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Fowler Bruce Judith 1973 PuertoRico

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    3RUCE IC, POv/LSKPROFESSOR,, iSSOCIiiTE. I.C.U.

    Box 66, Catano Sta t ionSan Juan, Puerto Rico 00532

    I iar tes, 6 de marzo de 1973Bear Brothers and S is te r s in Chr i s t ,

    These last few vreeics have been special ones for the Powler familyand the whole ICU family (professors, missionaries, .Puerto Rico. : e are witnessing spiritual growth in our own lives almostas much as in the lives of the people to whom we re minlsteri g.i t often happens that way, doesn t i tie ve had a weelc of Deeper Life Crusadepraying, fasting, and concentrated time together feasting opnQitivit-as the Spirit led us. Many changes have resulted:^_a ^ene ^ed

    to the Spirit s guidance, a specific awareness ofpro;3ects here (in prisons and classes especially), and som p . *realizations of areas of our own lives that must be ijp'rpcleansing and healing in order to be f it vessels of His Pseeim ^ ^ - +v.o ami.

    our wi tne s s i ng . ll have to admit that even though we were very eagerwhen we f i r s t came do-:^ here a few months ago, tn Tip aslcin^

    and painfully aware of our inadequacy to do what He see makine usOf us. .rell, in response to your prayers/or us. ffeel adequate, o has instead told us: S^aoe isfor my power is made p erfect in weakness ( II Corraiting upon the Lord and finding much more success in it^^especi ixy^Tn l i t t le thiF^TTH^a inl;h^a^-^raWp-tanniTi^i^-^os^^ tieoDlewe are not needing to plead or offer impassioned persu of our-to come to Christ? re'are in His will and lift -P.selves; people see His love and respond to i t . wp topening. Some of our best contacts have come to OUR door,t h e i r s Pra i s e t o J e sus

    The other night as the I U family was gathered, a Tord^of^^named Jamie stood up and announced that he wanted TmHtationhis l i fe . He appologized for not waiting for an we'hadbut he wanted to be baptized that night. thouLnds ofout on the beach as he came up out of the waterj There , ^ ^ q ^Jamie s here who are hungry for God's love, and we aiefor you who^are helping us show it to them.I'fill you pray for us about what God would a^PhD^uroeram A- iI feel a desperate need to dig deeper academically (e . , ^ ade-somewhere???) in order to teach the missionary-recruit-q,uately. Pray and le t us know what you think, O.K.,Many at ICU have been having trouble with +and thought we had bettor a t least mention the possibili ty oi

    P i r a t Ch r i s t i a n Church1801 Onllojvo Rl.vd.x-inVio

    W. B . McGILVSY: ? 600 ROCKFORD LN .KOKOMO, IND. 4b901

    i^on-Pi-ofi t Org.U.S. pL-sta;To Paidperm.1.1 /J^29p . ' i se , Idaho

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    having happened. e send receipts within a week or so for a l l checkswe receive and try to answer l e t t e r s promptly. Has there been mailt h a t you think might not have reached us?I*ve been enjoying teaching a class this quarter on Group Psychology (relating both to the missionary s mental health and to methodsuseable on the mission f i e l d Adaptations of some of the small-groupideas seem to be excel lent means of both communicating and demonstratingthe Gospel in an unevangelized area. (Jesus used some of these methodsjThe government here has asked me to begin some therapy-counseling groupswithin the prisons, ('fe are praising the Lord for opening doors iTot ^the first time God opened doors at prison, is it? See lets 5:19j et al. /But so far some political red tape has kept us from actually beginning,fe ll keep you posted.The prisons seem to be a wide-open (bad analogy) field, white untohafvest. vie are praying about how the Lord would have us minister toanother field He seems to be leading us to also: The University of

    Puerto Rloo campus ifill you pray specifically for us in this, too?The Gospel is for iLL classes of people: from prisoners to professors,from prostitutes to politicians, ^fe are asking God for the same boldnese gave the apostles (lets 4:29-31) as we preach the words e gives us,sometimes i n t h a t same hour we a r e t o speak.Many of you have been praying with us concerning the prison ministihere. This last week od answered one special For weeks w^^had been unable to minister in the big Commonwealth Penitentiary (Satanused the political influence of one Catholic priest who was threatenedby our encroachment on his turf .) but this last Sunday I was allowedto come in to preach to a group of about 200 prisoners. Perhaps I will

