Dear Friends in Christ,
Football season is here! Not our oblong version, but the round one, which we call soccer. Octavio and Rosie Samper, our missionaries to the Hispanic population, formed a soccer league several years ago in association with Oak Mountain Presbyterian Church. Now each fall they have five hundred Hispanics who play in the best soccer league in Birmingham. The league has several teams which play a round-robin schedule and then, in December, they have a play-off for the championship of the league. Each Sunday afternoon teams begin play at about 1:30 and play till 10:00 P.M. Late in the afternoon Octavio, or a guest speaker, will stop play and everyone gathers for a gospel presentation. Not only are there soccer players, but fans for each team, and vendors selling their country’s favorite food. Last year about 300 hundred people professed Christ as their Savior. Please pray for Octavio and Rosie as the league is again going full force. They desperately need help as there are only the two of them to organize, manage, police, and minister to these folk each week.
Fall also means the start of preparations for two December evangelistic outreaches. Joyce Yancey, who heads up the women’s ministry of WGM, organizes and oversees the Christmas event called “Celebration” which will be on December 6th. It involves an elegant dinner for the purpose of folks bringing unbelievers to hear the gospel. Much work goes into the decor and gifts which are all handmade by women volunteers who spend many hours preparing for this event. The day before Celebration, on December 5th, there is a businessmen’s luncheon. The ladies help with setting up this event and the men invite employees, clients, friends or relatives to a nice lunch where again the gospel is presented. Over the years many have trusted Christ through both of these outreaches. Please pray for the preparation and for people to attend who need the Lord.
October also means traveling to Bogota Colombia. On October 12-21 a team of six will travel there for the purpose of continuing the training of future pastors and church planters. Octavio and Rosie Samper break away from their ministry here and help the gringos by translating all of the messages and individual conversations. On this trip we are privileged to have Dr. Ted and Hester Rendall as guest speakers. Hester will share with the ladies who attend Renacer Church in Bogota. Dr. Ted will preach for the church’s first annual mission’s conference and teach in the Logos Bible Institute. Dr. Ted formerly served as President of Prairie Bible Institute in Canada and now works with Olford Ministries International. We will be teaching on the subject of Expository Preaching and Spiritual Growth. Please pray for our travels, our luggage to make it with us, for no sickness, and for God to use the preaching and teaching to transform and equip those in the class for the work of the ministry.
All of these ministries take place because of faithful people who are led by the Lord to pray as well as give financially. We thank all of you who help.
In Christ Our Life,
Dr. Jay Jackson
