Victories in the Vineyard

Some Victories the Lord gave us ...

* Shivaree - Gatesville, TX
* Parade - Guymon, OK
* Watermelon Jubilee, Stockdale, TX
* July Jubilee, Leakey, TX
* Corny-val - Helotes, TX
* Bluebonnet Days, Kenedy, TX
* Lee County Fair, Giddings, TX
* La Salle County Fair, Cotulla, TX
* Live Oak County Fair, George West, TX
* Wild Hog Festival, Sabinal, TX
* Strawberry Festival, Poteet, TX
* Fiesta, San Antonio, TX
* Rattlesnake Roundup, Freer, TX
* Hwy 90 Flea Market - San Antonio
* Starr County Fair - Rio Grande City
* Year End - 2009
* Blanco Trade Day - Blanco
* Santa's Arrival - Beeville
* Christmas Tree Lighting - Bulverde
* FaithFest - Faithville
* StoryFest - George West
* Peanut Festival - Floresville
* Texas State Fair - Dallas
* Fall Festival, San Antonio
* Calhoun County Fair - Port Lavaca
* Medina County Fair, Hondo
* Mosquito Fesitival, Clute
* Shivaree Festival, Gatesville
* Watermelon Jubilee, Stockdale
* Tom - Tom Festival, Yoakum
* Potato Festival, Pearsall
* Bluebonnet Days, Kenedy
* Salsa Festival, Three Rivers
* Strawberry Festival, Poteet
* Fiesta, San Antonio
* Rattlesnake Roundup, Freer
* La Salle County Fair, Cotulla
* Live Oak County Fair, George West
* Wild Hog Festival, Sabinal
* Laredo International Fair and Expo, Laredo
* Man to Man Outdoor Festival, Victoria
* Year End - 2008

Victories in the Vineyard

Shivaree, Gatesville, TX

Pastor Bogan and 7 of his members from Calvary BC worked with us again at this event.  It was insufferably hot.  The crowd was very low because of the heat and humidity. But the Lord gave us folks with which to witness. 7 asked the Lord to save them and 8 received a witness without a decision. Somehow we managed to get out 600 tracts as people walked from one shady spot to the other.

Parade, Guymon, OK

Pastor Van Heckle and a large group from Tabernacle BC distributed 5000 Smiley tracts at their parade, found only 1 on the ground afterwards. One lady took a tract, but already had one from several years before. She stuck it in her purse and said that it will go everywhere with her. Stories like this abound at parades. This is why it is so good to take members to parades to get them involved in a tract ministry. People are festive and if it is free, they would even take the measles.

Watermelon Jubilee, Stockdale, TX

This event has gotten bigger, but the stifling heat and humidity kept the crowd down this year. But the Lord was on the job as 12 asked the Lord to save them and 1 person received a witness without a decision. It seems that the more difficult the effort the more powerful the presence. 200 got a tract in their hand. It will be a wonderful thing to know, one day, just how many actually got saved by reading a tract. Sometimes we ask for a show of hands in churches as to who were born again by reading a tract. It is always a greater number than expected. Tracts are like the proverbial highway billboards. They never take the day off, nor even take a nap. They are not like spoken words that fall on ears, then forever evaporate into the air. Tracts are passed from lost person to lost person with only God knowing their trail, their trial and their triumph (there is a sermon here). Tracts speak an inaudible message, but shout to needy hearts. Keep a few ready in your pocket.

July Jubilee, Leakey, TX

The locals and most Texans pronounce this town as Lake'-ee, all the imports say Leak'-ee, but everyone says, Wow! Because it is such a nice place in the hill country. Bro. Billy Rogers of Houston obtained the booth with Pastor Spaniel of First BC. They and some preacher friends and other workers pitched in. We seated 61 people of which 27 made a profession of faith, 29 received only a witness and 1 got assurance of salvation. 500 got a witness in the form of a tract. One 14 year old boy came by and said he was an atheist. I said that I understood, but if it was possible to for a person to be forgiven of all sin and live forever with a loving God, he would want to just see it, wouldn't he? Not asking him to believe it is true or make any kind of commitment, just TAKE A LOOK. He said, yes, and in about 10 minutes one of the preachers said he got saved.

