CUBA...56 YEARS OF COMMUNISM, SOCIALISM, AND PERSECUTION

SOME PASTORS ENJOYING A FREE MEAL DURING A CONFERENCE

Twenty minutes after landing in Havana, Cuba I was already in trouble. I knew that I had landed in new and possibly dangerous territory. As I followed my way through the hot, extremely humid, and unventilated terminal to get to the baggage claim area my heart pounded heavily against my chest. And against my back. I was nervous about being in a foreign communist nation and about doing something culturally wrong that would bring me attention. Terrible stories of Cuban prisons and concentration camps flooded my mind. The very unfriendly faces from the workers dressed in military uniforms did not help. My eyes were like powerful vacuum cleaners; absorbing everything that there was to see. Ron Gartner, another missionary making this trip, and I finally found the baggage claim area. Ron saw his baggage and retrieved it while I waited for mine. Everyone on the plane got their baggage except me. The conveyor belt stopped and still no baggage for me. Finally after about 10 more minutes my baggage fell from the chute. I breathed a sigh of relieve and pick up my bag. Immediately there was a tap on my right shoulder and I turned around. Behind me was a Cuban lady dressed in military style. She asked if the luggage was mine. I said, "Yes." And she said, "Well then, come with me." I didn't know what was happening but I suspected that it had something to do with the 6 Bibles and the hundreds of gospel tracts that I was carrying. She took me to a room where there had placed several others. I was separated from Ron. In Cuba there are no phone connections with an outside phone. I couldn't call anyone. You must purchase a Cuban phone if you want to call anyone. The heat was almost unbearable and my heart was racing at warp speed. 

ONE OF THE BICY-TAXIS

Ron Gartner and I do evangelistic outreaches in Juarez, Mexico. A few months prior to leaving for Cuba he asked me if I would like to make the trip to Cuba with him. He had been to Cuba 19 years earlier and the Pastor that hosted him at that time had made another invitation. I knew that the Lord had sent me to Juarez, Mexico some years back, but recently the Lord had spoken to me on different occasions about sending me to visit other nations. So I told Ron that I would seek the Lord's direction and get back with him. Almost without hesitation the Lord said to me, "Did I not tell you that I would send you to other nations?" That was easy!!! But the next hurdle was how the Lord would supply for the expenses. I spoke to Al and Carla Fowler from Covenant Fellowship Church about this need and they immediately handed me a check for ministry expenses that would cover the trip entirely, with lots left over for the work in Juarez. The check came as a gift from many who support the work in Juarez. Ron and I began to make plans and get all the paperwork ready to enter into Cuba. We would also need a special religious visa from the Cuban senate to be able to minister in Cuban churches. (This makes it possible for the Cuban government to send out spies and control where you can and cannot go. We were denied entry into a large congregation in Havana.) Our flight initiated in Juarez, then to Mexico City, and finally Havana. The same route was used on our trip back. Part of our time in Cuba would be spent in Havana and the other part in Las Tunas, which are about 12 hours apart by vehicle.

OLD CARGO TRUCKS CONVERTED INTO BUSES

The nervousness and the intense heat in the room at the airport in Havana caused me to break out in heavy perspiration. I had over two hours to pray and activate my faith. I was told to move from one line to the next by one guard, and then scolded for having moved by another guard. I knew that what I was going through was nothing compared to others who have had to make the ultimate sacrifice for the gospel. My faith and strength began rise. I finally made it to the front table and no matter how rude they spoke to me I responded with respect. A young man and woman spoke to me. I was asked to put my bag on the table and unzip it. The man lifted the clothing in my bag and I knew that he saw 2 of the 6 Bibles at the bottom. Immediately he slammed the bag shut, had me to zip it back up, and told the young lady to clear me and let me pass. After she keyed in something in her computer I was finally free to go. I quickly walked outside where Ron and our host Pastors were patiently waiting. Ironically, I was also carrying a backpack and another carry-on bag which were both filled with more Bibles and gospel tracts...but it was as if they never saw them. 

OLD CARS ARE EVERYWHERE. I SAW SOME AS OLD AS 1920s

In my 12 days in Cuba I learned a lot about this nation, about socialism, and about communism. But mostly I learned about how the Church of Jesus grows "under the whip", as the believers call it. They call communism and socialism "shared misery". Anyone who thinks that this form of government is such a great idea needs to experience it first hand. The citizens of Cuba are slaves to the government. To be very blunt and cut to the chase the Cuban government is Satanic in origin. The heads of the regime, their families, and other leaders are heavily involved in Satanism, voodoo, witchcraft, and the occult. When the regime first took over the nation they made a promise that within 5 years not one Christian will be found in Cuba. Yet 56 years later the Church is still growing and thriving. A testimony to the power of the gospel. 

SAINTS WORSHIPING

When a child first registers for school he will be asked about his faith. If he states that he is a Christian he and his family are immediately denied some of the few government benefits available to others, including education into the most coveted careers. Currently there are about 3,000 churches in one denomination alone that are due to be bulldozed by the government. In one of the Pastor's conferences that we spoke at I asked the Pastors to tell me how we in the U.S. can pray for them. The response was always the same: "Please pray that my church building does not get destroyed." Many times, as these church leaders shared their stories with us, it was hard to keep back the tears. One leader shared about how he went to his church one day. As he turned the corner there was nothing there. Nothing!!! The government came during the night and destroyed his church buildings and hauled it off. Leaving no trace of a church building. But yet when these believers get together they stand up and sing God's praises as if they were in Heaven itself. How is it possible that we in the U.S. are so cold? 

