News from Lou Hill

God Has Blessed! Thank you.
In 2004, God called us to plant a church in Nampa, Idaho. Since you have been in the loop by way of our prayer letters I'll spare you the details other than to say God has blessed our efforts to follow His leadership by allowing Christ since we arrived. One man (our first convert) has surrendered to full time ministry and enrolled in Bible college. A lot of ministry that can't be detailed in this limited space has taken place. It is all to God's glory, but your partnership has been vital to our success, and for that we thank you.

A New Field! The Macedonian Call

Allow me to digress in time. In 2003, the Lord led me to join with four other men in the establishment of Balken States Ministries. The new ministry was designed with the purpose of partnering with national pastors in the Balkan states, specifically those located in Macedonia and Bulgaria at the time. Balkan States Ministries would provide much needed support for pastors and churches in the area until they could become self-supporting.

While we have enjoyed being a part of taking the Gospel to the same area of the world that God led the Apostle Paul to (Acts 16:9), our work has been limited due to our primary responsibilities in the U.S. Even with limited work, our partnership with Marjan Angelovski and the other pastors of the Balkan States Ministries has been privileged to have a part in establishing 7 churches and 7 missions in Macedonia in the last five years. To God be the glory!

Earlier this year, as Pam and I sought the Lord's leadership for our lives and ministry, we began to sense God's call to prepare the church in Nampa for a change in leadership, and for us to devote our full time effort to planting church is Macedonia. It is with gratitude to our great God that we obediently answer His call.

Your Continued Support is Needed!

Needles to say, we are very excited about what God is calling us to do. Having recently visited the field again, I am reminded of the great door of opportunity for effectual ministry the Lord has opened for us. With less that 1% of the population of Macedonia considered to be born again believers and Islam at a staggering 30% of the population and growing, to say the need is great is an understatement.

We cannot do this great work along. Your prayer and financial support is greatly needed if we are going to succeed at this great task. Will you partner with us as we take the Light of Christ to this needy part of the world? It is necessary for us to raise monthly personal support in order for us to answer God's call to this new ministry. Please pray about supporting us as your missionaries to Macedonia.

A short time from now, I would like to call you in order to talk with you about scheduling a service at which time we can share our vision for Macedonia with your church. Since in the past you have entrusted us with the responsibility of representing you as your home missionaries to Idaho, our hope is that you will be able to add us to your missions family as your missionaries to Macedonia.

Thanks again for your prayer and financial support, but most of all for honoring us as part of your missions family as we planted Harvest Fellowship Baptist Church in Nampa.

Sincerely in Christ,

Lou

News from Turkey 11/10/08

Gateway Newsletter and Prayer Update: November 9, 2008 Greetings to you all from Turkey! The last 2 weeks have been packed with the Spirit of God moving and guiding in the ministries here. Thanks for being part of it all through your prayers and support! Zacchaeus Trip with Dr. Müjdeci delayed: I waited for Dr. Müjdeci’s arrival at Beytel East, but unfortunately Dr. M. never came or called. We would have been in Ova meeting with the believers there and making visits however the day before Dr. M. was to meet me his wallet/money/phone/bags were stolen and he could not get in contact with me to let me know. He finally got into contact with us and we were just glad to know he was alive! We will try again to go at the end of this month. Evangelism at Beytel East: Young Kurdish girl professes faith in the King!: Although we didn’t go to Ova, while at Beytel East the King had much work for us to do. There is a girl there that this summer E. was able to share with but because of her Muslim background she felt she could not “become” a Christian. She told E. that she loved Jesus and that she sees that Christianity is the true way but because she is from a Muslim background she must die a Muslim. She told E., “When you go to heaven can you tell Jesus to accept me, and tell him that I wanted to be a Christian and love Him but because I am from a Muslim background, I have to die a Muslim.” We have been praying for her daily. The first night at Beytel East I spent hours sharing with her and her mother. Then a few days later (this past Thursday night), the King provided an opportunity for us to present the Gospel clearly and she prayed with us to come to the King! After the prayer her eyes lit up and said with a big smile, “Am I a Christian now?”. I said to her that now Jesus is with her at all times and that she now has a true hope in her difficult life and One whom she can come to with all her cares. Also she no longer needs E. to talk to Jesus for her! Her concern now, as with most people in the East, is that when her family learns they may kill her. Please pray for this young girl we will call “Ö”. Pray that she will grow in her faith and that she may be protected from family members that would wish to kill her for her faith and us because we shared it. Fruits of Christian Resource Projects: “M.” destroys charms and amulets and shares with his family at Beytel East!: Also this past Thursday I was speaking with “M.” who weeks ago was given our book on Folk Islam and the Gospel’s response to it called Aman Nazar Değmesin! (May the Evil Eye Have No Effect.) “M.” was eager to meet with me because he knew I wrote the book and he immediately told me what happened after he read it. He said, “I felt there was a voice speaking to me saying, ‘Open up the two muska (amulets) that you have been wearing since you were a child, they are empty!” He went on to tell me, “I decided to open them up and I found they were empty! I couldnt believe it, I went to my mother and showed them to her as well and she was shocked. Because my mother doesn’t speak Turkish, only Kurdish I read the book outloud to her in Kurdish and now we have gotten rid of the nazarlık (protective amulets) in our home as well. I began to think about my life and realized what was written in your book is true!”. I then asked him about what he thought about Jesus and we spoke of Jesus’ power over demons and then I learned about the karabasanlar (demons in Turkey) that had attacked him and I told him of the power of Christ and how he must believe in Him. Pray for “M.” that he would give his whole life to the King and believe in Him alone. He is on the path! Beytel West Growing: Providing Live worship on the internet to Beytel East!: We praise the Lord for the growth and for those who are part of our fellowship. We are in the process of raising up a leader “B.” for a 2nd Eastern base near the Iranian border! Pray that “B.” would learn and grow to be the leader and pastor the Lord would have him to be. We are now broadcasting live via internet from Beytel West every Sunday to Beytel East so we can worship simultaneously! This has been such a blessing as we are able to see and speak to each other in real time using the internet! We may use this method for further church plants in the East. Thank you for your continued prayers and support, J. of G.E.S. Please make your checks payable to: New Horizons Foundation
(FBO Gateway Missions) and send to: New Horizons Foundation Inc.
4570 Hilton Parkway, Suite 203
Colorado Springs, CO 80907

