Christmas at Kunkels' House; Navidad en la casa de la FLIA KUNKEL

Boletín de Diciembre; Iglesia LA ROCA

Como el año se nos fue! Estamos en la época de la Navidad; el tiempo cuando acordamos de que Dios, nos dio, un don inefable. (2 Cor. 9:15). Algo tan!! grande que palabras humanas no son adecuadas para poder describirlo. Mas de esto hablaremos en el mensaje!

Para Iracema, Steven y yo, esta es nuestra segunda Navidad en este país. Somos muy, pero MUY agradecidos, por TODOS ustedes; Por tu crecimiento espiritual; por tu apertura de oír de nosotros y del Espíritu Santo de Dios, el llamado a la salvación, y/o a una vida de discipulado verdadero con El. SIGAN ADELANTE!
En 2009, que se nos acerca, veremos mucho mas!!

“Porque nos otros no somos de los que retroceden, a la perdición. Al contrario, somos de los que tenemos fe para la preservación de la alma…” (Hebreos 10; 39).

En el mensaje de hoy, hablare de cómo nosotros damos, a los demás. Pero como debemos dar también a Dios? El Apóstol Pablo así habla a la iglesia en Roma; (Rom 12:1-2).

“Así que, hermanos, os ruego por las misericordias de Dios, que presentéis vuestros cuerpos en sacrificio vivo, santo, agradable a Dios, que es vuestro culto racional. No os conforméis a este siglo, sino transformaos por medio de la renovación de vuestro entendimiento, para que comprobéis cuál sea la buena voluntad de Dios, agradable y perfecta”.

Les amamos,

Pr. Timoteo e Iracema



PD, Fechas a llevar en cuenta…


Prójima vigilia, 31 del 12, 20;00-24;00 Casa de Timoteo y Iracema. Por favor de confirmar tú presencia. Habrá mucha comida, oración y compañerismo.

Prójimos cultos, 4 de Enero 09;00 Casa de Elvio y Carla

1 de Febrero, 09;00 Casa de Elvio y Carla

KUNKELS NOVEMBER PRAYER LETTER

KUNKEL PRAYER GRAM 11/24/2008

Greetings from Cuidad del Este Paraguay

We are doing fine, and prospering in this new post of ministry. I say “new” because we are coming up now on 2.5 years here in country and 3.5 years with the new position. In contrast to the 15 years we spent in Uruguay, we really are newcomers here! God has blessed us here with new friends, families, and churches. We can say that many people have heard a clear presentation of the Gospel, because you all have sent us here, and support us in prayer and faithful giving. How could we ever thank you and the Lord enough? Every time we lead another person to Christ, see families, changed and couples reconcile, we know we could not do it without you; the churches and individuals who support us in love and prayers year in and year out. As we come up on THANKGIVING how thankful we are to the Lord and you all for the privilege it is and has been to know and to serve Him in missions these almost 19 years! Coming up, on 2/13/2009 we will have been under missionary appointment 19!! years. TO GOD BE THE GLORY!

As we come up on the Christmas season, we say with the Apostle Paul, THANKS BE TO GOD FOR HIS UNSPEAKABLE gift!! (II COR. 9:15). Oh how great and above human words it was/is!! The baby Jesus was unique, the only one of His kind, He was JUST what this world and you and I needed, and He was wrapped in thoughtfulness and love!! God had planned on this for millennia, past, as Jesus Christ was and is “the lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world”!! (John 1:29). This is the main emphasis of the message that I gave to a school assembly last week, and 170 people heard the Gospel, in it. Yes, let us continue to tell people about God’s unspeakable gift in Christ!!

This Christmas we thank you all in advance for what you will do through the Lottie Moon Christmas Offering. This will be taken up in the Christmas season, in our churches. Please remember that about ½ of the entire budget for 5400 IMB SBC missionaries is raised in this one offering. We want to say a sincere thank you in advance for what you will do in this. We also want to thank you and the churches you attend for the way you also support us all year long in Cooperative Program giving. Thanks again for this.

We also know that hundreds of our friends, family and supporters have our prayer cards in your Bibles, on your refrigerator doors, and on your church bulletin boards! We can feel your prayers. As we serve in this place which is one of the pockets of darkness and oppression in the world, of corruption, and danger, we know that without the prayers of God’s people on our behalf, we would be in desperate straits! Thanks for holding the ropes for us in prayer.

Allow me to tell you of just one family that we have send transformed by the power of the Lord this year. We met Olga when she came crying to our house. Her common law husband with whom she had lived off and on for 6 years had left her again. He had been unfaithful to her on numerous occasions, as had she with and to him. She was tired of her sinful life, and the constant trouble, and suffering. The day she came and saw us, we told her of the hope that there is to be found in Jesus; that He could forgive her and give her a new life. She prayed to receive Christ. She gave me the phone # of her husband Pablo, and I called him. He respectfully came to see me, and I told him of the decision that Olga had made. I asked him if he was happy. He said he was miserable. I asked him to consider giving his life to Christ, and get his life on track with the Lord. He did, and that VERY NIGHT I took him back home. A couple of months later they were legally married, and then I baptized them.
They are not perfect They still have things to work our in their lives but they are on track!! We meet every Thursday night with them in their home. They are growing, and telling others about the Lord. Now I ask you this, How much is one family worth? And when we also begin to talk about others such as Elbio and Carla, Cepeherino, and Celia, Rumina, Gabi, Camila, Luana, Elizabeth, Carlos, Jose, etc, etc. All new Christians, or their children, newly married, and people who are learning to take off the old man, and dress or clothe themselves in Christ’s character. WOW!!! Is all we can say. (See Eph. 4:20-24) It is true, if ANYONE be in Christ, he/she in a new creation. The old is past; the new has come!!! (11 Cor 5: 17-21).

