Prayer Letter - February 2021

 I’ve been sitting here counting my blessings, and trying to decide which ones to share with you. Probably the biggest, since my last letter, was the wonderful news that my grandson, Gabriel Sloan was saved on December 8. I’m thankful for my son, Philip and his wife, Liz for raising my grandchildren to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit. Of my forty-one grandchildren, 5 are in Heaven; thirty-four are saved. I trust the Lord that the two youngest ones will one day be saved. 

December 5 marked my husband, Tom Sloan’s, 16th anniversary in Heaven. He left behind a work that is growing under the leadership of Pastor Albino López. I don’t have a count of the souls saved in the past two months, but they are the total of those won to the Lord on soul winning, as well as regular church services. In the four years he has been pastor, new bus routes have been started, we have moved into a new building, and one of my favorite ministries God led him to start is our Christian School on Saturday’s. Since children are not allowed to attend school, due to the pandemic, they study online. Most of these bus children don’t have internet access, so they are bussed in on Saturday’s, and tutored by volunteers from our church. This is one of the most enjoyable activities of my week: attending the 9:00 opening service every Saturday morning, which includes songs and a message by the pastor; and then enjoying breakfast with these little children, before I go soul winning. The same vision my husband had sixteen years ago, has been passed down to our current pastor. And the unusual thing is that my husband and Bro. Albino never met.  But the love my husband had for Indian children has been carried on through the ministry he left behind. 

December 17-19 was the date of our Youth Conference. Although I’m not a teenager, I enjoyed playing the piano for the services; and participating in some of their activities, including soul winning at the park, and attending their Saturday night Banquet. At the close of the Conference, the front was lined with young people surrendering their lives to serve the Lord. Several were saved, including a young man from the church my son, Philip, pastors in Veracruz.

Thankfully, things are beginning to take on a semblance of normal. Although we have to observe certain restrictions, on January 27 we once again had our monthly Ladies’ Prayer Breakfast. Our last Breakfast was in February last year. Although several ladies we invited are afraid to attend public meetings, we had an attendance of 18 ladies, two of them for the first time. One lady is head of the women on the police force. She and her two teenage daughters have attended several of our church services. 

While I have thoroughly enjoyed being home for the past six months, I will begin my travels to different conferences, speaking to ladies, beginning in February. I don’t have to tell you the challenges I face with new regulations for passengers entering the USA. But I know the Lord will be with me. I’ve counted my blessings, now and I’m counting on your prayers.

Your friend,

Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Prayer Letter - December 2020

 I have found myself throughout this year, groping for anything that feels normal. Besides the loyalty of my family and friends, what has helped to keep me focused is the fact that God never changes, and He is in control of everything from COVID-19, to elections. He has truly been my Fortress.

But I can’t deny, so many things have been “out of whack,” as my Daddy used to say. And this year’s annual Ladies’ Christmas Banquet was one of those. Instead of having our Banquet at a local hotel Banquet Room, and being served by waiters in white coats, this year’s Banquet was held in our church auditorium, and about 15 young men, some of whom sang in our men’s ensemble, were our waiters. They did a super job, singing and serving.

And the ladies in the church cooked the delicious meal. On the night of November 20, the night before the Banquet, we celebrated our first Ladies’ Conference, with sessions the next morning until noon. Close to one hundred ladies attended. Our theme was “who healeth all thy diseases;” in keeping with the 2020 virus from which many have suffered this year.  So for that reason, our special guests for the Banquet were ladies in the medical profession. There were approximately 15 of those ladies who attended, and a nurse was saved when Pastor Joel Herrera gave the invitation. 

Our Church has amazingly not shut its doors this year. At the beginning of the pandemic, our attendance had to be limited. But now, our services have been attended very well; of course, maintaining social distancing, and using face masks, and gel at the entrance. Souls have been saved during door knocking, and in the regular services, and  Pastor Albino continues to baptize almost every Sunday. Even as I write, plans are under way for our 7th annual Youth Conference, December 17-29. We are expecting around forty out of town young people to attend. There will be games, three good meals a day prepared by our ladies, lots of good preaching, and on Saturday, the 19th  the young people will go soul winning. 

It was my privilege, to be able to speak to in a virtual Ladies’ Conference October 9 and 10, hosted by Mrs. Brenda Booth. I was in Pastor Franklin Booth’s church in Panama five years ago. 

And again, one of my faithful supporting churches, Martinsville Baptist Tabernacle, hosted a virtual Ladies’ Tea on November 3. Mrs. Debbie Parker asked me to join them and talk about our upcoming Ladies’ Banquet. To my surprise, these ladies meet every November, and pray for our Banquet. Is it any wonder souls have been saved every year? Thank you.

