Delmar and Eileen DebaultDirectors

LouiseGarden, Secretary'Treasurer

News of

THE MASTER'S MESSENGERS

With

International Christian MinistriesP.O. Box 848

Lake Wales, Florida 33859-0848Tel. and FAX (813) 676-6667

Summer Edition 1995

"When I Journey to Spain...Romans 15:24Paul spent most of his life and ministry in the eastern Mediterranean world. But he longed to visit Rome (Romans

1:13,14). However, a deeper look into Romans clearly indicates that Rome was just to be a stopover for the pioneeringApostle. His spiritual eyes were set on Spain, the "end of the world" in the first century where he knew the Gospel hadnot yet been preached. Acts 28 ends with Paul in Rome in his first imprisonment, but many Biblical scholars believethat he was released and took the Gospel to Spain (Iberia), and again imprisoned in Rome where he wrote 11Timothyjust before his martyrdom under Nero.

"When I Journeyed to Spain and Portugal and Gibraltar"I learned in December, 1994, that my scheduled teaching and evangelism mission in Nicaragua in January, 1995,

had to be postponed. Billy Loft called from Managua to inform me that he was being called to Spain by his mother, Mrs.Ginny Loft, widow of Bill Loft, Sr. to assist with an emergency in the church leadership in the churches inMurcia, Spain.I don't handle disappointments easily, so the Ijord took care of that for me. Billy asked if it would be possible to cometo Spain and Portugal in January instead. It resulted in one of my greatest missionary experiences since our first tripto India in 1971. Spain and Portugal have been opened to evangelism completely in the last ten years, the first such

freedom in many centuries. From January 2nd to the 15th,

pastors, elders, evangelists, teachers and young people fromj the churches in Murcia. I preached in the churches in

1 Murcia, Lorca and Alicante, Province of Valencia ("birth-r ' ^' place"ofFloridaValenciaoranges). MymissioninSpainwasA t climaxed Sunday night, January 15th, with a two-hour

S M plus! baptismal service in the church in Murcia.

^I^B IBl DDD, with Fernando JuanVergara on theleft and extreme right JesusMartinez, co-ministers of the church in Murcia, with "Peppi," just after hisbaptism. "Peppi" bad sought salvation in denominational churches for 15years before meeting Bros. Vergara and Martinez who taught him "the wayof the Lord more perfectly." (Acts 18:26)

From Spain to PortugalWith Ginny Loft as my chauffeur, we left Murcia before dawn, January 16 and drove to Lisbon, Portugal. The super

highway via Granada and Seville would have been faster, but very little "experiencing the real Spain," so we drove norththrough the hills and villages. I never knew there were so many olive trees in the world -- mile upon mile, they coverthe mountain sides. Ginny and I were welcomed at our late night arrival in Carcavelos (Lisbon) by her old friends,Richard and Sarah Robison. Dick informedme that the seminar inEphesians wouldbe held 10:00 to 12:00 a.m., and6:00to 8:00 p.m. for ten days.

Francisco Paiz De Monteiro, a former Jesuit, was baptizedJanuary25,1995 by Missionary Richard Robison after many months of Biblicalresearch and study. He shared in my studies in Eohesians daily,sometimes coming to the seminar with a Latin Bible, a Greek NewTestament, aHebrewOldTestament, the Septuagint(Greektranslationof the O.T.), a Portuguese Bible, the NIV, or a Coptic version, etc. Thefirst day his scholarship was intimidating to me, but the sincerity of hislove for the Word soon erased that barrier. He became my mostappreciative "student" (he has numerous degrees from colleges,seminaries and universities, including two doctorates).

'You shall be my martyrs(witnesses) Acts 1:8

Floriano Ucuahamba, wife, and niece, refugees from Angola, nowserve in ministry with the Christian Church in Lisbon, Portugal.Floriano was imprisoned and tortured by the communists in Angolafrom 1972 to 1984. His family was told he was dead. In freedom from1984 to 1992, he baptized 4,000 souls into Christ. Tribal warfare in1992 forced them toflee from Angola to Portugal. Improvingconditionsnow indicate it may be possible for them to return home to minister inthe near future.

Maria ClotildeMachadawas oneof my Portuguesetranslatora in theseminar studiesand the preachingservices. "Chloe"has lived in Mozambique whereshe taughtEnglish incollege,hence herexcellency as aninterpreter.

A 2100^ear-old Romanbridge in Portugal

Julius Caesar led a troop of Roman soldiers across this bridge in 55B.C. It is still in perfect condition and in regular use.

Fourth century baptistryin Monforte, Portugal

Jul and Luz-minda CasteLlano and theirfive childrenposeon Jul's motorbike. ICMsupports thisfamily in Tag-bilaran Bohol,Philippines.

Dick Robisonand DDD inPaleo-Christianbaptistry, shapedas the Lorenacross, withopposite stairswith 4 steps each,found only inPalestine andNorthAfrica, pre-Roman.

Rene Perez, Christian worker, supported by ICM, teaching a classin choirch camp, Island of Bohol, Philippines.

Basilica De Vega Del Mar, on the southern coast of Spain, betweenGibraltar and Malaga. The structure was destroyed by an earthquakein 365 A.D. and just recently excavated. Archaeologists date theoriginal basilica (church) sometime in the 2nd century. Ifso, it may bethe oldest known church and baptistry in Christendom.

Richard Robi*son, BillyLoftandDDD are the onlynon-archeologistsever to step intothis Paleo