Thursday, December 22, 2016

Prayer Letter - December 2016

I’m writing this from the upstairs home of my son in law, Ulises, and daughter, Elizabeth. If I look above my computer, I can see miracles everywhere…first, God’s creation: fruit trees, hills, mountains, and a cloudless sky. I see walking miracles…Ulises walking from the orphanage building, talking with two of his pastors. I see the miracle of an architect, because that’s what Ulises was before surrendering to full time service. He will always be an architect, but he has used this gift to head up the construction of a beautiful church building, the children’s home, and the lovely house where they live.

But today is also a memorable day for our family: 12 years ago, on a Sunday afternoon, angels came down to our bedroom, and escorted my husband, Tom Sloan, into Heaven. I have shed tears yesterday and today, because I miss him, and will always love him. But God’s ways are perfect always, and I can be nothing but thankful for the 35 years I spent as the wife of the most extraordinary man I’ve ever known.

In the month of October, I was invited to speak in a ladies’ conference in Acatlán, Jalisco, where Pastor Raymond Jones heads up the work his father started many years ago. His mother, Elaine and I truly are kindred spirits: we were born in the same year; our husbands went to Heaven in 2004; and our sons took over our husbands’ works. Bro. Raymond’s wife, Laurie, and Elaine did a beautiful job organizing this event.  In the one-day conference, I spoke 4 times to about 250 ladies, including 20 pastors’ wives, who filled the beautiful auditorium. Our day was crowned with a lady being saved. As icing on the cake, my daughter, Anna, and my granddaughter, Debbie, accompanied me, and helped with the special music.  “Thank you, Lord, for precious memories, and new friends.”

The month of November is also a special month for me, because it was 56 years ago, on the 15th that the L.H. Ashcraft family crossed the US-Mexico border, and moved to the mission field. All our earthly possessions, including Mother’s ironing board, fit quite nicely into the old Carry All along with my parents, my 3 little brothers, and me. My life has never been the same.

But, I must return to the happy present, and give you the report you’ve been waiting for, and let you know how God answered your prayers for our 18th annual Ladies’ Christmas Banquet. You are tired, I know, of hearing that this year’s Banquet was our best yet; but it truly was. God provided the finances in ways too incredible, and too many to tell you. Thank you, thank you for your prayers in that area, and for the special offering you may have sent. We had an outlandish attendance…the only word that comes to my mind, when I close my eyes and see ladies sitting outside the Banquet room, and sadly ladies leaving because there was simply no room, even there. We had prepared for 150, and there were 175 present.

Jim Roggenkamp is the humblest man I know, and was superb in his delivery of the Gospel message he preached. When he gave the invitation, four precious ladies were saved, two of those, amazing answers to countless prayers! We honored 15 pastors’ wives; 7 women on the police force; 5 military wives; (3 of their husbands attended); and 7 First Ladies. The men in our church presented a special award to a captain in the Mexican army who retired after 33 years of service. Thank you for the part you had in this miracle event.

I’ve saved a little surprise for the last: we have a pastor, as of November 27. Bro. Albino Lopez was voted as pastor of our church, and I don’t know of anyone who has a greater burden and love for our people, and vision for the work. Please pray for this young man and his wife, and for their 3 precious children, that God would encourage him, and use him as He has in the past.

Have a very Blessed Christmas with those you love, and may our hearts be filled with gratitude for the birth of our Savior, and for His mission on earth: to save sinners like me.

With love and prayers,
Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Monday, October 31, 2016

Prayer Letter - October 2016

I wish I could tell you that the past two months have been the most wonderful ones of my life. I could, except for the heartaches they have brought: the death of my dear friend, Peggy; a five year old diagnosed with leukemia; a telephone call from the wife of a man who just walked out on his family. I just returned from visiting a young mother who was saved four years ago after attending our ladies’ Christmas banquet. She and her husband travel to Mexico City on the bus twice a month for her chemotherapy. But Dali loves the Lord, and she loves the lost. Several weeks ago, during one of her hospital stays, she sent me a message asking me to send her the Scriptures of the plan of Salvation. I did, and the next day she sent me a picture of her and the lady she won to the Lord, who is also a cancer victim. Oh, by the way, my Thursday ladies’ Bible class was started in her home because of her desire to see her lost friends saved. Will you please pray for my precious friend?