Family News: My parents are doing quite well. My mother is quite limited due to a lot of pain and rheumatoid arthritis. My dad has had two heart surgeries in the last 18 months, but the last one, in which he has three stents inserted, apparently has helped a lot. I had the privilege to be with them in October of this year. I praise the Lord for this.

Iracema’s 94 year old mother Ruth is doing quite well. Iracema will spend Christmas with her. Steven and I will “rough it out” alone this year, but we really wanted her to be able to see her mother and spend Christmas with her. Steven will be on a tour with the Japanese church, and I will hold the fort down here. I am not sure who I will spend Christmas Eve with, but it will be with some of our adopted Christian family here, I am sure.

Our Son John Glenn is doing well. He will graduate from Cal. Bap U, this coming May. We plan to be there!! I hope we can see some of you there as well! He is a 3.65 GPA student and we are proud of him. This past summer he was a youth pastor intern in Forks WA, and spent part of the summer in Europe. He is a blessing to us! He plans to begin an MA degree this next fall. He will most likely stay in SO. CAL…

Steven is doing great. He is finishing up his HS diploma, and has had a great experience in it. He will live with us for the foreseeable future and do an online AA degree. He continues to study Japanese and work with the Japanese churches here in Paraguay. He is also a great joy to us. By the way if you want to send him a graduation card, that would be fine. Please send it to the USA address at the end of this letter…

Julia is doing great; she is married to Jason Jordan. The both live and work in Norfolk VA. I was with them also for 2 days in November. They have developed into a great Christian couple and family, and it is always a privilege to be in their home… We thank God for our first born child, and her husband!! She and all of our kids are a blessing from the Lord! (See Psalm 127).

THANKSGIVING. Yes, this Thursday we will celebrate. We will get a turkey and I will make dressing from scratch. We will make real pumpkin pie (no boxed Stove Top stuffing, or Libby’s pumpkin mix here)!! We have already invited a non Christian family to spend it with us. Please pray for Daniel, Luiza and their 2 precious children. Please pray that the real meaning of Christmas and Thanksgiving might be made VERY CLEAR to them this holiday season.

Final thoughts: Occasionally look at our blog. I occasionally post a few things there.

jtkunkel.blogspot.com


We love and appreciate you all!

Tim, Iracema and Steven Kunkel

Can one celebrate Thanksgiving in a foreign land?

THANKSGIVING AT THE KUNKELS!!

CUIDAD DEL ESTE PARAGUAY, 2008

Can one celebrate Thanksgiving in a foreign land? YES YOU CAN!!

I was recently reading Psalm 137 (NKJV)...

1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion.

2 We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it.

3 For there those who carried us away captive asked of us a song, and those who plundered us requested mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion!”


4 How shall we sing the LORD’s song in a foreign land?


5 If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget its skill!

6 If I do not remember you, Let my tongue cling to the roof of my mouth—

If I do not exalt Jerusalem Above my chief joy.

SO HOW DID WE DO IT? Well we bought a pumpkin, and boiled it down, then scraped out the "meat"...

We then used ground clove and Cinnamon, and sweetened condensed milk, and made much better than LIBBY'S pumpkin pie. For "Cranberry Sauce" we used plum jelly. We toasted bread (white and whole wheat), and made cornbread from scratch. ( No little 3/1.00$ packages of cornbread mix here, or OROWHEAT stuffing). We then used a little sage and poultry seasoning, that friends sent us from the States and made some of the best turkey stuffing in town ( it may have also been the ONLY turkey stuffing in town, as well! :-)

We then stuffed the turkey, and made all the trimmings. We then invited a family that had never experienced an American TG. They are too, far from home. They are from Argentina, and are some of our friends. They are Luisa, Daniel, Augustin, and Micaela. We ended the evening over dessert explaining the meaning of TG and Harvest Festivals. Note that here we are in spring!!

We then prayed and each one gave a list of the things we are most thankful for, that we have received in 2008...

This is a TG tradition that we have had on the mission field for many years. We do TG as an evangelistic outreach. Please continue to pray for us, and for the people and families that we daily come into contact with for the Lord.

In His love and service,

THE KUNKELS

Thanks be to God for his CREATION

Thanskgiving colors

Fall and Thanksgiving colors.

Happy Thanskgiving to all.

Love the Kunkels

A Long and Busy Missionary Day!

Today Sunday, the 20th of July, we spent the whole day in the rural eastern part of Paraguay. We got up, at 05;30, and saw the brilliant sunrise coming in from the East. Note it in the picture below. It shows the sun rising above Cuidad del Este, Paraguay, from the Brazil side of the Friendship Bridge. To the right of the sun, is the Arab Building, with its gold mosque dome, at its base. The picture was shot from the balcony of our apartment, about 240 feet above the street, on the 22nd of 23 floors. Every morning we are reminded of HIS creation, and faithfullness, and perfect timing as we see this scene played out for us.

After driving almost three hours we arrived at the rural home of Celia's family. She had not seen them in 2.5 years. Her mother had never seen the new baby Rumina. They are VERY poor, and a 12$ bus ticket is not within their reach. Iracema and I helped them buy the tickets for this much needed trip home to see the family. Their desire was to tell them the Good News. They had met Jesus, and their lives had been changed.

