Connect Winter 2018

Winter 2018
Dr. Martin Bassett examines
the ear of young Bolivian
girl, a member of indigenous
Ayoreo community in Santa
Cruz de la Sierra. The medical
team treated and delivered
medicine to more than 400
patients in five action-filled
days of medical clinics.

UPCOMING EVENTS
EVANGELISM
2 Timothy 4:5
Target unreached people
groups around the world
Engage the culture without
changing the Good News of
Jesus Christ
Demonstrate God's care and
compassion by providing
humanitarian aid for those in
need
Invite people into a
relationship with Christ
BUILD UP THE
BODY OF CHRIST
Ephesians 4:12
Promote unity and
cooperation among the local
Bible-believing churches
Train and equip teams of
believers for the work of
evangelism
Partner with local churches
to make disciples of new
believers
Saturate communities
through city-wide festivals
Egypt/Israel Pre-Trip ..................................................................... November 2-15, 2018
Dominican Republic Team Trip ....................................... January 26-February 5, 2019
Philippines Team Trip ........................................................................... March 1-12, 2019
Connect Benefit ............................................................................................. April 9, 2019
Spain Team Trip ................................................................................ June 21-July 2, 2019
Vietnam Team Trip .................................................................................... November 2019
Israel Team Trip ............................................................................................... March 2020
Medical personnel will be going on the
DR trip and need volunteers to assist in
registration, pharmacy, and prayer for
patients. Another team will be visiting
schools, sharing the Good News of
Jesus Christ through drama, music, and
extreme sports. Others will teach and
serve at outreach events for men and
women. There will also be opportunities
to distribute clothing to needy children.
The whole team will help at the festivals
in the children’s area, follow up with
decision makers, and pray for the festival.
JEREZ SPAIN
“This has never happened in the history of
the churches in our city. I believe it will be a
miracle to see all the churches that form the
body of Christ in Jerez united to do these
festivals.”
“The timing of this outreach is critical,”
Pastor Manuel Martin of Adulam Missionary
Church explained, “I believe that as a
fraternity of pastors, we are living at the right
time. We can and want to unite now, more
than ever. We thank God for giving us this
opportunity to do outreach on the streets of
our city.”
Pastor Martin added, “We are getting ready,
praying, fasting, and dedicating our time
to the work, research, and planning of the
outreach events and the festivals.”
Please Pray for
Dominican Republic
Mission Team
Jan 26-Feb 5, 2019
Reid Saunders and Ruth Daniels met with
festival leaders and pastors of 12 evangelical
churches in Jerez, Spain in early March, 2018.
“We are excited to work with Dr. Robnett,
a Next Generation Alliance partner, who has
established a mentoring relationship with the
Spanish pastors and will also bring a team of
volunteers from Portland,” Reid explained.
The week-long trip to Jerez from June 21
through July 2, 2019 will include affinity meal
events for teens and adults, which seems to
be the most effective way to do ministry
in Europe. There will also be BMX bike
demonstrations, street outreaches, drama
presentations, live music, and proclaiming
the Good News at four different outdoor
festival locations throughout the city.
Contact ruth@reidsaunders.org if you want
to be part of this trip. Team space is limited.
PO Box 4275 Salem Oregon 97302
503-581-7394 info@reidsaunders.org
one of the planned festival sites in Jerez

