All Blog Posts (416)

January 31, 2012

We would like to share about one family of the children at risk we have visited. One day we arrived to do the Bible study and both parents were drunk! Another day the father was at work and the mother was drunk with  with several other adults who were also drunk. One of the little girls was there by herself with those adults. We decided to take her to our house for the weekend and call a neighbor to let the mother know where her daughter was, which worked out fine…

An American friend asked me what would have been the most foreign aspect of our Christmas celebration this year. I was hard pressed to answer: the all-night Christmas Eve service? the all-night dancing? the miracles shared in the testimonies? eating on the benches and the floor? freezing in 57 degree weather? the way baptisms are applauded through singing and dance? the plastic mug we all share for communion? the “poyoyo” celebration dance of all that God has done for us this…

December 23, 2011

December 20-21 an overnight event was held for the children at risk. Things went  quite well in spite of scorching temperatures as summer began in the Southern Hemisphere,  No one got hurt, though one small boy had to be rescued from the deep end of the pool. Aside from sunburn everyone got home without any major problems. This was a great opportunity to put the children in a positive environment and have input into their lives. Some national believers made…

December 20, 2011

Thank-you for praying for the Banda del Rio Sali Church anniversary in Argentina. We thank the Lord that things went well. A number of unsaved people attended and also folks who have not been to church for a long time. My message was well-received. One lady who is not a believer said she really liked the stories I told. The next day, Sunday, some of the same unbelievers and folks who had not been attending church returned for the worship service! We are very…

Greetings from Argentina. This Saturday December 17 the Banda del Rio Sali Church will celebrate its nineteenth anniversary. Each year a number of unbelievers have attended this event. The pastor asked me to preach the message and to give it an evangelistic emphasis. Please pray as I prepare and that God will use the message to reach hearts, especially those of the unsaved.

Merry Christmas! Steve, for the Estes’

November 8, 2011

The visit to the church north of us went very well. I was invited because the church celebrated it's 30th anniversary. This is the church I worked to start in 1981 when I first arrived in Argentina. The folks there really treated me like royalty! They paid for my transportation, hotel, and meals. All the seats in the church are filled every time they meet and one night I suggested they take an offering to buy more chairs. They did it and raised about $1,200 in one…

I have just opened up my book,

turned the first pages, relaxed,

when the “ko ko” sounds behind me

and there is yet another

person at the door for me.

This one, fatherless, wants funds

to go to school, to buy his books,

and prayer to help him through.

I turn to find distraction in the kitchen.

This is my day of rest, sabbat,

my Saturday when patterns change

and life can take a different…

We can report about the ministry of the short-term group that came from Shepherd of the Hills Church in Porter Ranch, CA August 26-September 8. Even though they didn’t arrive in our area until August 27 because one of their flights arrived late, the Lord really blessed and did great things through the group. They visited well over a hundred homes and many were saved. The attendance at one church in Tucuman has nearly doubled as a result of new people attending that the folks from Shepherd…

Some Rich thoughts…

I am working on a book about my brother Gary's experience before, during and after the Genocide in Rwanda.  This is the story few have heard but needs to be told: of the before and the after. From his beginnings as a humble missionary fresh on the field, to his efforts during the genocide to save lives, to his work rebuilding a nation, this is the story of how one man exchanged a life of the ordinary for a life of the extraordinary.

I have a lot of respect for what he and his…

At dinner last night, Andre heard the story that my parents gave up farming to go to Bible college. Andre commented: "You are still a farmer - you are growing people." He explained further, "There are fishermen - those who do outreach. And there are farmers - those who grow and mentor disciples."

I have the privilege of working with creative and insightful people.

BTW - I am about to take Andre to the airport for his return flight to Moscow.

Tony, Angela, Andre & I spent several hours working…

Andre & I are packing up to head to Austin later today. We will be at Austin Christian Fellowship this weekend. (acfellowship.org)

Andre's favorite softdrink - not available in Russia - is Root Beer.…

We have just finished our first week with Andre here in the US. We had great visits in Lynchburg, VA - TRBC/LU; Nashville, TN - Judson Baptist; Tulsa, OK - Kirk of the Hills.

Today, Andre sang at Bent Tree Bible Fellowship in Dallas, TX. Tomorrow night is 'An Evening with Andre' at the BTBF Treehouse (Dallas.)

Here is a video of Andre and a student at Liberty University's Center for Worship.

 …

August 23, 2011

There is some good news about the children at risk ministry. As a craft project the children have been knitting caps and scarfs. We have been having cold weather in Tucuman and the kids wear those items to school. We got to thinking they must be the envy of their classmates with their colorful scarfs and knit caps! The children are very poor and it is blessing that they are able to knit things that are so useful. Also, it is election time in Argentina. A…