Greetings!
We are so grateful for your prayers and therefore we wanted to make you aware of another situation in which your prayers would be appreciated.
Last night, at approximately 11:30 p.m., one of the Free Methodist Churches in Santiago was destroyed by fire. The fire, which began in a home behind the church, entered Iglesia Metodista Libre La Gran Comision (Free Methodist Church the Great Commission) through the roof and consumed everything. Thanks to well-built firewalls, the fire was contained within the church and did not spread to neighboring homes. When we visited the church this morning, one of the neighbors told us, "The church saved me and my home!" What a statement!!
As firemen worked to extinguish the fire last night, church members and neighbors began to gather. Pastor Ruben Salazar, in true Wesley fashion, began to preach to the gathering crowd. His message was this, "The building is destroyed but not the church! You are the church!"
All of the men who attend La Gran Comision took today off from work in order to help with the cleanup efforts. We went, this morning, ready to work alongside them but could not because the police had not yet completed their investigation. What we know is that one of the neighbors is in police custody. Apparently he was drunk last night and set his house on fire in an effort to commit suicide. That fire consumed his home, his neighbor's home and then jumped to the roof of the church which was behind the second home.
According to Superintendent Sergio Loyola, the church's next service will be tonight at 8 p.m. The church council will be meeting tomorrow night to plan for the future.
The church members that we saw today appear to be sad but
not defeated! Please join them in praying for the future of this
church. May many be saved through La Gran Comision's ministry despite adversity!!!
May God bless you,
Ricardo and Beth Gomez
Free Methodist World Missions
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ABOUT US
We have moved into our own home. Our new address is:
Av. Quilin Norte 8119, Casa 52
Penalolen
Santiago, Chile
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