In the picture above please observe Iracema explaining to Celia's mother Antonia the plan of Salvation, with the Billy Graham tract, STEPS TO PEACE WITH GOD in her hand. Sadly she said NO to the Gospel invitation!

Celia's brother, Elpedio, however did accept Jesus Christ as his personal savior PTL!! He is sitting in the middle of the photo... Please pray for him...

Above is a one hour "Evangelistic Church service", in the shade of their three room home where about 8 people now live... . I gave them three Bible Stories straight out of Luke 15. The lost sheep, the lost Coin, and the lost son. In all three , something of great value was lost, the owner was worried about it, and sought it out, and there was great joy upon the reencounter. Surely the son of man, has come to seek and save that which was lost ( Luke 19:10). What a privilege that we too can do this, for the lost in the world. Have you?? told anyone about the change Christ made in your?? life this past week? Why not, if the answer is no? Tell them your story. How your life was before knowing Jesus. What to hear another amazing thing?

Celia and Zepherino went out and did door to door witnessing in over 200 homes the 4 days they were home. WOW!!! is all I can say. How a new babe in Christ shall lead them/us. Pray that the Lord will give you too, a passion to see the lost won, and reconciled with the father...

Here we are served a traditional lunch of manioc root, and manioc root breaded pastries, filled with ground beef, a cool aid type beverage, and a type of cornbread made with fresh cheese (called SOPA PARAGUAYA). Celia is on the right. The girl in the middle is her sister Noelia, and she is 17. She prayed to recieve Christ with us as well. PTL! Please pray for her as well.

At the end of the day we went to visit Cepherino's brother Miguel in a high security prison. He is 29, and has been in and out of jail, over 20 times. Cepherino had not seen him in over a year. He did not know of Cepherino's conversion. How emotive it was for me to see him weep and pray over his younger brother. He desparately needs the Lord. While there I ministered to several inmates. In one cell (8' x 4'), I saw 4 men, and they has one single matress on the floor, for all to sleep on. I guess they sleep in shifts. One of them begged me for about a dollar. I shared the Gospel with them. They looked like caged and pacing animals.

At 11.PM, we arrived back home, exausted but filled with the Glory of the Lord. Thanks for all you do to love and support us!

In His service, THE KUNKELS

Baptizing Celia in her Backyard. Launch of LA ROCA # 2. April of 2008

KUNKEL GRAM 7/13/2008


Dear friends, family, supporters, and praying partners,

Greetings to you from Cuidad del Este, Paraguay,

It is hard to believe that today marks 2 years since we have lived here full time in this blessed land. We accepted this post which was offered to us, by our regional leadership, in April, of 2005. So technically we have been linked to Paraguay over three years. After accepting the post, after seeing up close what was entailed in it, we went back to Uruguay, and then packed up our home and things from 15 + years of ministry and life there, and went to the USA for a one year stateside assignment or furlough. During that year we were based out of Jefferson City, MO, and spoke throughout the USA 158 times in total regarding missions. From the USA we also did the strategy coordination for a part of Paraguay. So essentially we have been in this post 38 months, and on the field uninterrupted, 24.

God has been so good and so gracious to us. With the prophet Samuel, we can surely say, here we raise an ENENEZER stone. Up to this point the Lord has helped us.
(I Sam. 7:12) Implicit in this saying is the secure belief that since He has done this in the past surely He will continue to do so in the present and future.

Some of our Blessings:

-We have been privileged to help start 2 simple house churches. What is a simple or house church? It is a church that meets in homes, or any other place it provides for itself. (Some simple churches even meet in the open air, under a mango tree, etc… ) We believe that the church is the people, not a building. In the NT the people met in homes did they not? They did not build buildings specifically for churches until centuries after Christ’s ascension. A church will have 5 characteristics, I believe:

1) It will be a group of born again and baptized (by immersion) believers.
2) They will have regular meetings. (usually weekly).
3) The members will have a passion to serve the Lord and win the lost to Christ.
4) They will have accepted leaders that will naturally arise from within the group. These leaders may or may not be Bible school, or seminary trained.
5) They will regularly practice the 2 ordinances of the Lord Jesus Christ. a) Baptism by immersion, and b) The Lord’s Supper.

We believe that if you have this, you have CHURCH!!!

Our desire is to see hundreds of these simple house churches flourishing throughout Latin America.

In Uruguay we participated in many of these church plants. Here we are now on two, and working on the third. The folks of LA ROCA (THE ROCK) may some day build or rent places for regular worship, but this will not be funded by the Baptist Mission. They will do this with local resources as the Lord of the Harvest leads them/us.

-We have been privileged to see REAL AND RADICAL CONVERSIONS. Wow!! When we think of people like Elvio, and Carla, Cepherino and Celia, Carlos, and Olga and Pablo, we can hardly believe the way that they have changed and grown. To see people in the throes of sin, who used to walk in darkness see and come to a great light, is one of the greatest emotions that a person can experience. To see lives transformed by the power of the resurrected Christ, gives us great joy. What a privilege it is for us to be about this. And we can and do our work here, because folks like you believe in us, pray for us, and faithfully support us. How can or could we ever thank you enough?? Please see Hebrews 6:10). Thanks for your support of us through the CP, LMCO, and in other ways!