On September 19, my husband and I would have celebrated our 47th wedding anniversary. He is in Heaven, but he was in my thoughts that day, and my mind went back to the romantic candlelight ceremony that made me Tom Sloan’s wife! His passion was taking in young Indian boys, winning them to the Lord, and training them for the ministry.  Joel Gregorio, was one of those boys who lived with us, was saved, surrendered to the ministry, married a wonderful young woman, and has started several works about 5 hours from here. They came to San Cristobal a couple of months ago, because of some complications during his wife’s pregnancy.  On August 27, Zaremi gave birth to their third child, born two months prematurely. The doctors told Joel that his wife would probably go into a coma during delivery, or have a stroke. Joel wept as I hugged him, and tried to comfort him. Imagine his joy, when the nurse came out after baby Gabriel arrived, and told him his wife was awake! The days following were ups and downs for both Zaremi and their little boy. Five days later, there were several complications, and we thought she wouldn’t make it. Hundreds of prayers went up for her all around the world. I believe God was moved, because two weeks later Gabriel and his mother were finally home together. PRAISE GOD FROM WHOM ALL BLESSINGS FLOW!

On the day of Gabriel’s birth, there were 3 people saved during our ladies’ monthly visit to the Nursing Home. It was my joy to lead Don Manuel to the Lord!

In the month of August, I was honored to get to speak 9 times in a three-day ladies’ conference in the little town of Zumpango del Rio, Guerrero. What royal treatment I received from Pastor Mario Clemente and his wife, Noemi! This is a village work, and unpaved roads led up to the little church building on a hillside. I fell in love with those precious people! I also got to fellowship with Missionary Nathan Patterson, and his wife, Apolonia and their three children.

After my return, I spent a week in Ixtapa, and it was such a joy to see how the ministry of Ulises and my daughter, Elizabeth has grown, not only in attendance in the churches, but also to see the new works that have been started since my visit in December. The day they came for me, during lunch, Ulises gave me the surprising news that they have surrendered their lives to be missionaries in Israel. While I have mixed emotions…no mother enjoys being separated from her children…I feel honored that God chose my children to minister to His chosen people. Please pray for them, as Ulises is preparing men to take over the works that he has started, and as they do deputation. And pray for me!

Excitement is at an all-time high, as November 18, the date of our Ladies’ Christmas banquet is rushing toward us. What started out as a burden that God put in my heart 17 years ago to reach ladies in prominent positions, has blossomed into a delightful ministry involving almost every member of our church. I couldn’t do this without them, and although God receives all the glory for the ladies who have been reached, humanly speaking, I couldn’t do this without you…your prayers and your financial support. 

A special feature on the program will be recognizing Baby Gabriel, and 9 more precious little ones whose lives God has spared, including a baby who underwent open-heart surgery. The mother of another one of these babies was told shortly after delivery that he would not survive. Distraught, she asked to be left alone. She told the Lord, “I’m going to stop asking you to save my baby. I give him to you right now. And if you choose to take him,     I’ll
keep on believing.” Is it any wonder that this is the theme for this year’s banquet? Oh, by the way, God spared her baby’s life.

Have a good time enjoying God’s blessings today, and just “keep on believing!”

Your friend,
Billie Sloan
Nahum 1:7 

Friday, September 2, 2016

Prayer Request List

PRAYER REQUEST LIST FOR OUR 18TH ANNUAL
LADIES’ CHRISTMAS BANQUET
November 18, 2016

  1. Wisdom and discernment in all the plans and decisions to be made.

  1. Extra strength for the ladies and me as we plan and make preparations.

  1. For the wife of our City Mayor to be able to attend, as well as First Ladies of neighboring towns. We refer to ladies who are in positions of prominence as “First Ladies.”