Sixty years ago, November 15, my parents, Dr. and Mrs. L.H. Ashcraft, my three little brothers, and I crossed the USA border into México as missionaries. And my life has never been the same. Although I didn’t surrender to be a missionary until seven years later, the church in Ixtapa (a work started by my son in law, Ulises Martínez) held a thanksgiving banquet in my honor on November 22, celebrating my sixty years on the mission field. To God be all the Glory!

Have a blessed Christmas. May we all remember to honor Him, Whose birth we are celebrating.

Mrs. Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Prayer Letter - October 2020

 Things seem to have been taking on a feeling of normal in the last two months. I am slowly regaining my strength, and am happily able to drive myself to church and do my grocery shopping. 

But best of all, I am busy once more doing my ladies’ ministries. I really enjoyed speaking to a virtual teen girls’ meeting of the Mount Hebron Baptist Church, where my nephew, Jonathan Ashcraft is pastor. What a precious ministry!

One of my most faithful supporting churches, Martinsville Baptist Tabernacle, Pastor Zempel, has an amazing Zoom meeting every week for missionaries. It was fun to sit in on my first one in August, and be able to put faces to the people I pray for. Thank you for loving missionaries.

On a personal note, my 14 year-old grandson, Samuel , son of Philip and Liz Sloan, (missionaries in Veracruz)  enjoys woodwork as a hobby. He accidently fell and cut his eye and retina with a wood cutting knife, the night of September 11. Thankfully a retina specialist was able to perform surgery, and save his eye. He has undergone several surgeries, and in the words of his doctor, Graciela, “It was only divine intervention that his eye was saved.” His sight is slowly improving.  Thank the Lord for His divine intervention.

The church here is going forward. The Sundays since I have returned, there have been several saved. 

Next month is our annual Ladies’ Christmas Banquet.  Pastor Albino suggested to me last Sunday that we have a two-day ladies’ conference, November 20 and 21, ending the night of the 21st with our annual Ladies’ Banquet. 

This will be our first ladies’ conference. Although I have been a part of several ladies’ conferences in different parts of the world, it is quite different to go and speak, and enjoy the fruit baskets and gifts, and enjoy fellowshipping, and hearing other ladies speak; than it is to actually organize on. So PRAYERS, PLEASE!

This year, thinking of COVID-19, our theme will be “who healeth all thy diseases;” taken from Psalm 103:3 Our guests of honor this year will include ladies from the medical field…ladies who have risked their lives to save the lives of others. And of course, I don’t have to tell you the spiritual application that will be made throughout the Conference and Banquet. Please pray for wisdom, for finances, and especially for souls to be saved. While ladies’ conferences usually are directed toward Christian ladies, and certainly the majority attending will be Christians, we will be encouraging our ladies to bring lost friends and family members. Each session will include the Plan of Salvation.

Thank you for your faithfulness in supporting me and my ministries with your finances and with your prayers. I can’t wait to tell you how this event turns out, because you will have had a great part in it.

Your friend,

Mrs. Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Prayer Letter - August 2020

 Home Sweet Home! There is no other place on earth where I’d rather be, than right here in my mountain valley home of San Cristóbal, Chiapas. After more than four “unplanned” months away from home, it was never sweeter to step on Chiapas soil, than it was the night of July 10.

Life is certainly full of “the unplanned.”  I consider myself a very healthy lady, except for minor aches and pains common to my age. But I’ve never been sick for so long…over two weeks…than I was the first few weeks after my arrival. My main symptom was severe fatigue. If you have ever experienced that malady, you know that it not only affects the body, but also the mind, the emotions, and the morale. After two weeks of being pampered by my daughter, Anna and her husband, Andrés; and my daughter, Elizabeth and her husband, Ulises;  and with the support of my other six children, I began slowly to regain my strength. I am still limited in the physical work I can do. But this has given me more time to spend in my devotions in the mornings, and in the study of the Word of God. And I am even enjoying teaching virtual conferences and meetings with ladies and teen girls. Thank the Lord for modern technology.

At present, I am under the care of a cardiologist, who has recommended two other specialists for my recovery. 

The work here is continuing to grow, and the members are staying faithful, although  the death toll continues to rise. I was heartbroken to hear of the death of the young pastor, who brings his orphans to our Banquets every year. He died of coronavirus. Very strict rules are being enforced in stores, offices, and even in clinics. 

I have only been out twice for medical appointments during the three weeks since I returned home. I miss getting to attend church, and I really miss having my ladies’ Bible class, and our monthly Prayer Breakfasts. Hopefully this stressful time in our lives will soon subside.