    be allowed to come in regularly. Hallelujah I \Je found a big woodenpacking crate and a plastic liner which is almost big enough to usea portable baptistry for the twenty some prisoners who have committedtheir lives to Jesus. But permission to bring i t inside the walls hasstill been denied. Since the change in government last^election time,political pressure from the independistas (a party with ^^^ong affili a t i o n s with the o f f i c i a l Communist Party i n Puertoby certain americanos whom the Party has decided might be dangerousto t h e i r cause. vJe've decided to j u s t l i f t up Jesusus and leave the politics to the government and the results to theL o r d i

    inother answer to prayer: The Herri-:? eds Sunday School class of.First Christian Church, Boise, Idaho, offered to print and mail ournewsletters. Yahoo Praise God for the faithfulness of His P P mil you join us in prayer support for that class and their church. Arethere classes in your church that might help them thisproject? Their address is: I8OI College Blvd., Boise, Id. o^^TOo.Judy and I would love to have you vrrite and shareprayer requests, what God's showing you and answers e s giving you anayour church to specific prayers, problems, victories, or whatever.Thanks again for being such a vital part of God s ministry here in PuertRico t h r o u g h u s .

    J e s u s l o v e t o you ,Bruce, Judy, Curt is, & Christy Powler

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    BEUCE K. FOWLERPROFESSOR, ASSOCIATE EVANGELIST, I .C .U .

    ^ Box 66, Catano StationSan Ju an , P ue r to Rico 00632

    Augus t , 1973

    P rog re s s In t h e P r l s on Pa r i s hAt 13 years old, a guy named Salvadore Ramos joined a s t r ee t gang inthe Puerto Rlcan dis t r i c t of New York, started mainlining heroin,and l i t e ra l ly sold his soul to Satan who spoke to him direct lyduring a gunflght with a r iva l gang) in exchange for some of Satan*ssupernatural g i f t s , excitement, easy money, and some wild t r ips .Now he*s 28, serving 15 yrs. in San Juan penitentiary, angry, lonely,and scared. Sal has been the most violently vocal against religionand the Jesus stuff of any of the men I have worked with here in theprison so far. But he kept coming back to talk about i t anyway,^ s t Wednesday, Sal renounced Satan and INVITED JESUS TO BE MASTER OFHIS LIFE Praise God I wish I had room here to tel l you the whole

    because you have played a part in i t with your prayers andgilts . Sal has never met you, but the peace he's experiencing nowconveys thank you far bet ter than my words here can.What we^ve been doingCurtis and Christy:-Getting anxious to start a new year at P,R. Christian School ICU)

    Peter, our new p up py of questionable heritage-uoing dishes more often than they'd like-i^raying for our friends in the StatesJudy: -Thinking about names for our new babyraising that we finally go t a washing machine- for Bruce_jto clean_hls_. study_s tudents who a re coming to ICU t h i s f a l l-Balancing the family budget

    -MwiCi teach several new classes this term a t ICUcement for additions to ICU classroom buildingstudying to teach a high school Bible class on Sun.p.m,ing fundamentals of auto mechanics the hard wayl^l^u^^ray with us would have us spend more o r l e s s ) t ime in-Judv'ci recruits that are now arriving for ICU classes-Sevpr^ carries the baby-Salvadore^Ramos^^^^^^ deciding about coming to missionPraise^for anqi^TP^^? ^^ithful to our highest goal, and to Jesusxaise for answering each of these you ve prayed about ofieldsson l y

    C r l s t o te amaThe Fowler Family

    Firs t Christian Church ~~~ 1801 College BoulevardEolse, Idaho 83706 U.S, PostagePAID

    Pe rmi t No. 29Bo i s e , I daho

    HO RoCYF LM .

    KOK MO, in: ) . 4 foi

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    3 i J a v '.; ' i i r u c e K j 'ov.'lGr : :c. rv . -n .- j 8Puertoj-Rico -.u \ . w': \. r-;. > .. .-'.i j j - - . c- 'o- c-zii/x

    .'I3i r

    Box 66,-Cc.fcr.no Station-. :.; uliA ex. i.s..o'Jo 3t3V.t.i, i.ij'il. :; r-XSan Juan, Fucxto.iiico 00632; , - A( - 't;:?/'. ' o'i .