MANY OF THESE ARE ON THE ROADS

While in Cuba we were not allowed to stay at the home of our hosts. In Las Tunas we rented two rooms that were owned by 3 medical doctors (a husband and wife, and their daughter). They rent the two rooms behind their house to make ends meet. A Physician in Cuba makes about $20 a month. (This is not a typo!) So when a tourist comes (which are few and far between), they hit a bonanza. We paid $20 per day, per room; and a great breakfast was included. When asked about help in finding someone in the neighborhood to do our laundry their eyes got big and they smiled. They said they would do it. The next morning I looked out the window and one of the doctors was washing my clothes by hand. By the afternoon everything was washed, folded, and ironed. They charged me about $3.70US. Another eye doctor in town runs a bicy-taxi service in the afternoons. He has a three-wheel bicycle that he uses to pedal people to and fro for a few cents. Another medical doctor makes lollipops to make ends meet. 

A SMALL CHURCH WITH ONLY A ROOF 

Here are a few more unbelievable facts: 1). Ron, our host pastor, and I went looking for bottled water, coffee, and a hammer one morning. We went to about a dozen stores and we came back empty-handed. Shelves were practically bare...yet full of rum. 2). The ten years after the year 1990 were extremely difficult. During this time they had no toothpaste, soap, new clothing, and other necessities. Food was extremely scarce. One pastor's wife related how they cooked their mop after cutting it up in pieces to add to the small amount of food. 3). We stopped at the car dealership in Havana. Cars and scooters for sale are really just for show. Just so that the government can say that they have cars available. A used car, with 200,000 miles runs between $82,000 to $110,000US. Used scooters were $9-12,000US. Consider paying these prices with salaries of $20 a month. 4). The government will help you build a church if it's a Satanic church. 5). It is against the law to eat beef or fish for the common citizens. Beef and fish are only for government officials and for exporting. I met a 37 year old man that has never tasted beef or fish. Also, if someone kills a cow it's 15 years in jail. Kill a human and it's 7 years in jail. 6). A gallon of gas is about $5.50US. (This list can be endless. I just wanted to show a picture of how different things are in Cuba.) 

CONFERENCE IN HABANA

The only reason that Cubans survive their economy is because their relatives and loved ones who have escaped the regime for the past 56 years send them financial support. 

Every time I stood in front of a church or a group of Pastors to speak I wondered why the Lord brought me there. I felt that I needed to sit down and let them speak to me. I always wondered what I could possibly say to encourage these precious brothers and sisters, some of which had been to the concentration camps. One day at one of our pastors conferences one pastor stood up to thank me. He said that he had learned so much that day and he was glad that he came to the conference. When he said that to me a knot formed in my throat and I had to swallow hard. Just about every conference had a least 100 attendees. Yet there was never one car or bicycle parked in front of the churches. The pastors either walked or used the very poor public transportation system to get to these conferences. 

I made some very good friends in Cuba. As a matter of fact our host pastor in Cuba, who is about 80 years old, was able to get permission to make a trip Colorado to visit his son. From there he made a bus trip to the El Paso/Juarez area. He was with me for 12 days recently. He shared his stories and preached in several churches in Juarez, Mexico. 

Will I ever return to Cuba? That is one of my dreams. Now that I've been there once I will be better prepared the second time. My prayer is for Cuba to be released from the bondage that it finds itself in. 

I thank the Lord for allowing me to make this missionary trip to Cuba and many, many thanks for everyone who helped to make this trip possible. And also for the continued support in Juarez, Mexico. 

I plan on writing another blog entry soon to share about other things going on in Juarez. Blessings to all. 

(P.S. Double-click on the pictures to enlarge.)

Daniel Torres

650 Linwood Drive

El Paso, Texas 79928

d_torres53@yahoo.com

For tax receipts make contributions to:

Covenant Fellowship

P.O. Box 8126

Searcy, AR 72145

DREAM TEAM VISITS JUAREZ... JUNE 2015

PART OF THE DREAM TEAM ENJOYING THE
BEAUTIFUL SKY FROM A MOUNTAINTOP.

I recently read a story about a group of people invited to have breakfast with the president of the United States at the White House. The story and the pictures vividly revealed the group's excitement at the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. My mind quickly thought about the recent week that a team from Searcy and Judsonia, Arkansas spent in Juarez, Mexico sharing meals and ministering to the poorest of the poor.  If you ask any of the twelve people from the Dream Team (as I like to call them) if they would have preferred to go to the White House, all of them without a doubt, would have chosen to be in Juarez with the downtrodden, the forsaken, the suffering, the widows, the orphans, and the heroes of faith. 

A MASTERPIECE!!

After months of preparation, fund raising, and prayers the team arrived at a Spanish gospel tract ministry in El Paso, Texas known as Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries (SAEM) - our meeting point before crossing into Juarez. We spent a day at SAEM making some final preparations, planning, and having more prayer. For many weeks I had been preparing for the Dream Team's arrival and I had organized a very busy schedule for them. We wanted to seize every moment for Jesus while in Juarez.   On June 8th we crossed into Juarez, Mexico with a greater excitement and anticipation than visiting the White House. For some this was the first time to ever set foot in Mexico, but not to be the last.                  (Michaela having fun →)

REGINA AT AN ORPHANAGE.

CHIHUAHUA PUPPIES. 

I quickly took them to the house in Juarez where they would sleep and then off to our host church with Pastor Manuel Martinez and his wife Dolores (Lolis, as she prefers to be called). The host church, Dios Con Nosotros (God With Us), prepared all our meals and also helped us prepare the daily meals that we took with us as we set out to different areas in Juarez to minister and feed the people. Every morning at 8 am left the house and headed to the church for prayer, breakfast, and to prepare for the day's ministry. And every evening we would end at the host church for sharing, dinner, and often we worked around the church. It was hard work but we enjoyed the beauty of the desert as we watched the sunset and we also enjoyed the beauty of working for the Lord Jesus. 

