Lost Sheep Ministry News – December 2016--The Great Commission: Matthew 28: 18 - 20 is a commission for all Christians to go, make Disciples, and teach them to OBEY all that I have commanded you. LSM is dedicated to evangelizing the lost and making Disciples of Christ that make Disciples of Christ according to

II Timothy 2:2. Notes from Pastor Bob: We will use our December News to review 2016 LSM happenings. We were curtailed from making all of the International mission trips we had planned during the year due to Carol and my unexpected illnesses. I am blessed to be able to write this after we have gone through four months of recovery. While in the Philippines, I received a message to call home. I was informed that Carol was in the hospital. She was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré syndrome a rare inflammatory autoimmune disorder characterized by numbness, and paralysis in the legs, arms, breathing muscles, and face.

In May, Carol and I travelled to Michigan and I had a heart attack while there. Blood tests confirmed I had a heart attack. I was hospitalized twice and received three stents. I did not receive

permission to travel again until June 23rd. Carol & I have had quite a journey experiencing these illnesses, BUT our God is able and has healed us for further service to His glory. Following are

summary results for 2016: -- Pastor BobCountry Salvations BaptismsMexico 57 24

Philippines 147 16Nigeria 137 0Uganda 3 0

Nicaragua 142 64Vietnam 135 0

Cambodia 43 0Russia 45 0

Ethiopia 0 0Latvia 2 0BARC 6 23USA 123 27Total 840 154

Licensed to Preach 6Churches Encouraged 54

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January 2016 - Nicaragua: Miguel Lopez picked us up at the Managua airport with his truck to carry our luggage and I rented a car. I had to wait for Jimmy Stanfield and Kevin Southerland to arrive on a later flight. Sunday, 17 January: We had a good day today. We started this morning at the 10 am service at Iglesia La Roca. We then travelled to the Hodera (drug & alcohol recovery center). Our plans were to show a movie and Jimmy & I shared from the Word. Tuesday 8 am: Yesterday we had an awesome day at the Hodera. Jimmy, Kevin & I shared in the morning session. Jimmy opened our first session with the men followed by Kevin. Kevin preached on the Ten Commandments. He closed his message with an altar call and thirteen men come forward to pray with him to receive the Lord Jesus Christ as Savior. Wow, I was amazed, happy, and a little bit upset (not really). I want to catch all the fish. I must say watching Kevin catch those fish was like watching my children and my grandchildren catch fish. It is so exciting and rewarding.

Tomorrow we will begin a series of Bible Study lessons to build the men up in their faith. On Saturday, we will have a baptism service and party.

I am looking forward to this time of ministry because of the opportunity to invest in the lives of these men. It reminds me of the work at Bay Area Recovery Center (BARC) in Dickinson, Texas each Monday night which results directly from a visit to this Hodera about five years ago.

Oscar, Kedvin & Isaias from La Roca church in Jinptepe arrived to provide praise and testify at the Hodera. La Roca is a dynamic church that meets in an old theater of about 400 seats and it stays full. They have three services: 5 AM. (yep), another at 10 AM (more my style) and one at 5 PM. They have a dynamic youth group, which we will address on Saturday night and then again on Sunday we will speak at the 10 AM service. Thank you Jesus.

I continue to be blessed by my church, Citymark in League City, TX, 21 days of prayer and fasting now day 11. Jimmy has joined with me so it is a bit easier only have to watch Kevin eat (and boy can he EAT) than having to watch both Jimmy and Kevin eat.

I presented Spiritual Birth Certificates and explained Baptism to the men again. We then went outside to the little pool and Kevin, Jimmy & I baptized 25 men.

Then we travelled back to the hotel and I experienced a first time event for my life. I baptized

Sandra and Marianna in the tub in the bathroom of our room.