    EivMlASISr: PRISOM' lilWISTH^t'Octubre lIg 1973

    Our Spec ia l i ir other s and l i i s t e r s :GOD*S CIjEAR d i r e c t i o n HAS BEEN GIViSM to us t h i s l a s t i.ionth i n ansv/er t oy^ur prayers for His leadinr , in oi,r ministry here. Let )iic t e l l you aboutit

    IfJe cai-ie to Puerto Rico more than ayear a^jo on faith as you supported usand lield us up in prayer. jAJ.iin;;:- these iiionths the i-ain joinisory God ^ avo usv;as to t cach counse ling and New Testa-ient a t International Christian liniver-s i by, to train iidssionaiy recruits for i ' ields a l l over the v.'orld. All ofus, both professors and students -jere involved in other evangelisticninistries as r e l l as you prayed faithl'ully and speciiically, God openedup the prison irdnistry vdbh rich opportunities for evanrjelism and counseling*riiroufihout this last suini/ier the prison ninistry becaine a fulltime endeavor,proj; ptii'i^ us to ask j'ou to Join with us a:;ain in prajans aixut vhat to doyhen li^U Glasses started a;,ain in the fali. I.C... requr.red all itstcachoi's to sign a contract denying the present-day working of the HolyS^drit. e certainly could nob si;,n i t occause \;iiat Jle is 'Oiii,'; to us endtJ-irou^h us id dix'ect c^iduence of the /ioly .spirit's r.iiraculous present-day .j0;.'er|j.'any of bue ICU faculit/ , including :i'resident Hamilton hiinself found differentministries opening up to thera. As for us, God continues to confirm our call to P R,. ^d is blessing our iidnistries as i ve acknov;ledge Hiin and seek Kis direction.( Prov 326 ) In addition to the ,jrison hdnistry vj e are involved in other

    ministries t o o i^Nei^borhood evangelism vdth home Bible studies and prayer-fellovfshlp lEsetingsthroughout the ;;eek ( ijaptised our next-door neij^hbor the other d^yii)

    Loading the high school group in our nev;ly-formed Christian church here inLevittoivni

    --Teaching a iJible Class of i^ierto iiicaa college students on ..ednesd^ nightsjCAieraember a fev; months ago uhen vkj asked you to pray for God to ooen a lii^inistryto college students here? 112 DID ITU ).orking vd.th a community church in the torn of Guyanabo.I m anxious to share details aid progress of these vdth you in person^ letters#ine scripture quoted by our Lord. ,ihe tipi^t of tiio Iiord God is upon ''.e, i'x^cause the Lord has annoinbedme to orin^; the Good dei:s to the a.' i'lictcd, and has sent me to indup biiG .rokcnheai'tcd, to i)roclaijn liberty to the captives, arid theopening o tue prison to those *;:to are joiind, to pi'oclaira the yearof the Lord^s favor. . . (Isaiali 61: 1,2)

    F i r s t Christian Church1301 College iioulevardBoise, Idaho 83706

    ADDRESS CORRECTIOi^i RaiUESTED

    ff. 5 . McatLVEV;: ^^00 ROCKFORD LN.KOKOMO, IND. 4b901

    NOW-Profit Org.U .S . Pos tagePAID

    P e m d t No. 29Boise, Idaho

    /

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    8 ems to have special .-^leaning in ;;hab God has called us to do in thepenitentiary here Last ne^^sletter^ J zucntidh^d Ssil d x^lease froiii Satan sgrasp* 1 1 17 ijecause of his tbstiinony to f : lloTf aiid tlie Obviouschange in Id s l i f e and a t t i tude s e v e r a l others a r e seeking Uod*s changein their lives too. Pray especially for torpe (Sal* s friend ^^^hom oi s c a l l i n g t d s a^eek to t ake th e s te p o f faith .;e p r a y fo r you d a i l y andhun^^er fo r your pr ayer s and fo r n o t e s from you God has a s p e c i a lbl es s i ng fo r y ou to dayPra i se HimlH is a nd Y ou rs ,

    Bruce, .Judy, U ur t, o: Chr i s t y i ovjier

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    / V

    ms s im MESSAGES FRCM PUERTO RICOThe Bruce Fowler FamilyBox 66Catano, Puerto Rico OO632^^^.Ctoistmas Greetings from the FowlersJ

    IT S A.BOr I I ICraig Michael Fowler was born earlySunday morning, November 25 a prettybig kid already at 8 lb.8 oz. (21 in . ) .We We been praying that Craig would growup. to be God s man in faith and obedience,and have dedicated ourselves to that end.Would you join us in this prayer?

    Diciembre fl? 1973

    Gloria en la s a l turas a Dios y en l at ie r ra paz, buena volun tad para con loshombres. Luke 2jliiRerad Luke 2 aigain. Notice tha t God's,answer to men s fear (v. 10) is that Hismessage is one of good news of grea t joynot a burdensome system of rules of apat-on-the-shoulder-encouragement to hangin there, baby. He s got rea l l ivevictory for you, Nowl f More than-conquerors doesn t mean f rus t ra t ion , or beinga . l i t t l e l ess fea r fu l . I f you re God sperson, c la im His power boldly. I t s yours J

