Carlos and Mayra, with their children, are in Spain alongside the churches of the Baptist Evangelical Union of Spain (UEBE) in their ministries to migrants, preparing curriculum materials, and training lay persons in the local churches. 

They write: When Jesús, deacon at the Baptist Evangelical Church of Basauri, contacted us last November, little could we imagine how this trip would impact our lives… Back then the invitation was to get to know the ministries in the Basque Country and why they need missionaries… He sent us a detailed document with what had been achieved and what was pending, giving us the call to “Macedonia” as in Acts 16 to come to Vizcaya…

“Come over into Vizcaya and help us…”Nine months later the visit has been completed and as we are back home we can affirm: there is “work” in the Basque Country and you can be a key to achieve it.  … Among the most populated cities within the Province of Vizcaya, five still lack an evangelical presence. There are 6 UEBE churches.

Reality check… As needed in many places in Spain (due to finances), the pastoral leadership is mainly bi-vocational and almost always shared. Therefore, the harvest continues to be plentiful and the workers few... The pastors rotate within these congregations and missions to cover their needs. They also have guest preachers from other regions to know of their ministries elsewhere in Spain and to share about their own.

The challenge and calling…What our eyes saw and our ears heard is a cry for “more hands on deck” in the evangelism efforts of these nearby cities with more than 15,000 habitants each and one of them with almost 30,000 habitants… Almost 80,000 habitants have not heard of the Good News of Jesus Christ. That is the burden that these 180 members of these 6 UEBE churches feel in this area. Each of them would have to reach 444 habitants… Their fervor and passion toward those that surround them is impacting! How they mingle as Basque, Brazilians, Bolivians, Colombians, and Uruguayan, to name a few, is contagious. They told us: “we share with everyone just the same, but we recognize that the migrants respond more promptly.”

Beyond their borders… What impact to see them go beyond their borders… We were asked, because of our trip to Lorca, to share the presentation and update of the situation after the earthquakes of May 11th. We left in their hearts the concern to be part of the hope of restoration and reconstruction; to continue their support to these families in Lorca that continue their efforts to serve the Lord in that place. Therefore, Lorca can count on their brothers and sisters in the Basque Country.

As for us…we continue committed to that for which God has us in this place… And 1st Corinthians 1:18-21 encourages us in this “foolishness of preaching”…

·        Pray for the Christians in Spain as they reach out in the name of Jesus bringing help and hope.

·        Pray for Mayra and Carlos as they serve Jesus in Spain.

·        Pray for their children: Alberto (15), Carolina (12) and Daniela (7).