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We then travelled to Jinotepe to share with the teens at La Roca. Glen & Lynne came and Lynne translated for me. I was really prayed up for this meeting. I am experiencing young people

around the world really committing their lives to Christ and impacting their schools and communities. Jimmy estimated there were more than 200 in attendance. I preached from John 15:5 and Matthew 4:19. "I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing".

Approximately 58 youth came forward and bowed to receive Christ into their lives.

Following the service, we went to lunch at Tip Top and I asked a 21 year old to join us. Her name is Cynthia. The Holy Spirit placed on my heart to give her these 2 verses: Isaiah 6:8 and Habakkuk 1:5. She shared her testimony with us at Tip Top and I was so blessed that I asked her if I could record it for our Celebrate Recovery group at CItymark Church in League City, TX. She agreed and I have it and I intend to post it on Facebook also.I thank God for His PROVISION. Each time we Go, it is the best trip until the next!-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------February 2016 - Philippines Pastor Truman Milling and I are traveling to the Philippines for ten days of ministry. We will minister to churches, and prisons.

This is a return trip to the Philippines for both of us. Pastor Truman served here first with Wycliffe in the 70's and then as an independent missionary in mid 80's at the Death Row unit at the prison.

Though my senior by several years, I had to hustle to keep up with him. We arrived at the Manila airport and drove to Santa Rosa, I asked Truman to share his experiences when he served here and the next thing I knew here was ol' Truman (88) sharing in Tagalog (Philippine language). Our reception team was very happy to hear him speak in their heart language. Saturday, 6 February Yesterday, Truman and I visited the Santa Rosa City Jail. One of the guards there is a member of Jesus Christ Victorious Church (JCVC) and made arrangements for us to visit. We both shared the gospel and 79 men prayed to receive Christ! I cannot adequately share the joy on my and Truman's heart. I remember in the movie Patton when George Patton made the statement, "God help me I love this!" As we are in a battle against Satan I am sure Truman and I both are saying, “God help me we love this.” To see the captives set free is an awesome high. I always say there is no high like the “Most High.”

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Truman shared his experiences here starting back in the 70's. How he took a high school (Faith Academy) basketball team and played the men on death row. This was the doorway God used to reveal His path for Truman's life. All 19 men on death row faith prayed themselves out of prison. One man actually sat in the electric chair four times, and four times the phone rang, and he was given a stay of execution. Seventeen of the nineteen men are pastoring churches today. I finished the 79 spiritual birth certificates this morning before uploading the photos and starting adding to this newsletter. Today I will share at JCVC. Monday 8 February 2016: Yesterday was an awesome day serving the Lord. The morning service at JCVC was packed. Praise & worship time just a little over 1 hour and 10 minutes. Sharing and preaching lasted another two hours. Truman shared his experiences about when he served as a Wycliffe missionary in the 70's and then back in the early 80's as an independent missionary.

I shared from Matthew that Jesus Christ builds His church, which is not a building. The church is the body of Christ. The church is the only thing God ever purchased.

He created everything but He purchased the church with the blood of His Son Jesus Christ! We were bought with a price therefore, we should glorify God in your bodies.

Elmo, a young businessperson I had licensed to preach several years ago, asked if I could pray for his employees. He brought eight young people to church with his wife Annabelle. We met in their home and I shared the Good News with them. All eight prayed to receive Christ. Tears, laughter, hugs, I tell you folks it does not get any better than this on this side of heaven. I will prepare a Spiritual Birth Certificate for them. I explained baptism to them. I am in awe as I realize God has already birthed 88 into His family on this trip.

We traveled to death row to see if the new administrator would allow Truman and me to minister there in the few days we have remaining. This is Truman's dream to be allowed, one more time, to go into death row and minister to the men. Tuesday 9 February 2016: Serving God is like eating ice cream. The next bite is always better that the last bite! We traveled to Montolupa prison. We asked to see the director. Truman showed the receptionist some photos and his book about his ministry there on death row. We asked to meet the director and give him a copy of this book. Then we entered the office of Superintendent Richard W. Schwarzkopf. Truman shared his experiences there. Then he asked for permission to speak to the men on death row. The superintendent replied that there is now a new policy. We will have to prepare a Memorandum of Understanding and submit it to the Chaplain's office for approval.