  1. For the wives of the former mayors, military wives, wives of men on the police force, and pastors’ wives to be able to attend.  

  1. For extra finances for the cost of the Banquet.

  1. Preparation of the special music, and choice of each song. This year our special guest singer will be Cathy Flores, wife of Pastor Carlos Flores.

  1. For our guest speaker, Missionary Jim Roggenkamp, as he prepares his message for the evening, and for liberty as he preaches.                                 

  1. For the Hotel staff to be reached with the Gospel.

  1. That the Lord would prepare the hearts of the ladies who will be attending, and for many to be saved, who will be an influence to others.  We have had ladies saved in every banquet for the past fifteen years, including five former First Ladies, three military wives, two ladies who have prominent positions in our city, and a policewoman.

Note:  This Banquet is an annual affair, and will be attended by ladies, who for the most part are unsaved, and who either because of religious preferences, or pressures from home, do not attend our Church.  The Lord laid these dear ladies on my heart several years ago, and I am as burdened for them as I am for the ladies in my Sunday School Class.

Billie Sloan
Nahum 1:7

Prayer Letter - August 2016

Good morning! One of the rewards of ministering to children is seeing them after they become adults.  Since my last letter, there have been 3 ladies saved in my Sunday school class. One of those ladies rode the van years ago when our family had a route in a nearby area of town.

This year in our Vacation Bible School I taught the story of Daniel.  Every morning the children also heard preaching from different men in our church. Seven precious children were saved!

The Spanish Family Conference near Chicago has become almost like a family tradition for me. This June was my 10th annual Conference, where I was privileged to teach 7 times to different ladies’ sessions. I go to be a blessing, but I am the one who always leaves challenged by the wonderful preaching and fellowship.

From Chicago, I flew to Chattanooga, TN. Pastor Virgil Smith and his wife, Karen met me at the airport. We had never met, but by the time we reached my apartment at the Gartenhaus Training Center, which is part of the facilities of the Hamilton Baptist Church, I felt like we had known each other for years. Thank you, precious friends, for over 20 years of faithful support; for the honor of teaching the ladies’ Sunday school class; and for inviting me to share my testimony in the morning and evening services.

My visit there was somewhat over-shadowed by the news of the deaths of two people very precious to my life:  my husband’s former pastor, Bro. W.N. (Jimbo)  Bond went to be with the Lord on June 24; and two days later, my husband’s cousin, a pastor’s wife, joined him. Heaven just keeps getting sweeter.

On July 25, I was invited to speak at a farewell dinner for a military wife, whose husband recently retired after serving almost 33 years as captain in the Mexican army. They have since moved to Mexico City. Since he and another gentleman were present, I simply gave my Salvation testimony, using lots of Scriptures. He promised me that they will be attending our Banquet on November 18. We will be honoring him that evening.

At our monthly visit to the Nursing Home on the 30th of June, we walked in, we noticed a casket in an adjoining room. The former mayor’s wife, who is now the director of the home, said he was an unknown man whom they found on the street a couple of years ago. He never regained consciousness.  “No family member has ever come to visit him, or look for him. We don’t even know his name, so we named him Juan.” The lady who gave the devotional taught through tears, and she said, “God knew his name and where he was.” My greatest sorrow was that probably no one ever told Him of Jesus.

That is the purpose of our 18th Annual Ladies’ Christmas Banquet, November 18. Many of these well to do ladies of prominence who will be attending have never heard a Gospel message, or the plan of Salvation. Please take seriously the Prayer Request List I am sending.

And please pray that I will seize every opportunity to speak to others about the Lord. That’s my mission on this earth.

Your friend,
Billie Sloan
Nahum 1:7

Wednesday, June 29, 2016

Prayer Letter - June 2016

I was up this morning at 4:30, and took out coffee and sweet bread to the church across my driveway, for the group of faithful men who come to pray at 5:00 every Wednesday morning. Their special time of prayer is for a pastor…the pastor whom God would choose for our Church. But the three men who are the leaders are doing a wonderful job. I’ve heard many comments from neighboring pastors, and visiting missionaries, about the incredible way this work has grown under the leadership of these three Godly laymen.