Challenges:

In my personal Bible study I recently came upon an interesting statement of the Apostle Paul, that great missionary and church planter. “Because a great door for effective work has opened for me, and there are many who oppose me”. (I Cor. 16:9, NIV). We have seen much opposition, especially in the new neighborhood called San Alfredo, where we have established LA ROCA # 2 . The new believers there are daily subjected to ridicule and name calling. Their dog has been poisoned. They have been the targets of several schemes. Their marriage is under attack. We have been threatened to be met with a hail of stones upon our arrival in our vehicle. To go there at night is quite dangerous. But in spite of this, they and we continue on. The man who is the future leader of this new work, (I believe), used to meet the bill collectors at the gate of his house with a machete, threatening to cut their hands off. Now he humbly meets them, and is paying off all of his debts. He was an accomplished street hustler, and con man. He served 7 years in one of the largest and toughest prisons, in Latin America. He has been transformed by the power of the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ!! He used to drink and beat his wife. He now loves her with the pure love of a Christian man, explained to us, by Paul, in Ephesians, 5:22-32. All this has transpired in less than 4 months!

Some however are weak, and afraid. Some are falling by the wayside, and this deeply concerns and saddens us. One man recently told me. “I cannot continue on in Bible study and discipleship with you, pastor. All my friends and family are ridiculing me, and they no longer want anything to do with me”. In spite of my pleadings he has abandoned the way. With the Apostle Paul we must say, as he did say regarding Demas, P****, O***, N****, and others “have forsaken us, having loved this present world”! (11 Timothy: 4:9). Please pray for them.

Some are under demonic attack. One of the new couples recently baptized and married, after having lived together for 7 years, yesterday called us quite alarmed. Their two year old daughter was frantic and had not slept all night. She repeatedly was seeing and hearing something in the room. She said it was a monster. She also saw “blood” on her hands. It was undoubtedly a demonic presence that was coming against them. We went to their house and prayed for them, the little girl, and removed from the house some demonic artifacts that their servant girl had introduced into the home. This for us, is par for the course… I just talked to her and last night the little girl slept peacefully. Please do pray for them. The little girls name is C*****…

Prayer Requests:

-For the two new Churches. One in the Parana CC Neighborhood, and the other in Barrio San Alfredo.

-For the preaching points or New Outreach Groups, in the CENTRO, MERCADO, AREA, 4, And in Km 7.5, Acaray. Pray that they soon will become simple Churches.

-For Steven as he finished HS in Dec, and begins online study for his AA degree.

-For continual inroads into the Japanese communities here through the ministry of Steven who is studying Japanese and feels a call to missions with them. This week he has teamed up with Japanese itinerate missionary/evangelist and his wife, and is visiting the Japanese communities spread out throughout Paraguay.

-For John Glenn, who will soon finish up his forth consecutive summer as a pastoral intern, this time in Forks WA, and then he is off to Europe for 2 weeks, and back to Cal Baptist University for his senior year there.

-For John Glenn and another friend, who are feeling led to start a church plant in Riverside Ca. They want to reach out to an unreached segment of folks there. It is a Holy desire that he and his buddy have and we are proud of them, and we are supporting this effort. Pray that they will stay pure and close to the Lord, and do His perfect will.

-For Julia and Jason. They are doing well in Norfolk. Jason just had his 30th birthday June 16th. Julia will be 29 on August 18th. Send her a card if you can! They are faithful members of FBC Norfolk, and are working hard.

With the Apostle Paul, I say and ask that you might pry also for

18 me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel, 20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak (KJV) (Ephesians, 6:11)


II Cor. 5:

11 Knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men;
13 For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you. 14 For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died; 15 and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new. 18 Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 that is, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not imputing their trespasses to them, and has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Now then, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were pleading through us: we implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God. 21 For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.

What a glorious passage. It is what we and missions are all about.

Please continue to pray for us,

Your missionaries in Cuidad del Este, Paraguay, and regions beyond.

The Kunkels

Today marks our two year anniversary of our arrival in Paraguay

Two years ago TODAY!! we arrived in this blessed land. It took us about 30 hours in 4 airports. We has 21!!! pieces of luggage!! I can say with the prophet Samuel,

( I Samuel 7:12) EBENEZER!! Up to this point the Lord has helped us!!!

After serving in Uruguay for 15 years , three years ago we accepted the challenge to come to this part of the world. We came here briefly and then went to the USA for a one year furlough. During that year we shared the mission's challenge 158 times!!!

Here the evangelical Chrsitian rate is less than 2% It is one of the pockets of darkness in Latin America. It is considered a place of danger and corruption. In the midst of all of this the Lord has allowed us to:

-Plant 2 house churches, and has allowed us to baptize 11 people. We have 19 members now in LA ROCA. We have been prospered and helped in every way.

- We have a nice place to live.

-We have good transportation.

-Our children are doing well.

-Our elderly parents are doing quite well and are well taken care of.

-Our things arrived here fine from Uruguay.

We have made many friends and contacts here. Some of them you see in the pictures below. We have so much to be thankful for. Please join us in praising the Lord of the Harvest who has sent us into this HIS harvest field. Blessings, THE KUNKELS

Wedding Bells!

God is really changing and impacting lives. This month two of the couples who are members of LA ROCA, have been married. Please join me in congratulating Elvio and Carla, and Pablo and Olga. God has a great plan for these choice folks. Please keep them in your prayers,

Love the Kunkels

I year Anniversary of Cuidad del Este Paraguay church, LA ROCA

Cuidad del este, Paraguay,

July 9, 2008,

Dear

Greetings to all of you who love us, pray for us, and support us, in our evangelism and church planting efforts!