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I shared with Richard the wonderful gospel news and he prayed to receive Christ to be his Lord and Savior. This is soul # 89 on this trip. Believe me the word of God is More powerful than a two edged sword.

I finally was able to call home and talk with Carol. She told me she was in the hospital but not to worry. Come on, worry not OK, much prayer, and be concerned is a lot better. We changed our return trip date to Wednesday, which will put us back in Houston a day earlier than planned.

I thank God for His PROVISION. Each time we Go, it is the best trip until the next! Pastor Bob------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------May 2016 - Mexico - Mark George recorded the following report:

Due to cartel violence over the last five years, almost all short-term missionaries stopped going to Mexico. These short-term missionaries had long provided crucial support to the missions in Mexico. As a result, many of the people who ran these missions had either to leave or continue with very little, many with their own lives at risk.

Sixteen years ago through LSM, and I - Mark George, met three couples who had on-going missions in Mexico. These three couples: John and Paulina Bivens of Casa Hogar Getsemani, Paulino and Gilberta Esquivel of Casa Bethesda, and Frank and Isabel Banda, elected to stay open through the gang carnage and financial hardship, never considering their own risk but rather focusing on the ministry that God ordained for them to do.

In May of 2015, I sensed that God was calling me to go back to Mexico. My wife, Elspeth, and I visited these couples and with the encouragement of Bob Gibson of LSM and the participation and financial support of First Lockhart Baptist Church, we started going back. What follows is an update of these ministries from several of our mission trips.

Currently, John and Paulina Bivens of Casa Hogar Getsemani in Morelos are in the process of putting a home school inside their orphanage. The baby in this photo was born from a mother who grew up at the orphanage and is now living and working there.

Their children are not learning as they should. Many have

learning disabilities. They have been struggling with terrible issues with the government, finances, and not having enough help for the amount of children they have.

We are going back to help build desks for their new school and to work on putting a summer sports camp for the kids of Zaragoza. Every time we go to Mexico we stay with John and Paulina, as they have a very nice bunkhouse.

Frank and Isabel Banda live in Eagle Pass, but spend most of their time in Mexico. They have several churches, a ministry on the railroad tracks, a homeless feeding and street ministry program, and prison ministry.

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In February, we sponsored the Olympic Games in the Coahuila State Prison – the first time the Mexican prison system had allowed such a competition. In October of 2015, Frank and I began to work on these games, and a month later Frank had the approval of the warden. In addition, we began to plan the games. The sports are soccer, baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, and boxing. For the next several months, the inmates recruited players and began to play against each other for a chance at the playoffs. Every day they heard the word of God from Frank and were instructed on how to behave as a child of God.

When it came time for the playoffs, the entire prison was focused on working together, as well as competing with one another. During this time, the prison had very little disciplinary problems. When we got there we were given the entire yard without any guards. Wow! What a difference God makes. At the end of the games, the winners received trophies. After the awards ceremony, we all went back to the church where over one hundred inmates gave their lives to Jesus. You could see the Holy Spirit taking hold as most of them came to the altar with tears streaming down their faces.

On a sadder note, upon returning to the railroad tracks in early April of 2016, we were shocked to find the church demolished as well as the homes made of pallet/ cardboard. The Mexican government, because of safety and sanitation issues, had been threatening to do this, and after

twenty years of threats, they finally did. The other side of the tracks had not been bulldozed yet, so, instead of having church in a building, we had it underneath a tree – just exactly how Frank started out ministering on the tracks. We will be returning in June of 2016; please keep us in your prayers. Mark and Elspeth George----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------July 2016 - Return to Mexico I am writing this on the 6th of July after returning from a weekend trip to Mexico. I travelled with Robert Lemley to Lockhart, TX to the home of Mark &

Elspeth George where we switched over to Mark’s truck. I had a lot of clothing donated to us from San Leon Community Church in San Leon, TX. Thanks to Pastor Steve Hamm and all the members there for their continued prayers and support.

