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CJGCjJg PEEKI "Chips Off The Did Block" News From Marilyn Wood Serving Christ through: Spanish American Evangelism 3135 Forney Lane El Paso, TX 79935 Volume 1 Number 2 Spring/Summer 1982 Dear Friends In Christ, Much has happened since I last wrote. (If you remember, I wrote in November, but due to circumstances beyond my control, the letter was not mailed until January.) I'll try to give you the highlights of my activities since. The Christmas program, "The Birthday Celebration," was a huge success. The children did such an excellent job. Audrey and I were really proud of them. Several of the parents and the children wanted to do it again (We did it twice in the same day.) after Christmas for those who were unable to see it; however, we just didn't have the time. But we feel that those who saw the presentation understood a little better just what Christmas really means. Christmas vacation was filled with packing and mailing boxes and doing all of the myriad things one does to move. I shipped my car December 22, and I didn't leave until January 4, but thanks to a friend who was in the States for Christmas, I was not left without transportation. On Christmas Eve Manolin Torres came home from the hospital. We all rejoiced at that. Several of my friends have written since I left and have told me that he Is now attending church. The first time he went, he used a wheel chair, and the preacher and another man had to carry him into the building. I understand he is now walking with the aid of a walker. Thank you so much for your prayers on his behalf. I know the family appreciates them, too. One of the Christmas customs in Puerto Rico is the "paranda" or "asalto". It usually takes place in the middle of the night. Friends come to your house singing songs and expecting something to eat and drink before they leave. On New Year's Eve I was treated to my own "asalto". (Fortunately, It was at 5:00 p.m.) Eight of my neighbors came over to wish me well in my new work and brought me a huge bouquet of red and white carnations. The neighbor who gave the speech almost broke down and cried. It wasa moment especially touching to me, for several of these people had never been in our home. In fact, 1 didn't
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Wood Marilyn 1982 SAE

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Page 1: Wood Marilyn 1982 SAE

CJGCjJg PEEKI

"Chips Off The Did Block"News From Marilyn Wood

Serving Christ through:Spanish American Evangelism

3135 Forney LaneEl Paso, TX 79935

Volume 1 Number 2

Spring/Summer 1982

Dear Friends In Christ,

Much has happened since I last wrote. (If you remember, I wrote in November, but dueto circumstances beyond my control, the letter was not mailed until January.) I'll try to giveyou the highlights of my activities since.

The Christmas program, "The Birthday Celebration," was a huge success. The childrendid such an excellent job. Audrey and I were really proud of them. Several of the parentsand the children wanted to do it again (We did it twice in the same day.) after Christmas forthose who were unable to see it; however, we just didn't have the time. But we feel thatthose who saw the presentation understood a little better just what Christmas really means.

Christmas vacation was filled with packing and mailing boxes and doing all of the myriadthings one does to move. I shipped my car December 22, and I didn't leave until January 4,but thanks to a friend who was in the States for Christmas, I was not left withouttransportation.

On Christmas Eve Manolin Torres came home from the hospital. We all rejoiced at that.Several of my friends have written since I left and have told me that he Is now attendingchurch. The first time he went, he used a wheel chair, and the preacher and another manhad to carry him into the building. I understand he is now walking with the aid of a walker.Thank you so much for your prayers on his behalf. I know the family appreciates them, too.

One of the Christmas customs in Puerto Rico is the "paranda" or "asalto". It usuallytakes place in the middle of the night. Friends come to your house singing songs andexpecting something to eat and drink before they leave. On New Year's Eve I was treated tomy own "asalto". (Fortunately, It was at 5:00 p.m.) Eight of my neighbors came over towish me well in my new work and brought me a huge bouquet of red and white carnations.The neighbor who gave the speech almost broke down and cried. It was a moment especiallytouching to me, for several of these people had never been in our home. In fact, 1didn't

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even know the name of one of them although I had seen him on several occasions. None ofthem are Christians, either. Meredy, my ex-roommate there, is trying to work with two ofthem (our next door neighbors). Please be in prayer for Pablo and Nilda and Meredy, as sheworks with them.