Corny-val - Helotes, TX
The good folks at Leon Valley BC let us work with them at this surprising event. Rick and Carol headed up their team and put the booth together, but the rest pitched in to help with the soul winning, etc.
There were 278 professions and many who only received a witness, 6+ got assurance of salvation and 3500 received the Gospel byway of Gospel Tracts. Over the 3 days 39 spots were filled by workers from their church. Some witnessing from little experience, some hit the ground running. The numbers indicate the huge effort put into the event. They are putting together a method to make contacts. There were many good things that occurred at this event, but the most outstanding was the excitement amongst the workers. Many commenting something like … "I never realized people really wanted to know how to be saved." "I didn't know it was this easy."

Bluebonnet Days, Kenedy, TX
37 made a profession of faith from the good crowd, even though it was hot and dusty. 500 got a tract in their hand. 5 received only a witness and 1 received assurance of salvation. The Porters came over from Pettus and the Wallaces from Mission Valley to help in the booth. The lady who organizes the booths has given us a good spot each year and always rejoices with us when we let her know the outcome, before leaving.

Lee County Fair, Giddings, TX
This was the first year we have done this event. It is small and the weather was very wet, but we did not lack for people to talk to. 16 made a profession and 200 got a tract. 5 received only a witness and 5 got assurance of salvation. We are hoping this event will be even better next year.
Briana, Devonnia and Leana came to the booth. Brianna said she was already saved and wanted Devonnia and Leana to hear. When we got to the end of the witness, Brianna said that she was never saved either and wanted to ask Jesus to save her as well.

La Salle County Fair, Cotulla, TX
26 professions of faith in Christ and 620 tracts distributed. A lady was asking what we were doing, when 3 teen girls walked up. The lady encouraged the teens to sit and hear the Gospel. The teens and the lady were saved.

Live Oak County Fair, George West, TX
12 asked the Lord to save them, 480 tracts placed in willing hands. Brush Country CC got the booth for us. Rain kept the crowd down, but there were victories. Some have said, it is worth it all if only one gets saved. Actually, it is worth it all if only one receives a witness. But there were many who got more than a witness.

Wild Hog Festival, Sabinal, TX
30 made professions in Jesus Christ and 500+ got a tract to take home, where others may also see it. First BC supplied the booth. Pastor Benson and members worked. Bro and Mrs Don Myers ably managed the booth.

Strawberry Festival, Poteet, TX
114 sought the Lord's grace. 3500+ were willing to take a tract. Pastor Leinneweber and members of Heritage BC, Spring Branch, TX, worked hard, long hours. One member won their very first soul. There were other victories and excitement for the lost and saved. We used 2 booth spaces to spread the Gospel. One young man sat down to hear the Gospel and asked the Lord to save him. He was with several homosexuals, who were carrying-on in front of the booth. A week later he saw me in the booth at Fiesta in San Antonio and came in to tell me "Hi," and shook my hand. I asked about the people he was with last week. He said, "I got a NEW bunch of friends, now." New heart, new Saviour, and NEW friends are a good prescription for life.

Fiesta, San Antonio, TX
1091 met the Lord in the booth and 300+ on the sidewalks outside Fiesta. 26,000 readily received a tract. Liberty BC led by Roy Castillo and a tribe of helpers and Freedom BC led by Pastor Lamb and his troop of eager soul winners had 148 workers total to work in 3 booth spaces at 17 shifts 5-6 hours duration. The rain was one of our adversaries, but when "God be for us, who (or what) can be against us?" Several won their first souls and were ecstatic. A man who worked in a booth next to us 2 years ago at Fiesta came by and asked if I recognized him? We had witnessed to him on several occasions. He didn't stay long enough to ask about salvation again. But just wanting to keep the acquaintance alive was a good sign. One man about 20 came by and saw what we were doing. He got wide-eyed and pulled a tract out of his pocket that had today's date written on the front and he started running around and jumping up and down saying, "I just got saved over there". One of the soul winners on the sidewalk and had won him to the Lord. He could hardly catch his breath to tell us again, "I got saved." Pat sat him down and took the opportunity to do some quick discipling. He took in everything and told everyone in the booth again, "I got saved, just now, over there, me!"

