SALVATION AND BAPTISM

by Michael J. Miller, Jr.

With the manifestations occurring with the teams this year and the change the Lord Jesus is doing with the teams it had to lead to repentance, peace, security in knowing that each Christian doesn’t need to live a life in condemnation but in knowing they are written in the Book of Life and they have been freed from the slavery of sin. Each team comes with a mission to bring change to others but we look at each team when they come as individual Brothers and Sisters who carry with them some sort of question, doubt, hurt, fear, or extra baggage from their past. Romans 11:13-14 says, “I am talking to you Gentiles. In as much as I am the Apostle to the Gentiles, I make much of my ministry in the hope that I may somehow arouse my own people to envy and save some of them.” Glenda and I live out our ministry with this in mind and with every team that comes, or when we come home to visit you in the States as well as our work in Honduras. Al Erickson and Mark Erway the leaders of this team have been a huge part of the growth of this ministry and it is one of many reasons in why they keep leading teams down. One evening Al came to me and asked me if I would baptize him in the same river I baptize my boys youth in. I asked him some questions and he explained that if he was baptized he didn’t remember it and would like to do it here in Honduras since this is where his change began many years ago. So we announced it to the team if anyone else would like to be baptized or rededicate their baptism. No one came forward until the Holy Spirit started to move in the hearts of the team members. The top photo is the location in where we baptize our youth. This Monday morning started out with fasting and prayer. I knew in my heart since the day that Tammi arrived that she needed the salvation of Jesus Christ. So in the second photo we gathered together and I preached a sermon to the group and invited anyone to come to Christ. Tammy came forward and prayed the sinner’s prayer. We started with her and baptized Tammi, then Al, then Ed, and finally Ron. (All seen from page 1 3^rd photo to 2^nd page first two photos.

The Holy Spirit was moving so much that Ed said he felt an electrical surge pass in him that he wanted to fall back into the water. We closed with another sermon on the banks of the River and gave Holy Communion to the entire team. We invited Pastor Giron, Juan de Dios, Cristhian, Oscar, Marvin, and Yoel to be witnesses of this beautiful blessing. (See in the 3^rd photo, 2^nd page) This experience in a whole was God led and moved. All we could do is drink in the Spirit. God healed hearts that were broken from past pain, divorce, suicide in the family, and many other issues. God also brought peace to those by sealing them with the Spirit and brining them to a consciousness in being obedient to God and His leading. Our prayer is as more teams come to Honduras they will look to Christ and search their hearts. For each team member to search in why did they come on a mission’s trip and why are they here?

May the Lord continue to bless all the churches that are partners with this ministry and all those who have come in the past, present and future to usher in growth spiritually.