On January 4, 1982, I boarded the plane and headed for New Orleans where I was to pickup my car. On the following day when I went to pick it up at the dock, something waswrong with the engine, and I couldn't drive It. I had to have it towed to the nearest Hondadealer, who fortunately wasn't too far away. Two days later it supposedly was fixed, and so1 headed for Houston. However, there was still something wrong, so it was back to theHonda dealer (in Houston). Since it was Friday afternoon, the car wasn't ready untilMonday evening, and I didn't get on down the road until Tuesday morning. I spent the nightin Ozona, Texas, and when I woke up the next morning, it was snowing! I didn't knowwhether to go or stay, but I decided to go ahead and get on down the road. I finally arrivedin El Paso Wednesday evening, January 13. I was glad that trip was over and thankful forGod's care and protection.

I am really grateful to the Joe Martin family in New Orleans and to the Jerry Lambfamily in Richmond Texas, (outside of Houston) for letting me stay with them while my carwas being repaired. It really helped to cut down on the expenses. I must say that my car isrunning fine now.

On January 14 I went to work for SAE. I am the receptionist, secretary, bookkeeper —in fact, I do some of about everything except for the actual printing. I am even learning howto do some typesetting. I keep quite busy, and 1 really enjoy the work.

Since January we have printed three tracts, a booklet, and several other items of literaturefor use in churches both in the States and Mexico. A tract entitled "The Truth of God

Concerning Sin" was printed in both Spanish and English. We printed 50,000, and alreadywe have less than 3,000 left of the Spanish tract. We will be reprinting it in the very nearfuture. (In the future we will be printing 100,000 copies of each tract. The demand is great.)If you are interested in using the English tract, please let me know. I'll be happy to send yousome. The booklet we printed is entitled "The Most Important Decision of Your Life." Itwas printed in Spanish, but we just received an order for it to be printed in English, too. Sothat's another project for this summer.

This next week we hope to open seven distribution centers throughout Mexico. Localchurch leaders in these areas will be running these centers. We'll be sending them severalthousand copies of tracts and other literature each month. They will, in turn, see that thepeople in their areas get this literature. It is our plan to make the literature available asquickly and as cheaply as possible to the people who want it and need it.

We also keep literature in stock here in the office. I'm in charge of keeping it inventoriedand sending it out to those who request it.

There are only four of us working at Spanish American Evangelism at the present time:Bill Baker, Barton Morse, Ed Weckerly, and me. One of our biggest needs is to have someonehere to do writing and editing for us. In April the Raul Martmez family came and spent aweek with us. Raul rewrote six tracts that we will be printing in the near future and alsohelped to write a new tract on baptism that is currently being distributed. He will be coming

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again in the near future to do some more editing and writing for us. It is our desire to beable to raise the funds to bring him and his family up here to live so that they can work withus on a full-time basis. For the next few months, he will be spending one week a month withus and continue his own business In Torreon where he lives. If you would like to help withthis project, please let me know. I'd be glad to give you more details.

In March all of us at SAE, plus one other family, loaded up in three vehicles — anInternational Scout, a Dodge pick-up with jump seats, and my Honda — and headed forOaxtepec, Mexico, for the annual Mexican missionary reunion. There were fourteen of us inthe group, and we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The trip took ten days, eight of whichwere spent on the road. We visited with friends and missionaries In Eagle Pass, Texas;Saltillo, Queretaro, Texcoco, and Torreon. We spent the night at the Mexico ChristianChildren's Home in Queretaro and Nihos de Mexico in Texcoco. We tried to find theorphanage in San Luis Potosf, but we wound up in a cow pasture! Maybe next time we'llfind it.

I had never been further south than Torreon, so I got to see a lot of new territory. I reallyenjoyed it. Oaxtepec is located south of Mexico City and east of Cuernavaca In a beautifulpart of the country. One day at the reunion we were able to see Mt. Popocatepetl (Popo forshort). It was beautiful.

The reunion itself was terrific. Ben Wilson and his family came and shared with us. Benspoke to the adults on the subject of suffering, despair, and discouragement and how we asChristians should handle them. He had some excellent thoughts on the subject, takendirectly from the scripture. We all look to this time as one of spiritual rejuvenation as well asa time of fellowship. Ben and his family have a puppet ministry, so they presented some oftheir plays for the entire group. A total of 107 men, women, and children attended thereunion. We will be going back to Oaxtepec next year. I have already been asked to give aworkshop on singleness — presenting basically the same thing that I gave at the missionaryconvention in 1980 at Springfield, Illinois.

At the end of March I finally made it to Dodge City to visit my folks and to get all mythings that I had left there. I flew to Denver where my sister met me, and we and her threechildren drove to Dodge and spent the week there. While there I helped my youngest niececelebrate her first birthday. We had a great time.