I wanted you to get a few pictures of our first year anniversary of our new church. We are calling it THE ROCK, as Jesus and his message is The Rock, upon which we must build our lives. Note here the cake and the baptisms. I baptized a couple we won to the Lord, this day, as well. (Pablo and Olga). We also recognized their marriage (when we met them, they had lived together, for 7 years, and had two beautiful daughters. Sin, and jealousy had led to them to a separation). The Lord used us to minister His grace and pardon to them, and to rebuild their family.

We also dedicated a baby, and gave out diplomas for finishing discipleship courses…

Please re read 1 Samuel 4-7. In it, it talks about the routing of the Israelites due to their sin, their belief in the Ark of the Covenant (but not in the God of the Ark!!! ), their misery, and their lamentation, to the Lord. After repentance, and God’s pardon, they were able to recapture their territory, and achieve God’s forgiveness, and peace. After this the Prophet Samuel, led them to erect an EBENEZER STONE; a stone of help and remembrance. Up till this point God has helped us!!!, he says. Let us not forget it!

The idea is this. He has helped us in the past. He will do so in the present and the future. Beware lest we forget Him, His goodness kindness, and His past and present mercies.

I felt led to lead our people (we had 55+ in attendance, and now have 17 baptized members, and many more preparing for baptism), to Erect an EBENEZER stone… We also anointed it with oil, representing Gods anointing over our lives, families, and church. It was a beautiful day!!!

Thanks again for your love and support of us, and this church planting ministry. Without you this work would not be today what it is!!

We love and appreciate you,

The Kunkels

Thoughts I have on the eve of the first year anniv of LA ROCA...

Note that in thinking about why some people choose to believe in God, and in His Son Jesus Christ, in the end, I think that some have a certain bent to believe in God and others do not. Some are pure hedonists, and don't give a thought to the future; why they are here. etc. They just do not care. They are convinced that this life is all there is, and they go on their merry way to eternity. Others have a spiritual bent, and are seekers.

The man you see me baptizing here a year ago, when we launched LA ROCA, is a perfect example of this. He (Carlos), had it all. Money, lots of women, a good job, and all the vices that come with that mix sans Jesus Christ. I led him to the Lord, and he now has TRUE JOY, and a peace that passes all human understanding. As an evangelist, and church planter, I look for people like this. I am but a beggar that knows where I found good bread and had my hunger saciated. I can show interested "beggars" where to get it too. If however they have no hunger, showing them the awesome bakery where the Bread of Life can be had, for free!!!!!!!!!!! will do them no good.

I wander about, with a prayer on my lips. "Lord make me an instrument of your peace"; (Francis de Assisi) an agent of reconcilliation. St Paul, (11 Cor. 5:17-21). Let me show others through my life that you exist, and change people. AMEN!!

This next Sunday I plan to baptize three new people that the HS, and I were able to convince that this is so! It is winter here and the swimming pool will be at about 45degrees farenheit. To the world, yes we are fools for Christ!! (11 Cor.5:13) Blessings on you, JTK

Spanish entry one year anniversay of the church we started in Paraguay: LA ROCA

7/2007

Innaguracion

de La Iglesia LA ROCA,

CDE Paraguay

Boletín Anual. Iglesia LA ROCA…
6 de Julio, 2008-07-04

Hemos llegado a nuestro 1 aniversario! Es difícil creer que hace 12 meses comenzamos LA ROCA. con 7 miembros fundadores, en la antigua casa de los hermanos Elbio, y Carla, en el otro lado del PCC. (Miembros fundadores, Timoteo, Iracema, Steven, Elbio, Carla, Carlos, y Elizabeth)… En aquel día, se lanzo un sueño; una visión; una iglesia sencilla en una casa, con dos bautismos, y la cena del Señor. Desde aquel día, nunca se dejo de reunir, y nuestra concurrencia ha sido siempre m/m 25-35 personas. Nuestra concurrencia mas alto fue de 78 personas. La mas baja fue de 19.

LOGROS. Bautismos: (9), Carlos, Elizabeth, Miriam, Romilda, Norma, José, Cesar, Ceferino, y Celia. (9)… Los últimos 2 hacen parte de LA ROCA # 2, Barrio San Alfredo… Hay unos 6 mas preparándose para el bautismo. DIOS ESTA OBRANDO!

Por la incorporación, a la membresía, de la iglesia, de la hermana Ligea, ahora contamos con 17 miembros oficiales en LA ROCA…

Reuniones regulares; Cada domingo 1ro hemos reunido, para alabar a Dios, para orar, para escuchar la predicción de Su Palabra, para recibir la Cena del Señor, y para entregar nuestros diezmos y ofrendas. No se olvida: una iglesia Neotestamentaria, es un grupo de creyentes en el Señor Jesús, que

1) Se reúnen regularmente,
2) Tienen una pasión de ganar los perdidos para Cristo,
3) Que practican las dos ordinancas del Señor JC, y
4) Que tienen un líder que les lleva adelante.

Todos estos requisitos hemos tenido desde el inicio. Entonces somos una Iglesia del Señor. No se olviden; que por los primeros 3 siglos de su existencia, la Iglesia del Señor hizo sus reuniones en las casas de los hermanos. Trate de encontrar un templo Cristiano en el NT. (No hay!! J ). Que nos enseña esto?

