CHILEAN

CENTRAL CHILEAN EVANGELISM APRIL, 1980

The Ed Holt Family Casilla 14017 Correo 21 Santiago Chile

DEAR FRIENDS,

We arrived in Chile on the 3rd of March after three months in the States on furlough. We enjoyed seeing many of you, but we were also glad to get back to Chile and get settled into our home again. Needless to say, the past couple of weeks have been busy, butl think I'm pretty much back into my regular routine of work. I still need to write about twenty letters (a task that is not among my favorites) and then I'll be up to date on my office work. We appreciated the "nice" winter for a change. The weather in both Montana and Missouri was real mild this year while we were in those areas. We only had one cold week in Montana and a 20 inch snow in Springfield that kept us housebound for a few days. Danny really enjoyed the snow. He can't remember the last time he was in the snow. We can see snow year around from our house in Chile, but it ha? been years since we've gone up to the mountains to play.The girls got to go iceskating while we were in Montana,

an experience that most of their classmates didn't have while they were on their "summer vacation."
RETURN TO THE STATES

1was able to personally inform many of you that we plan to return to the States to work for an indefinite period of time. For the benefit of those who we were not able to talk to, I would like to take this opportunity to tell you of our plans. For over two years we have been praying about the possibility of returning to live in the United States. We asked God to give us the wisdom to make the decision according to His will. After much prayer we have decided to return to the States in March of 1981. It was a difficult decision to make because we love Chile, the Chileans, and have become very emotionally attached to the work here during the 10 years that we have been here. Since our children are in the 4th and 5th grades in Spanish schools, we felt we had to make a decision to either return to the States in the near future so that they could adjust to study in English, or remain in Chile until they finished high school. We feel that the change of cultures in the middle of Jr. High or high school could be very difficult. We chose to return to the States next year for various reasons - the first being the desire for our children to have some contact with the U.S. culture. The second reason is that our parents are at the age when health problems are frequent. We want to be closer to be able to help our parents and let our children know them better. Third, we feel that at this point in the Chilean work we can leave without harming the futureof the work. There are presently 11 families in Chile who will be carrying on the work and even more important, some very well trained Chilean leadership. Most important of all however, I feel that God has given me a ministry of personal evangelism and personal ministry that is as badly needed in the States as in Chile and I'm looking forward to sharing that ministry upon our return. We ask that you pray for us and our work during this transition period. We will need to phase ourselves out of the work as we turn responsibilities over to others. I'll be assisting David Fish in the office administration so that he can learn all the little details that need to be taken care of. Jerry Keeling will be taking over the course and trying to keep it integrated with other areas of our work. We expect the work to continue in the same direction that it has during the past 10 years we've been here.
MISSIONARY RETREAT

The week after our arrival in Chile I went to our camp at "El Tabo" with the rest of the missionaries for our annual planning session. It was encouraging, to me, to hear about work that was already being done and hear plans being made for the coming year. Over the weekend we were joined by our wives and children. Roger Kinsey led us in a refreshing timeof study and fellowship. Our family enjoyed seeing all the other missionary families so soon after our arrival.

REVIVAL IN QUILPUE

Steve Phillips has been working in the coastal city of Quilpue. This town of 120,000people is located about 100 miles west of Santiago. Part of his work included working with the pastor of a localPresbyterian church.Because ofSteve's work, the church has
had a renewal in their desire to submit to Christ's will and share the Gospel. Their only problem was that since their denomination

has made no evangelisticthrust during the past 10yearsthey had no one who couldleadthem in an evangelisticrevival. Steveasked me to preach, so I spent from March 20th to the 23rd in Quilpue.Twenty people acceptedChrist but just as exciting was seeing a church which was completely dead begin to search for God's will in His Word, and begin to let Him work in their lives.I trust that
God's spirit will continue to work in that group.
SUMMER CAMP PROGRAM