As you are all aware, school .is over, and it's Vacation Bible School time. This week I'mleading the singing for the VBS at Eastside Christian Church where I attend. I'm also incharge of the closing program which will be Friday, June 4.

The rest of my summer schedule is as follows:

june 7-12 — VBS with the Town and Country Christian Church in Yukon, Oklahoma

June 13-20 — VBS with the church in McKinney, Texas

June 21-35 — VBS with the Clearview Christian Church in Dallas, Texas

July 19-23 — VBS with the Christian Church in Earlham, Iowa

July 27-30 — North American Christian Convention in Kansas City, Missouri

I hope to see a lot of you at the NACC. SAE will have a booth near Standard Publishing'sbooth. We'll be next to Bump's Mission to Mexico, El Paso Christian College, and ColegioBibllco. Be sure to look us up.

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In August the churches in Juarez will be hosting the annual Mexican churches convention.I'm looking forward to attending that event which will be the week of August 10.

I want to thank you for your prayers and financial help. The Lord is really blessing me.When I first arrived in E! Paso, I had hoped to be able to find a roommate and an apartmentin short order; however, it just never came about. The Bill Burr family put up with me forthree months until I started housesitting for a couple while they are in Canada. I'll be doingthis until the end of August, so I'm not paying rent, but I am paying utilities. In August I'llstart looking for an apartment again.

My support has been good, but not good enough to be able to rent an apartment. Onebedroom apartments begin at around $285.00 per month; two bedroom apartments begin atabout $325.00. Yesterday, I received word that my health insurance was going to go upfrom $59.95 a month to $78.25 — a 32 per cent increase. That also means it will be morethan 10 per cent of my monthly income. I also owe my parents for the repairs on the car.(The total cost of $650.00.) Some have contributed toward that expense, and I'm grateful;however, I still owe the major portion of that bill.

My support so far in 1982 has averaged not quite $750.00 a month. I praise the Lord forthose of you are helping me financially. I appreciate each one of you and the help that youso willingly give. I continue to thank the Lord for His care and the way that He provides forail my needs. One of my favorite scriptures is taken from Psalm 37:25, "I have been young,and now am old; yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread."This speaks to me of the way Lord provides for His own. Truly we can be thankful for Hiswonderful care and provision, regardless of our circumstances.

May God bless all of you.

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"Chips Off The Old Block'*News From Marilyn Wood

Serving Christ through:Spanish American Evangelism

3135 Forney LaneEl Paso, TX 79935

Volume I Number 3

Fall 1982Dear Friends In Christ.

The Bible has much to say about giving thanks, and some of my favorite Scriptures dealwith the subject of thanks and thanksgiving. Here are two of them: "I will praise God'sname in song and glorify him with thanksgiving." Psalm 69:23. "Thanks be to God for hisindescribable gift!" 2 Corinthians 9:15. As you read this newsletter, I'm sure you'll agreewith me that I have much to be thankful for, not the least of which was almost 6,000 milestravelled alone this summer without one bit of car trouble. I hope you will also see somethings that will cause you to be thankful for the blessings you have.

When I last wrote, I was just getting ready to leave to participate in some Vacation BibleSchools. I must tell you all of them went really well. The first one was with the Town andCountry Christian Church in Yukon, Oklahoma. I presented a 10 to 15 minute missionarystory each day -- telling the children about some cultural aspect of Mexico as well as giving aslide presentation and telling them about the work of Spanish American Evangelism. Thehighest attendance was 200 on the first day and the average for the week was 196. 131children had perfect attendance! They gave an offering of over $350.00 for a NewTestament project that SAE has. (I'll tell more about that project later.)

From Oklahoma I made my way to McKlnney Texas, located northeast of Dallas. TheirVBS started on Sunday night and went through Friday night. The closing program was heldthe following Sunday night. Since it was held at night, the adults also attended. Averageattendance here was 175, and their total offering was $400.00. Not only did I present themissionary story, I also led the singing and was "Lollipop, the Dragon". That was a newexperience for me. (Those of you who used the Standard VBS material know what I'mreferring to.)

The church In McKinney has an extensive bus ministry among the people who work atthe cotton mill. Many of these people are Mexicans. Although the adults don't attend, manyof their children do. A sad fact is that no one In the church speaks Spanish, so while I wasthere, we went calling on some of these families. Not many people were home, but we didmanage to meet one or two of the parents. One of the girls coming to church does not speak

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English, so I went Into her class to help her with the lessons. She hasa deep desire to learnEnglish and to study God's Word. It was a rewarding experience to see her come every nightand to know she comes every Sunday morning to the services, and she understands verylittle English, but she is learning.