    DECMBER IN PUERTO RICO IS . . .-Carolers with bongos, maracas, and Latin rhythm at 3:00 a.m.- i^etting a sun tan on the beach.Fake C^istmas trees (oh, how we miss Oregon s Douglas Fir forestsl)3 million people on this little island all trying to go on the same road at once.Hearing Feliz XTavidad instead of Merry Christmas.yarning to like rice and beans with hot sauce. oeeing Spiritist shrines in many of your neighbors' front yards.' gra tefu l to have had a l i t t le turkey soup with their rice and beans onThanksgiving. Tinsel on palm trees. that Puerto Ricans think coke is the English translation of the Spanishword Coca-Cola.

    sidewalk vendors shouting into their loudspeakers on the same corner,^e sweater out of the b^rel when_JL_gets dQwn__tQ_70 jiegrees-q MQjt XwJL WXlcn JLLgc US QQwTi X.U fU CIcglcCQ*-I whether English or Spanish will be the official language in Heaven.- presents for Three-Kings-Day (Jan. 6) instead of for Christmas.flowing freely, ruining lives and families.^arnmg Christmas carols in Spanish.tSs^year^^^ ^^^ wondering if there will a package or a visit from the familySilent Night translates into Night of Love, Night of Peace inForgetting again to mail early enough to compensate for the Atlantic Ocean betweenU o

    Thanksgiving- For a beautiful baby boy.- Health for all the family.' repairs this month. (HeWSm supply EVEEIm of yours ... Philippians U-19)- t h i s month.SiTi? spel and the- C'pistles,-eapecia].ly,

    PRAYER LIST:

    First Cl-jristian ChurchIjOI College BoulevardBoise, Idaho 837 jC

    W. E . McGILVSYROCKFORD LN .KOKOMO, IND. 46901

    I n t e r c e s s i o n- For Bruce s Grandmother Gilstrap, asshe convalesces in the hospi tal .- For the following famil ies whom Godis call ing in to sp ec ia l ministr iesi n va r i o u s st tes

    - R. Bohanan family- R . Campbell family- V. Ricks family

    Non-Profit Org,U.S. Postage

    PAIDPermit No. 29Boise, Idaho

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    PROGRESS IN THE PRISONMost of iry time is spent now ministering at the Penitentiary here as chaplain andcounselor. What an opportunity opened up among the 2000 inmates when you prayedwith me that th e doors would be openedi At f i r s t we received heavy political(spiritual) opposition from the Communist-influenced Independista faction whichopposes American missions# But od provided both an office and a hungry core'group with whom to start| and now I*m spending most of every day teaching, rapping,and counseling (some preaching) among a growing congregation of 75 to 100 prisonersevery week. Last week, the warden (a Christian through whom od opened^many doorsfor this ministry) retired, and this week there has been heavy opposition againfrom Satan through the non-Christian pox jer structure within the penal system. LastSaturday, a group of guards literally (bodily) threw me out the gate. But, praisethe LprdJ, on Monday, after much prayer, I came back in with renewed officialsupp irt from their superior officers5 and on Tuesday I was able to share openly andwitness to two of these same guards for whom I had been praying, I have been toldthat every day as I walk through the big, iron gate, hexes and voodoo curses are puton me by-3- group o Satanists in^one of the cell bloj:ks, but_(y^is;t's blood coversall that, and His Spirit protects, guides, and empowers. Praise od for that.^Please pray for our faith to trust od completely, and for wisdom to discern Hisdirection against whatever opposition Satan attempts. x\

    Some time ago, a group of non-Christian prisoners (who I d never met; approachecme with a list of questions about God and the Bible, and asked to be taught. Nowwe're meeting every Tuesday night and throughout the week individually. Satan isopposing through distractions, opposition of the prison administration, etc.you pray specifically about this situation and that these ten (or so) men wouldr e s p o n d t o J e s us ' l o v e ? . .How grateful we are to you for your continued support. Your prayers ministerto us more than you could ever know. I'm praying now as I write this that od willgive you the most fabulous Christ-centered Christmas ever this year, and that HisS p i r i t would help you to re la x in His w i l l to enjoy i t

    PRAYER REQUESTSFo r ou r learning an d p e rfe c tin g Spanish.The Tuesday n i g h t Bible c l a s s a t th e p r i s o n .For George, Sonny, Carlos, Ricardo who have not yet said yes to Jesus.For opportunities to reach hundreds of prisoners with whom I st i l l have Uttleo r no s i g n i f i c a n t c o n t a c t .For power in prayer, particularly in connection with the class of colleges t u d e n t s from th e town o f G u ay an ab o .For f a i t h to withstand S a ta n s increasing a tta c k s a t the p r i s o n .

    C h r i s t s love to you and our sBruce, Judy, Curtis Christy Craig Fowler