NEVER GIVE UP
ALL FOR
JESUS
We’ve all been there—on our knees
before the Lord, questioning our call
as an evangelist. The funds are tight,
our board is concerned, and the
opportunities for ministry seem scarce.
Have you been there? Are you there
now? When I am discouraged as an
evangelist, I always look to God’s Word
for encouragement and often find myself
in Matthew 11:28-30 where Jesus said,
“Come to me, all you who are weary
and burdened, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you and learn from
me, for I am gentle and humble in heart,
and you will find rest for your souls. For
my yoke is easy and my burden is light.”
When we are weak, He is strong. In times
of discouragement, fall into the arms of
your Savior Jesus and trust Him. Here
are a few things I have learned that have
helped me in times of discouragement,
and I pray they will help you as well:
God is faithful. 1 Thessalonians 5:24
says, “The one who calls you is faithful,
and he will do it.” Yes, the Lord is
faithful. He called you as an evangelist
and you need to trust Him to see you
through. I love how Paul finishes this
verse “… he will do it!” God is going
to get you through this difficult time.
Remember this will pass. Stay close to
Jesus and trust Him!
The evangelist must persevere.
Charles Swindoll once said this about
the minister of the Gospel not giving up:
“Stand still… and refuse to retreat. Look
at it as God looks at it and draw upon
His power to hold up under the blast.”
Charles Spurgeon, as well, echoed these
words to the persevering evangelist:
“Many men owe the grandeur of their
lives to their tremendous difficulties.”
When I feel discouraged, I often ask the
Lord two questions: One, Lord, what
do you want to teach me during this
time? Two, Lord, how can I grow as an
evangelist and follower of You during
this tough time? My friends, I truly believe
that God is more concerned with what He is
doing in you than through you. In tough
times, the Lord can draw us closer to
Himself and mold and shape us like
Jesus.
The evangelist must live by faith.
Earlier, I mentioned the importance
of going to the Lord in prayer and His
Word during times of discouragement. I
believe the key is living by faith. Another
passage I often turn to is Proverbs 3:5-6,
“Trust in the Lord with all of your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
in all your ways acknowledge Him
and He will make your paths straight.”
Paul also tells the church at Philippi in
Philippians 4:19, “And my God will meet
all your needs according to His glorious
riches in Christ Jesus.” And finally,
Hebrews 11:6 says, “And without faith
it is impossible to please God, because
anyone who comes to Him must believe
that He exists and that He rewards those
who earnestly seek Him.” Living by
faith isn’t easy, but it is essential for the
evangelist. When you feel discouraged
or like giving up, remember God saved
you, called you, loves you, and He will
see you through. Trust Him!
You are not alone. The life of the
evangelist can be very lonely. I have
several friends who are evangelists,
and they have often told me how lonely
they feel. I, too, have had moments of
loneliness, but we need to be reminded
that we are not alone. God has raised
up other evangelists in whom we can
confide and trust as friends and partners
in the Gospel. If you don’t already,
I encourage you to have mentors
and accountability partners who are
evangelists. They can encourage you.
You are not alone. Remember when
Jesus gave the Great Commission in
Matthew 28:18-20. He reminded the
disciples that He would be with them
“… always, even to the end of the age.”
It’s true for you and me, as well. Jesus is
with us always. We have the Holy Spirit
to work in and through us. The Father
loves us and will always be there for
us! As evangelists, we may feel alone at
times, but we are never alone. Jesus loves
us and has called us to preach His Good
News to as many people as possible, as
long as we have breath. My friends, in
times of discouragement, turn to the
Lord in prayer, His Word, and fellow
evangelists for encouragement. It takes
a team to reach the world.
I’ll close with this story. I was in Africa
in an area extremely hostile to the
Gospel. Our team was holding the first
citywide festival in over 25 years due
to persecution. This city was known to
be opposed to Jesus and His Gospel. I’ll
never forget that night at the festival. I
had just preached the Good News and
was calling people forward to give their
lives to Jesus. Right at the invitation,
about 400 men came forward, yelling and
shaking their fists at me. They rushed
toward me, loudly yelling and banging
on walls across the street from the
festival. I honestly thought I was going to
be killed. I was so discouraged to see this
happen, especially during the invitation
for people to be saved. As I stood on the
stage completely disheartened, a boy
came up to me. He was about 12 years
old, which was the same age of my son
Azlan at the time. The boy handed me a
note (which I still have today) that said in
perfect English, “Never give up!”
My friends, we must never give up!
No matter what you face in your life
and ministry, I want to encourage you
to never give up. Stay close to Jesus, live
by faith, and remember He who called
you is faithful. Keep doing “the work of
an evangelist!” Together, let’s reach as
many people as possible … All for Jesus!

THE
DECISIONS FOR CHRIST
8,036
TOTAL ATTENDANCE
34,354
CHILDREN’S CLOTHING, APRON DISTRIBUTION
2,240
MEDICAL PATIENTS
419
LEADERS EQUIPPED AND TRAINED FOR EVANGELISM
15,452

ISRAEL
PALESTINE
ARMENIA
GEORGIA
CREATION
FESTIVAL
BRAZIL
2018 OUTREACHES
BOLIVIA
FUTURE OUTREACHES • DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
PHILIPPINES • SPAIN
VIETNAM • KOREA
ISRAEL • RUSSIA