Sunday night, after the closing program was over, I headed for Dallas to begin a VBS thenext morning with the Clearview Christian Church. I stayed with the minsiterand his wife.Bill and Dorothy Morgan. You may remember that they used to live in El Paso, and Bill wasmy "boss" before I went to Puerto Rico. Anyway, the Clearview church isa small one withonly 2 or 3 children attending Sunday School regularly. You can imagine how thrilled wewere when 36 children enrolled for the VBS. At the closing program on Friday night over75 attended. The kids had a great time, and they were thrilled when the offering exceededthe goal they had set for the New Testaments. It was over $100,001

The last VBS was held in Earlham, Iowa. One of the directors was Maxine Fullerton. Sheand her family used to live in El Paso, and we had sung in a trio together, so it was good toget to stay with them and visit as well as share in the VBS. This VBS wasalso held at night.Again I had the chance to share with everyone about the work of SAE. The total offeringhere was $485.00. It was such a good week. Not only did I get to visit with the Fullerton's,but different ones in the congregation invited Maxine and me for lunch. Maxine and I alsowent to Griswold one morning to visit Ron and Jerriene Cochran, who also had lived andworked in El Paso at one time. (Ron is a former director of SAE.) It was a joy to see themand their family once again.

The following week was the North American Christian Convention in Kansas City. Theweek-end in between I spent with the Horace Solliday's in Hamburg, Iowa. I had met themin Puerto Rico last winter, and they had invited me to their home anytime 1 was in theirarea. It was a good visit, but like most visits, too short.

The NACC was good. I was SAE's representative, so I tried to spend a majority of mytime at the booth. Colegio Biblico, El Paso Christian College, Freeman and Carolyn Bump,and SAE were able to secure booths next to each other, so we re-arranged our area a littlebit differently. I got to see many friends I had not seen since college and even earlier thanthat. One of them was the youth minister at Dodge when I was in 7th grade. It was hard tothink of him and his wife as grandparents. I stayed with friends whom I had not seen intwelve years, and a mutual friend also stayed there. I hadn't seen her in at least eleven years.We had a great time visiting -- when we got the time to visit. If you were at the NACC and Imissed you, I'm sorry. At a convention that size it is hard to get to see everyoneand harderstill to visit with those you would like.

Earlier in the summer my father and I had made arrangements to attend a Royals ballgame while I was there. Saturday afternoon he arrived, and we went to the game thatevening. They were playing Baltimore and won. Of course, that made the game veryenjoyable. Dad stayed over Sunday and went to the Sunday afternoon game, but it was timefor me to head back to El Paso. I went through Dodge so I got a very brief visit with mymother. (I had gone through Dodge on the way up to Iowa and spent a day with my folksthen.) I finally made it back to El Paso on August 3rd.

As I mentioned, the offerings from the VBS's I worked in went toward a special NewTestament project we have. We are trying to raise the funds to have 100,000 Spanish NewTestaments printed in Mexico for distribution in Mexico. There are two main reasons forthis. One is that it is cheaper to have them printed there, and two it is becoming more

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difficult to get New Testaments In large quantities across the border. More than onceMexican border officials have told Bill Baker they have no quarrel with the New Testaments.They just want them to be printed in Mexico Instead of the States. (Mexico has never had aBible printed in the country. The ones in the country have been imported.)

We estimate that we can have them printed in Mexico for 40 cents each -- less than thecost of a small Coke at McDonald's or Wendy's - for a total of $40,000.00. We can't be sureof the exact cost until we have most of the money on hand and can deal with the printers.So far we have over $2,100.00 in the fund -- most of that was given in the VBS's that I andanother couple had this summer. We are making an appeal to our mailing list to help withthis project. If you would like to help, please make your checks payable to SAE and markthem for New Testaments.

The economic situation in Mexico is not good right now. Inflation Is running at 100%,and the unemployment rate is close to 50%. The banks have all been nationalized, and thegovernment has put out all sorts of currency restrictions. The peso has been devalued onceagain and is nowworth a little more than a fourth of what it was just last January. The pesowas worth 26 pesos to 1 dollar at the beginning of the year. In March it jumped to 36 to 1,then in the latest upheaval it went as high as 130 to 1, before the government stepped in.It's now down to 70 to 1. Where there is an upheaval such as this, the time is ripe to get thecountry evangelized.