Rattlesnake Roundup, Freer, TX
First BC managed the booth with Pastor Walshe and members. They got out 400+ tracts. They did not have any professions, but touched a lot of lives that would have otherwise remained without any light.

Starr County Fair, Rio Grande City, TX
The Lord gave us 104 profession of faith, with 19 others only hearing a clear witness, 5 received assurance of salvation and 1040 got a tract placed in their hands. Missionary Aaron Freeman helped with long hours in the booth.
Missionary Freeman also began following-up on those we met in the booth. He sent out an email to all who gave an email address on the Decision Card and received one very positive reply. He also started to make personal calls and had another promising lead.  A man about 45, who wants Bro. Freeman to come back.
A large extended family and their friends had many come by the booth. It started with Adela, 52, who asked the Lord to save her and said she needed to talk to her daughter. A short while later a lady kin to her (daughter?) came and earnestly heard the plan of salvation  and was saved with several children.  Then 3 teens who were part of the same group came by and received Christ.  A teen girl who was watching and either a friend or part of the family came and wanted to know what was going on. The next 2 days she brought many of her family and friends by our booth to hear the Gospel and was delighted with their decisions. This was an excellent event. The booth was extremely small, and the Lord kept it full.

Hwy 90 Flea Market, San Antonio, TX
Evangelist Roy Costillo with Liberty BC in San Antonio rented a booth. We helped him and some of the members of the church. There were not huge crowds, but 43 called on Jesus as their Saviour. One man who was a little contrary at first, but when told that we were not asking him to be saved, but just to SEE what it takes to be saved, he sat for a look. But when he got up, he had stopped looking with his eyes and was now looking with his heart.
Everyone wants to go to heaven, but not everyone wants to be saved, because they don't know what it takes. When asked to just see it, many, many more will sit and just LOOK. Even a large percentage of these will ask the Lord to save them. Many Christians ask, "How many of these really got saved?" We don't know, we can only look at the outside. God knows, He looks on the inside. He is also the one who does the saving. We know that by their fruit you shall know them, but it takes a while for some to produce fruit. Shouldn't we quit worrying about who "REALLY" got saved and become concerned about REALLY just telling the story?

Year End - 2009
* 2704 professions of faith in Jesus - A high percentage supplied names, addresses, and passed on to churches
* 516 receiving a witness without making a profession - This is an area where accurate numbers are not possible
* 147 receiving assurance of salvation - This is another area where accurate numbers are difficult
* 77103 received a Gospel tract in their hands - Not left lying, but actually placed in willing hands
This also includes local church tracts and brochures distributed, containing the Gospel
* 292 workers from local churches helped in the booths
Some winning souls for the very first time, some for the first time in a long time
A good number ran their own booth without our being present for the event but we helped with a training session
This number is a lot larger than 292, since so many churches are now working their events from year to year without our help or training, therefore are not counted - We sincerely desire to see this to increase, enabling us to help even others
* 27 events were worked this year - There were 7 others with which we closely worked
* 44 other events in Amazing Grace Mission's Region 4 ( TX - LA - AR - MO - KS - OK - CO - NM )
We direct this region and assist other missionaries, some in small ways, others in a very decisive manner
The scope of our work has expanded - We could not have taken this on without you, our Prayer Partners
* Denny and Roberta Wallace, Don and Joy Myers as well as Paul and Donna Munden working events with us and by themselves around San Antonio - Also, there is mutual assistance with Pastor Leinneweber and Heritage BC, Spring Branch, TX.  They have a clear vision for taking Christ to the lost and training members in soul winning.

