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JUNE 1963

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MifSLEZETBR lEOM W. JACK &BIIIJE GILSON OtniROH OF utlijlS^
CULIACAH SINAIOA
MEXICAH address PERSONAL W. Jack or Billie Gilson

MHICO
U.S. Address-All Offerings First Caiurch of Christ
Culiacan Accoimt
801 N. Central Ave.

Apdo. Poatal 826

C-uliacan, Sinaloat Mexico
PACKAaSS': SEl! ONLY to

Phoenix, Arizona

Laura Hul)ele, 2533 E. Towner St,

Tiicson, Arizona

Please note oiar new Culia can address for personal

letters. During this sm-

No packages except hooks macr he * mer all mail will he forreceived in Mexico (written materia2)^g|j,^Q^^ from ]?hoeniX to our

* temporary addi'esd-

have been: the coming of Jose Rocha from Hermosillo to. take over

The most "earthshaking" things that have affected the work here

of a little store for Josefina "Chepina" Reginos' widow; two trips, one to Texas with the preachers for the Bi-Lingual con vention and a trip to Phoenix and Sierra Vista, Arizona to meet with the elders and use a week in evangelism and mission empha sis with the Sierra Vista Church. We had the privilege of see

the ministry left hy the death of Bro. Regino; the establishing

ing there in Sierra Vista a fine family of five b^tized into

Christ and His Church.

Easter week was one of .special evangelism here, with Francisco Luna of Saltillo Cb^i'stian College (Eastern Mexico) preaching, resulting in 2 baptisms, three other confessions and 5 response
for special prayer.

WeWe been spending a lot of time and money on the buildingwhich is to be dedibati^ June 2nd. It still lacks extras but

to win souls for Him, Well do our best to send you a pictiare after the dedication. In Agaaruto the groiap now meeting twice a week with Evangelist Atondo is planning a little temporary

is adequate for general use and we PRAISE GOD FOR ANOTHER TOOL

structure (techada). We've promised them. not one red centavoi hoping they'll keep" ri^t on in their own initiative.

WE*RE STORING UP FOR SCMB TRAVELING TIME^WE'LL BE SEEING YO^i.

196^'!' schedule will go something like this; Arizona and Califor nia in January and February amd the northwest in the spring. He we long to see each one of youl We want this to be a real visi in depth to those that have been writing to us for these past years (we passed 5 in Mexico in March).
Mexican workers that have worked with us to establish it* The methods we use are in their hands and we've tried to ei^hasize that we are not indispensable. Pray and Pray for these Worker.'

Our goal here is t 0 put the work entirely in the h^ds of the

Starting in June, we're changing our local place of residence (note address change req.uest) and will work on a book (no pub lisher yet) about Mexico, finish a movie to show on our trip ti see you and do related work in the ministry: (This is Jack's project). Billie will receive her degree in Spanish (Ma.) and
finish class work for her MFA in crafts. These projects will be furthered by the granting of tuition scholarships to the Institute Allende in Guanajuato (Central Mexico). These were

granted to us because of work submitted to them for approval.

We'll return "to the wars" here in Culiacan in September, and stay uAtil we headb for the 48 plus 2" in the winter.

Our agents for local dates for speaking and showing the movie
will be announced in the fall- any volunteers?

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IHCIDIDNT II] A l-ilfiCICM TILLaC-B SCHOOL

COLLEG

Joplin, Mo.

Ihe playground was hot ond dusty "but the "boys were all playing hard and rmming fast e2;cept -for two off to one side. The ones runniug st^'ted to pass them "by and started shoutin/?-"hey, hey,

hay- hlleluj3h5" "You*re fat and dirty and cra^y too-yahl HalleluJ?5hi" It became a sport and ?, chant with the tv;o boys just standing doing nothing until the others went away. After

the r?3ces the teacher entsr^. th^ classromin and everyone .stood

-veipy strai^at vmtil he aat down, E'2 q.'jLieted the group and then .aslced, "Vftio in ^his room is a "hallelujah?" This teacher had tau^t these boys for three years and sow many of their mothers

daily in the mass of the Ror.an Catholic Church. Vhen he took' his teaching credentials he swore' not to interfere or teach in
religion in the cla'ssroom. The two boys who had stood a. part were friglitened, they had been attending a non-Catholic se^

vice Cthe Church of Christ) and the "name'* for th6 religious ser
vices were "Hallelujah Services". The older one stood and the

yoiinger crawled un{?er his desk: in fear and shame in being sing
led out .for attention- the teacher had very cleverly singled
them out for being different.. , DO WE MORll WORKSRS ill iCTICO?

.Yes we do, both missionary and native.

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We have more than 30

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cities (out of perhaps ^0) with a population of over 100,000

anct' no New Test^ent Chuxch beginnings. Most of these cities have not more than two non-Cathblic religious services a week

in the whole population.

yearly.

