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The BUI Baker FamilyServing Christ Through

Spanish American Evangelism
3135 Forney Lane, El Paso, TX 79935
Volume No. 7 December 1988 Number 1
Dear Friends of the Baker Family,
"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall
be upon his shoulder: and his name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, TheMighty
God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." Isaiah 9:6.
What a joyous and thrilling time Christmas is! I love the excitement and remem
brance of our Lord that people share! We should share His birth everyday.
I pray that everyone of you is as happy as Iam and that you will have a wonderful
time with your families and friends. We have been hoping to be able to visit my
Dad. He has been in either a rest home or hospital continousiy since a series
of strokes and a heart attack in the fall of 1987. He is currently in a rest home
in Del Rio, Texas, about 50 miles from my childhood home of Eagle Pass. As I
said, we hope to be able to visit him during Christmas, but time and finances
may not permit us the privilege of being able to do so. Martin (my Dad) has not
been improvingbut at the same time, he is not getting any worse. Please continue
to be in prayer for him and the entire Alejandro family.
We thank God for the many blessings which He has bestowed our way during
1988. Let me share just a few of these blessings with you:
1) The year has been busy from the very beginning. Early in the year Bill was
bitten by a dog while distributing New Testaments with a team of students from
Platte Valley Bible College south of Mexico City. Bill didn't want to cause any
problems with the local authorities or the evangelistic effort so he waited until
he returned to El Paso before beginning treatment. The blessing was that God
provided all of the funds needed for the series of shots. The doctor mentioned
to Bill that he didn't understand how we were able to pay for the shots, because
he knew that he was making more money than Bill was and he would have had
a problem with the additional expenses (almost $1,000.00). The doctor could not
understand that God was in control, and all needed funds were provided.
2) At the close of 1987, Bill and Brother Samuel Guzman were able to negotiate
the merging of two separate Spanish-speaking congregations. This has been a
great blessing to the Spanish work in El Paso during 1988. Bill has had added
responsibility as a result during 1988. The finances for the church have been nip
and tuck during the entire year, but God always seems to provide the needed
funds as bills come due (or should I say past-due). Growth has been slow and
steady, and the entire congregation is anxious for the time when Brother Guzman
will be able to occupy the parsonage (more about that later).
3) God has blessed us with four wonderful children who have excelled in their
school activities during this year. Billy is doing well on his grades and has been
very active in the orchestra program. He just finished playing for the school's
production of "The King and I". He learned a lot about working with people as
a result of this experience Barbie has been active in her orchestra, also. She
has recently played for a Christmas concert and had a part in a piano recital.
Frances made the all "A" honor rcll this grading period. Caleb is doing well in
kindergarden. Even though he has not studied addition, he recently showed Barbie
that he could add several different small numbers. When asked how he could
do that, Caleb pointed his finger to his forehead and replied, "I just used mybrain!"
4) Bill's health has greatly improved. He was having problems with colds, flu
and general run down condition. The doctor took several tests and found that
his triglyceride count was 803 and his cholesterol was over 300! Buzzers went
off in the doctor's office, and Bill and I were called in for a conference. Bill was
put on a special dietno red meat, no sugar, no enriched flour, no nothing which
he loves. He was told that he could pig out on three items: fruits, vegetables and
water. After a month of a complete change in diet, the results were:
triglycerides-136 and cholesterol-below 100. Bill is feeling much better almost every
day and he is getting used to eating a completely different type of diet.
As you can see, God has been blessing our family. In addition to these sepcific
areas. He has been working in many different areas of the ministry of Spanish
American Evangelism.
Work here has been abundant as always, but we seem to find the strength
and time to keep going. Work has been progressing in the remodeling of the
upstairs of the annex of Logan Heights Christian Church in order to make a
parsonage. The initial work was begun in March as friends from Kansas, Merle
and Vivian Rintoul, spent two weeks with us in the beginning stages of tearing
out and starting the framing of the newrooms. Workthen progressed slowlyuntil
the first week of August when a group of four men from Gering Central Church
of Christ inGering, Nebraska, spent a week withus. Following that. Bill and several
of the high school boys spent the rest of the month in working on the project.
Because of lack of funds, work slowed, and now the final effort is being made
-to have Samuel and his family in the parsonage by the end of the year. Bill has
been going to work at S.A.E. early in the morning and doing some printing and
then working at the church afternoons and evenings. He has been going almost
18 hours a day for the past three weeks and it is beginning to show. He has gone
to bed early for the past two days and not gotten up until 6:30 in the morning.
Please pray that there will be enough help for Bill to be able to get this job done
by the end of the year. The walls and ceilings are ready for spraying the texture.
The final wood trimand installing of the interior doors will follow after the painting
is completed. Following that the installation of the bathroom fixtures and building
of the kitchen cabinets and final flooring will complete the entire project. It may
not be completed before the end of the year, but it will be livable for the Guzman
family. The church is growing and really does need to have the minister living
in the neighborhood.
Bill and I have been deliberating concerning the progress of the work at Logan
Heights ChristianChurch. We do not want the church to become dependent upon
outside sources for the operating expenses. Because of the income level of the
majorityof the members and the monthlyexpenses (mortgage $388.21, insurance
$114.73, minister's salary $500.00, in addition to utilities and other expenses), we
do not see how as a congregation we can continue to meet these obligations
regularly. It is a shame to realize that after 25 years of attempting to establish
a Spanish-speaking congregation of the Christian Churches/Churches of Christ
in El Paso that Logan Heights Christian Church is all that we have as a brotherhood
to show for the efforts which have been expended.
I have been really busy in keeping Bill on his diet. It is a problem trying to find
different recipes for him to eatchicken, fish or turkeyas not to bore him and
keep the children happy. He is doing pretty good at staying on his diet
and has lost over 30 pounds. My problem is getting myself to lose weight,
I need some help!
I am trying to get a Christmas program ready at the church also, so that
keeps me busy in addition to the kids activities at school. I have also been
able to substitute teach a little bit during the last few weeks.
The work at Spanish American Evangelism is going on even though Bill
is short of help. He could sure use either a full or part-time printer. SAE
cannot pay a salary for this position and anyone interested would have
to raise their own living support. Perhaps a retired couple with printing
experience might consider relocating to El Paso and offer their services
on a part-time basis. As you might remember, SAE lost a full-time printer
and a secretary during 1987. However, Bill has been able to print almost
one million tracts already during 1988 and hopes to complete that number
by year's end.
The annual PVBC trip is scheduled for the first part of 1989. Please be
in prayer for everyone involved in this week of evangelism. For many it
will be their first experience in working on a foreign mission field.
We thank you so much for all your love and concern during 1988. You
have been a big blessing to the Baker family and to the ministryof Spanish
American Evangelism.
Merry Christmas. May the Lord bless you richly in the coming year.
SincereTy in Christian love,
rios^i Baker
Bill, Billy, Barbie, Frances and Caleb
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