“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” (II Corinthians 5:7) This verse reminds me of how often in the ministry, and really in the realm of life, it is hard to just trust God. Our faith can be tested many times, and we truly do walk by faith. As this year closes out and we eagerly look forward to next year, it is only our faith and trust in God that can lead us to better our ministry and family. We have goals, visions, and dreams for the coming year; but we must constantly be seeking God’s vision and not our own vision.
One of the greatest blessings of the last two months was the opportunity to have Bro. Steve Heidenreich come for a visit. It was an encouragement for our family to be around a veteran missionary from the Philippines. No one understands a missionary better than another missionary, and the fellowship was something our family needed.
During Bro. Heidenreich’s stay, we were able to present the Gospel in three high schools and one elementary school. We also had an evening service in a nearby village. Many students and teachers raised their hands in testimony as they received Christ as Saviour. What a thrill it is to know that the Gospel never changes and the Holy Spirit still works in the hearts of people everywhere.
Over the past two months, we have seen many visitors walk through our church doors and over 100 souls trust Christ through special village services. Two new families have been faithful over the last few weeks, and we are excited to see new disciples grow in their faith.
In October we celebrated our six-year anniversary as a church. We were privileged to have our friend and pastor, Isaias Rodriguez, from Baytown, Texas, as our guest speaker. This year our anniversary happened to fall during a tropical storm, and it was raining nearly the whole weekend. We were a bit discouraged, thinking that visitors would not brave the weather for our big service on Sunday. Well, thank God for answered prayers! Not only did the rain stop, but on the last night of the conference, we had 132 in attendance, with 7 people trusting Christ and 2 following in believer’s baptism. What a joy to serve the LORD!
Family Update
Please keep Tonya in your prayers, as she is due to deliver our third daughter sometime in December. We will be in California for six weeks for the birth. This will be our first Christmas with family since leaving for the field in 2009.
Our ministry in Belize will be in good hands while we are gone. Upon arriving back to Belize in January, we will welcome a medical team to our church that has volunteered to minister to our community. Pray that this would provide an opportunity to share the Gospel, as well as be a blessing to those with medical needs.
We have also begun construction on our house out on our church property. Our contractors have estimated that we will be able to move in by the end of March. Please pray that this would become a reality.
We are so grateful for your continued prayers and support. May God bless your Christmas and give you a wonderful New Year.
In Christ,
Israel Alvarez
