Rios de Agua Viva – Central Wisconsin

The Launch of the newest Hispanic church in our district is very near. 

On  Saturday March  31 there will be a community outreach event called “Touched Twice”.  This is a service which offers free services to members of the community – everything from haircuts to doctor visits.  There are often good connections made with the Spanish speaking community.  Pray for those who are meeting and serving on those days.  Organizers are expecting as many as 150 Spanish speaking people at this event.

On Sunday, April 1, Rios de Agua Viva (Streams of Living Water) will launch its first open public worship service.  Pray for the birth of this ministry – that many will attend, and that a good core group will be established.

Thanks Reed!

Reed and Anne Heckmann have been friends of the Hispanic work in Sun Prairie from before the Rayos moved down, and before there was a Iglesia Nueva Vida.  Reed has been a constant encouragement to this ministry, while he was pastor at Sun Prairie Community Church (now Pathway Church), and while working for the Family Research Institute. 

Reed has accepted a call to pastor the Farmington Hills Baptist Church in the northern suburbs of Detroit.  (church website – www.fhbaptist.org ).  This church is surrounded by a number of cultural and linguistic groups that will be a challenge and an opportunity.

This is a quote from Reed’s recent email:  (The area has experienced, and continues to experience, very significant demographic changes, which have accelerated in the last 5 years or so.  In addition a very large and establish Jewish presence, there are many, many Indians (from India), Chaldeans and others from the Middle East, Africans, Asians, as well as many from eastern Europe ( e.g. Romania).  Religiously, there are many connected with the Orthodox Church, Judaism, Buddhism, and Islam.)

We will miss Reed and Anne, but we know that they will remain partners with the work here. 

Nueva Vida Update

Pastor Rayo reports that many contacts were made at the Touched Twice clinic offered in Sun Prairie at Prairie Spring Church.  About half of the families were Spanish speaking, and members of Nueva Vida were able to meet many of them – a number have become interested in knowing more about New Life.

A man that Adrian met with last year when he was battling with cancer in the hospital has been coming to church.  Pray that this man comes to know Jesus.

Adrian reports that they continue to meet Spanish speaking neighbors and they are busy daily contacting people at schools, in stores and restaurants.

On April 6 an ESL class will be offered in Waterloo at Corner Stone Church – these meeting will be on Fridays from 6:30 to 8:00pm.  In Addition there are classes in worker dormitories on Mondays and Thursdays.  Starting in April, there will be a monthly Saturday Evening worship service at Cornerstone Church.

Prayer Requests:

• As new people come to Nueva Vida, that they might be united as one family
• Financial support for this ministry – we will be trying to extend the “Friends of Nueva Vida” list for prayer and financial support.
• That the INS papers will process quickly for members of the Rayo Family

Training Center

11 students completed the first course, Spiritual Formation.  This is better than what we expected.

The second semester will offer a course “Introduction to the New Testament”, which will run from March 17 through June 30.  This course will be taught in Madison at Bethany EFC with instruction by Pastor Rayo and Steve Turley, member at Door Creek Church.

We hope to offer courses in two location, Tomah and Madison, in the Fall of 2007.  We are looking for more instructors.  We have eager students, what we lack are those who can teach the courses.  What is best is to have two teachers to share a course.  It is very helpful to be fluent in Spanish, but it is also possible to provide translation.  If you or someone you know is a possible candidate, let us know.

River of Living Water –

Rubens and Vanessa report that they have seen seven new people come to trust in Jesus.  One man whom Rubens met a year ago at a restaurant, has not accepted the the Lord.  He and the friend he also introduced to Rubens are both receiving discipleship.  Several husbands of regular attenders have also come to Christ.  Vanessa men a couple through a baby shower, and both the husband and wife have come to Christ and are regular attenders.

There are some difficultues – some have not wanted to accpet the claims of Christ because they prefer to continue their lives as they are.

Pray for the Launch of the new church which will be on April 1.  The church now has a name, Ríos de Agua Viva, which means River of Living Water.

Pray for the “Touched Twice” clinic that happens on that same weekend.  When people come for free services, ranging from hair cuts to dentist visits, the Silvas have an opportunity to meet many Hispanic families.