Olson’s Opportunities Sept. 2013

Greetings to all in Jesus,

 For some time we have wanted to give you a better idea of what we do in ministry. Recently we found this information about Circuit Riders during the last half of the 1800’s.

Circuit Rider is a popular term referring to clergy in the earlier years of the United States, who were assigned to travel around specific geographic territories to minister to settlers and organize congregations.

 Once a pastor was assigned to a circuit, it was his responsibility to conduct worship and visit members of each church in his charge on a regular basis, in addition to possibly establishing new churches. Many circuits were so large that it would take 5 to 6 weeks to cover them.

 We believe that God called us to be modern day Circuit Riders!

 We are ‘clergy’ ‘assigned’ by Tecate Mission International to travel the ‘Wisconsin circuit’. Our specific ‘charge’ is to minister primarily to Spanish-speakers in the prisons of the Dept. of Corrections. Our ‘responsibility’ is to regularly conduct worship services, lead Bible studies and do one-on-one discipleship / pastoral visits with members of each ‘prison church’ in our charge, and seek to establish ‘congregations’ in new prisons.

 As Prison Ministry Circuit Riders, we travel our God-given circuit of 7,500 ministry miles each quarter:

 • Weekly Bible studies in 3 prisons, with one-on-ones in 2 of them.
 • One-on-ones are often done in a 4th and 5th prison each month.
• Monthly worship service and Bible study in a 6th prison.
• Quarterly services in 3 other prisons, along with one-on-ones in one of them.
• One-on-ones and special services in several other prisons.

 This totals about 40 services and/or Bible studies, plus 40 one-on-ones, in a dozen prisons each quarter. We praise and thank God for every opportunity He has given us to share His love and freedom in Christ!

 Now there are new opportunities before us--one-on-ones in a prison, and a possible Spanish or bilingual Bible study in another. Please pray for scheduling and God’s will in which open doors to step through.

 Come with us on our Circuit Ride this week!
Sunday we were invited to speak at a local church about God’s work behind prison walls.

Monday we entered CCI, where we had a pastoral with T., who has not yet given his life to Christ, but we believe the day is coming when he will! Please pray! During the Bible study from the TEE book on Romans, the men are learning that Christ has justified us and reconciled us to God. That’s good news! 

Tuesday we had pastorals with 7 men at FLCI, one a new arrival from CCI, where he’d been in the Spanish Bible study there. Pray for a one-time Spanish study at FLCI on Oct. 28.

Wednesday we prepared for classes and selected worship music. Kathy also took care of paperwork and phone calls as her Mom’s power of attorney for both health care and finances.

Thursday we entered TCI where we are studying encounters that Bible characters had with Christ. We read of Zacchaeus in Luke 19:1-10. Materialism and prestige had not satisfied him, but when he met Jesus, his life and attitudes radically changed! Applying this to their own lives challenges the ladies. This same lesson was shared at DCI later in the day, where 15 men participated in a lively discussion. We also had pastoral visits. May they be transformed by the renewing of their minds. We were told that Chaplain Gail Barwis of TCI had gone to Glory after battling ill health. May the impact of her positive example for Jesus have a ripple-effect on others.

Friday we planned for the coming week’s classes and worked on a project for our home church’s missions conference October 5-6.

The weekend was spent in Iowa at a donor’s son’s wedding. While there, we met a couple who were contributing writers and editor of the commentary notes for the Life Application Study Bible. They have sent these Bibles in Spanish for our students, plus a workbook explaining how to use them. PTL! 

We were so pleased to have Willa Edmonds with us from the TMI headquarters in Tecate. This doesn’t happen very often, and God used her to encourage us. She was also a blessing to our prison family! 

Praises: 1. Beginning our 24th year of full-time ministry. 2. New open doors for prison ministry. 3. God allowed Willa to share in prison classes. 4. Kathy’s Mom’s health is stable & she is doing well, although missing Dad since his June Homegoing.

Prayer Requests: 1. God’s power in our lives. 2. Inmates saved & learning their identity in Him. 3. Chaplains of God’s choice for each facility. 4. A low-mileage used vehicle for prison travel.

Thank you for faithfully praying for us, especially you who have prayed for Kathy’s parents. God’s grace sustained us through difficult challenges and gave us peace and joy in serving both them and prisoners. Your prayers do count! The enemy attacks on all fronts but God protects and gives wisdom.

We are grateful to Him. YOU can become involved in this ministry to the “forgotten” behind bars—come observe a prison class with us, write a prisoner, donate Spanish tracts or Bibles, join our partnership team. We’ll wait to hear from you! God bless you! Dios te bendiga!

Carl and Kathy The Olsons * Tecate Mission Intl. * POB 1000 Tecate, CA 91980 *