SWEET LITTLE GIRL
CONCENTRATING WITH MIKE. 

SOME DRESSES MADE BY THE LADIES OF THE
RIVER CHURCH, JUDSONIA, ARKANSAS. 

The very first day in Juarez at 3 pm we had a feeding and ministry time at a feeding center started by a young widow by the name of Celestina (scroll down to blog entry of March 9, 2015 for further information on Celestina and her work). Many kids from around the poor neighborhood came out as well as adults. We had games, a short drama skit, feeding and ministry time. Many kids also received sandals. The ministry time was great as many kids and adults made a confession of faith. Celestina currently feeds 50 to 60 children and adults six days a week. About 80% to 90% of the food support at Celestina's comes from those people and churches who support the work that I have been called to in Juarez.  

SUPERB JOB!!!

GIRLS ENJOYING REGINA'S VISIT.

On Tuesday morning we visited a neighborhood to hand out flyers inviting the people to an evangelistic service on Friday. Here the Dream Team entered one of the shacks where the poorest of the poor live. Words cannot describe what they witnessed that morning. Later we drove to another part of Juarez to visit with Pastor Martin Nuñez, his church and orphanage. I had Pastor Martin share his testimony about how he came to know the Lord. It is one of the most incredible and moving testimonies anyone has ever heard. Most of the young kids living here have come off the streets of Juarez with lives filled with crime and drug abuse. Our hope is to someday invite Pastor Nuñez to Arkansas to share his testimony and the incredible work he and his wife Leticia are doing in Juarez. Without a doubt he is one of the heroes of faith.

EDUARDO (RIGHT) ACCEPTED THE LORD
DURING LAST YEAR'S TRIP.
NOW HE WORKS HARD AROUND THE CHURCH.

On Wednesday we visited and ministered at another orphanage which has about 55 kids. It was another incredible day of ministry. One of the things we did here was to give the kids pillowcases for them to color what they had received from us as far as Bible lessons and stories. Some of the art work was amazing. The pillowcases would be a nightly reminder of what they had learned from the Dream Team. Many of the adults at the orphanage also enjoyed coloring a pillowcase.

Thursday was an amazing day at Casa De Refugio De Jovencitas (House Of Refuge For Young Girls). Here we were allowed to take pictures but not publish them. After an amazing and very moving time of testimonies and sharing God's Word the Holy Spirit moved in the hearts of the young girls like very few people have witnessed before. We spent about an hour in solid prayer filled with weeping and lamentation. Later we shared a very special time getting to know the girls in a deeper, personal way by doing pedicures. Even some of the men of the Dream Team got in on the nail painting. Days like these are never forgotten. 

MIKE VISITS AT VISION EN ACCION

Our last day in Juarez was very busy. The Dream Team got a quick tour of the City of Juarez that they had not seen yet. They also had a short time of souvenir shopping before taking off to a ministry called Vision En Accion (Vision In Action), which houses about 120 people who have come off the streets. Most of them reach this place with severe mental and physical problems. Those that are a danger to others or have committed violent crimes are locked in tiny cells for the security of others. We spent time visiting these precious ones and praying for them. You can see a 4 minute video of this ministry by searching this site: Vision En Accion - CSJ Award Winner 2012. Josue (pictured below), who is seen in the video was our tour guide. From this ministry we rushed back to our host church to prepare for a 7 pm evangelistic campaign, where about 300 came to be fed and hear God's word. Dale Donnell, member of the Dream Team, preached to the adults while I translated. After a very busy, very productive, and very blessed day and week we had to head to the border that very night and return to El Paso. 

JOSUE - OUR GUIDE AT VISION EN ACCION WITH MIKE. 

On Saturday back at SAEM we had a time of sharing and prayer. It was hard for me to watch as the Dream Team once again prepared to depart from me. I wept. But it was a week that would mark their lives forever. I heard the statement, "this week has changed my life forever" more than once. Somehow I doubt that the group that visited the White House had the same sentiment. Thank you Dream Team for a wonderful week of allowing the light of Jesus to shine through you and for blessing my City of Juarez. 

OTHER NOTES:

--I want to remind everyone that I will leave Juarez on August 13 to head to Cuba for almost 2 weeks of ministry. I need your prayer support. 

--There's a lady in Juarez who had a leg amputated due to diabetes. I also know of a ministry that will fit her with a prosthesis for about $700US. That is a small amount to pay to have her walking again. Anyone wishing to help her with this need please contact me. 

--The Dream Team will be returning to Juarez again. Anyone interested in joining the team or starting your own team may contact me for more details. The Dream Team will be sharing their recent experiences in Juarez at The River Church in Judsonia, Arkansas in the upcoming weeks. 

Blessings to all and may God richly bless everyone for their continue support and prayers. 

(Note: To enlarge pictures double click on them).

Daniel Torres

TYLER AND MIKE. ALWAYS TIME FOR FUN!!!

650 Linwood Drive

El Paso, Texas 79928

501-827-7679

d_torres53@yahoo.com

For contributions needing tax receipts:

Covenant Fellowship

P.O. Box 8126

Searcy, AR 72145

SURGERY WITHOUT THE KNIFE

EDUARDO, PATRICIA, AND THEIR TWO BOYS

Patricia Parada Lopes, 37, of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, had been in excruciating pain for a very long time.  She could no longer sing the special songs that she used to sing at her church.  The pain would no longer allow her to finish any songs.  She completely stopped singing in church after having to leave many songs half done. And it was very painful for her to even sit down.  When she sat down she had to stretch herself back and to her left in order to minimize the severe pain coming from the right side of her abdomen as the right side of her ribs would dig further into her pain.  Patricia's neighbors were also concerned as they would hear her screams a few houses down when the pain reached its height.  Patricia's immediate family as well as her church family were also very concerned for her.  No one knew how to help her. 

