Prayer Letter - June 2012

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Dear Friends and Family:

While most of you are probably trying to stay cool, as we near the summer months, I am sitting in my beautiful office my daughter in law, Mona recently converted from my guest room while I was off on a three-week speaking trip. Although my window is open, I am wearing a sweater. I don’t think any place on earth is as lovely as the town where I live. And I certainly hope you love your corner of the world.

I don’t know if age has anything to do with it, or maybe it’s because I’m a woman, and homemaker at heart, but if I had it my way, I would never, never leave the confines of my home. But I’ll have to admit, when I return from one of those trips, it’s wonderful to be greeted by my children and friends with special treats, and bouquets and banners. I am so loved!

But this is a letter about my ministry, because you and I are concerned about making sure people know how to go to Heaven, and are taught how to love and serve the Lord and others. So, I hope this will make you as happy as it does me:

I got to win a teenage girl, Sophie to the Lord on April 4. Her grandfather was recently saved from a life of alcoholism, and I wish you could see the drastic change from scraggly to clean-shaven and neat; from slurred greetings to clearly spoken “Sister, good morning,” at church. We have seen six baptisms; five were adults from one family!

Youth Camp April 3-6 brought many results, including the salvation of one particular young man, and young lives surrendered to full-time service.

My son, Joel, was here on a brief week-end visit. He and Margaret and their two little girls have a bi-lingual ministry in New Mexico. He preached at the conference of the new church in Nueva Maravilla, and was a blessing also with his beautiful singing.

The attendance in our monthly ladies’ prayer breakfasts has increased, and we are happy to have visitors and first ladies and military wives as our special guests every month.

In the month of May I was honored to speak in the Family Conference, Pastor Bob Murillo and Joy, in Guadalajara, where I was treated like a queen. Pastor Alejandro Ramírez, and his lovely wife, Rosie, gave me royal treatment, as I spoke at their Ladies’ Conference in Cuernavaca. My daughter, Ruthie, joined me there, and also spoke. Then we rode the bus for 6 hours to her home in Querétaro, where her husband Steve had stayed with their six children during her three-day absence. I spent two unforgettable weeks in their home, and spoke at their Mother-Daughter Banquet, and twice to their ladies’ Sunday school class. Their church has tripled in attendance since I was there two years ago! We made precious memories, especially as I accompanied her on the piano and she recorded two CD’s of old hymns…in English and in Spanish.

But life wouldn’t be real if it were all Eden-like climates, and spending time with those we love, would it? It was during one of those times when Ruthie and I were together, that we received the sad news that our friend, Catherine, faithful missionary to Ukraine, went to Heaven, after only two months of being diagnosed with cancer. To Matt Hudson and your children, Daniel, Rachel, and Deborah; and to Bro. and Mrs. Bob Ross, and your daughters, Cynthia, Nancy, and Emily, I extend my deepest sympathy. I’m not sure of the “whys” right now. But then I don’t have to be.

So I’ll just have to accept my questions as God’s answers to His working in mysterious ways, and go on serving Him. And I do joyfully!

Your friend,
Billie Sloan
Nahum 1:7