Winston County Baptist Association

SHEETROCK MISSION TRIP

July 19-23, 2021

Look Out Smithville Baptist Church, Smithville, Arkansas Here We Come!!

 

Letter From Gabe!!

News and Prayers

The Lord has been good to the communities in the prisons where I served. I have finally got to go inside the prison in Moca, where we have the ministry Authentic Manhood and Pather like Maliqiah.

After a year with the Pandemic CoronaVirus, most of the inmates that I know have been outside to the free society with their families., or had gone with the Lord. One thing I have observed is that the students that have taken the classes most of them are more involved in the prison, appointed by the staff personnel, and the Director of the prison. Because of their leadership and conduct into the prison. The director and the staff spoke about these select group as “ Models’ men”. I praise the Lord  for using those inmates who had taken the classes and are making a difference in the prison with leadership and with a humble heart for the good of the whole community of inmates inside the prison. The Lord had spoken to me and reminded me that He is the One Who makes the seed of the Gospel grow in every inmate or anyone in the world. My worries have been taken care of by the Holy Spirit. The classes has going on even in the middle of the pandemic. I thank my lord for what He is doing into the prisons. And I thank you as well for your prayers and support to me with ministry in DR. Please I beg to keep praying for the inmates in Moca and La Vega. God is Doing beautiful things for those who hear the Gospel even in prison, and outside the prison as well. 

 I had graduation with 29 inmates-students in Moca, after a long time without seeing them in person inside the prison. I got the beautiful opportunity to share the Gospel with them and encouraged them to hold fast to the teaching they had received and to keep trusting in the providence and love of our God Jesus Christ. 

 I thank God for the Mentol or assistant He had given to me a long time ago at the prison in Moca, to train him and prepare him so he could keep teaching the classes when I can go inside the prison. Then Covid came, I had to stay out for a year! But my assistant never stopped teaching and encouraging his fellow inmates with the classes. And this last Tuesday May 4th, I got permission to go in and to speak at the graduation ceremony!  Praise the Lord for His Mercy and Love!

In April we had a small team that came from the US and gave 29 filters to families in need of the Gospel and Clean drinking Water,  20 people Prayed to receive Christ as their Lord and Savior. And about 35 heard the Gospel!

Let me attach a brief report we got from one of the people that was with us in Puerto Plata.

“ We just got back from Puerto Plata last night and I am so grateful for the trip. It was outstanding - everyone had a great experience. It was SO helpful for me to experience our 'home base' for the May trips. I'm sure I'll share more later with our meetings this week, but I thought I'd share a brief report and some helpful nuggets as we're communicating with our teams as we get closer to 'go time'. 

 1. Covid issues to be concerned about... there were NONE our team experienced, zero, zilch. I somewhat expected things to be a little like where I live in SW Missouri: case numbers are very low at present, you practice masks and social distancing, and you don't worry about it. I took part in 8 conversations in people's homes. Only ONE person knew of anyone who had ever gotten Covid, and that was a relative in Santo Domingo. As I recall from our team conversations, I don't know of any of us talking to anyone during our filter distributions who had gotten Covid and lived in Puerto Plata. I talked to more people who were scheduled for their first vaccination shot this week than I did of anyone who knew someone who had gotten Covid. In addition, the testing, getting results, and getting through the airport to go home were easy and straightforward. No Problemo. 

 2. The place we're staying at is nicer than I expected. You'll like it. And the community we're staying in, Costambar, is very safe. 

 3. The 27 Waterfalls is a BLAST. We did the 12 waterfalls course, that's all that's currently open, but it took us a good two hours. We all laughed our way down the river. It's a beautiful place and a hoot! 

 4. Just like anywhere we go, the need is great, physically and spiritually. My wife Nikki led a 20 year old Haitian girl to the Lord, along with her 12 year old sister. The 20 year old already had a 2 year old child, you could speculate as a result of prostitution. I'll attach two pictures from the Haitian community time - one of Nikki sharing with the girl who trusted Christ. The other of their water source: a spigot from pipes sitting in raw sewage that was about 50 yards from their house. 

5. Beach is nearby, safe, and convenient, a couple of blocks away. It will be enjoyed by all as time allows. “

Thank you so much for your prayer and support. Without your support I wouldn't be able to prepare the communities, the pastors, the leaders. I have to travel and meet with them one by one, and go through the communities and talk to the families, see their needs for clean drinking water and the Living Water Jesus Christ. In all these times you are there with me. You are making a difference, you are being a missionary, because now those 20 people have received Christ and have clean drinking water for their kids to drink… all these because you sent me there and support me with food, gas, and the rent and  bills. So I can go and encourage those who are in the prisons and in the poor communities in the Dominican Republic, I praise the Lord for His Wisdom and I pray for you that the Lord may bless you and your families by His sovereign providence and Grace.

 Please see the pictures on my Facebook. Thank you!

 Gabe

 

 

 

 

 

 

What a pleasure to have Gabe with us!  He is ministering in the Dominican Republic along side with Filter of Hope!  If you would like to support Gabe as he is doing the Lord’s  work,  please visit the Filter of Hope website

http://filterofhope.org/our-team/

Locate  Gabriel Polanco  and make your donation.

If you  would like to communicate or be on his ministry update list.                           

 

Gabe’s email address is:

gabe@filterofhope.org

 

Thank you for blessing Gabe as

he ministers in the Kingdom.

 

 

 

 

 

Ministry Projects are those activities that different classes and groups are involved in to advance the Kingdom!

These projects range from collecting food to help Main Street or ink cartridges to help AWANA's

Keep a watchful eye on our Ministry Page, you might find something you would like to join us !!