South O' Border

Dear Friends in Christ,

The History of the Spanish Fellowship Hymnal

When Margie and I arrived in Mexico to begin our ministry the only Hymnal available was "Himnarion Popular" -- Popular Songbook with around 400 songs and cost $3 each. At that time the daily wage for the common wage was $.50 cents per day. Not many could afford one. Only the pianist and director had one. The first thing Margie and I did (with her playing) was to add the English title to each song.

Harold DeVilbiss compiled a small hymnal without music of 96 songs and chorused (some that he had translated. In 1965, with his permission we began to publish these in large quantities at $.25. In the late 70's the publishers decided to discontinue the popular hymnal and began publishing the "Baptist Hymnal" consisting of over 800 songs and costing $12. Few could afford this price.

At that time we began to write, translate, and publish over 65 booklets for SS and other doctrinal material, using obsolete equipment. The masters cost $5 each. We began to publish these books and our monthly bulletin "South O' Border" from 1962 to 1989.

Again with permission we extended the Fellowship Hymnal to 249 songs and choruses. (Margie and I have translated over 50 hymnals; some were included in this addition). At first we only did the words of the songs, which fit on 30 sheets, printed on both sides. We used a blue cardboard cover and saddle stitched the book. The cost was about $.75. Later that year we realized the need for the music. The guitar chords were added by Abel Delgado with the English titles. Sixty pages are needed. The binding was with a plastic spiral. Cost was $1.50.

In 1999 after much frustration with old equipment, the Lord gave us a new FR 2950 Risagraph printer from Japan. The masters cost only $.25 and could print over 5,000 copies if necessary. Praise God it is still in use today. Over 4 million copies have been done with this equipment to date.

It is now small talk to produce 1000 hymnals (the press holds 1000 at a time). First the master copy of the book is make (later Marvin Hooge prepared new master which we still use). The covers have to be prepared apart in lots of 4500 each and cost about $.15. There is a need of 30,000 sheets of paper for each 1000 books.

To print books with music 60,000 sheets are needed printed on both sides. Then they have to be folded for the saddle stitch, which is an old heavy-duty foot-operated machine.

Eliseo Delgado, pastor of Canton Baptist Temple in Reynosa Mexico, and hi family have put together or collated and stapled all the books we have printed, including all the hymnals. After being prepared they are saddle stitched and bound with spiral by Eliseo.

They are then transported back to our place where we use an electric guillotine paper cutter to trim the edges. Since it only cuts one edge at a time, this makes three cuts for each hymnal. Then they are placed in the original boxes and are ready to be distributed to the churches and missions where they are needed.

Another very important part of this process is pastor Angel Zapata of our First Bible Baptist Church in Reynosa Mexico. He is in charge of distribution. This is only achieved mainly two times a year when the BBF of Mexico meet for the national Fellowship meetings.

There are many others who have a part in this process. One year Dr. Billy McClain at Shining Light Ministries printed 10,000 hymnals with words only. These were distributed to other Spanish speaking countries.

We feel that all this has made a difference in the worship services in the churches and missions of Mexico and other Spanish speaking countries. We believe that over 30,000 of the 96-song book were printed. Of the hymnals without music over 150,000 have been printed and distributed. There have been over 5,000 hymnals with music printed and distributed. This week we just finished another 1000 without music.

Remember, this is just a sideline for us. While doing this, with the help of our two sons we have built over 130 churches and missions in Mexico, complete with buildings and a Mexican pastor. We have built and directed a youth camp. Directed two Bible Institutes and have an online Theological Seminary for missionaries and Spanish speaking pastors.

You have made this possible with your prayers and financial help. Some may think we are bragging.Well we are; not in what we have done but in what God has done in, through and sometimes in spite of us.

Yours for souls in Mexico,
Lonnie and Margie