Blanco Trade Day, Blanco, TX
Heritage Baptist Church in Spring Branch, TX, took their canopy and set up on the Square in Blanco.  4 asked the Lord to save them and 1 got a witness without being saved.  200 tracts were distributed. There were 3 from the church working in the booth. 
Mostly older people come to this type of event, which speaks to the reason for only 5 personal contacts.  But even us seniors need an opportunity to hear the Gospel.

Santa's Arrival - Beeville, T
Pat and I met with the soul winners at Bible Baptist Church in Beeville to set up a booth and witness to people bringing their children to see Santa's Arrival, etc.
We had 16 ask the Lord to save them and gave away over 500 tracts. We talked to a few teens and the rest were adults.  There were 6 workers in the booth, plus us, and there were others who distributed tracts to people standing in line.
There were 5 others who only heard a witness and 1 who received assurance of salvation.
Everyone was very exicted.

StoryFest - George West, TX
Pastor Traxler and the Brush Country CC obtained the booth for us.  We had 27 ask the Lord to save them.  There were 10 who received a witness, but did not make a profession of faith.  1 received assurance of salvation and 850 got a Gospel tract placed in their hands.

A lady with a very "progressive" appearance stopped by the booth.  We asked her if she was born again.  She stumbled all over it.  Before we could clarify our question, the lady she was with said, "I know for sure that I was saved a looong time ago."  The friend saw the opportunity to speak up and did so, boldly.  Not obnoxiously, but with firm assurance.  We believe that testimonies from friends and relatives like this, effectively make lasting impressions on the ones they love.

Stephen and Enrique, teen boys, came by and made a profession of faith.  They left and later brought several of their friends, then leaned over the railing on their forearms and listened while Jonathon asked the Lord to save him.  When Pat was finished, she told the first 2 boys how Andrew had brought his brother Peter to the Lord and about the rewards for doing so.  They were thrilled and beaming.  The JOY of doing right is unmistakable.

Angela prayed and ask the Lord to save her.  Later, she brought her cousin Gina to the booth.  She wanted Gina to be saved.  She took her through the doors and told her, "When you get saved, you are going to be sooo relieved." Angela made Gina wait until Pat was through with some others, then sat with her.  Angela was like the "woman at the well", she was trying to let everyone know. She was electrified and put a spark in us, too!

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Faith Festival - Faithville, TX
Faithville is a small, rural shopping area between Bulverde and New Braunfels and is owned by a Christian couple.  All of the businesses have a chance to showcase their goods and services at the Faith Festival.  Pastor Leinneweber and Heritage BC have a building rented there, so we helped them with their booth.  15 made a profession of faith in Christ.  140 gladly received a Gospel tract.  The man supervising parking knew what we were doing.  He also knew a lot of people and sent as many as he could to the booth.  At one point he sent a man, then later the wife, who had to have her daughter translate.  All 3 asked the Lord to save them, the wife with much weeping.  A new couple from the church helped and were very excited as to how easy it was to seat people for a witness and how prospects followed through and ask the Lord to be their personal Saviour.  Almost everyone that helps is amazed at the simplicity of public event evangelism and how willing people are to give their name, address, phone and age for follow-up.  Everyone says, "You have to see it to believe it."

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Christmas Tree Lighting and Parade, Bulverde, TX
Pastor Leinneweber and Heritage BC had also obtained a booth for this event.  13 made a profession of faith, 14 received a thorough witness, 1 received assurance of salvation.  This means that a total of 28 people were seated and dealt with (Everyone wants to know how to get to heaven, they just need to be asked the right questions).  7 from the church worked in the booth with Steve and Pat.   This event has a good attendance.  520 of them received a tract in their hand, some coming by and even asking for one.  One lady was saved with her 2 daughters and son at one table while her twin sons and a nephew was saved up-front.  The son who was saved with the mother, didn't even watch the parade, he kept asking Pat questions and wanting to know more.

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Peanut Festival - Floresville, TX
Pat and Steve were at the State Fair while Don and Joy Myers worked this event.  Local Pastor, Harold Hansen came out to help.  They had 35 ask the Lord to save them and got out a good number of tracts.  The Myers attend the same church we do and are always ready to go.