Esfuerzos evangelisticos, y misioneros. En dos ocasiones en este año, hemos recibido hermanos del exterior que nos ayudaron en grandes esfuerzos evangelisticos, y comunitarios. El primero fue en Setiembre pasado, cuando recibimos 7 hermanos de los EUA, y 3 del Uruguay que trabajaron con nosotros, en el PCC, y varios otros barrios de CDE, y hasta en Caazapá. En Marzo de este año, recibimos nuevamente 11 hermanos de los EUA, y mas tres del Uruguay, y trabajamos en el PCC, en el Centro, en Hernandarias, en el MERCADO de Abasto, en el KM 14, y especialmente en el Barrio San Alfredo. En este Barrio, se hizo un proyecto comunitario, donde se pintó una esquela en un barrio necesitado, (5 aulas,), y ¾ parte del exterior también. Se arreglo las paredes, se compro 4 ventiladores de techo, y se pintó hasta los pisos. Se compro 50 sillas para los niños, de la escuela. Con los alumnos al lado, se pintó todos su sillas y mesitas de escritorio. También se hizo cortinas. Con la colaboración de 2 misioneros de Inglaterra, se puso en esta misma escuela, 5 lindos cuadros, con temas Bíblicas, que ellos mismo donaron, y pintaran. En la inauguración de la “nueva” esquela, se regalo a todos los visitantes y estudiantes, porciones Bíblicos, folletos, y a la esquela misma, dos lindas Biblias en Guarani. Todo esto representó una donación, de m/m 12 millones de Guaranis, y 80 jornales trabajados, por los voluntarios. Un este barrio 39 personas hicieron “decisiones” por Cristo. Allá cada semana estamos reuniendo 5 personas, y discipulando los nuevos creyentes. Hoy aquí esperamos la presencia de algunos de este barrio. En la casa de una familia del barrio, practicamos los primeros bautismos. Es allí donde estamos haciendo reuniones. Hemos recibido oposición, en este Barrio. Hay un sentir que “Este Barrio y Paraguay es un país Católico. Que piensan ustedes que están haciendo aquí?” Pero, esta sensación, se esta disipando.

Parcerias: Con la Asociación de Iglesias DELTA VALLEY, STOCKTON, CA, USA, estamos formando una parceria; un aquerdo mutuo. Por dos años, ellos van a venir regularmente a CDE (2-3x por año), para ayudarnos, en evangelismo, y en obras sociales. Los días 7-12 de Agosto estará aquí, un equipo de 5 pastores, para planificar conmigo, este trabajo… Por este motivo, estamos cambiando la fecha de nuestra reunión de Agosto, para el segundo domingo. El Día 10 de Agosto, será nuestra prójima reunión. Ellos, en esta reunión estarán hablando un poco de la visión que tienen para hacer la obra misionera; como podemos trabajar juntos, etc… . Yo con el director ejecutivo de esta Asociación de Iglesias hemos tenido una amistad profundo de hace 12 años. El hasta hizo el casamiento de nuestra hija! Estamos expectantes de lo que el Señor hará a través de esta parceria.

Discipulado: Yo y la hermana Iracema estamos discipulando m/m 30 personas. Estamos tratando de llevarlos adelante en la vida Cristiana. La idea es esta: dentro de poco, lo que ellos han aprendido de nosotros, ellos van a pasar a otros fieles, capaces de enseñar otros! Vea 11 Timoteo 2:2, para ver este concepto revolucionario, descripto en la Biblia. Tenemos reuniones/contactos regulares con estas personas, en el Centro, (en la calle), en nuestro hogar, en un salón de un Shopping, o galería, en un pasillo del Mercado de Abasto, en el supermercado Stock, en el Burger King, etc. Algunos de ustedes ya están se preparado para discipular otros. Que están esperando??? Un manantial que recibe y da agua no queda estancado. El que recibe y no da se estanca, y se infla/pudre. Sea fuente de vida eterna para otros. Ore al Senior del la cosecha, para darte un o 2 discípulos este año…

Financias de LA ROCA. M/m ½ de lo que recibimos en diezmos y ofrendas (anda en m/m Gs. $800,000 por mes) damos a la obra misionera. El pastor no maneja el dinero que todos dan. Hemos hechos aportes en este año, a la obra misionera local (de la asociación), a la obra nacional, (de la Convención Bautista del Paraguay), a las misiones internacionales, y a pobres y necesitados. Hemos mandado ofrendas en 4 ocasiones al exterior del país. Si usted es un miembro de LA ROCA, los libros están abiertos para que vea todo esto. Vean como estamos administrando estos fundos que ustedes contribuyen! Sea fiel en entregar su diezmo al Señor. Serás bendecido! Es una promesa del Señor. (Mal. 3:10-11)

DESAFIOS para el año entrante…

El apóstol Pablo así, escribió, en su 1a carta a los Corintos, 16: 9, y 13

“Porque se me ha abierto puerta grande y eficaz; y muchos son los adversários.” (v. 9)
“Velad; estad firmes en la fe. Portaos varonilmente, y ESFORZAOS!!!” (v. 13).

Estos adversários puedan ser hasta miembros de nuestras familias. Hemos tenido personas que han comenzado bien en la carrera, pero han dejado el camino, derrotado, por temor a lo que la familia decía de ellos, o por la burla de sus amigos. No se olviden lo que Jesús mismo ha dicho sobre el discípulo. “El que ama padre, madre, hermanos, hijos o hijas mas que a mi no es digno de mi. Y el que no toma su cruz y siga en pos de mi no es digno de mi”. Mat. 10; 36-38… Nótense también sus palabras: “Los enemigos del hombre serán los de su propia casa.” Mat. 10:36

Como esto se aplica a su vida??? Vea también Lucas 14:25-35).