While we were in the States we missed being able to participate in a tremendous summer camp program led byour education

director, Phil Casey. Six hundredpeople from 20 churches participated inoneor moreof the 7 weeks ofcampheld. I wasexcitied to learn that 51 pastors and church leaders from 14 congregations participated in the intensive leadership training week, since the future of our work,in Chile depends greatly upon these Christian men and women. One of our dreams for the camp started to become a reality this year. When we bought the property our expectation was that firewood sales from the eucalypus trees would pay for the caretaker and subsidize transportation for the churches to get to camp. Our first cut was made this year of one acre of trees. About 75 cords of wood was cut andshould besold for around S3,000 profit.
That will more than pay the caretaker for this coming year.
FAMILY NEWS

We had one week in Chile beforethe kidsstarted school. Danny goes with Brenda in the afternoon this year andChristygoes in

themorning. It makes for a hectic schedule, as itseems like someone is either coming orgoing all thetime. Christy, also, has piano
classes twice a week in the afternoon, so we spend those afternoons in the bus.

While we were gone ourrefrigerator gave up theghost and asyet isn'tback with us. Ihave certainly missed it,since we did come
backto warm weather. The weather has nowcooledoff enough so that the milkwilllast 24 hours. It takes alot of my time though as I

have to do our grocery shopping daily. We just found out that it's going to cost over $500 to fix it. (you say - get a new one.
Refrigerators like ours run $1,900.)

Three weeks ago my helper fell and broke a bone inher ankle, soI've been all alone with thework. It'sbeen hard since 1have to run with the kids somuch, do thebuying every day, etc. 1was feeling very sorry for myself and felt like I just couldn't keep upwith my load when Christy reminded me that the things we were having todo without were just extras that none ofthe poor people have (maid nor refrigerators,) and they are very happy. She is so right! Why should I complain when I have a lovely home, food onthe table every meal, lots of clothes, good health, etc. Oh, Lord, forgive and help me to remember the lesson t)f my daughter!!

FORWARDING AGENT Mr. Carl L. Weber Rt. 1

Eugene, Missouri
65032

MISSIONARIES Ed & Sara Holt Casilla 14017 Correo 21

FINANCIAL AGENT Mrs. W.B. Holt Box 984

Lewistown, Montana
59457

Santiago, Chile

CAPITAL CITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

1512 Swift's Highway JEFFERSON CITY. MISSOURI 65101

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE
PAID PERMIT No. 44

Address Correction Requested

Jefferson City, Mo.

lord's REAPSI^S 1111 II. MAIN ^'isoi JOPLIII, no.

CHILEAN
CENTRAL CHILEAN EVANGELISM DECEMBER, 1980

cmmLE
The Ed Holt Family Casilla 14017 Correo 21 Santiago Chile
WINTER ENDS/SPRING BEGINS

This beautiful spring day has reminded

me that winter is almost over, and it is time

to write to you again. It is really marvelous to see the leaves on the trees again and the fruit trees in bloom. It doesn't seem possible that four months have already passed since I last wrote to you. Besides our normal work schedule I've had extra work on trying to get
some titles cleared on some of our church

properties. I have also been trying to get our house on the market. That not only involved the painting and papering of the entire house, inside and out, but also finishing up some odd and end jobs that Sara has wanted me to finish for three or four years. At the beginning of our last term I built a new bathroom sink cabinet for her (four years ago). I just never quite had enough time to finish the drawers until this past week. Now we've gotten rid of so much stuff we don't have anything to put in them, but at least they look nice. We have put our house on the market and are trusting that the Lord knows when it should sell and at what price. We praise Him for this opportunity that He has given us to learn to trust Him more and
rejoice in His will. It will be hard for us to
leave our home. I have lived in this house

the members of the Pudahuel church spent three days in street evangelism during the day and evangelistic meetings in the evening. Attendance was as high as 120 during the campaign. By the end of the three days 55 people had accepted Christ as their Saviour, but there was no building in which to put them. In three days a small wood building was put up on a strip of open land between a couple of houses. Because of the shape of the land the building looks somewhat like a train ...12' wide by 54' long. The church is averaging 55-60 adults in attendance under entire Chilean leadership.
LA ESTRELLA Last October six families were sent out from the Pudahuel church to start a new

longer than I have ever lived in any one state

before.