Patricia was suffering from gallstones.  However the doctors refused to operate on her because they wanted her to lose a lot of weight.  Her excess weight would make the operation very risky.  And for Patricia it had become impossible to lose the pounds that she needed to lose.  I have been told that the Mexican diet lends itself to big problems with gallstones and that 60% of all the surgeries in Mexico are related to the gall bladder. 

But Patricia has a dear friend and sister in the Lord that told her that they needed to find me and I would be able to help her. Her friend Irene is an evangelist and a couple of years ago I introduced her and her husband Daniel to a treatment that flushes out kidney stones, gallstones, and helps to detoxify the body.  Irene and Daniel did the treatment and had unbelievable results.  A dear brother in the Lord, Mike Lee,  had introduced me to the treatment before I moved to Ciudad Juarez as a full time missionary.  Since living in Juarez I have been able to help around 40 to 45 people avoid surgery by using this treatment. The treatment consists of a four day fast and includes distilled water, pure apple juice, sea salt, and olive oil.  The total cost of these items is approximately $18US.   

Once they located me I rushed to El Paso to purchase the materials and then headed back to Juarez to start Patricia on her treatment.  There was not a day to lose.  Patricia's gall bladder was close to rupturing, which can be fatal.  I took the items to her house and explained to her and to her husband Eduardo how to do the treatment.  The biggest part of the treatment consists of drinking almost 8 gallons of liquid within 4 days.  That may sound like a lot but it can be easily done when you consider the alternatives.  Eduardo was not sure that Patricia could do it because she hated to drink water (which may have accelerated her condition over the years).  We had a time of prayer before I left their house and put everything in God's hand.  

Four days later I received word from Eduardo that Patricia had passed the stones and was feeling great.  Not only was there no more pain but parts of her body that had been so swollen that her skin was shiny were no longer swollen.  Patricia's body now was craving the water that she had once denied it.  Now it seems that she can't drink enough water.  Her family is amazed.  So amazed that some from her church family and neighbors were stopping by to gaze at the almost two cups of stones that she passed.  At first Patricia was embarrassed about this but then she let anyone who came to look at her stones.  There were hundreds of stones, some were very large in size.  

I returned to their house and visited with them for a few hours last night.  It seems that Patricia is now a new person.  We all laughed and rejoiced as her and her husband shared the experiences of her "surgery without a knife".  

Last Sunday morning Patricia and Eduardo stood in front of their church and gave their testimony.  Then Eduardo sat down and Patricia stayed to sing to the Lord a song. In its entirety.   

A million thanks again to all those who make it possible for me to live in Juarez and bless many here in the simplest of ways. Please remember to pray for a team from Searcy and Judsonia, Arkansas that will be here in Juarez in June.  I also remind you to keep me in your prayers as arrangements are made for me to visit Cuba for two weeks of ministry in June or July. Remember Ephesians 3:20.  Blessings to all.

Daniel Torres 
650 Linwood Drive
El Paso, Texas 79928
d_torres53@yahoo.com

For tax receipts:
Covenant Fellowship
P.O. Box 8126
Searcy, Arkansas 72145

THE POWER OF A SEED...OR FAITH LIKE POTATOES

          

          I never cease to be amazed at some of the things that I come across in Juarez, Mexico.  Even after 3 1/2 years of full time missionary work I still have experiences that are hard to believe.  Some experiences are shocking in a negative sense and some are delightfully pleasant.  In this blog I want to share about a recent experience that brought tears to my eyes...in a very good sense.  

CELESTINA (LEFT), HER THREE HELPERS, AND TWO OF HER KIDS.

I find a lot of pleasure and satisfaction in reaching out to the poorest of the poor in Juarez, Mexico.  One of the ways that I do this is to distribute food in neighborhoods where there is extreme poverty.  I normally go to the local wholesale market and purchase 100 pound bags of rice, beans, potatoes, oatmeal, sugar, and whatever else I feel may be needed.  Then I bag all this up into smaller bags and head out to places in Juarez that are so poor that most Americans would not fathom.  Normally I just go from house to house (or better said: from shack to shack) and hand out bags of food as I visit with the people, pray with them, and leave a gospel tract in their hands. I remember the most needy cases and make return visits.  Sometimes after my first or second house visit the word gets out that I'm around and people come to me instead of me coming to them. 

S.A.E.M.  PROVIDED ME WITH BLANKETS TO GIVE OUT.

A few days ago I was on my way out with a good load of food.  I already had in mind which neighborhood I would visit.  My plan was to go down a particular road and hang a left turn and visit that neighborhood.  However as I was getting ready to turn left the Lord corrected me and had me to make a right turn.  I had been down this neighborhood many times before and the Lord brought to my mind one particular lady. I knew that I had to stop by her place first.  

I met Celestina a few years ago.  Although she is under 40 years old Celestina is a widow.  Her husband was killed at the peak of the violence in Juarez and she was left alone with 5 children.  The youngest child was barely a new born at that time. Celestina is one of the poorest of the poor.  When I first met her she was homeless and lived in borrowed houses or shacks with her kids.  Her poor parents would try to help but they were just as needy.  The greatest thing that Celestina has on her side is that she is a very strong Christian woman.  Less that 2 years ago a ministry by the name of Casas Por Cristo (Houses For Christ) built a small house for her and her children.  

