters wanted him to know how much they appreciated his effort in bringing the offer of salvation to them. We, who have been privileged to share in this work, also thank Frank for his example of faithfulness and dedication.

Marc had an interesting experience during his visit. A large auto parts company just down the road from our house uses the computer program designed by Bro. Duncan Kenzie, Marc’s boss in Victoria, BC. Marc was able to give them a two-day seminar on the use of the program and so earned his spending money while he was here. We are very grateful that Marc was able to find a job in Victoria that suits his interests and found it quite remarkable he could make use of his experience so close to home.

Ahuachapan

The first weekend in February, Kevin gave two special lectures in Ahuachapan, a town about an hour from Sonsonate. They were sponsored by the brothers and sisters of the Sonsonate meeting who were pleased to welcome seven interested friends. All of the friends are receiving the postal course. One couple already has weekly Bible classes in their home and indicate a desire to be baptized. Kevin also gives a weekly class in Chal­chuapa, about 20 minutes from Ahuachapan. Lectures can be given in Ahuachapan on a Sunday afternoon after the regular meetings in Sonsonate.

We have considered working seriously in San Miguel, a large city three hours from San Salvador in the other direction. We have some excellent postal contacts there; but with the limited manpower available, it is possible that work may continue in Ahuachapan rather than in San Miguel. The last two seminars held in San Miguel only attracted seven or eight interested friends and the cost and time involved in campaigns there is relatively high. We pray for wisdom to take the right course.

San Salvador

Work in the capital continues to be blessed. We are concluding a 21-week lecture series on difficult passages. About 10 visitors have come every week, mostly the same ones. Two or three wish to begin instruction for baptism. There are three Bible classes being held in different parts of the city during the week plus the regular ecclesial class.

We ask for your prayers that God will continue to bless His work in this country. Our special thanks to all who have written. There is nothing so lovely as finding personal letters in our postal box.

God be with you and may we all meet soon when He sends His Son to bring peace and salvation to this suffering world.

Love in Jesus,
Jim and Jean Hunter

Bible Reading Seminars

In one community, the seminars have attracted such positive attention that local non-Christadelphian groups have requested the teacher’s notes, overheads, etc. in order to run the seminars based on Christadelphian material. Initial reaction might be that this is a wonderful opportunity, the Truth will be going out through many avenues.

On second thought, however, we need to remember the seminars are not intended to teach first principles. Basic Bible truths are included but only in an understated manner to illustrate Bible study techniques. The hope is that those who attend will be sufficiently intrigued that they will desire further instruction. It is in the follow-up studies that we have opportunity for extended teaching of doctrine. In this context, we would be well advised to give the first seminar series ourselves inviting those who are interested to our follow-up instruction.