I had a fun two weeks in Chaparral, NM, with my son, Joel and daughter in law, Margaret and my two granddaughters, during the month of April. It was an honor to get to speak to their ladies’ Sunday school classes…first to the English speaking service, and then to the Hispanic Sunday school. These two congregations keep my children busy.

Back home, I resumed my weekly ladies’ radio program, which I teach live over the phone.  On the 23rd, I was invited to speak to a ladies’ dinner at a church in a neighboring town. Two days later, I flew to Mérida, Yucatán, where I joined two of my daughters and their families, to participate in the Mission Conference where Bro. Danny Ward, his son in law, Jared Miskovic and Bro. Jason Thomas have a thriving work. During that Conference, it was a joy to see three church members surrender to be missionaries. On the 28th, my daughters and I were honored to speak at their Mother-Daughter Banquet.

On April 30 in México, we celebrate Children’s Day. The following day, Sunday, we had 180 children present. The men spread a tent on the other side of my house, and thankfully, it didn’t rain until after the services! I had 12 new ladies…mothers of some of those children…in my Sunday school class. This is a result of our bus route started a few months ago.

When I gave the invitation at our Mother-Daughter Banquet here in our church, one mother lifted her hand for Salvation.

At our April and May Prayer Breakfasts, three ladies were saved: a member of a former mayor’s family; and two military wives. Last Sunday morning, a former mayor’s wife attended.

There is an Indian lady in our church who has prayed for many years for God to save her family from her village. Last week, her brother called her at 1:00 in the morning, and said, “I’m ready to get saved now.”  She won him, and an elderly couple, close to 100 years old, to the Lord. The lady said in her native dialect, “I can’t go to Heaven. I can’t read, and I don’t even know Spanish.”  My friend explained to her that she surely could. And she did. How precious! But how sad that she didn’t hear the Gospel before she is nearing the end of her life!

Thank you for your prayers and financial support, helping to reach people just like these precious Indians who now have a home in Heaven.

Your friend,
Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Sunday, April 10, 2016

Prayer Letter - April 2016

Greetings from Chaparral, NM, where I am enjoying family time with my son, Joel and his wife, Margaret and my two beautiful granddaughters. Once a year I try to travel to the USA to spend time with my children. Since they’re in ministry, there is always lots of the Lord’s work to do, mixed in with family fun. 

But I have been receiving wonderful reports from “my” ladies. I never cease to be amazed at how well they carry on our ladies’ ministries without me. 

The month of February was filled with blessings in the Church in San Cristobal. My son in law, Andrés, and another young man started a “bus” (van) route. The first Sunday morning, there were 30 who rode the van, and 4 ladies were saved. The young father of a family who rode that morning, walked up to me, and said, “I used to attend your Vacation Bible School when I was a little boy.” Don’t give up, Sunday school teacher, although your students are little children.

Our prayer breakfasts remain to be the highlight of the month for our ladies. In the month of February, the mayor’s wife, who is a believer, gave a sweet testimony of how God answers prayers. Also that same morning, 2 military wives (one is the wife of an Air Force officer); and a policeman’s wife attended. These are the special ladies who are guests of honor, not only at our prayer breakfasts, but will be also at our annual Ladies’ Christmas Banquet on November 18. Every breakfast is attended by lost ladies. I teach a lesson, and give an invitation. Thank you for your prayers for this delightful ministry.