To learn more about our Christian Resource Projects and or other projects please visit our website: www.gatewayeducation.org

News from Turkey

Gateway Prayer and Persecution Update from Turkey 23 October 2008

Dear supporters and prayer warriors,

May the Lord bless you, guide you and use your every word, thought and deed for His glory.

Thank you so much for remembering us in your prayers and please know that we also do pray and thank God for you as well.

Persecution During the Month of Ramadan*: I have not written about this to anyone yet as things like this seem to be normal life for believers here and we are used to it so much now that we just expect this, however I was reminded that it is not normal in the West and people need to know. During the month of Ramadan which ended over two weeks ago, our pastor Abdullah was out again with his son Kürşat and they were sharing the Good News. An owner of a shop learned of what Abdullah was speaking about and took a 2x4 board and screamed at Abdullah saying, “What are you doing here during this “holy” month, trying to make infidels out of us?” The man threw the board at Abdullah’s head Fortunately Abdullah was able to block the board from striking his head but it left two gashes on his arms. Abdullah only told us, the leadership of Beytel, about this. Please pray without ceasing for the King to open the eyes of the blind here as we continue to share the Good News in this city and around the country. Pray for open doors, hearts and minds and that we would continue to be fearless for the Gospel.

Zacchaeus Projects: Dr. Müjdeci returned safely this past Monday from his last trip. The King blessed this trip and many where helped. The good doctor gathered the brethren there in that eastern province for prayer and encouragement. Pray that the fellowship would grow in faith, maturity, and in numbers. Pray also that the King would raise native leaders from among them in that province that could lead the fellowship. The doctor and I will be heading out to meet with them again the first week of November. Pray for our preparations and safety in travels.

Interns being trained at NUT*: Continue to pray as we teach new workers how to minister in culturally appropriate ways and to share the gospel with Muslims. Pray for them as we send them out to meet others to share the Good News. Pray for their protection and for many divine appointments.

Update on E.: E. is still alive and well, sharing his faith in our Eastern base. Pray for his encouragement and leading. He saw a vision this last week where he was in a front of a light so bright that he had to bow down and could not even look up towards it. The Lord said to him, “Oraya git, oraya git, oraya git” repeatedly over and over meaning (go over there). He told me that he knew he was in the presence of the Lord but could not muster the courage to ask Him “where?” at that time. He woke up and immediately called me. He has been praying to the Lord saying that “I am willing” but to show him where he is supposed to go.

*(the month of fasting which commemorates the coming of the Qur’an)

*( NUT is an acronym for the three martyrs of Malatya in April 2007: Necati/Uğur/Tilman.

We seek to honor their zeal and sacrifice for the Kingdom of God in Turkey. We proudly train others to take their example to be ambassadors for the King and to give their last breath for the sake of the Gospel.)

Thank you for your continued prayers and support,

J. of G.E.S.

Please make your checks payable to:

New Horizons Foundation
(FBO Gateway Missions)

and send to:

New Horizons Foundation Inc.
4570 Hilton Parkway, Suite 203
Colorado Springs, CO 80907

To learn more about the NUT internship program or other projects please visit our website:

www.gatewayeducation.org

Lonnie and Margie Smith - November 08

Novlet

November 2008

Dear Friends in Christ,

Praise be to the Lord for additional funds that allows the construction work on the building of the Matamoros Baptist Mission continue. After finishing the addition on the lower plant, work has begun on the second storey. All work on the walls and even the concrete roof has been finished. Lacking only the plastering and the installation of the windows and doors. This addition will give room for the pastor to live and additional Sunday school rooms for this growing work. Bro. Eliasib Zapata rejoices with his people for this blessing from the Lord through Bedford Baptist Temple, Texas.

Antonio Cesar Delgado was saved under our ministry in Monterrey several years ago. After finishing Bible College he pastored a mission in the Monterrey-Guadalupe area. He is married and has two children. God called Cesar to work in a very fanatical area where few or no American missionary have been able to penetrate, the State of Oaxaca. No doubt you have read about the uprising in this area in southern Mexico. He is meeting in a rented house, and there is no more room to grow, nor any money for property or building. I have asked God to put upon your heart to help this worthy Mexican missionary. Funds should be designated to: Cesar Delgado or building fund.

The second week of this month the pastors of Reynosa and Monterrey will be traveling by a chartered bus to the Rawlins youth camp in southern México, near Cuernavaca for our annual national BBF of Mexico meeting. This meeting is for fellowship, election of officers and the raising of the Missionary budget for the year. There are over EIGHTEEN missionary projects of the BBFM that need funding. Please pray for this meeting and for all the BBFM pastors from all over Mexico as they travel and meet.

Beloved, once again we wish to express our gratitude for your faithfulness in prayer and financial support for our ministry. Pray for souls as we continue to labor for our Lord.

Yours for Souls in Mexico,


Lonnie & Margie Smith