Greetings from our family to yours. Summer has come to an end, but we are happy to be preparing for the fall season of the ministry and our family as well. A new school year is always a joyous occasion for our girls—as least for the first week or so! After that new box of crayons has been opened, it becomes a bit harder to stay focused. Ha! Ha!
We ended the summer with our annual Vacation Bible School program. Neighborhood children filled our pews for a week of games, Bible lessons, and fellowship. COVID regulations are still somewhat in place, so we could not have full-capacity attendance. However, the week was still very encouraging, with many kids hearing the Gospel and trusting in Christ.
In July, we were able to join a group of churches sponsoring a day of community outreaches. Some churches did community service by cleaning up neighborhoods. Our day of service included cooking food and bringing plates to the elderly in the neighborhood surrounding the church. We also had the opportunity to give away Bibles to those in need. It was a blessing to see many of our members get involved.
A special blessing from the month of August was seeing our Alyssa get baptized in the Caribbean Sea. The Holy Spirit had been working in her heart for a while, and she made the decision to listen to His voice. There is absolutely no greater joy than to watch your child follow God’s leading. That same Sunday, four other teenagers from our youth group were baptized as well. Praise God for soft hearts and a faithful God!
In July, we had a Family Conference with Dr. Danny Ortiz as our guest speaker. We held a special banquet for married couples the Friday of the conference. The teaching was just what our church needed, and many couples expressed how much they enjoyed the evening. Our prayer is that God would strengthen our church families in His Word. Now, more than ever, our world needs families who serve Him fervently.
We want to give a special thanks to the churches that have recently sent offerings for the remodeling of our auditorium. We stand amazed at how our Lord always finds a way to meet our needs. We aren’t surprised at His abilities, but we are awed that He is so kind to our ministry here. Thank you also for everyone who has prayed and sent words of encouragement during this remodeling project. Support is what keeps us going.
Prayer Requests
1. Tonya’s mother’s health is declining quickly. Please pray for healing.
2. There is a great need for more laborers on the field. Pray for hearts to be moved to join the battle here in Belize.
3. Our church in Orange Walk will be celebrating its 12-year anniversary next month. We desire that many would come to Christ during our planned outreach.
We are honored to serve here in this beautiful country. Thank you for your prayers and support.
In Christ,
Israel Alvarez