Not long after moving into her new house Celestina experienced a serious incident with her next door neighbor.  Apparently the man next door was drunk and he went outside shooting his gun at random.  Celestina's youngest child was playing in the dirt by the house and a bullet went straight for the little boy.  Except that their dog was in front of the boy and the dog's presence saved the boy's life.  The dog died from the bullet wound.  Celestina summoned the police but nothing was done. On one of my visits Celestina told me what had happened and we prayed for the situation with her neighbors.  I have brought food to Celestina on many occasions.  And it was to Celestina's place that the Lord directed me to a few days ago with a load of food. 

Celestina greeted me with her usual happy smile as if she didn't have a care in the world.  I know few people that have the faith that Celestina has.  Celestina asked me to come inside.  She was wanting to show me something.  There were 3 other ladies in the house.  She showed me a huge bag of potatoes on the bed (it was a one room house) and told me that she, along with the other ladies present (whom she had brought to the Lord), had opened a community lunchroom for the poor. At first I was at a loss for words.  

CELESTINA IN THE MIDDLE

I finally had to ask: "Celestina, you hardly have any food for you and your children. How can you have a feeding center"?  She explained to me that she wanted to show these new saints about the power of a seed.  She decided that they would all go in together and buy potatoes and feed the poor from Monday through Friday at 3 pm when the kids came home from school.  She showed me the empty gas tank.  There was no more gas, so now they had no other choice but to cook potatoes with wood that they collected.  The lunchroom had been opened for over two weeks and about 30 kids and some older adults were coming for a daily diet of potatoes.  The bed was reserved for the older adults to sit down to eat and the others ate standing up.  It was then that I quickly wiped my tears. 

And I wiped my tears again when Celestina asked me if I remembered the incident with her neighbor and her dog.  I told her that I did.  Then she smiled and pointed to one of the ladies in the room and told me that she was her next door neighbor, wife to the man that had shot her dog. 

CELESTINA WITH A FEW OF THE CHILDREN 

It was obvious why the Lord sent me there that day.  I told Celestina that I had a car full of food and that I was going to give it all to her.  They all helped me unload all the food that I had with me.  Before I left there was food everywhere.  Celestina then turn to the other ladies and very confidently said: "You see, this is the power of a seed.  My beautiful Jesus has multiplied it and provided us with all this food." I left her with $50 to fill up the gas tank.  I also took down a list of other things that she needed and I brought them to her the very next day.  When I returned Celestina informed me that she had only put in $30 worth of gas in the tank because she wanted to have money to buy tortillas for the people.  She asked if that was all right with me.  I smiled and nodded.  I took some pictures and left with the promise that I would bring them whatever food they needed to feed the hungry in the community. It's the least that I can do.  Another ministry in Juarez is going to give me enough benches and tables for the children and adults who come to the new lunchroom  have a place to sit.  

This is a case of the poor helping the poor.  Thank God for ladies like these and others who step out with a seed of faith and watch as the Lord turns that seed into a good harvest.  And thank God for those who help support God's work in Juarez so that I may continue to reach those in need. Jesus said that we will always have the poor.  And His desire is for His Body to care for them and love them. 

ANOTHER MINISTRY OPPORTUNITY:  In the past the Lord has spoken to me about sending me to other Nations. The Lord has now opened the door for me to visit communist Cuba in July of this year for about two weeks of ministry.  I will be going with Ron Gartner, who is another missionary serving in Juarez, Mexico.  We will be speaking to and encouraging the Body of Christ in a few of the cities in Cuba.  I have already spoken to our host Pastor in Cuba and he is very excited about us coming to visit. It does not look like the airplane fare will be too costly since Cuba is not far from Florida.  However we want to be able to help the churches that we visit with a good financial gift. Anyone wishing to make a financial gift to a few churches in Cuba please send your gift to either of the addresses below. Thank you very much. 

Daniel Torres

650 Linwood Drive

El Paso, TX 79928

d_torres53@yahoo.com

If you need a tax receipt send to:

Covenant Fellowship

P.O. Box 8126

Searcy, Arkansas 72145

IN MY NAME THEY WILL DRIVE OUT DEMONS...

              

Jesus... said unto them, "Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation.  Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.  And these signs will accompany those who believe: In my name they will drive out demons...."  Mark 16:15-17 (NIV; The Great Commission).

The Great Commission is a command, not a suggestion.

This blog entry will deal with the topic of demon possession as I have personally witnessed it in Juarez, Mexico and at times in the United States. 

Demons are not to be taken lightly.  They are real, powerful, and not to be played with (see Acts 19:13-16).  Most people living in the United States have never been confronted with demon possession.  I have my own personal opinion concerning why the U.S. does not witness this on the scale that we see it in other nations, especially Third World Nations and nations where idolatry is rampant. Actually, demons are all over the U.S. but I believe that they use a high level of stealth in the U.S.  I'm not going to discuss the "why" in this blog entry; I have other things that I want to share.  I deliberately waited until now to share this because Halloween is upon us and many people, including Christians and many churches, believe that it is innocent and harmless.  But Halloween is a trick of the Devil to pry open many doors that will eventually be used to bring in things that the person will later regret.  Halloween is definitely not a holiday (holy-day).  There is nothing cute in little monsters and there is nothing innocent in the haunted houses that some churches use to raise funds for God's Kingdom.  There is nothing harmless about vampires or the walking dead.  When a person or child begins to like, enjoy, and see those things as harmless and fun the Devil has begun to pry open spiritual doors that will eventually be flown wide open for powerful Satanic attacks and possession.  In the book of Mark, chapter 5, we read about a man who came to Jesus from the tombs.  He lived there and he wore no clothing.  He could not be bound with chains because he would break them in pieces.  No man could tame him and he was always screaming.  He would cut himself with stones, as some do today.  His name was Legion because he had so many demons.  I know that this man was not born like that nor did those things happen to him overnight.  At some point in his life he or someone, probably a parent, allowed something to pry open the doors of his spirit for demons to enter.  And eventually, little by little, this man came to be who he is now, totally and completely full of demons and uncontrollable.  I'm sure his family wondered what happened with him and how he came to be like this.  They probably helped him become like this.  Parents beware!!!  In the end  Satan's goal is to kill that person and as many as he can by using that individual (see John 10:10).  Does this sound familiar?  Do we not see this in the news almost daily?