At present our Bible training centers

have not more than 70 st-udents, with perhaps 5 nien graduating

We need more of everythingl

"JeUl have ."five additional workers to

need special prayers for the summer wor.k as our young people
come home from school.

carry on the needed Vacation Bible Schools and visit the ranches outside the city during the summer." 'Drop Atondo or Jose Rocha

encouraging note at the Church,, address this summer- Dionisio Atondo, Oabino'Vas^uez 75 sur., Goloiiia Ejidal. (same for Jose;

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JACK & BILLIE GILSON

Apartado Postal. 826

Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico

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GREETINGSGrace

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Oci22'63

QZARK 3IBLE COLLEOS

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newsletter EROM W. jack &BILLIS GILSON - Culiacan Church of Christ, Slnaloa, Mexico
MICAH AJg)RESS" PERSONAL; U.S. ADDRESS; ALL OFMINGS; W. or Billie Gilson First Church of Christ
PACKAGES: SEND ONLY to; Laura Hobele

Apdo. Postal 826 Culiacan, Sinaloa, Mexico

Culiacan Account 801 N, Central Ave.

Phoenix, Arizona

2533 E. Towner St, Tucson, Arizona

What have you been doing all summer? That's a good question-"but it would take all
winter to answerj Jack can now "be called an author, almost! The book didn*t get finished but a healthy start was made. We now believe those that say it takes five

years to write a book and no one publishes anything of in^jortance until after he is

kO, Since Jack is now 35...well you supply the answer. The first installment is about a violent experience in the Sinaloa mountains, thieves, robbers, murderers the
mountains are full of them. Billie can now be called "Master", as she finished her requirements for MA in Spanish and received proper recognition, etc.

The filming carried us to Mexico City, Zaeatecas and colonial Guanajuato, tfe have festivals, Indians, orchids in it- came within a few miles of the famous volcano "Paracutin" but couldn>t film because of the thick clouds. Three months of cool
weather and hard work brou^t us back "rarin*" to go again.

On our way home... via Mante, Tamalipas (Damon Ellet and family are buildinga fine log church building there), Monterrey, where we unpacked with the Lonnie
Pachecos. Lonnie is in his last year of Medical School and they have a fine

big new building full of fine people. Lonnie crossed the border with us to McAllen, Texas to get new permits etc. One of our smoothest border crossings
ever- COULD IT BE BECAUSE WE RECORDED THE WHOLE PROCESS ON THE MOVIE CAMERA?

Down the mountain. I wish each of you that receive this letter coold come down the mountain with us from Durango. ^gjlg^ow have our own private ORCHID GARDEN
each trip. We've co\mted at least ? varieties, purple, white, mellow, green and maroon. In size from hand size to tiny ones as big as your finger nail. Back in Culiacan we hunted for a house,-(fitfltless search) having given up the

just off the highway- covers several acres. It is 200 hub straining miles from here, but really worth the trip. We bring a few back with us, plant and all, ai

with a ground floor this time- Apartment

fine.

apartment for the summer. Finally moved back into the same "edificio" but
Three vacation Bible Schools were held, but the rains washed out a

THE. CHURCH seems to be running

Revival scheduled with Antonio Medina.

(Rescheduled for the end of October).

IMI'IEDIATELY UPON RETURNING WE INAUGARATED A PROGBAM SPONSORED JOINTLY WITH the local church and Sierra Vista, Arizona, This program enables us to in vite students from the coups and towns around about us to st^ with us to

study, receiving abed and board. This enriches them and the local^ church,
in another phase of the same program we can offer to any "apprentice" minister that may want to work with us, under the same axrangements. The

^fork, Civics (in the Church) and a course in English, We have a total of
1^ actually participating in classes, with each required to qualify in at least two. Five young people have come from out of town, the rest are of the local church. Four are not Christians as-yet. This program will last
until January as plans now sire made,

actual day runs like this:

Classes in Church, Church History, Personal

JANUARY: That's when we start to the states. We hope to have the film finished and see all of you before summer comes in 1964. January in Arizona_(write to

the Phoenix Church); February in Northern Golifprnia j^rite to San ^afael Ci^cl
March in Southern Calfiornia (write to Escondido"^fi\iaj['f April in Oreg(yn--gn!fir' Idaho (write to Mrs, Evelyn Soyles, 3911 River Road, %gene, Oregon).
i '. '*t i''" '

has moved us, of that we can testify, God has given u9 m'atefi4|^4fain^'j toW'tfuB.lding dedicated June 2. is testimony to that, Ow Heavenly, con^a^sjorj^te.has given us souls for our hire; about 10 persons take communion in Aguarij^g an6. about 20 in
Culiacan each Lords' day.
active Church?

These next three months will Tie VERY IMPOIfflAJJT ONES for ^
We can count them.

iP- Cuilao^. God_

Will we leave here know with a growins

God has the answer- don't forget to pray!