Jonathan and Laura Bryan Prayer Letter: Day of the Dead OutreachOUR PRAISES

Most already know this, but one of the biggest days in Mexico is Día de los Muertos, or “The Day of the Dead.” During this time, families build altars to honor the spirits of deceased loved ones, often including candles, food, sugar skulls, and photos. Many believe the spirits return to visit, guiding families to perform rituals. This pagan custom blends Catholic and ancient Aztec beliefs, focusing on remembering and contacting the dead.

In our new church in Calera, we saw this as an opportunity to share the Gospel with the multitudes gathered in the cemetery. We distributed over 1,700 Gospel tracts, and thankfully, I only saw one tract thrown on the ground. I just picked it up, dusted it off, and handed it to someone else. Please pray that God will use His Word to speak to hearts and draw souls to Him.

God has also been working powerfully through Jorge Arjona, one of our missionaries. He and his family started a church in a small home, and when I visited to preach for him, the living room was overflowing with people eager to hear God’s Word. Since then, along with others, we were able to help him purchase and pay off his own church building. It’s exciting to see how God is using him and his family to spread the Gospel!

Recently, we’ve had several special events in the church. One highlight was a three-day Escuelita Bíblica, the Mexican equivalent of Vacation Bible School. The children all participated in memorizing Bible songs, as well as Bible verses. Attached is a picture of all of the children who attended.

We also held our annual Missions Conference. Although we are on the mission field, we encourage our churches to support missionaries in other countries. We want to encourage a heart of giving, not just receiving. Our goal is to encourage believers here in Mexico to share the Gospel around the world with a passion to reach the lost.
Another great blessing is that two of the young ladies from our children’s home, who are now 18, recently left for Bible college in Tula in southern Mexico. They were nervous to take this step, but they went in faith, and God is already blessing them as they grow in their Christian walk in a practical way.

OUR PLANS

We plan to start a special children’s program in Calera, striving to reach the parents of these children, so that they might come to Christ in the future, make a decision for Him, and grow in His Word.

Additionally, we are in the middle of a study series on Wednesday nights for new believers. This study covers various aspects of the Christian life in today’s world, such as “What It Means to Be a Baptist,” “The Bible’s Teachings on Abortion,” and “A Biblical Perspective on Halloween.” Our Wednesday night attendance is now at about 65% of our Sunday morning services, and we are praying for even more growth.

OUR PRAYERS

• Please pray for our two young ladies who have gone to Bible college.
• Pray that God’s Word will convict hearts in Calera.
• Pray for a continual fire and burden to reach souls each week.

His servants by His grace,

Jonathan, Laura, and Wyatt Bryan