Some people believe that healing, miracles, and demons are a thing of the past.  But  I witness these things all the time.  And I challenge anyone to show me in Scripture where the supernatural came to an end.  If anything, these things have increased dramatically since we are in the last days.   

I recently had another experience with demons.  A young man, about 25, came to the front of the church (yes, church!) for prayer.  I went up to pray for him and as I put my hands on him the demons in him began to manifest (many people walk around care free but have no clue that demons live in them or that the person next to them has demons).  This encounter was my longest one yet with demons.  In the past some people took a few seconds to be delivered, some took minutes, others took longer.  This recent case took almost 3 hours.  During this time the young man (under the power of the demons) did a lot of different things: he screamed, mocked, laughed hideously, prophesied (see Acts 16:16-18), sang, stood up, lied down, rolled on the floor, cursed, moved violently, and regurgitated what appeared to be blood.  A minister and myself stayed with this man for the entire three hours.  We knew that the young man had many demons but we didn't know just how many.  When the man was finally set free he was so exhausted that he had to be carried out of the church.  I was also very tired since he was very strong.  The peace that we finally saw on his countenance was one of the evidences that he was set free.  

We were determined that we were not going to stop praying and rebuking the demons until this man was totally free.  The Lord never leaves anything half done...and neither should we (see also Matthew 12:43-45).  Jesus is the one who gives us the authority over these demons; in and of ourselves we have no authority. 

 

What causes a person to be possessed by demons?  The doors are many.  Our culture is more fascinated by the demonic than by the things of the Spirit of God.  We call evil good and good is called evil (Isaiah 5:20).  From the time we barely learn to speak and understand we are bombarded with the things of Satan.  Television programs, songs and music, games (Ouija boards and others), movies, books, and other forms of communication feed us a constant diet of evil.  We become so desensitized and unaware that Satan is feeding our minds with so much evil that we even pass the plate to our own children.  Hardly a cartoon or a Disney movie comes out that does not deal with Satanic forces including demons, witches, monsters, murder, witchcraft, spells, idolatry and so much more.  Even the so called "Super Heroes" are full of the demonic.  Yet we find them in the video libraries of Christian families and even in church nurseries.  When we participate in these things we are supporting the kingdom of Satan and opening the doors of our spirits and the spirits of our loved ones to Satanic forces.  Before long people are doing the Devil's work and we wonder what happened.  To add insult to injury we have removed God from schools but Satanic forces and influences are allowed to remain.  We raise up generations with a demonic mindset and with open doors to Satanic work and forces.  Children, not just adults, are involved in murders, suicide, drugs, sexual perversion and all the other evils of Satan.  Many times the person is locked up and the crimes are excused because the person has a "mental condition".

Christians are very careless about Satanic influences.  Television programs bring these influences right into the living rooms and bedrooms and families sit down together to watch such things.  An interest in these things increase and to most people they appear to be normal, innocent, and harmless.  But as one who deals with the Satanic and with demon possession constantly I beg Christians and churches to open up their eyes and raise up their guard (see Mark 3:27 and Luke 11:21).  Parents a well as churches have a responsibility to guard their house and their children. 

There are so many other things that I can write about this subject but I just want to raise up a red flag.  There are many Christian books on the subject and there are Godly people that you can go to for counseling.  Don't let Satan creep into your life, into your home, and into your family.  I especially encourage fathers, who are the high priests of the home, and mothers to be watchful. 

BE SOBER, BE VIGILANT; BECAUSE YOUR ADVERSARY THE DEVIL, AS A ROARING LION, WALKETH ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR... 2 Peter 5:8.

I love my Beloved...

Daniel Torres

650 Linwood Drive

El Paso, Texas 79928

501-827-7679

d_torres53@yahoo.com

 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE TRANSFORMED INTO AN ANGEL?

                 Dear Church, I have a lot of things to write about concerning recent events of my life in Juarez, Mexico.  I just completed my third year in Juarez on August 1st and things here are as exciting as ever and God continues to do things that boggle the mind.  But this Blog entry is a teaching that the Holy Spirit had me to share in church recently.  And I believe that He also wants me to share this with those who read this blog.  I know that this will stir your faith. Hopefully I will have time later to write more about the events going on in Juarez.

 

Angels.  Everyone is fascinated by them. They are huge, powerful, beautiful, and highly respected.  The Old Testament book of 2 Kings chapter 19 and verse 35 speaks of the angel of the Lord destroying the Assyrian Army, all 185,000 men.  That's a huge army for one individual to destroy.  Angels also appear before the presence of God.  Would you like to be transformed into an angel?  Some, maybe most, would say that they would.

 

For me that would be an offer that I would have to pass.  I wouldn't want to be an angel.  Actually, if the Lord were to ask me (and He wouldn't) if I wanted Him to transform me into an angel I would be highly offended.  To me it would clearly be a demotion of status.  I prefer to remain a Child of God.  Let me explain what I mean.