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Texas State Fair - Dallas, TX
We started out a little short of help, but had us a schedule that worked.  G.W. and Liz Stavenhagen (AGM missionaries), Bob and Lou Blanton and Steve and Pat got started for this 24 day, 12 hour per day event.  Shortly afterwards Bob had to go to the hospital and was sorely missed.  Paul Cornelius (AGM missionary) came to help 5-6 days, but then the Stavenhagens with us finished up.  Harvest BC in Waxahachie helped, too.  We parked our trailer's at Waxahachie, Open Door BC in Mesquite and Seagoville Rd BC in Balch Springs.  Huge thanks to these churches. Great results from the fair with 280 who ask the Lord to save them and 20,000 received a Gospel tract in their hand.  105 got a witness only.  The large crowds did not show up this year, but the Lord did.  Some real victories were seen.  We saw people saved from all over Texas and 7-8 other states.

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Fall Festival, San Antonio, TX
Heritage BC, in Spring Branch had their festival at the Harris home.  18 were saved in the booth set up in the front yard with games of all types.  A Heritage BC missionary to Venezuela, on furlough, led a Spanish speaking lady to the Lord.  There were many groups of teens who came by and sat to hear the Gospel.  One group had 5.  One teen was so over taken she couldn't do anything but cry.

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Calhoun County Fair - Port Lavaca, TX
Pastor Boldt and members of First BC of Magnolia Beach had 63 make a profession of faith.  They handled the 5 day event by themselves.  Last year they had a 79 year old man get saved.  This year he brought his friend by who was in his 80's and told him, "You've got to sit down and listen to what they have to say".  He got saved.

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Medina County Fair, Hondo, TX
We had a good event again this year.  The Lord gave us 30 who asked to be saved.  600 tracts were handed out.  3 did not get saved.  2 got assurance of their salvation.  This is a 2 day event with short hours, but we have good experiences there every year.  Richard was 61 years old.  He came to the booth with many burdens and troubles, but left with a relieved and lifted heart.  He wrote on the back of the Decision Card, "I believed in my heart."

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Cowboy Homecoming - Pleasanton, TX
This was the first year to work this event and we were very glad to get in. 
The Lord gave us 35 professions, 6 received a witness, 1 received assurance of salvation and 300 got a tract placed in their hand. It was so hot, that one of the vendors had to be taken to the hospital, but we stayed in the shade and talked to a good number.

We write stories like the following, because they happen all the time.  This one is typical.

Bobby sat down to hear what it takes to be born again.  He hardly said a word until he prayed to ask Jesus to save him. Then he lit up and said, "I am going to get my wife and bring her over here so you can tell her what you told me." In just a few minutes he and his wife were standing in front of the booth.  Bobby did not know what to say, he just stood there.  His wife said, "What? What do you want me to do?"  We spoke up and sat her down and she also asked the Lord to save her. We discussed where they lived and where the church was, etc. Both of them left the booth, very effervescent. When we were leaving, both of them stopped us and were very expressive about their gratitude to Jesus and for our ministry and wished us well for the trip back home.

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Festival - Sanger, TX
We were in Sanger, TX recently to help Pastor Glen Fogg and his new church get ready for their festival. We spoke on Sunday night on how to seat prospects for a witness and how soul winners were only going to talk to people who have already asked to see it.  Every person, 100%, in his new church volunteered to help.  They seated 32, 25 made a profession and 1000 got a tract, all in 4.5 hours and during off-and-on rain.

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Mosquito (yes, you read it right) Festival - Clute, TX
Pastor Pettijohn and the members of First Baptist Church in Clute, TX, know how to go about soul winning.  Pastor had us in the Sunday before the festival to let the members know…
* what to expect from the crowd
* what they will be doing (only relating salvation)
* how to do it
They signed-up for every slot on the schedule (even some who had never witnessed before), showed up at their allotted time and had 66 make professions of faith.  16 others heard the Gospel, but did not ask the Lord to save them.  11 received assurance of their salvation.  800+ got a tract in their hand (we asked those who were doing an excellent job of picking up trash if they had seen any of our tracts on the ground - they had not seen a single one - for sure there had to be at least a few, but for sure, not many).  Everyone was very excited about being able to use this event for real good in their community.  Those running the festival were very gracious to all of us and encouraging.