We have been distributing a lot of literature since the beginning of the year - so much so,that our tract supply is very low. We have not had the funds to do much printing, but wehave stepped out on faith and purchased enough paper to print 100,000 copies of 4different tracts. We did get 6 distribution centers opened in Mexico this summer, and weneed to keep them supplied with literature. As one Mexican evangelist recently told mewhen 1 told him we didn't have any tracts to give him, "It proves the Mexican people areout evangelizing. They've been asking for literature, and you've been giving it to them. Nowyou've run out." Obviously, we have not been keeping up with the demand. It costs usapproximately $500.00 to do one printing of 100,000 tracts. If you would like to helpsponsor a tract, please let me know.

Earlier this year Joe Garman of American Rehabilitation Ministries ordered 10,000 copiesof the booklet "La Decision Mas Importante de Tu Vida" (The Most Important Decision ofYour Life). Already he has distributed all of them and has ordered another 15,000.

As you can see, we have our work cut out for us, and we continue to do what we caneven though the funds aren't available. So far this yearwe have printed over 500,000 piecesof literature. Only two years ago that number was a little over 31,000.

As for me, the biggest news is that I have moved into an apartment. This isa big step forme, too. I just barely have enough monthly support to cover this expense along with all myother expenses. Although I'm still in the process of unpacking boxes, it Is a joy to finallyhave a "place of my own". I'm really looking forward to when I have everything put in itsown place and can really call the place "home".

Two major expenses I have are getting my car paid for and getting it painted. When Imade a special appeal for the car a year and a half ago, I received only $75.00 in response.As you can see, that didn't take care of even one car payment. As for getting the carpainted, the salt air in Puerto Rico and the hot desert sun of El Paso have done their best ingetting rid of the paint -- especially on the roof and the hood. Also, the salt air caused rustspots in several places which need to be fixed. It's impossible to even compound It. I do plan

Page 8: Wood Marilyn 1982 SAE

to get some estimates in Juarez where it can be done much cheaper, but it must be done. Ican't put It off much longer. If you would like to help with these, please let know.

Here is a breakdown of monthly My monthly support contiues to be aroundexpenses: $750.00. However, two good developments have

Tithes and Offerings . .. 90.00 occurred. One is I'll have my car insurance paid upRent 245.00 for the year in October. I won't have to makeCar payment 120.00 another insurance payment until April. The secondCar insurance 57.00 |s that I have found another health insuranceHealth Insurance 78.25 company, and if I'm accepted, my payments willLife insurance 4.60 be less than $30.00 a month as compared to theFood 100.00 $78.25 I am now paying.

Gas'̂ '̂ ^ ' 40 00l^j 50 00 savings to help pay my Social Security or totake care of unexpected bills. I have made no

Total 834.85 provision for dental care either. But as you can see,the Lord has blessed in unexpected ways. One was the apartment. I'm paying about $40.00less than I expected to pay. Another is the insurance. A third was a special gift of $100.00 Ireceived to buy clothes. That was a big help for my winter wardrobe. The Eastside ChristianChurch (of which I'm a member) has hired me to be their secretary/bookkeeper, and thathelps bring in some income, too.

I realize it is hard talking about money in this day and age and that many of you aretightening the "purse strings" as much as possible, but it has been so long since I really gaveyou an itemized account of what my financial needs are that I decided to do so in thisletter. I continue to trust the Lord for His provision of my daily needs, and though Isometimes get a little panicky, He continues to prove Himself to me over and over by Hisdaily care.

Thank you all so much for all your help. I appreciate each one of you. May God bless youall.

Sincerely in Christ,

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Marilyn Wood

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Volume I

"Chips Off The Did Block"News From Marilyn Wood

Serving Christ through:Spanish American Evangelism

3135 Forney LaneEl Paso, TX 79935

Number 4

Page 10: Wood Marilyn 1982 SAE

Winter 1982

Dear Friends,

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas, and El Paso is noexception. Even the weather has co-operated. We've had 2 snowfallsin two weeks — one left 6 to 7 inches of snow on the ground —and the weatherman is forecasting more snow for this week. That'shighly unusual for us.