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We arrived in Eagle Pass, TX on the International border across from Piedras Negras, Mexico. We went directly to meet with Pastor Frank Banda who works extensively in Piedras Negras and has a re-sale shop in Eagle Pass to help provide funds for ministry. When Pastor Frank saw Robert who is about 6’8” tall and a really big man, he ran into his shop and came out with a pair of size 19 shoes. Robert tried them on and they fit. Frank said he has had these shoes for more than two years but could not find a Mexican who wore size 19 shoes.

We unloaded the truck and then went to get some dinner before crossing into Mexico. We then travelled to

Morelos about 25 miles to Casa de Hogar Bethesda. LSM has provided prayer and financial support to this ministry for than 20 years. I was with John & Paulina when they sketched out their vision on a brown paper bag from the grocery store. Today it is a reality with more than 10 buildings on its campus. The latest building is a dormitory for visiting mission teams.

There is room for 60 with appropriate number of showers, toilet facilities and a large meeting room in the center with a large kitchen. It is my hope to begin bringing teams back to Piedras Negras again. Lazarus Vargas continued to bring support pretty much on a monthly basis.

So, if you have a group that would like to do a short-term mission trip please contact me and we can arrange it for your group.

Mark, Elspeth, Robert & I travelled back to Piedras Negras from Morelos on Sunday to meet with Pastor Ed Banda in a newly built colony. We had clothes to distribute and then will show the film God is Not Dead when it gets dark. The colony was nearby where I had started ministry in Piedras Negras in 1996. LSM helped Pastor Victor Vasquez by erecting two large army tents to begin services. I would bring the men from Stand

Down Homes (our ministry to homeless veterans) and over the years two churches were constructed. I asked

Mark if the buildings were there but no Dios es Amor (God is Love) signs.

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The church building were given to the community and are still being used for programs to families & children. I am really honored and am thankful for prayers warriors across the globe.Monday 11 July Back in Texas, I had the privilege, through LSM, to license John Overton

& John Dainwood to the Preaching Ministry at the Bay Area Recovery Center (BARC) where they minister each Monday night.

John Dainwood is a born-again Christian as a result of the faithful prayers of his Mom while in prison for

over 35 years. He and John Overton work as a team teaching and preaching Christian Discipleship at BARC. John D. has now baptized 24 BARC men. God has given John D. a vision of a ministry of Hope in an area of Houston where there is little or no hope. The vision God provided is to start a Recreation/Vocational Center in the Inner-city Houston. It is to be called, "The Neutral Zone" with a sign painted by the best graffiti artists of rival gangs, which says "The Neutral Zone: Leave Your Colors and Hatred at the Door!!!"

John O. is retired and he and his wife Dot (Mammy) have developed a discipleship process for students. It is called Equipping Students (ES) to Change the World. Their new web is at www.equippingstudents.com.__________________________________________________________________________Recommended Reading: The Spirit of the Disciplines by: Dallas Willard. Willard presents a way of living that enables ordinary men and women to enjoy the fruit of the Christian life. He reveals how the key to self-transformation resides in the practice of the spiritual disciplines, and how their practice affirms human life to the fullest. The Spirit of the Disciplines is for everyone who strives to be a disciple of Jesus in thought and action as well as intention. Tax Deductable Donations to LSM: Lost Sheep Ministries is a 501(c) non-profit organization.

Donations may be made to LSM, 2951 Marina Bay Drive, Suite 130-144, League City, TX 77573. We seek funds to travel, equip, and commission others to take the Gospel of Christ to all nations.

This monthly newsletter will be distributed by email only. Email addresses may be removed or added to distribution by notifying John Overton at dotnjohn@comcast.net.

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