BOLIVIA
Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia is
one of the fastest growing cities in the
world. Abundant resources and job
opportunities have attracted many
migrants to the area. With the rapid
population growth and the decline
of the traditional Catholic church,
there is a tremendous spiritual
need throughout society. People are
spiritually hungry and surprisingly
open and receptive to hearing about
God. The few small evangelical
churches are persistently trying to
keep up with the growth and changes
in Bolivian society.
training and follow-up methods,
which will provide the extra
manpower for contacting, teaching
and discipleship of the new believers.
Doctor Martin Bassett, nurses Bev
Schmidgall and Pat Reagan, with a
talented group of interpreters and
volunteers, lovingly provided the
much-needed medical care and
medicine for more than 400 patients
during the week. The greatest needs
were found among the indigenous
groups that have migrated from the
jungle to the large city. Many remain
trapped in poverty with minimal
education, language barriers, lack of
transportation, and their primitive,
the team to present the Good News.
In Bolivia and throughout other
parts of the world, many youth
are walking away from established
traditional religion like the Catholic
Church. That has left a moral vacuum
in society. Because of that, church
pastors and festival planners wanted
to focus their efforts on reaching the
young school-age children with the
life-changing message of the Gospel.
Five public schools opened their
doors to a BMX bike demonstration,
drama, and gospel presentations. It
was encouraging to see hundreds of
students raise their hands and make
public decisions to follow Christ in
BOLIVIA IS
READY
FOR
GOOD NEWS
The fourteen-member RSA team
had several goals for their inaugural
outreach to Bolivia. The primary
objectives were to assist, unite, and
encourage the 15 small evangelical
churches in Santa Cruz and Yacapani
with school outreaches, medical
clinics, and four festivals. Leaders,
pastors, and the team rallied together,
and successfully overcame any fears,
doubts, and cultural differences.
Together, we reached more than
7,200 people with the Gospel
and saw more than 2,300 new
believers come to Christ in one
week. Praise God!
From those 15 participating churches,
85 members took part in evangelism
unsanitary conditions. Doctor Bassett
remarked after visiting an elderly
patient in a communal mud hut, “I
have never witnessed such desperate
conditions in all my life.” He was
visibly shaken and emotional by
what he had witnessed.
Meeting a few of their obvious
physical needs opened the spiritual
doors to presenting the Gospel. A
breakthrough in the closed Ayoreo
indigenous community was evident
after the medical team arrived. Years
of prayer, working with the regional
governments, repeated visits, and
building trust by missionaries Rick
and Lisa Methvin paved the way for
these large school assemblies. Many
of the youth attended the evening
festivals and brought their friends.
Raising awareness to the sex
trafficking, prostitution, and physical
abuse that is happening to young
girls from the indigenous tribal
communities were other goals that
we set. We wanted to encourage
and support Rick and Lisa Methvin
in their efforts to rescue young girls
from this deadly form of slavery.
Visiting their love-filled home and
meeting some of the young girls
that have been rescued from certain
destruction was an emotion-filled
event that will leave an unforgettable
impression in our hearts and minds.

NOW IS THE TIME
FOR THE YOUTH
PHILIPPINES
Evangelical pastors in Ormoc City
say now is the time to reach the
youth throughout the Philippines.
They estimate that 50% of the
island population is under 25 years of
age. Reaching this generation with
the Gospel is the key to reaching the
nation for Christ.
Evangelical churches throughout
the Philippines have experienced
numerical growth and recognize
the potential for even greater
influence. The pastors have reached
across denominational lines, united
around this single cause of reaching
their city and their nation for Christ.
Festival coordinator, Pastor Herman
Dionson, reported that the group is
anxious to work with RSA. “We like
how you have built relationships and
formed strong partnerships with
the local churches. You listen to
our needs and adapt to the situation.
This trust relationship helps our local
churches proceed with ease into the
program, and see the potential of this
first-ever citywide outreach.”
The outreach and festival in March
will hopefully be a training ground for
even larger festivals in the capital city
of Cebu, an urban area of more than
three million people. “Leaders are
excited about the possibility. We are
looking to pave the way for future
events,” Pastor Herman explained.
Ormoc City is a busy economic port,
predominantly English speaking, an
education and cultural center, and
the commercial hub of western
Leyte. The city has a population
over 215,000 which has been
predominantly Catholic since the
mid-1500s. Reportedly, many of
today’s young people are seeking a
deeper spiritual relationship with
God, not the traditional religion of
their parents. A citywide evangelistic
festival from March 1-12, 2019, with
team outreach visits to schools,
prisons, drama presentations, and
BMX bike demonstrations will be
used to draw thousands of young
people to Christ.
Anyone interested in joining the
outreach should contact ruth@
reidsaunders.org for updates and
additional information.
BOLIVIA continued
It was heart-breaking to learn that so
many more young teenage girls will
be targeted by sex traffickers in this
area of South America.
More than 600 clothing items and
meals were distributed to needy
children living in the poorer suburbs
of Santa Cruz and Yacapani. Children
waited patiently in line, as Ruth
explained the love and sacrifice that
so many volunteers in America had
put into each hand-sewn garment – a
free gift to remind them of God’s gift
to all. Sixty-five aprons, donated by
another team of volunteers, were also
presented to women in two separate
church services. Each garment was
received with deep gratitude.
“We really need to go back to this
area”, Reid remarked. “The fields
are ripe for harvest and we were
just getting started. Everyone was
so responsive to the Gospel and the
churches were truly committed to
reaching their neighbors.”

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Reaching the Unreached
“This has never happened in the history of the
churches in our city. I believe it will be a miracle
to see all the churches that form the body of
Christ in Jerez united to do these festivals,”
–Pastor Martin of Adulam Missionary Church, Jerez
Four outreach festivals planned for
Jerez, Spain in June 2019