Reamadrid's Blog

IEMA is 25 years old

reamadrid — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:34:38 +0000

IEMA, is the church group that ECM founded in Cordoba 25 years ago. It’s purpose was to provide a structure for the mission posts where ECM was working within the province of Cordoba. On the 25th of October we celebrated the anniversary in a banquet hall in Montilla. As founding members of the church and the first Official Pastor of the church group, they gave me the privilege of speaking and asked Brenda to give a testimony. It was very encouraging to see the next generation of leaders taking over as well as see many new faces taking their part in the church. One sad note for Brenda and I was that we missed seeing many of those for whom we had toiled so hard to win to Christ. Most of them continue to follow Christ but not as part of the IEMA organization.

I renewed my vision……

reamadrid — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 20:47:18 +0000

Working with a team of men and women committed to see Europe won for Christ is a great joy for me. During the last training days we were all encouraged to review God’s leading in our lives. In looking over mine I could see time and again how God has continued to lead me to where I am today. I renewed my personal vision to impact my generation for Christ by mobilizing and empowering Christians to do what God has put in their hearts to do and to use their God-given gifts and abilities to work towards the common vision of seeing Europeans given the opportunity to turn to Christ. I long to be part of God’s movement as he gives Europeans the opportunity to respond. The following picture was taken of the ECM leadership team. Many of the ones pictured are part of the Field Ministries Team that I have had the privileged to lead for the past 10 years.

India is “Magical”

reamadrid — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 18:30:08 +0000

India is not a boring place at all, it is “magical,” as the young missionary lady said. That is the way she always thought about India as a young girl who grew up and felt God’s call on her life to plant churches in that land of 1.3 billion, with only 2% who claim to know Christ as their personal Savior. There is always something new happening, someone to watch, something going on any time, any place! What a captivating and interesting place and culture. I was privileged to be invited to speak to a group of 30 Christian workers near Delhi in August. Four of the days were spent looking at such interesting sights and people in the capital city of Delhi, with a population of 30 million. God spoke to me again that He cares about and knows EACH and EVERY person on the face of the earth. He is so much bigger than we can ever begin to understand. Each ONE is important to Him, and He gave His life for ALL who would desire to know Him. I was overwhelmed
with noise, walking among crowds of people, pollution of every kind, heat, and religions that are followed blindly by millions of Indians. I was surprised to see the kindness and politeness of people who work very hard and earn very little, and are hungry and thirsty and tired. I became more thankful for simple pleasures, like the cool of the evening in Spain, good tap water, a bed, and beauty without garbage littering. What most impressed me were the ladies who came to the retreat. Some of them rode long distances in trains, buses, cars, or flew to attend a Christian women workers retreat of 3 days and enjoy the company of others like themselves, be pampered a little in air conditioning, a hotel room, not have to cook or do other day to day activities that wear us down, listen to each others stories, pray and worship together, and be saturated in the Word of God together. God led me to speak on the book of Philippians, and the Lord ministered to us
about suffering, joy, sacrifice, how to live, how to think, the Body of believers, love, and other topics. What an awesome privilege to be able to gather together with those who God has called and to bear one another’s burdens and grow together as part of the Body of Christ. For other pictures you can click here.

I got my man!

reamadrid — Fri, 05 Aug 2011 10:23:44 +0000

Wow! we are married!!

Grandparents bragging again!

reamadrid — Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:30:12 +0000

Lydia full of life and fun!!

Miriam, already hungry for Books!!

Mark and Abby to tie the knot

reamadrid — Mon, 31 Jan 2011 16:44:54 +0000

“Yes I will!!” said the fare maiden!!

Family time in the USA

reamadrid — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 19:14:13 +0000

It has been good to spend time with our parents and several friends. We have enjoyed renewing the bonds that bind us as well as the snow that has been ever present. Brenda and I are so blessed to have wonderful parents and families.

Brenda and her Mom

Brenda's Mom's house in Indy

Ron with Mom and Dad in Zanesville

Hope for Bosnia

reamadrid — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 12:05:32 +0000

Mid-week service in Bosnia

It happened over 10 years ago but Radovan still showed emotion as he told it to us. In the midst of shooting Radovan and his family had to leave their home due to the ethnic cleansing going on in his little village. At first they were given refuge by a neighbor but soon they were not able to provide them safety either so they moved to another town about 20 kms. away. In that house he found a Bible and began to read it. A short time later his wife Blajenzka was invited to a meeting and was introduced to Jesus. She came back to tell her family what she had learned. Radovan asked her if they had talked about “one God”. She wondered how he knew what they had talked about. In his reading of the Bible he had been struck about this truth. The result was that he too accepted the Lord and in time so did his two boys and Blajenzka’s Aunt. Today one of the sons is the Pastor of the local church, Radovan has distributed Gospel literature to the homes in 80% of the country. He told me that he does not dare go to the remaining 20% because of the land mines present in that area. Nothing has been able to quench their zeal for the Lord. Their oldest son is getting married and they will leave their home to him and his new wife. They are going to go back to the place they had to flee from with the hope of seeing a new church plant established. Radovan and his family are asking us to consider helping them fulfill their vision of reaching the entire area for the Lord.

Nothing like family!

reamadrid — Mon, 31 May 2010 19:28:30 +0000

We enjoyed having our children home here in Madrid for a week in May. Jenny had to come to do some paper-work so of course she brought daughter Lydia. Rachel and BJ who had not met Lydia yet, came the 4 hours from Castellon to meet her. So all of us had a chance to be together with the exception of son-law Phil Biddulph. This was the first time to be together since we all traveled to Guatemala 4 years ago.

Celebrating the conclusion of a 10 year vision.

reamadrid — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 11:22:43 +0000

In the year 2000 ECMI adopted a 10 year challenge to see “second generation churches planted in all of our fields” The emphasis of the challenge was to create churches that would reproduce themselves as we felt that a church could say it has gone the full cycle of development when it has been able to reproduce. In order to do this the strategy we adopted was to build synergistic teams, synergistic structures and synergistic partnering. Ten years later we take stock in what was accomplished. The vision statement did help us focus our efforts on church planting like never before. It provided guidance, encouragement, clarity, and helped us attract others of like mindedness. On the negative side, some felt the vision to be too limiting, daunting or unrealistic. So it had its good and bad points, but we rejoice that because of our commitment to the vision we have been able to witness men, women and children coming to Christ and churches developed and established in each of our areas of ministry. To God be the Glory!! Now we work on our next 5 year plan. To see the peoples of Europe transformed in the name of Jesus Christ.

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