By Hector Barrero

Mexico: In Mexico we have 12 small groups in various cities averaging 15 people in each group, and a congregation of 50 in Guadalajara. There is a commitment to a steadfast approach to preaching grace. God is guiding these congregations to see the importance of prayer as a vital component of our spiritual life, individually and collectively. There is an increased importance given to the role of worship in our spiritual life, having understood that the time of praise during services should be a delight for all members. The congregations are expressing praise with pleasure through the use of live music accompanied with tambourines, piano, guitars and other musical instruments.

The leaders are supporting and delegating responsibilities to potential leaders who seem to be emerging. Gradually, they have begun to recognize the reality of an urgent need for the knowledge of Jesus and of his grace. God has been softening our hearts so that we are experiencing love and compassion for our neighbors. As a result, we have established close friendships with co-workers, neighbors, relatives, and ex-members of the Church, and new persons have begun to attend services.

Central America: Mauricio Diaz and his wife Liliana pastor the congregation in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. Mauricio is a well-known economist in Honduras and knows influential people in the government as a result of his work in a nongovernment organization. The congregation of about 50 meets Saturdays in the afternoon in a rented hall that is becoming too small for them. They would like to own a hall and are praying and saving for that purpose. The congregation is enthusiastic, filled with a first love and living out their faith passionately.

Marvin, a boy of just 14, is teaching and evangelizing a group of about 18 children in Tegucigalpa. Manuel Torres, co-pastor of the Tegucigalpa church, and other members of the congregation minister to 36 men in the local jail. They provide not only spiritual food but also financial and legal help as well as meals.

Marco Antonio and Alejandrina Mejia from San Pedro Sula, in Northern Honduras, work with over 60 children and 20 adults in their area. They meet Saturdays and Thursdays in their own church building. This year, on Bible day, they participated in a public parade around the village, giving out New Testaments.

In El Salvador, about 15 people are getting together weekly for Bible study and Sunday services in Santa Tecla. David Agreda is doing an excellent job translating articles from magazines like Together, Christian Odyssey and some booklets and coordinating a volunteer team of translators made up of members from the U.S.A., Peru and Spain. David produces the Spanish editions of these magazines and updates the church’s Spanish web page.

In Nicaragua, Apolonia and her daughter Marissa Kolher are praying that God uses them in starting a group in their home near Managua. They have a children’s Bible class in their home.
Since distances are not that great, the leaders from Central America plan to have activities together more than once a year to motivate each other. Also they plan to have a missionary group visit scattered members in countries like Panama, Costa Rica and Guatemala.

Colombia: From October 13-16 an annual seminar was held in the Hotel Arcobaleno, near Bogotá, Colombia. Eighty-five people attended; among them were the leaders of different church groups throughout Colombia, as well as the pastor of our congregations in Peru, José Kasum. The theme of the seminar was missions. Our guest speaker was Hans Frank, the director of New Horizons, an international organization that trains missionaries. The members were encouraged to take God's message to others, starting in their own homes, communities, cities and going even further. Six persons were baptized during the seminar.

God is doing a wonderful work in Barranquilla. The congregation is led by Sonia Orozco Vengoechea. The congregation meets every Sunday, and every Saturday nine members study theology with the Caribbean Interdenominational Biblical Institute. They also meet every Wednesday, teaching doctrines and training leaders. On December 17, the church held a special “Friendship Day” service, and about 50 new people attended, for a total attendance of about 100. Members of the church treated their friends to lunch. The sermon was given by Sonia, who presented a summary of the plan of salvation from Genesis up to the birth of Christ. On December 23 the church delivered toys to indigent children as part of their youth group’s evangelistic effort.

Argentina: Inspired by Hebrews 12:2-3, our theme for the congregation in Ezeiza during 2006 was "looking to Jesus the author and finisher of our faith, let us meditate on his work and follow his steps." Julio Fernández and his wife Beatriz, pastor the church.

We performed two weddings: Silvana and Javier’s wedding in Buenos Aires at the end of 2005 and Abraham and Valeria’s wedding in 2006 in Bahia Blanca, 400 miles south of Buenos Aires. Six people were baptized during 2006. The small group in Bahia Blanca is united in the love and the sufficiency of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have a small school of approximately eight boys and want to begin to work with adolescents. Please pray that we will be good ambassadors of Christ.