Fall Report

I am sorry I have gotten so sloppy with my reports I know I sent 2 out over the summer one in July and the other in August, but that really isn't enough for all the help you all give us. Church work is going very well here. The 2 Spanish congregations are doing well, while I still participate with oversight of Iglesia de Cristo Miami-Dade my main concentration has been on the J4L youth group. It ranges from 13 to 28 year old. There is presently over 80 members. We meet in 2 different places. The college group meets up at the Miami Dade congregation which is 25 to 30 members and the jr. & senor high group which ranges 45 to 55 meets at the Homestead church of Christ. The Homestead group is the less mature and we teach them mainly topics, while the older members are actually learning books. On Monday nights I have 5 members from the college group studying homiletics with me since they are being trained to preach. I have been given the opportunity from other congregations to have them preach for them as well as the fact they rotate Sunday mornings. I am really looking forward for them preaching at other congregations. That will really give them experience and the confidence they need. We have had 23 baptisms so far this year in the youth group not to mention the 2 Spanish congregations. We should also be receiving an AIM team (Adventures In Missions from Sunset international Bible institute) a group of 4 to 6 young people (in there 20's) who want to learn from missionaries in the field. We will know for sure by the second week of Decenber, but we have already been unofficially told that we should be receiving a team in June. They will be working with us for 18 months to 2 years. So keep that in your prayers. We have too many Bible studies for us alone. My wife and myself will be mentoring and teaching them what to teach the group, while Maria our team partner; the girl we sent to Brazil to work for 2 years who is 26 and not 50 will be taking them out directly to work with the youth.

The college group meets Thursday night and the younger group meets Wednesday night. They also have there own worship service on Sundays at 11:30 so we can get them there. It ranges from 15 to 30 depending on what they did the Saturday night before. We have started a homeless minister as well as having services at a local nursing home on Sunday nights. The group is almost self supporting (they don't pay rent but they pay for all there own activities which we have at least one once a month that all the members participate in).

I am personally discipling 5 members on a fulltime basis. I can send them out now to study with the newer members. The plan is by next October once we have the Aim team settled in we want to start reaching to the parents of the members. The parents being mostly unchurched can't believe their kids are really at church. I get calls like is Josh really at church or is he just saying that so he can be out on the streets. This gives us the perfect opportunity to reach the parents. As they watch there children changing in the Lord. Pray for that!! Out of the whole group I would say 10% come from a church background the rest are brand new to church, which keeps us very busy. I sent you this video to watch which will give you a much better idea of the attitude of the kids and things we do. The members made it up themselves to show to others there needs and what the group is all about.

I would ask that you pray for my family as the devil is always trying to send a curve ball in on us. Our son who has the mental illness is doing much better thanks to all your prayers. He is starting to totally accept his disease and takes his medication voluntarily now. So please keep him in your prayers. My prayer is that he will at some point be able to live on his own. We will probably need to drop in on him daily to see how is doing and probably have to control his finances, but he really wants to be on his own. He keeps telling me I am 24 I need my own life, I keep telling him God will give it to him. So please keep him in your prayers also, and who knows God might even put his illness in remission. I watch his improvement daily. The other kids are all moving forward. Harmony almost has her masters degree, Heidi is fulltime mom but is figuring out she needs to start using her nursing degree, Kelly will graduate from the University of Florida this May and then will be entering nursing school, and our youngest son is graduating from fire college Tuesday night, but wants to continue on with EMT, Our oldest son has started to go to church on a much more regular basis.

But you need to keep us in your prayers because it is sometimes very difficult to live with a mentally ill son. I also need prayers for me to learn how to balance my time better, and be more receptive to my families needs. Also keep Karen in your prayers for some decissions she has to make. We love you all and are eternally grateful that we are partners in His work.

In Him With You

The Hoots Family