Had a college student come to the booth Saturday afternoon, who was lost and just WANTED TO SEE how to be born again, not necessarily do it.  We showed it to him.  He said, "Now let me get this straight, if I get saved, all my sins will be forgiven?"  We told him yes, "If you are truly saved".  Then he said, "Now exactly what do I have to do?  I want to get this straight."  We went back through the plan. 
I think he did get it "straight".  He said he knew of others who should know about "this" (that's a good sign).

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Shivaree Festival, Gatesville, TX
As always, Calvary Baptist Church and Pastor Bogan worked this event.  The Lord gave us 20 asking to be saved, 9 more receiving only a witness and another 11 got assurance.  Over 800 received a tract in their hand.

There were many good things that took place, but one man, a soldier and full blooded Native American sat down, even though his friends jibbed him a about it.  He was serious and said little.  With joy he asked the Lord to save him.  Only God could find a man in South Dakota, get him to Fort Hood, then have him assigned to the detail that came over to the Festival to show off their Tanks and Helicopters, then have him walk in front of our booth and hear our invitation to "SEE WHAT IT TAKES TO BE BORN AGAIN."

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Watermelon Jubilee, Stockdale, TX
Denny and Roberta Wallace helped again or we helped them.  The Lord sent 30 by the booth.  20 asked to be saved, 5 got a witness only and 3 received assurance of salvation.  Over 240 gladly took a tract. 

A girl with her mother came walking up to the booth and looked  up and said, "This is where I got saved."   They had seen us at a county fair in another town where the girl was saved.  Pat and both of them recognized each other immediately.  Pat remembered, because the mother sat with the daughter during the witness.  The mother was saved already and wanted  the daughter to hear it. 

Later the daughter brought her father by and told him the same thing.  Pat thought she may have brought him by to hear how to be saved, but he already knew the Lord.  Writing this on paper does not translate the excitement that the family felt, nor the 4 of us in the booth.

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Tom - Tom Festival, Yoakum, TX
Denny and Roberta Wallace work this every year and always do a good job.  They had 8 make professions, 2 received only a witness and 250+ received a tract.

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Potato Festival, Pearsall, TX
The Lord gave us 20 professions of faith and we distributed 150 tracts.  This event is not well attended, but we fell it is important to go everywhere, large or small.

During a slow period, we asked the man next to us if he was from Pearsall.  He had been a fireman in Victoria (our home town) for over 3 decades.  We asked if he knew _____ , a man we went to school with.  He said, that's me!!!  We were shocked that he had grown so old and could not figure why he didn't recognize us, either.  We were able to get in a witness.  You never know who is next to you.  Better behave.  Better be faithful.

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Bluebonnet Days, Kenedy, TX
We worked this event with Denny and Roberta Wallace.  They have been very helpful and good friends for many years.  39 asked the Lord to save them, 450 willingly received a tract.

A lady, not much more than a teenager, sat down to hear what it takes to be born again.  She had a child, not more than 2 months old.  She listened very closely, asked the Lord to save her, then got the assurance of salvation, when she heard that it was evidenced by a change of heart.   She quickly put that change into action and brought by the booth her 2 sisters, both with very young children.   The mother came by, too. 
It is a good sign when they immediately think of others, but whether we see good signs or not, it is vital to keep going, telling, warning and winning.

Incidentally, the lady over the Festival Booths rejoiced with us, seeing what the Lord had done.

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Salsa Festival, Three Rivers, TX (1 day)
Thank the Lord that Don and Joy Myers (Members of Heritage Baptist Church, Bulverde) were able to work this event which occurred at the same time as the Strawberry Festival.  The Lord gave them 14, who asked the Lord to save them; and they were able to put hundreds of tracts in willing hands.  The Myers had to battle band speakers all day, but perseverance got the victory.  Thank the Lord for folks who can see the vision.