The work continues to grow here in Chile, and especially in the capitol city of Santiago. I would like to share with you how several of the churches are growing. I'll start with the
newest.

church in the "La Estrella" housing area. Most of them lived close to the proposed area. They were led in their effort by Augustin Contreras. Augustin has worked side by side with Jorge Ramos, minister of the Pudahuel church for five years, learning by example, experience, and through his obedience. One missionary family, Roger and Linda Prong have also worked closely with Augustin. For most of ,the year attendance has averaged over 100. Though the initial evangelist thrust was made by street evangelism most of the new members presently come through personal contacts
who are won to Christ in the home.

Augustin continues with his evangelistic fervor, but is also dedicating a large proportion of his time to the "perfecting of
the saints". Over 20 are involved in

SANTA CORINA

On the 29th to 31st of August a group of

leadership training classes taught by Phil Casey.

EL MONTIJO

Phil Casey and I are teaching. ^Pray for our'

work in the Buzeta area.
FAMILY NEWS

This'weeic, lord willing, I'll be signing the final papers for the purchase of a lot for the "El Montijo" church. Juan Nunez, their minister has been working in that area for
three years; first with services in his home and when that was too small they moved to 12' by 30' building that the members put up by his house. The church grew to 50 members but there just wasn't enough room for anyone else in the small building. After more than a year of prayer and looking, a lot was finally located. It was like finding a pearl, because the entire area is taken up by housing. The lot we are purchasing is the only one in the area. Since it is 100' by 100', there should be room for growth to 200 or -300 members. If yotrwould like to send a gift to help pay for the $6,000 purchase price put a note on the bottom of your check "El Montijo".
SAN JOAQUIN
We went with the SanJoaquin and Maipu churches to the camp the 18th to 21st of September for a four-day retreat. 105 people went from the two churches. It's really encouraging for us to see how these two churches grow. San Joaquin has their new building full with no where else to expand. For that reason they have begun laying with the ground work for a new church about twelve blocks away. Over 100 people in the "Buzeta" housing area have been contacted
in door-to-door work. About 25 have started

Like Ed mentioned it seems like all our

spare time has been spent in getting the house ready to sell. Now we just have to be
patient and wait for it to sell ... which is

easier said than done. I will honestly be so

thankful to have the house sold so we can

return to a normal life again.

We were so thrilled to have Ed's mom

here with us for the month ofJuly. The kids

had two weeks off for their winter vacation, so we were able to drive up into Peru and see
the ruins at Macchu Pichu. Ed has such a

love for archeology and has longed to go up there for some time^ We enjoyed the ruins,
but it made me so thankful that we live in

Chile. The people there and the style of living is much different from here. We only have four months left in Chile which seems impossible. It is going to be sad to leave our home of the past ten years, but it will be good to be close to our family, too. Continue to keep us in your prayers as I'm sure these last months are going to be very hard in more ways than one. There's alot of things to get done, and it's going to be hard
to leave our dear friends and the Chileans we
have worked with.

Ed, Sara, Christy, Brenda, and Danny

Forwarding agents note: We have just received word that the Holts have sold their house and they are very happy that it sold so soon.
MISSIONARIES Ed & Sara Holt Casilla 14017 Correo 21

interest in having personal classes which

FORWARniNrr; AfiFMT

FINANCIAL AGENT
Mrs. W.B. Holt

Mr. Carl L. Weber

Rt. 1

Box 984

Eugene, Mo. 65032

Santiago, Chile

Lewistown, Montana 59457

CAPITAL CITY CHRISTIAN CHURCH

1512 Swift's Highway
JEFFERSON CITY, MISSOURI 65101

NON-PROFIT ORG.

U.S. POSTAGE
P4ID

PERMIT No. 44

Address Correction Requested

Jefferson City, Mo.

LORD'S REAPERS n i l N. MAIN

JOPLIN, MO.

64801