Dear Friends,

In this September issue, we want to share the good news from our Church in Murcia.

Last week 7 people were baptized in the Mediterranean and as always that is a great joy, especially when one of those was Mercedes. She was shy, very concerned about her relationship with her family and what they would think or do if she told them she was becoming a Christian. She has tried to explain to her sons that it is not a cult and was worried about a public faith. But now Mercedes is being bold and outspoken, taking the step of public faith in Baptism, PTL.

In the picture is Mercedes with Dimas, our Spanish pastor in stripes on the left. But the one we want to feature today is Rene, the man on the right of the picture. Rene came to Christ in 2000 and has been deacon and now is the assistant pastor of the Murcia church. Rene and his wife, Jenny, are getting ready to go out as our church’s first missionaries. On September 30, they will depart for Bolivia. Please pray for them. The mercies and grace of God in this family is overwhelming, especially when Rene was a drunk and their marriage was about to dissolve, then God stepped in… PTL.
If you like to help Rene and Jenny Cuellar, you may by donating to the “National Workers Fund” at AMG International. Please be sure to specify the family name.

AMG International
6815 Shallowford Road,
Chattanooga TN 37421

In His Grace,
The Restrepos
www.restrepoministries.org

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Dear Friends and Supporters,

Just a bit of news from Torrevieja to thank you all for praying.

Recently, we had our “This is Spain Exhibition,” the annual business trade show in which we participate with a booth and spend 3 days handing out tracts and sharing with people. This year was a little more special because the organizer, Christine, gave us front door access and she has shown great interest in the things of God.  She mentioned to Alice Hamblen “I need to get to know God”. Please pray for her to come to know Christ in a personal way.

We also have with us, Mike and Alice Hamblen, who are helping our ministry by shepherding until September. Please pray for them specifically and for their health to remain good during their stay in Spain.

We do want to inform all that our second daughter, Jesica, graduates High School this May and is planning on attending Calvary Bible
College in Kansas City in the fall, studying Elementary Education.

Thank you all for your prayers.

Working together with Him,

The Restrepos
Torrevieja – Murcia, Spain

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To all our Friends,

These have been some very intense weeks of late. I really do not know where to start. So let’s just take it on the calendar.

On March 1^st we rented a new place to live in the town of Torrevieja where we have the International Church. The congregation is pleased to have us in town and not in Murcia.
Mary did most of the actual moving as Rafael had a scheduled trip to Cuba since November of ’09. He was accompanied by one member of each of our churches – Murcia and Torrevieja. This gives the churches more information and someone other than Rafael to encourage missions in the churches. As he says, “I always go with the idea of encouraging them with medicine, gifts, and Christian materials, but I always walk away feeling as if I was the one challenged and strengthened.” In our first visit in 2002, the organization which we partner with had 25 churches cared for by 25 pastors and with an influential circle of 2000+ people.

The island of Cuba has 14 provinces and our partners are in 8 of them at this point in time, with the 9^th to be on the map by the end of 2010. To date, there are 55 churches being attended by 50 pastors and ministering to a circle of influence of over 5000+ people. The mid range goals include a church in every province by 2013 with a total of 70 churches. We are so grateful for God allowing us to be a part of this miracle in Cuba.

Upon Rafael’s return, we finished moving to our new place and started living there by the end of March. It has been chaotic, but it’s coming together.

Then came Easter. We had great meetings in Torrevieja on Thursday night, Friday night, and Sunrise service with the Resurrection Celebration to top it off. Pray for Michael A. in Torrevieja. He has recently come to Christ and we have started discipling him.

Murcia had meetings on the same nights and were well attended. Of course, Easter Sunday was packed in both churches. What is sad about Easter in Spain is the religious folklore – colorful, festive but empty of a knowledge of Christ.

I would love to talk to you all about N. Africa but at the present things are very difficult and we rather keep quiet as we do not want to risk losing the open door we have. However, pray for the workers as much has happened in the last month. If you want information on this, just ask.

The Lord bless you all, and again thank you for your part in the Restrepo’s Ministry.

The Restrepos

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Dear Friends,

It has been some time since we sent out an E. Prayer Letter and we apologize. We have held back hoping to have definitive news about a new venue for the International Church in Torrevieja.

So here is the News; after much searching and having dedicated December-February to the idea of moving or negotiating a time change with the Russian church we share premises with, the outcome is “NO CHANGE”. We almost signed a contract but it fell through, and we almost changed places with the Russian congregation but that fell through so for now we are staying put.

We admit that it has been hard to accept but we trust our church council and we know God has all in control. The real change is that we, the Restrepos, are moving to Torrevieja. We just signed a new rental and expect to begin moving in the 1st of March.
The International Church is in good spirits. We had our annual business meeting in early February and it went well. We have two new projects to reach the unchurched and they have come from members of the congregation which excites me even more. One is an outreach in a local restaurant on Wednesdays and the other is one directed to women and daughters, we also want to again have a permanent place at the Saturday market. Please pray for that.

The Murcia Church is doing very well. They are moping a little as they are not happy to know we are moving to Torrevieja, but they are doing well. We had a good turn out to a marriage seminar on the Feb.14th. and the Bible School classes continue to produce future leadership for the church. In the annual business meeting in early Feb. we chose an assistant pastor to help Pastor Dimas. New home groups have started and we are looking to the future as far as expanding the Elder Board.

One last Item of prayer. Three are traveling to Cuba this March 5th. Rafael and a member from each church, Murcia and Torrevieja. We are taking medicine and support for the Cuban church. Please pray for safety in and out.

Working together with HIM,
The Restrepos

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Dear Friends and Supporters,

May we begin by wishing you ALL a Happy, Healthy, Godly New Year!
Today 6^th of January is a special day here in Spain. It is the gift giving day of the “Three Kings”  – tradition celebrates the arrival of the Wise Men from the east bearing gifts to the New Born King.

It is also a sad day and yet an exciting one at that. We are sad to inform you all that we were not able to come to a contractual agreement with the owners of the building we were considering as a new venue for the International Church.

To not bore you with details, we will get to the point. The church congregation and council had decided that we could not go over 2,000 Euros a month in our rental contract. And even this was a brave step of faith for us. We felt we had to put a limit and this was the consented amount (US dollars 2,875) (Pounds Sterling 1,799). After much negotiation and for reasons that included multiple owners and tax laws, we could not get them below 2, 216 Euros a month. If you wish further details, please contact us as we would be more than willing to explain.

We want to thank the group of volunteers from the Northport Baptist Church in NY that were eager, willing, and ready to come and help in the renovation of the building. Also, thanks to those of you who cheered us on and the love, encouragement, and commitments we received at this time.

We are sad but excited to see what God now has in store for us here in this corner of His vineyard. PLEASE continue to pray for our search of a new building. We need it and now more then ever as a congregation, we have seen the value in moving.

God Bless you and may 2010 be a fruitful year in the advancement of the Kingdom of God.

Rafael & Mary Restrepo
Murcia – Torrevieja, Spain

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Missions Update from the Restrepos

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