 

Angels are created beings used mostly by God as messengers and ministering spirits.  They are here to protect and are under God's direction.  Humans are also created but humans are created in the image and likeness of God.  Angels are not.  Angels do not have the capacity to love or to be compassionate.  Only humans have the honor and privilege to love and be compassionate.  A Child of God loves and is compassionate like no one else on Earth.

 

Angels cannot be redeemed.  Jesus did not die on the cross for angels.  No demon can receive salvation.  The cross is only for humans. 

 

No angel has ever been or ever will be called a Child of God.  Only redeemed human beings have that highest of honors and privilege.  Only a redeemed human being becomes a Child of God.

 

 

On the cross of Calvary Jesus elevated redeemed man (only those that accept Jesus as Lord and Savior) to such heights that he, redeemed man - the Church - the Bride, sit with Christ in heavenly places (see Ephesians 2:6; Colosians 2:12, 3:1-3).  There is no seat reserved for angels in the throne room of God.  Angels come to the throne room to receive orders.  The orders are given by the trinity...and the Child of God.  How is this possible?  Through prayer. 

 

Prayer is the Churches greatest privilege.  You will never read in Scripture where an angel utters a prayer.  Only a Child of God has that honor and privilege. 

 

About prayer:  Why would God institute something called "prayer"?  Because He wants us to rule and reign.  We are Kings and Priests (Revelation 5:10).  And we, the redeemed - the church, rule through prayer.  That means that God will not move His hands to action unless we, the Bride, pray first.  He will not violate our rightful, lawful, proper, authorized, and legal place as Kings and Priests by acting without us.  The redeemed have the honor and privilege to make history and to change history on Earth.  How many times does the Lord asks, even demands, that we...ASK?  One soul cannot be saved unless the church makes that request before God.  Ask in His Name and He "will do it".   Angels have no rights to prayer...but if you are a Child of God you have all the rights.  It is your responsibility.  Prayer is not a suggestion, it is a command.  "But when ye pray..."

 

Two questions:  1). Would God institute prayer and then choose to DO the things that we don't pray about?  No.  He would be violating the place that He gave to us in the Throne Room through Christ. 2). Would God ask us to pray and then NOT do the things that we ask for in Christ's name?  No.  That would make Him a liar.  But we pray in faith, nothing wavering (James 1:5-7). 

 

 

Let me ask again: Would you like to be transformed into an angel?  I hope not!!!  Because a Child of God, though weak as he may look, is more powerful that all the armies of hell.  One Child of God, no matter how young (even a 5 year old) can come against the hordes of Satan on his knees and be victorious.  One old saint that needs help to get up from his knees can invade hell and totally change the history of this world.  One Child of God has rights and privileges that angels can only covet. Angels have nothing on a Child of God. 

 

 

So get up, church!!!  Quit playing patty-cake in God's presence.  Sit down at the throne room of God and take your proper place.  There was a dear price paid for that place.  Speak things that are not as thought they were.  Be brave, be strong, be courageous.  Be Jesus to the world.  Grace and peace to you. 

 

I love you my beloved!

 

 

Please pray for this, your servant in Christ.

 

 

 

Daniel Torres

650 Linwood Drive

El Paso, Texas 79928

 

d_torres53@yahoo.com

501-827-7679

 

 

ARKANSAS' DREAM TEAM INVADES JUAREZ

MANY, many things have happened here in Juarez since my last blog entry. Today I finally get to sit down and write about them.  I don't like to make these blog entries too long so this will be just a brief synopsis of the events of the past two months. If I related all the details I would write a book. But I mostly want to share about the visit with the team that came down from Arkansas. The team arrived on June 7th and departed on June 16th. In the past I have referred to the team as The Dream Team.

Previously I have tried to inform readers about the ministry in El Paso (which is right across the border from Juarez) that is called Spanish American Evangelistic Ministries or SAEM. This is a tract printing ministry that prints Spanish tracts for the Spanish speaking world. Some tracts are also printed in English. SAEM is a ministry and as such it relies on the financial and physical assistance of Christians in order to survive. This summer 20 year old Michaela Lorton,  from Searcy, Arkansas volunteered one month of her time to intern at SAEM. Michaela bravely took her very first airplane ride to get to El Paso. She flew from Little Rock, to the mass confusion at Dallas International Airport, and then to the El Paso airport where I picked her up. I took Michaela to SAEM and in a few days I took off to Arkansas for my younger daughter's graduation.

Victoria graduated from High School and will be attending the University in Jonesboro this fall. I also visited my other two daughters. Melissa in Oklahoma City and Christina in Memphis. And I also visited churches and many friends. The Lord had incredible things planned for me on this trip to Arkansas and it will be a trip that I will never forget.

Once back in Juarez I began to prepare for the arrival of the team from Arkansas. Most of them have been in Juarez before and I was very excited about their return. At this point in time neither one of us had any idea of the wonderful and life-changing things that the Lord had planned for this team. It is amazing that we go through life doing our every day things and keeping a routine. Sometimes we sink into a rut and we don't ever realize it. And all the time our God, who is very busy and constantly working and planning, has something just ahead that will transform our life like we never dreamed of or thought possible. And God had something very special waiting for this team here in Juarez, Mexico, which is a place that very few people want to come to. God calls us to impossible places and He does impossible things so that we may also do impossible things with Him. If God only did the possible, He wouldn't be God. Anyone can do that! And as children of God we are called to do the impossible.

I continued to prepare places of ministry that the team would go to and visit. One day I took Michaela, the young SAEM intern, with me to Juarez and we visited and made plans with several ministries in preparation for The Dream Team.

