Tim & Pam Darling –
Missionaries to Spain Baptist Mid-Missions
February 2021
Same ol’, Same ol’
What comes to your mind when you hear the above words? Normally people will think about the routine, something boring.
To me that is not so, and I want to share with you why.
Yes, we continue to do the same: share the gospel, disciple, mentor, teach and preach God’s Word at church and continue the ministry with the Bible Institute here in Spain.
But the Same ol’, Same ol’ is exciting.
Mentoring the national pastor turned into an opportunity to share the gospel and the salvation of a Spaniard. Once a week the national pastor invites me for a two-hour coffee session. We two talk about situations in the church, monthly calendar of activities and many other church related subjects. This past Monday (Feb. 1). Pastor Marco and I walked to the nearest coffee shop that was closed because of the new restrictions. We continued to walk to another and found that we could buy the coffee and drink it outside. While talking a lady (Judith), who we counseled when her husband was murdered in a nearby park, walked by and said nothing. When we finished talking and were on our way home, we met Judith returning from the grocery store. This time she stopped us and told us what was going on in her life and that she wanted a Bible. The Pastor told her to come by the church and he would give her one. She came by the next day picked up the Bible and went home. A few hours later she brought her partner who had been inquiring about in spiritual things. The gospel was shared, and David received Christ as his savior. How exciting can that be!!!!!!!
Discipling can be frustrating as we prepare those who will take over when we leave this present work. But it is also exciting to see how patience pays off and believers move forward and mature. Pam is teaching a young lady in the church piano and mentoring another single lady who has finished her Bible Institute training. Tim teaches the adult Sunday School class and takes turns preaching Sunday nights. “Same ol’, Same ol’ yes but very rewarding.
The Bible Exposition class that is being taught by Mark, a fellow missionary, is a great blessing. Tim is the administrator and works with the teachers to set up classes, announces the classes and sets up the Zoom so the students can connect. In this present class there are 19 connections with a total of 25 students. It is so exciting to see each one and the frosting on the cake is that five students are from Venezuela with whom we had a part in their lives and training.
If the Lord permits, with all that is going on in the world, we plan to travel to the States in March for one month. We plan to visit the last of our two sets of parents, Tim’s dad who is 93 years young. Next year 2022 we will take our normal furlough and look forward to share with each on the exciting Same ol’, Same ol’ of the Lord’s work in Spain.
Thank you for partnering with us, most of you for the past 44 years. We thank the Lord for your prayer support and for your financial gifts. We also pray for you on a regular basis.
For the Cause of Christ in Spain,
Tim and Pam Darling