Digo con el Apóstol Pablo, “Demas me ha desamparado, amando este mundo.” (11 Tim. 4:9), “Pero, el Señor estuvo a mi lado y mi dio fuerzas.” (v. 17). ALELUYA!! EL!! no nos va a abandonar!!!

No se olvidan de sus votos. Vea Salmo 61:8 El salmista así dice, “Así cantare su nombre para siempre, pagando mis votos cada día.” Algunos de ustedes han hecho votos; de dejar de tomar, de no estar en situaciones donde hay sospecha de mala praxis, especialmente con miembros del sexo opuesto, con respecto al culto personal diario, con respecto a los vicios que antes tenían. Como están en esto? No olviden tus votos! CUMPLANLOS!!

El adversario de la comodidad. A veces la pereza nos toma. Si esta lloviendo, no vamos a la iglesia en el Domingo. Pero lunes no hay lluvia, ni frío, ni calor que no nos permita ir a trabajar. He hablado en broma, “Si pagamos los hermanos ellos van a venir a la casa del Señor”! J Una persona así no agrada al Señor. Dijo el Salmista, “Me alegre con los que mi decían, a la casa de Jehová iremos”. Sal 122; 1. David también decía, “Prefiero ser portero en la casa del Señor que habitar en las moradas de la maldad” Sal 84:10 Si no nos cuidamos; se no guardamos nuestro corazón, (Proverbios 4:23) nos enfriamos. Como la brasa junto a las otras brasas de un fogón, no se apaga, usted no se apagará en su fervor con el Senior, si usted se reúne con otros hermanos, semanalmente. Pero si se separa, el inevitable pasa. No desayune hasta que no haya tenido su tiempo con el Señor; su desayuno espiritual! No falte de ir a la iglesia en los Domingos. Si hay una reunion familiar, vaya en la tarde a la misma. Dedica las horas de 0900-12.00 al Señor en SU!! día. Si llegan familiares de visita, felicítales, e invíteles que te acompañan a la iglesia, Dígales que ahora es creyente en el Señor, y que Domingo va a la iglesia. Así ellos sabrán que esto es ahora tu nueva vida!
En los Domingos que por ahora no hay cultos en LA ROCA, ande a la Iglesia Bautista mas prójima a tu casa. No falten de congregar!!!

Decimos con Josue, “EBENEZER. Hasta aquí no ayudo Jehová”!!! (I Sam. 7:12).

Que el Señor les siga bendiciendo!

Les Amamos,

Timoteo e Iracema

PD, Fechas para tener en cuenta:

-Vigilia de Alabanza y Oración; Sábado día 2 de Agosto, Casa de Elbio y Carla, 1900-2400. Venga para un tiempo lindo de oración y búsqueda del Señor.

-Domingo, 10 de Agosto 09.30 Casa de Elbio y Carla.

-Domingo 7 de Setiembre, 09.30 Casa de Elbio y Carla

-Domingo 5 de Octubre, 09.30 Casa de Elbio y Carla

Dear prayer partners,

Thank you for all of you who prayed for my special day.

It was a “for girls only” party. Tim helped me doing the grocery shopping and preparing some food for the party and disappeared until the party was over. Steven went to Asuncion for the weekend. The house was just to us.

We started the Birthday Party Bible Study at 2:00pm with some finger foods and followed by the Bible and by 3:30pm some of the ladies had to go home earlier and did not eat the cake. (Too bad). These ladies in the picture are the ones I invited as prospects to be part of my new EBCI (Community Bible Study International) Bible study and 15 of them will be starting next Thursday. They are from different religions and countries. Four of them are Brazilian, one Lebanese, one Japanese, another one from Germany and the others are Paraguayan. God has put them in my life and I have been praying for them for a while.

A miracle happened, too: It was raining during the past three days and God held the rain between 1:00pm and 5:30pm. What a blessing!

Many people asked me "what did Tim give you on your birthday"?
He gave me a beautiful gift, the one I will treasure for ever, a Brazilian book about how to make bread from all over the world. There are recipes from the 195 member countries of the UN. It is called "PAO DA PAZ"


Thank you for praying for this event.
It made a difference!

Working together for His kingdom,
Iracema Kunkel

Great Poem I dedicate to my Dad, on his 81st Birthday.

My Daddy's walk
By Tony W. Cartledge

My father stays in shape by taking at least one good walk every day, but it's not always easy for him. A lifetime of hard work and a heavy dose of arthritis have played havoc with his hips. He had the right one replaced and the doctor wants to fix the other one, but Daddy's not inclined to go back under the knife.
The pain in his hips and knees contributes to a distinctive limp that I can recognize a hundred yards away.
As years go by and my own frame grows older, I've noticed that my joints are stiffer and sometimes painful, especially when I've been sitting for a long time.
Occasionally, when I get up from a low chair and limp away, Jan will remark that I'm starting to walk like my Daddy.
I wish I could.
My Daddy limps, but he walks as straight as any man I've ever known.
His faith is quiet but deep, understated but steady.
He walks with honesty and integrity.
To his friends and family, he is true, dependable, consistent.
To his church, he is unfailingly supportive, generous, willing to do what needs to be done, with no need for credit.
He is good with dirt in the garden, good with wood in the workshop, good with dishes in the sink, and good with children in his care.
As "Daddy Bill," he is a grandpa extraordinaire.
He played fullback for the county high school 60 years ago, earning the nickname "Bull." He continues to support and follow the team, and they have no more faithful fan.
My Daddy is the mental image I get when reading my favorite verse in the Old Testament: "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God" (NIV).
Walk like my Daddy?
I wish I could.

