Heinz Updates
October 3, 2009
Had a great class with the prisoners today. They are extremely interested. BTW, I have two 'pastors' in there! :) I'm sure there's some interesting stories there. One has asked to meet with me in private. Another young man that believes he is called to preach wants to meet with me as well.
We visited a new development last week and this. When I got to Aurora Rivera's friend's house she had her friend's Bible out on the table and were looking through on Adventist bible study. Aurora agreed to study the Bible with my wife and I staring next weekend.
So we had a good day. Pray for us. We know you do.
Don Heinz
September 28, 2009
I totally forgot a very important part of my update. Saturday I started the discipleship in the jail in Nueva Imperial. I had 15 prisoners in the class. They were all very cooperative and seemed very interested. Please pray as we work with these men. One in particular, Cristian Santana, asked for a personal visit. He also stated that when he gets out of the jail that he would like to work on the streets with me. He seems very dedicated and serious about serving the Lord.
Donald Heinz
Missionary to Chile
September 28, 2009
Juan Guillermo's Baptism
Yesterday Juan Guillermo Salazar was baptized. It was a high in the 50's and mid 30's in the morning! The water was pretty cold too. I thank the Lord for a guy who wants to be baptized no matter the conditions! He is very excited about serving the Lord and is coming to institute as well. His mom refused to come. She was raised Southern Baptist and thinks that women should be in leadership, so she can't stand our church. Please pray for this woman. Her name is Erika.
25 Years of Salvation
I was thanking the Lord for 25 years of salvation this past week. I was saved on the 22 of September 1984. It's a blessing to be know that I have been serving the Lord for longer than I had served the world. We also celebrated serving the Lehigh Valley Baptist Church for 20 years in missions also. It was the summer of 1989 when I went on staff as a "missionary intern" and my wife as a secretary. Seems like a very long time ago. We praise the Lord for what He has done with us over the years, and we're looking forward to many more, Lord willing.
Fiestas Patrias
Two weeks ago we celebrated Chilean Independence. On Sunday the 20th we had a cook out and spent the whole day at the church. It was a great time of fellowship.
Tooth Extraction
I haven't been to the dentist in twenty years. [not recommended] But, I just had problems with a baby tooth I still had and the fully grown second tooth under it. So, I had the baby tooth pulled on Thursday. It went well, but the second tooth may never rise to the right level without some help. We'll see.
Donald Heinz
Missionary to Chile
September 15, 2009
Prison Break
Yesterday I met with the prison chaplain and the other pastors that visit the jail to lay out who comes in when. There the chaplain asked me to start a discipleship class on Saturday with the prisoners in the general population using Pastor Robert Sargent’s manual, the ABC’s of Christian growth. He didn’t ask what was in it, or what I believed, or anything. They just asked that I be faithful at it! I will! So, I am praising the Lord for the opportunity. Also, I asked what was being done for the prison guards themselves. They said that nothing is available or being done. Please pray that we can come up with some ways to minister to the prison guards that will open up a consistent ministry to them. I have some ideas, like offering family or stress counseling.
Radio Interference
As we stated before, the owner of the radio property needs to sell the property. My pastor asked if the property could be sold with the agreement that we could continue there as renters. It seemed like a good thing. Then over the weekend two different people came by the property without knowing the property was really available to ask if Guillermo was interested in selling. One even liked the idea of the radio being there! God is “gooder” sometimes! J Please pray.
Fiestas Patrias
This week is the Chilean independence day, the 18th. It is their biggest holiday, even bigger than Christmas, in the way of participation. So things will be pretty well shut down over this coming long weekend. We have two get-together’s planned, one with the Castners in Lastarrias, and the other as a church in Labranza on Sunday.
Sorry to say, I told you so.
We have gotten word that the young man that we had to discipline as a church just two years ago here in Labranza for public displays of affection on his girlfriend and sitting out of church is now a father at 17. His mother swore that he was not like other boys and could control himself. And, the truth is, he was a very “good” kid as kids go. But he was human. Well, I guess I was right, sad to say. I really hate to have to say it. Kids, please listen to your pastors!!!
Donald Heinz
September 2, 2009
Life has been a real blur over the last couple of weeks. Thank you for yourprayers. Right now we are in the midst of language classes. We have beengiven the opportunity to study Mapudungun, the language of the Mapuchepeople. RodneyFrey, missionary to the Mapuche in Aluminé, Argentina, is working directly with this people group that we have had a burden for ourselves for quite a while. So, his interest in studying the language gave us the necessary motivation to just do it. God gave us opportunity to get to know a Mapuche brother who helped the Summer Institute of Linguistics with their NT translation. His name is Mariano Trarupil, and he is our instructor. Please pray as we study that God will open many doors to this million member tribal group. There are many "Christians" among them, but there are also vast tracts of them that still need to hear. Also, with the conflict ever increasing with the Chilean government, we know that Christ can bring the peace that many of them want.
On a family note, it is wonderful to have Nathan back. The first thing he wants to know is what can he do here to help us! What a great attitude! Also, we have all the Castner kids with us, in addition to Brother Frey, so we have a house full. I thank God for my precious wife. She is a great servant.
Please pray for the future of the radio station. The owner of the plot wants to sell. This puts us in a difficult spot.
Donald Heinz
Missionary to Chile
