Dear Pastor and Brethren:
A Better Month
March has proved to be a better month in the sense of being wanner in temperature and a better attendance in the services. Some, however, have been unable to attend due to sickness, leaving our attendance for the month as follows: 9, 11, 11, and 12 for the four Sundays in March.
A Special Urgent Need – I Jn.3:17
On the 6th of April, we received an urgent audio message from Bro. Jose Manuel Garcia Alarcon, pastor of the church on the island of Tenerife, Spain. Due to the Covid-19 infection and the extreme measures taken by the Spanish government, everything was shut down except for buying groceries, dog walking, and garbage disposal. Spain is a socialist/communist country. Due to these extreme measures, In January, 2021, Bro. Garcia was forced into retirement and was paid 1500 euros ($1792. 54 ). They have been using that money for living expenses ever since, getting help from their three daughters and their husbands as needed. He has filed for his pension, but because of the government shutdown he won’t receive it until June or July or later. As a result of these negative economic measures, Bro. Garcia is concerned that they will have to shut the doors of the meeting place and stop having public church services unless the Lord supplies the funds necessary to keep it open. The church has been in operation for twenty-six years since the Lord used us to establish it on April 9th, 1995. Your giving enabled us to establish that church, and they have remained faithful.
Right now, the government of Spain has the entire nation under a state of alarm (a limited liberty with curfew)) until the 9th of May. There remain six people of the church that attend, because two families moved to mainland Spain, and two families left for other reasons. Two of the remaining members are elderly ladies, living on their small pensions. Bro. Garcia has not received his pension. His wife, Luisa, has not worked for months. One man is on unemployment. The other lady takes care of elderly infirm people and does not receive much pay. Since the tithes of the church haven’t covered the monthly expenses for some time, the Garcias have provided the difference from their income, but now have to take these monies, as well as their own needs, from their personal savings.
Although the Spanish government had reduced rents by 50%, they still have to pay 330 euros each month and a quarterly tax of 179.04 euros. They lack 100 euros to pay the monthly rent at this time. At the exchange rate as of today, $125.00 would provide them 104.61 euros. If the Lord might lay on the hearts of five churches to give $25.00 each month, it would be a great blessing to the brethren in Tenerife, keeping their meeting place open to the public. Please pray and give me a call for more details.
By His grace and in loving gratitude, Tim and Roxanne Parrow.