Since my last letter to you, the ladies and I have started a wonderful, exciting new ministry: the last Saturday of each month, we visit the nursing home. At our February breakfast, a former First Lady attended. She was saved at our Banquet last year, and is also the Supervisor of the Nursing Home. As she left, the Lord spoke to my heart, and impressed me to start a regular ministry there, since my friend has given us perfect liberty to minister to these elderly, forgotten people. So the following Saturday, several of us ladies went there to visit. I gave a very brief devotional, and asked each of our ladies to go personally to each one, and witness to them, and visit with them. There were four precious souls saved that morning. Now, we will never see fruits, as far as their becoming pastors or pastors’ wives. Some can’t even leave the home. But they are precious souls who now have a beautiful, eternal home in Heaven. Will you remember this ministry in your prayers? Thank you.

On March 15, I flew to Reno, NV to attend a Mission Conference in Fallon, where my son in law, Steve Miller is pastor. Since three of my sons were the speakers, and since two of my daughters also attended, I invited myself to accompany them. Besides getting to spend precious time with six of my eight children, and 13 of my grandchildren, I enjoyed seeing how God is blessing Steve and Ruthie, and the Victory Baptist Church since they went there just over a year ago. I got to speak for a few minutes in the Spanish ladies’ Sunday school class, and gave my testimony Saturday night during their International Dinner.  The next morning, on Easter Sunday, Steve baptized two precious ladies. And everyone was thrilled when they learned that they had almost doubled their Faith Promise goal.

I pray the Lord will give you your best day ever!

Your friend,
Mrs. Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Saturday, February 27, 2016

Prayer Letter - February 2016

December, 2015, was a busy flurry of activities. Besides the joy and fun of celebrating Christmas with some of my children and friends, I was privileged to participate in a Family Conference in the city of Tapachula, and to teach in three ladies’ sessions. My daughter, Anna, and her family were also invited to attend, and help with the special music. She and Andrés, and their two older children, Andrew and Debbie, spend many evening hours practicing with their guitar, violin, flute and piano, and their voices blend so beautifully.

While the work in Tapachula  isn’t part of the ministry here in San Cristobal, I must share with you my delight in seeing how those simple country people are true servants of the Lord, beginning with Pastor Bertin de la Torre, and his wife, Rosana. They have a thriving ministry which includes a Bible Institute, jail ministries, and radio ministry…the services were broadcast live every night. On Sunday mornings, they have three services simultaneously…Pastor Bertin preaches, while two of the preachers he has trained preach in the other two services. I thank the Lord for ministries like this and for the honor to have had a part in their Conference.

Returning to Tuxtla, my daughter picked me up at the airport, and we drove straight to Ixtapa, where I enjoyed attending the Israel Conference in the church my son in law, Ulises pastors. It was a special treat getting to fellowship with Bro. Samuel Esquivel and his wife, Alicia. The last day of the Conference, Sunday, the church took up their first Faith Promise offering. There were three saved that morning. And like icing on the cake, my 9 year old grandson, Paul, surrendered to be a missionary to the Jewish people. What a joy to be a part of these growing ministries!

The young people in the church here hosted a Christmas Banquet, especially to reach lost youth. Three of them were saved that evening. I’m thankful for young people who love the Lord and lost souls.

Earlier in December, there was another teen girl who was saved in a Wednesday evening service, and a young man was saved the first of January. In our Sunday evening service on January 17, three people surrendered their lives to full time service. What is such a blessing to this missionary lady is that our church is going forward…even without a pastor. The men in the church are coming together several times a week to pray for the Lord to send us the pastor that He would have us to have. And I ask you to do the same, please.

I rejoice with my son, Tommy, as they celebrated their first service in their new church building on January 31. He and Mona have been holding services in their home since beginning this work over a year ago. His ministry, Compassion Radio, also continues to thrive.

Three new ladies attended our Prayer Breakfast last Wednesday: one is the wife of a doctor that Andrés works with. And another was a policeman’s wife and her friend. She said someone from the church gave her a “breakfast pass.” Instead of invitations to ladies on the police force (or wives of men on the police force) and military women or wives, we have started this year to give out “passes.” You girls know how we love anything that is free…especially a free breakfast at a fancy hotel. Please pray for the Salvation of these 3 ladies.

Your friend,
Billie Sloan
Nahum 1:7