The Lord continues to bless each one of us individually andcollectively here at Spanish-American Evangelsim. Just to give anup-date on some of the things I mentioned in my last letter: Thepaper we bought for the 400,000 tracts has all been paid for.200,000 of those tracts have been printed. The others will be printedin January. We also printed 50,000 "El Regalo de Dios" (The Gift ofGod) — a special Christmas tract — and then sent 100 each to allthe workers we have listed in the Directory of the Ministrythroughout Latin America and the U.S. We have more tracts onhand, so they can order them and distribute them during this specialtime of the year. In addition to the 250,000 tracts just printed, wehave also printed the 15,000 booklets for American RehabilitationMinistries (prison ministry) and delivered them to the head office.

Our New Testament fund has grown to almost $3,400.00. That's along way from our goal, but we thank the Lord for the way peopleare responding to this particular project.

The situation in Mexico continues to be bad. Gasoline just doubledin price, as did several other goods and services. The rest will go upJanuary 1st. Workers arc demanding pay increases or threatening togo on strike. The new president went into office December 1st. Sofar, the peso continues to be traded at 70 to 1 dollar. However, hereon the border, the merchants can set their own rate, so in most

places it's possible to get 125 pesos for 1 dollar! This is a boon forthe American tourist, but the Mexican people continue to have itrough. Please pray for us and with us as we try to minister to theirspiritual and physical needs.

I was just re-reading the last two newsletters I sent and realized Ihave never told you just exactly what I do — I did mention I'm the

secretary, bookkeeper, and receptionist for SAE. Tliis time I thoughtI'd go into a little more detail on just what all those jobs involve. Ofcourse, as receptionist, I answer the telephone, greet visitors, givethem the "grand tour", etc.

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As bookkeeper, I set up a completely new system involving adouble-entry system. This is making it easier for us to keep track ofwhere the money comes from and where it goes. I also write thechecks, do the banking, etc.

Being secretary involves a myriad of things — receipting gifts,writing thank-you letters, keeping mailing lists up-to-date, keeping upon the correspondence, etc. I'm responsible not only for SAE'smailing list, but also each individual missionary's mailing list, theMusicianaries (Jerry, Rosemary, & Tim Baley), and I also help the ElPaso School of Missions (formerly El Paso Christian College) keeptheir mailing list up-to-date. Needless to say, it's a never ending task.I also do much of the typesetting for the individual missionarynewsletters, including the Musicianaries. At times, I have done someof the set up work, and on occasion, I have done the addressing ofthe letters.

Tlien every 2 weeks or so, I find myself serving in the capacity ofchief maid, cleaning the offices etc. That usually takes a wholeafternoon.

I continue to keep an inventory of literature on hand and mail itout on request. Now that we've got more tracts on hand, we have abetter inventory.

As I mentioned in an earlier newsletter, I do just about everythingexcept the actual printing.

One thing concerning the literature — over 800,000 pieces ofliterature, mostly in Spanish, will have been printed this year, andmost of that material has already been distributed. During 1983 wefully expect to surpass the 1,000,000 mark! Please pray with us andfor us that we'll have the strength and health to carry out thisministry.

I don't like to mention specific health problems, but since Bill hasmentioned in the SAE newsletter that I'm having problems with myback, I thought I would fill you in a little. For the past 2 or 3months, I have been having some problems with my stomach. Ithought I might have a hernia, but the doctor diagnosed it as anirritated bowel (what used to be commonly called "spastic colon".)About the only cure for it is relaxation. It's caused by tension —physical and/or emotional. I was also told to find time for somephysical exercise, something lacking in my schedule right now. Ontop of that problem, my back was giving me such fits that I have not

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been able to sleep nights. So now, I am being treated for that as well.One of the things I did to help that situation was to buy a new bedwith a very firm mattress. It seems to be helping, too. Anyway, thesemedical bills and the cost of the bed were not something budgeted,but so far, the Lord continues to provide for my daily needs.

Christmas is rapidly approaching, and I'm looking forward to it.My entire family — parents, sisters, brother, brother-in-law, niecesand nephew — will be together for the holidays for the first time in7 years. I'm sure we adults are looking forward to Christmas as muchas the children, though for different reasons. We had a "short"family reunion a year ago September, but this time we'll be togetherfor a few days. We'll be celebrating at my sister's in Denver.

As the year 1982 draws to a close and 1983 rapidly approaches, Iwant to thank you all for your many prayers, words ofencouragement, and your financial help throughout this past year.May God bless each one of you. May you have a most BlessedChristmas and have a great 1983 serving our Lord and Savior.

In Christ,

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