Also, I miss having visits from my church family here. A lady from our church called me while I was in the States crying, because she missed me. She called several days ago, and said, “Get ready for a big hug when this is over.” I don’t want to disappoint her, but something tells me this will never really be over…better, but not over.

On a personal note, two of my grandsons graduated from High School in the month of June. Please pray for Steven Miller, Jr., and David Sloan, Jr., as they both are preparing for full time ministry.

Thankfully, you have continued to be faithful to my ministry: some through financial support, and many of you through your prayers. Thank you.

May the Lord bless and keep you healthy and safe during this pandemic.

Your friend.

Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Prayer Letter - June 2020

Greetings from Decatur, TX, where I am anxiously awaiting God’s opening the door for me to return home to Chiapas.  My original plans of March 23 were to fly home alone. But when COVID-19 hit planet earth, several people, including my children, advised me to wait until the epidemic crisis had subsided. 

My son in law, Ulises Martínez, and my daughter, Elizabeth also have been stranded between their return from Israel, and their return to Chiapas. Since things will undoubtedly be stressful in airport security, I decided to wait and return with them. I feel I need the guidance of someone wiser than I am in making this decision. My heart’s deepest desire is to return home as soon as possible. But we don’t want to get ahead of the Lord.

Our ladies’ prayer group in the church in Chiapas has been sending message after message of fatalities caused by the coronavirus. Mexico is about a month behind the USA as far as its being affected by the virus. So, like my son, David brought out the other day when he called me, and I complained about being homesick: “Mom, God is keeping you there, because it’s not safe to return right now.” 

However, for some interesting reason, I am able to stay busy with my ministry. I have had some new experiences, such as speaking at a virtual ladies’ conference of the Monte Abarim Baptist Church in Cuernavaca, México, the 4th-6th of May. Rosie Ramírez is the wife of Pastor Alejandro Ramírez, and this was certainly a challenging and new experience for me…just like the online live panel of pastors’ wives on May 29. We answered questions sent in by other pastors’ wives. 

I’ve also enjoyed joining Steve and Ruthie Miller on some of their deputation trips. 

I am so thankful we can return to church again, although we are still practicing social distancing here at Immanuel Baptist Church. 

Will life ever return to normal? Yes, it will. But it will probably never be the same. I have lived through two such experiences in my life: we have all lived through 911. And although things finally returned to a semblance of normal, it was definitely a “new” normal. Remember getting to walk your passenger right up to the gate, and waving good bye to them as they boarded their plane? And the Zapatista uprising in 1993 left our little corner of the world in devastation. And yes, even that rebellion finally calmed down. But it’s never been the same. We are still…after over 26 years…experiencing enormous changes that never returned to normal. The Indians have become more aggressive, and roadblocks are a “normal” part of our “new normal” lives.

God has so graciously provided a lovely house where my children and I can find refuge until this storm passes. And I am grateful. I constantly remind myself, sometimes through tears, that God has me exactly where He wants me to be. Please pray that if it is His will, I may soon return home, where my heart is.

Your friend,

Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7

Prayer Letter - February 2020

Greetings from the beautiful city of Xalapa, Veracruz, where my son, Philip and his wife, Liz and their four sons live. I’m enjoying family time with them, and also with my brother, Tommy Ashcraft, and his wife, Emily. But the purpose of this visit is to participate in a three-day conference in the Calvary Baptist Church which Philip started. This is my first conference for the year, and several more lie ahead of me. Thank you for your prayers.

Our Church continues to grow, and souls continue to be saved in all of our ministries, including door to door soul winning, conferences, youth banquet, and even at our Christmas dinner. 

God also used the wedding of a precious couple in our Church, Diego and Eloisa, to reach two very special families: Sunday morning after the wedding on Saturday night, the bride’s parents were saved. And that evening, 32 people made professions of Faith, including Pastor Albino’s  parents, and some of his siblings. 

At our Youth Christmas banquet several young people were saved, and 5 surrendered to full time service.

At our Church’s Anniversary conference, there were also 2 more saved. 

At our Ladies’ Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday, January 29, two precious ladies were saved. One of these ladies is mother to three autistic children. Please pray that Yulissa will grow in grace, and for wisdom in raising these special children.

One of my favorite ministries is my ladies’ Bible study on Thursday evening. One lady who attends is a Tzeltal Indian. I was encouraged last week when she told me she takes her notes back to her village, gathers her family, and teaches them my lessons in Tzeltal. What a blessing!

I love my life and my ministries. And it is through your faithful prayers and financial support that I was able to report the blessings God has poured out the last two months.

Enjoy serving the Lord to the fullest.

Your friend,

Mrs. Billie Sloan

Nahum 1:7