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Strawberry Festival, Poteet, TX (3 days)
We were very glad to have the Myers help here, too (when they were not at the Salsa Festival in Three Rivers on Saturday), because Pat had to take her mother (85) to the ER Sunday morning and this is one of our more important events.  God foreknew we needed the help.  The Lord gave us 118 (from all over south Texas) asking Jesus to save them; at least 35 heard the plan of salvation, but did not call on the Lord to be saved; 2550 got a tract placed in their hands.  Excellent event.  We talked to several who had been saved in years past. 

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Fiesta, San Antonio, TX (12 days)
This is not the longest event we do, but it is the largest in terms of sheer effort.  Liberty BC and Freedom BC obtain the booth space and furnish the workers (8 to 10 per shift).  Through the 12 days, the Lord gave us 1280 asking the Lord to save them in the booth and over 120 more outside the carnival; hundreds heard how to be saved, but declined; over 35,000 tracts were distributed at the booth and outside the carnival area.  We were able to set-up a canopy behind our regular canopy and used 8 counseling tables.  Many, many times we had all the tables full with 1-4 prospects each and some witnessing while standing.  The crowd was the smallest we have ever seen at Fiesta, but the Lord gave us the best year ever.  Pastor Lamb and Evangelist Roy Castillo spearheaded the event getting out their people in large numbers.  Some participated for the first time and saw peoples saved for the first time ever, others have been helping for years.  Randy Reedy and Nacho Coronado worked tirelessly to keep things going.  The whole effort was a sacrifice, but everyone joyously participated.

Since Fiesta, Liberty has had several couples and some individuals come to church and baptized.  One man was already saved, but had been out of church for a while.  He has been coming ever since.

Freedom had a very excited lady come, whom Pat had dealt with, then introduced to Angie (lady at Freedom BC).  She came Sunday morning and recognized Angie, who encouraged her and made her feel welcome.  She was baptized and has fit into the congregation.  There are many stories, but it would take more space than we have here.  Imagine also, how many could have been saved from the tracts. 

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Rattlesnake Roundup, Freer, TX (2 days)
Pastor Walshe and members at First BC worked their booth with only minimal training by us.  They saw 13 ask the Lord to save them and gave out over 200 tracts.  This event comes at the same time as several others, so we were not able to be present.  Thank the Lord these people got the vision to take the Gospel to their community,  mustered the courage, obtained the booth, scheduled training, scheduled workers and sat down people for a good witness.  This is not a large church with unlimited help and finances, but they were willing to make an unlimited sacrifice, if that was what it took.

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La Salle County Fair, Cotulla, TX
Cotulla is in deep South Texas.  The fair draws a good crowd every year and we like working it because the couple in charge of the building gives us a good spot and the local people respond.  44 made a profession of faith and 10 heard a witness, but did not ask the Lord to save them.  840 received a tract and we never know what all comes out of the printed message, but we run into people everywhere who were saved from a tract.  A local church is going to help next year.  The more workers, the more witnessing, the more responses to Christ.

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Live Oak County Fair, George West, TX
Pastor Traxler and Brush Country CC obtained the booth and worked to get the word out.  35 made a profession of faith, 16 heard but did not make a profession and over 600 got a tract.  The church was very encouraged by the response.  They are growing and seeing people saved in many other areas.  A teen girl from the church was saved.  She even helped others hear the good news.  Good things are happening.  God is working everywhere.

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Wild Hog Festival, Sabinal, TX
Don and Joy Myers of Heritage BC in Bulverde ran this event, again, while Pat and Steve were in George West, TX.  Pastor Benson and First BC obtained the booth space and helped work it.  They had 21 make professions of faith in Jesus Christ, 400+ received a tract.  8 got assurance of salvation.  Bro. Benson provided 10 workers over the 7 hours schedule.  Everyone was excited about this evangelistic outreach and the community impact.