The Dream Team consists of the Lorton family (Mike, Regina, Matthew, and Michaela - our SAEM intern), Mike Lee, and Grant Cooper. This was Grant's first mission trip ever. But Grant worked like a veteran in Juarez. Grant was lovingly given the title of "Captain America" and I imagine that the title will stick.

For this trip I decided that The Dream Team will work primarily with Pastor Manuel Martinez and his wife Dolores (who everyone here knows as Lolis). I did a blog entry about this couple and their wonderful work in Juarez on August 15, 2013 (please scroll down and refer to that blog entry).  The team stayed in Juarez for a week at Dolores' parent's house, which was very comfortable. Dolores also prepared all the meals for the team during the week. Home-cooked Mexican food every day! Dolores also happens to have the gift of prophecy.

Very briefly the first three days of ministry went as follows. We visited an orphanage that we call Cecia's (for the name of the director there). We bought food and spend a few hours with the children. Then we went to a girls Teen Challenge center for another few hours, where we also brought food and had a time of ministry. The next day we went to one of the most dangerous communities on the North side of Juarez called Anapra. There we visited another orphanage called Rivers of Mercy. Not far from there we went to another orphanage, except that this one is for young adults mostly in their teen years. It is called Tree of life. In both of these we shared food, crafts, and one on one. The next day we went to a place that the team had never been to before. I had been hesitant to bring them here in the past but I thought that it was time that The Dream Team visited this very delicate place. We were there only about 2 hours because I didn't want to make the team too uncomfortable. It is a ministry that ministers to and houses people who come off the streets. The residents are mentally "challenged", to put it mildly. Their bodies and mental capacities have been damaged due to years of drugs, alcohol, prostitution and living in the streets. Some are brought in with their bodies rotting. But the great news is that there is healing for them in this place. Many come out of here and lead productive lives. Pastor Jose Galvan,who also came off the streets many years ago, founded and operates this ministry. There are about 120 people living here and they are precious in God's sight. For more information about this ministry look up Vision en Accion Jose Galvan in Juarez on the Internet. Youtube has videos, many in English, about this ministry and reporters from all over the world come here to report on this lovely ministry. What did the Dream Team think of Vision en Accion? They said that next time they want to visit longer, serve food, and help minister. Of course, we never go to place where we don't leave a lot of food and some financial help for the ministry. And that was the case at Vision En Accion. From there we moved on to a feeding center that was once closed because the Pastor who operated it was tragically killed and the funds quit coming. Pastor Corina, his widow, has been trying to re-open the ministry which is located right in front of her tiny church. The Dream Team came to help. We bought lots of food, had Bible study, and gave away some stuffed animals in conjunction with the Bible study. We served about 100 people, about 90% were kids.

THE DREAM TEAM WITH PASTOR JOSE GALVAN (SECOND FROM THE RIGHT)

During these "planned" days of ministry the Lord always opens doors for things that we do not plan. I always tell the teams that we have to be flexible and nothing is written in stone. We go where the Holy Spirit leads. My favorite word about this is: Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not be bent out of shape. One such stop was at a nursing home for older men. I had to stop there to visit the Pastor and director of the ministry. While there we found out that the roof on one of the buildings was in dire need of repairs. Immediately we made plans for the ministry to get the $400 needed to fix the roof. And today the roof has been fixed. One day I was also called to help with a dying man in another part of town. I took Grant with me and we left while the team continued their work. We transported the man to a hospital where 8 days later he passed away. But not before having heard the gospel of love. We dealt with other issues in Juarez that were not scheduled and we were blessed for being flexible.

Mike Lee

For the next three days I had an outdoor evangelistic campaign planned at Pastor Manuel's church. It was the first campaign ever in that church. I work with a team of 3 other ministers and we do at least one campaign in Juarez per month. I made all the arrangements and with the help of The Dream Team we had a very successful campaign. The team supplied food for everyone who came for three days, they visited the adjoining neighborhood and invited people, they helped with the children's ministry while the adults were being ministered to, and they set up for the campaign every night. The Dream Team also brought enough dresses and pants to clothe over 150 kids. They were all made by the ladies at their church, The River Church, and those were handed out one night. Many people accepted the Lord and many were also healed. It was wonderful. A few days ago Pastor Manuel and I baptized those who came to the Lord at a public swimming pool.

Our prayer and sharing time in the mornings were always very special. Sometimes we would spend 2 hours or more on this. On one particular morning the Lord led me to do something different. We moved all the chairs out of the way and we began to pray for each individual on The Dream Team. It was here where the Lord began to move though Pastor Lolis in prophetic messages. God began to call people out into pastoral work. Grant Cooper, aka Captain America, was given a Pastor's heart. Gabi, a 27 year old woman who helped me with translating, was given a Pastor's heart. Mike and Regina Lorton, were not only given a Pastor's heart but were directed by the Lord to move to El Paso for the ministry. Mike Lee received special honor as being God's servant. Michaela and her brother Matthew were given special instructions for the future. I received a message about a stronger and wider ministry reaching to other Nations along with a promise of a helpmate. It was a morning that we will never forget.

And it was a week that we will never forget. It was a week where all things became new. New horizons, new possibilities, and new visions were opened.

NEW DRESSES

Thank you Dream Team for blessing me and our City. Our work is barely beginning. I'll see you very soon.



P.S. Anyone who wants to join The Dream Team may contact me. There is a possible trip this fall from Arkansas to El Paso to work at SAEM. Along with a visit or two to Juarez.

 

 

CHANGED LIVES

Daniel Torres

650 Linwood Drive

El Paso, Texas 79928

1-501-827-7679

Covenant Fellowship

P.O. Box 8126

Searcy, AR 72145