Spring Prayer letter!

Olson’s Opportunities Spring 2011
The color GREEN symbolizes growth. Just as we watch our grandchildren going through growth spurts, we are excited that the Lord is “growing” men and women behind prison walls, too! In our Spanish Bible classes,
we’re studying a panorama of the Bible that will take us through each
of its books. The memory verse is I Peter 2:2: “Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation”. That challenges us to ask the Lord to help us desire His Word just as a growing baby desires milk.

Our Dodge class is learning that the Bible is more precious than gold, sweeter than honey, and is spiritual milk to help us grow.

After depression and disunity among the Taycheedah class ladies, there are baby steps of new growth. They are beginning to minister to one another’s needs. This week S. shared how she sees God at work in her life through many trials, and encouraged the others to trust Him.

J. immediately asked for a pastoral visit. S. thanked God for giving him time to hear the Word of God. E. told God that he was sorry for never going to church until now that he is in jail.

Both O. and J. are diligently studying their Bibles. O. wants to please the Lord by obeying Him, and has forgiven his wife for not allowing him contact with their children. J. is really growing but needs prayer as he works through the anger he feels towards his “absentee” father.

Green shows new birth and new life. T. wants to be the last one to leave after class so that he can ask us questions. We feel he is close to believing on the Lord Jesus Christ. E. is hungry for the Word, more at peace, and joyfully advancing now that he has the assurance of his salvation. J. prayed that God would enter his heart and also help his children to know Him. E., a mature Christian and personal evangelist, patiently teaches C., his cellie, the Bible.

Unfortunately, not everyone is choosing to grow. In one class, several have stopped attending. I., soon to be released, is not as interested in spiritual things as in the past. L. feels “distant” from God. J. asks prayer for his 17 yr. old daughter, L., who says there is no God for her.

As Paul wrote in I Cor. 3:6-9, we want to be faithful in planting and watering seeds, but it is God who gives the increase, who makes them grow. Please pray for us to creatively take every opportunity to present the Gospel during what Latinos call “Semana Santa” or Holy Week, the week between Palm Sunday and Easter, and keep trusting God for His growth in their hearts.

Thank you for being our fellow workers through your prayers and gifts to God’s prison ministry!
Carl and Kathy
Serving with Tecate Mission International, POB 1000, Tecate, CA 91980 ~ 619-468-3355 ~ www.tecatemission.org

Merry Christmas from the Olsons!

Jesus, Our Prince of Peace!
¡Jesús, Nuestro Príncipe de Paz!
Isaiah 9:6

This Christmas 2010, we greet you warmly from cold Wisconsin as we again celebrate the coming of our Prince of Peace! Our greatest need was forgiveness of sin, so God sent us the Savior, Jesus.

Our church choir sang these words in a cantata once--“He broke down the barrier created by our sin and ended the war that was going on within. Hallelujah, He is our Peace! Hallelujah, Jesus is our Peace!”

What a beautiful plan--by putting our faith in Jesus, we have peace with God. (Romans 5:1,11) Also when we surrender to Him, He is willing to take our worries and give us the peace of God. (Philippians 4:7)
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God has called us to offer His peace to prisoners.
His calling has been both a joy and a challenge which has caused us to desperately seek His direction every day. It also means that we desire God’s peace and love to flow through us to others.

We have tried to be faithful to His calling by building our love relationship with Him and by sharing the Gospel. Each year, hundreds of prisoners are impacted through in-prison Bible studies and pastoral visits, mainly in Spanish, representing thousands of miles driven and thousands of hours invested for Him.

God says His Word will not return void (Isaiah 55:11) and that not one word of all His good promises has failed (Joshua 21:45), so we trust He is at work, even when we don’t see all the results yet.
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Please pray with us for:
*God’s comfort to prisoner’s hearts this Christmas as they are separated from family, and courage and strength
as they enter the new year. Also wisdom for us in preparing and presenting Scripture lessons to counsel them.

*Both incarcerated and released prisoners to stabilize and connect with a local church and mentor, to truly be that “new creature in Christ” and go forward spiritually, not returning to old friends/ways of thinking/acting.

*The Lighthouse ministry is officially closing, as the owner put the home up for sale. We believe seeds of faith were planted in the hearts of the ten ladies who resided there. Keep praying! Our deep thanks to those who helped them.

*Lord willing, there will be provision for a January road trip to Tecate Mission to report. We very much appreciate the used car donated to us in April, but which now needs new tires.

*We are grateful for God’s faithfulness to our family and proud of their accomplishments! Pray for His blessings in their lives, Kathy’s parents and Carl’s brother and his wife at this time.
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We thank God for YOU!
We praise God for the fellowship He has given us with you and for your partnership in the ministry. Our Grandchildren
The Lord promises you a wonderful “return”, in more ways than one! We’d love to hear from you!
May Jesus be your Peace this Christmas, and may He use your life for His glory in 2011.
Carl and Kathy Olson
“I was in prison and you came to visit me.” Matthew 25:36
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Serving with Tecate Mission International ~ POB 1000 Tecate, CA 91980 ~ 619-468-3355 ~ www.tecatemission.org