My dad's 81st Birthday

Today I want to honor my father, Glenn E. Kunkel He turns 81 today. I can still remember riding on his shoulders down the hill of the Galindo St cul de sac. He has been a GREAT father. I often tell people, that I have NEVER seen in him, an act or deed that I would question. A impecable example, a man, of Impeccable character. Dad today I honor you!! I hope you have a great birthday. Love TIM

The following is the letter I wrote him a year ago on his birthday;

Hello, It has been 80 years since you were born… !! My o my how time passes!! What a milestone for you, as for me as well, as this 26/12 I will hit the big 50!!! I can hardly believe it. I still feel like I am a young man. How life passes by so quickly!!!

I just wanted to take a few minutes today to thank you for the great Dad you have been and were to me. I could have asked for no better. Many times in witnessing to folks I talk to them about the difference a Christian, or Evangelical Christian upbringing means to a person. To never have seen an alcoholic beverage in the refrigerator, to have NEVER seen my dad with a beer in his hand, to have never have seen my dad cuss or use profanity, to have never seen him disrespect or mistreat his wife and my mother. WOW!!!!!! What a heritage… You were and are SO exemplary. I love and respect you so much. I pray you have a blessed birthday… Below are some quotes about dad’s that touched me, and reminded me of you…

" I watched a small man with thick calluses on both hands work fifteen and sixteen hours a day. I saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet, a man who came here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example." -Mario Cuomo

YOU WERE ALWAYS SUCH!! A HARD WORKER…
"The most important thing a father can do for his children is to love their mother." - Anonymous
YOU DEFINITELY DID THIS..
"A Man's children and his garden both reflect the amount of weeding done during the growing season." - Anonymous
"The greatest gift I ever had Came from God, and I call him Dad!" - Anonymous
"A father is a guy who has snapshots in his wallet where his money used to be." – Anonymous
THIS MADE ME LAUGH…
"He didn't tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it." - Clarence Budington Kelland

POWERFUL… YOU DEFINITELY DID THIS…
"One father is more than a hundred Schoolmasters." - George Herbert
Fatherhood is pretending the present you love most is soap-on-a-rope." - Bill Cosby

I thought this was funny. We can identify with this, no??
"Small boys become big men through the influence of big men who care about small boys." – Anonymous
WOW!! SO TRUE…

Please also see the Tony Cartledge article attached…
So on this your 80th Birthday, please be reminded once again of my deep love and admiration for you. The times at the Berkley Pier, at Putah Creek, and at Whiskey Slough were great. The watching you eat lunch at the General Tire company (outside in the car with us kids and mom), at the Redwood Park picnic grounds, etc. All great times, and learning opportunities… The long talks when I cam home from seminary etc. Yes Dad you were there for me BIGTIME!
Happy Birthday, and beleated Father’s day too,

Love your son, JT KUNKEL

House cleaning!

HOUSE CLEANING DAY FOR THE LORD



As Sunday approached I started reminding our disciples to go to church. O.M. was one of them who was needing special attention. She prayed to receive Christ in February but had stopped coming for discipleship. Our first meeting was through a phone call. She read a written testimony, distributed by one of our volunteers, on a prayer walk (London Bridge Baptist Church), given out on the street and contacted us. She was glad I called her again and insisted with her to come to church with us. The sermon Tim preached touched her heart and after church, we spent the afternoon together. As we talked, she felt like telling us why she had stopped coming. This was one of the longest counseling sessions we have ever had with anyone!! (6 hours!!) It was late when we learned that she still had many “idols” in her house and in her heart. We offered her to do a cleaning of all the “idols” that were keeping her from following the Lord. We went to her home and took with us two bags. One of them we burned in an incinerator, at her place... The security gaurds watched from afar. Afterwards she told them she was "burning her sins"!! The other we packaged to send back to her parents. They were family gifts and she did not feel comfortable burning them. But at least they are out of HER home...

Her life was a mess. Wherever sin you can imagine she was involved in. She was in a spider web for sure. Her job and her life were in danger. She has a very high position in the government. It was late but we went to her house and there we started doing the house cleaning. She gave us all types of objects that kept her from worshiping only God and some of them were family gifts. We prayed in each room of her house. O. is free today and calls us her adopted parents. Pray for her as she tries to live a holy life. She is a divorced young lady with a 13 year old boy. She is the only Christian in her family. God cleaned her house and her heart. Praise the Lord.

Please keep praying for us, and for the more than 30 new Christians we are dealing with weekly...

Love Iracema and Family

This Blog is a first for me.

God is good and faithful. We have now been involved in missions and church planting in Latin America for 18+ years. We are seeing much fruit of our labors.We are involved in Church planting mainly of house churches, and in the discipling of new converts. We did for 15 + years in Uruguay. We now have been doing the same in Paraguay for almost 3 years. We have started here two house churches called LA ROCA, 1and 2, The Rock 1, and 2. In Uruguay we also started a church called LA ROCA with a national Uruguayan pastor.