Thumbs Up!

The following is a letter (reprinted by permission) by one of many satisfied short-term team members this year.  John braved the trip only one day after surgery on his hand, giving him a permanent "thumbs up" demeanor we all enjoyed, teased, and imitated.  Thank you, John, for this endorsement of team trips.  Thanks to all who came, contributed, and prayed!

John's son, Jamison, is the chairman of the board at Audio Scripture Ministries, and was the leader of this team from Grand Rapids, Michigan, which also included his younger brother, Ted. 

June 2018

 Hi Jim & Jamie,

Thank you so much for hosting and leading our group to help bring the ASM audio Bibles to the people in and near Progresso, Oaxaca Mexico in April.

It was inspiring to learn from both of you the very long history of the translation efforts by Wycliffe Bible Translators beginning in the 1950’s to get Bibles in printed form by 1970’s.  Your work partnering with ASM to locate these people groups, to find native language readers, to make recordings, and do the tedious editing of the sound bites to bring the final product is truly a blessing to those who receive an audio Bible.  Praise God for the countless hours, days, and years of work by you and many others.  How humbling to participate in the distribution of these Bibles after the very hard work of so many for so long that made it possible.  To Him be all the glory and honor!

One powerful impression that keeps coming to my mind is how the people of the small churches we met with are clinging desperately and fiercely to God’s Word, the Bible.  During the worship services and prayer times with these small groups I felt their obvious passion and love for God.  You could see it on their faces.  The presence of God’s Spirit was strong.  No wonder they are enthused about having the audio Bibles for their people!  Thank you for translating for us some of what was being said during those times; it was wonderful.

And then there was the singing!!  What joy to sing God’s praises simultaneously in three languages: English, Spanish, and Mixteco.  Or, singing back and forth to each other as groups.  The unity of believers transcends language barriers, and I felt the presence of God’s love even though not understanding any words.

Another powerful experience for me was praying over each of the individuals that were given an audio Bible.  As a group we simultaneously prayed our own personal prayers for that person out loud, while laying hands on them.  Each time the same strong realization came to me during the prayer:  this person is my brother or sister!!  I did not know him/her until that day, but we are united in Christ and I need to pray for him/her and be a help and an encouragement.  This was very intense!

The people of Progresso were such gracious hosts, sharing their food and places with us.  Most of them have very little, but provided so bountifully from their hearts.  I can’t say enough about their hospitality and friendship they showed.  They set a high standard for showing their love of God in worship, caring, and hospitality.  I praise God for them and have learned a lot from them; it was a privilege to have the experience.

Thank you, Jim and Jamie.  May God also continue to bless you and the work you do, and the believers in Progresso.

In Christ,

John Worst

Dreams, Visions, and the Birth of a Harvest

Returning to the Isthmus of Mexico for the second week in a row, our prayers and ministry focus were directed to the Zapotec speakers in an area devastated by the earthquakes of last September.  Our joint evangelistic efforts proved to be a tremendous encouragement to the pastors who accompanied us.

After a day of visiting mostly “inconversos” (unsaved), we felt prompted to spend a day focusing on providing audio Bibles for the church leaders who could multiply the fruit by sharing the scriptures in Zapotec personally with their neighbors.

As we took the audio Bible to one of the founding members of the church, offering to pray for her and her ministry, she asked us to join her in visiting and praying for her sick neighbor, a man in need of our Savior’s touch.  Quickly it became apparent that God had prepared this neighbor for an encounter with us that day.

Our team prayed over Andre as he lay in his hammock, first commanding any pestering spirits by the authority of Jesus’ name and his blood shed on Calvary to depart from the premises, rendering them powerless to keep Andre in pain and unbelief.  Then we prayed for healing, thinking perhaps he had TB based on his description of chest pain and coughing up blood.

Andre then told us how some relatives had come to pray for him the night before, and how he felt the same sensation of a cool hand going over and inside his body, soothing and healing it.  We explained that the only way he would remain free was to call upon the name of Jesus himself, confess and repent of his sins, and accept the free gift of salvation. 

Andre began to relate a dream he had the night before, which our Zapotec interpreter explained to me in Spanish. In his dream, a visitor showed him a vision.  In the vision, Andre was in his hammock, and a group of eight individuals were gathered in front of him, like a chain, all inter-connected.  Before them was a big clay platter covered with ashes.  One of the eight picked up the platter and began to blow until all the ashes were blown away.  What remained on the plate were six kernels of corn.  The eight visitors debated whether they should plant the corn, since there did not appear to be any soil, just a hard concrete floor.

At this point, I was translating the dream into English for my team members, becoming more excited as the story progressed.  Just that morning, my husband Jim had again referred to the audio Bibles as “The Good Seed,” expressing a desire to only plant it in good soil.  Earlier in our visit, we were debating whether to give Andre an audio Bible.  Continuing to describe his vision, Andre said that the visitors did in fact plant the kernels of corn, and were thrilled that they all sprouted, a word in Spanish which literally means “were birthed.”  After the crop was harvested, the man in the vision burned the field, and then told Andre he used to be like that burned field, completely dead, but now he was like the fresh corn - new life!

The dream was easy enough to decipher.  There were exactly eight of us standing before Andre in his hammock, just like in the vision.  Our prayers to dispel evil forces were the breath that blew away the ashes.  The hard ground was the man’s heart prior to our visit.  The corn, obviously, was the Word of God bearing fruit.  The only puzzling part was the detail that there were six kernels of corn.  Later we learned that the man’s household totaled six souls.  We had prayed that Andre and his whole household would accept salvation that day.  In faith, we believe for a harvest of all six becoming believers even though we only had the privilege of praying with the one.  Andre cried actual tears as he prayed the prayer of faith, repeating the Zapotec words of his neighbor.

This is just a portion of all that transpired at one house on one day of two solid weeks of ministry, visiting in people’s homes, offering intercessory prayer, audio Bibles, and the gift of salvation for those ready to receive it in faith.  It was exhilarating to see so many people set free from the bondage of sin and Satan, and others healed of physical or mental suffering.  Many prayers were answered in dramatic ways, and we trust that the church leaders in the area will continue to visit the new believers and disciple them as they mature as Jesus followers.  Most of all we are thankful that God’s Word remains in their hands to help them grow in knowledge and wisdom and to bear much fruit for the Kingdom.