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Laredo International Fair and Expo, Laredo, TX
The Lord gave us 86 professions of faith, 14 others received a witness without asking the Lord to save them, over 600 received a tract.  We have distributed the Decision Cards to appropriate churches to follow-up.

There are some bad things happening in Laredo, but not at the fairgrounds.  A mother, daughter and granddaughter approached the booth and we took them through the doors and asked if they knew for sure that they were born again.  They said yes.  We asked, where did that happen.  They said, right here, last year, you showed us how to be saved.  We have started going to church and have not missed a Sunday.  They went on to explain a lot more.  It does not matter where you are, when you start talking about Jesus, THINGS HAPPEN.

Ernie (teenager), made a profession, then came back several times with friends for them to see it.  They would say, "I want to be saved".  We would ask, "How do you know about that?"  They would say, "He (pointing to Ernie) told me about it", or "Ernie got saved", or something similar.

Pat was laying out a witness to a couple, when another couple came up and went through the doors, then they came around to the backside of the table and just stood there.  When the first couple finally left, the second couple walked up and sat down and said, "We want to be born again."  Pat obliged.

It was not always busy in Laredo, but when the crowd was present, we hardly got up from the tables.

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Man to Man Outdoor Festival
For the 4^th or 5^th year in a row, Pastor Terry Bartlett, Bro. Denny Wallace and the members of Rocky Creek Baptist Church of Victoria, TX, have worked this event.  This was their best year, yet.  The Lord gave them 101 professions of faith, 20 plus received only a witness and at least 4 received assurance of salvation.  There were 20 plus workers, not counting Pat and Steve.  6 to 9 labored per shift, some the whole day.

The crowd did not seem that large, but a very high percentage who went through the 3 doors, sat down for a clear presentation of the Gospel.

This festival is put on by a local Christian Men's Group, so there were many from other booths, who came by and thanked the church for being there with an effective witness.  Encouragement to other churches in soul winning is often over looked as a huge benefit to the cause of Christ.

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Year End

Amazing Grace Mission
The mission as a whole had another God-blessed year with over 35,000 professions across the globe.  The international ministry is really picking up steam.  People everywhere, not just in the US, want to know how to be saved.

Winning and Warning - The Andres' God-given Ministry
* Involved in 36 events
* 2714 made professions
* 86,628 tracts were placed in accepting hands
* 321 workers helped in the booth - many of these stepped to another level of Christian maturity
* 1024 received a witness but did not make a profession immediately - this number is not strictly recorded and is actually at least 3 - 4 times higher, but we marked down 1024
* 210 received assurance of their salvation - this number is also not watched closely, but may be only 50% too low.
All of these numbers translate into one statement … 

   You prayers, giving and encouragement contributed to touching over 90,000 lives in 2008. 
   Only the Lord knows how many tracts have been read and past on to others.

The above number does not include those whose numbers are not easily recordable.  For instance …
1. The 1000 plus who receive this monthly Soul Winning News Letter (over 12,000 per year)
2. The hundreds and hundreds around the world who visit our web site (www.AndresUSA.com) …
* to see how to be saved
* to receive assurance of salvation
* to see how to get started in public ministry
* to receive encouragement in soul winning
* to learn how to use a witness pamphlet
* to read testimonies of recent salvations and much more …

Thank the Lord for giving us www.AndresUSA.com.  This past week a foreign Missionary/Pastor of a fundamental Baptist Church wrote to ask about how their church could reach their community because the cults had just about ruined their door-to-door programs.

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Sagemont Christmas Festival
Sagemont church in Houston put on their own Christmas Festival and used out methods to seat prospects for an age old witness.  138 made professions.  Dozens of workers were involved and all were very excited about what God was doing.

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Canyon Lake Christmas Parade, Sattler, TX
640 tracts were distributed to very willing hands.  Some asked for tracts for others in their family or acquaintances.  Parades are the most enjoyable events we do.  Everyone is in a festive mood and people in general will take anything free, even the chicken pox.

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