My name is Hector Dueñas Jr, I am the pastor of IBB Homestead Church. My wife Dixie and I are bi-vocational servants and our church needs your prayers. We believe that we are under spiritual attack from our common enemy.
We are facing poverty
Our church like many on the land has been affected by the current recession and many of our members are out of work. However, our church ministered to the spanish speaking migrant and hispanic farm worker community. This community has faced a steep increase in deportation, and general racial hostility toward them lately. Many are now scared to apply for work. I know of at least one person that has been feeding his family (he his wife and their infant) for over a year from what he is able to catch fishing in the local canals. Homestead was categorized as the poorest city in the US recently (statistically our families have a combined household averaging $14K a year) but with the recent changes many are leaving our community and the situation seems to be getting worse.
We are facing sickness.
There is an outbreak of the Flu virus in our community. We just had someone from Homestead die from the Flu. There is at least one person in almost every single household that is coming down with Flu-like symptoms. We believe that at least 10% are confirmed with the N1H1 virus (including my own daughter and her mother). Another gentleman from South Dade Baptist Church (who hosts our church) has been given less then a 2% chance of surviving the deadly virus. Many of our migrant families are actually scared to go to seek medical attention for fear of deportation. Our combined churches seem to be experiencing a steep spike in the number of individuals with Cancer, as well as the number that have been placed on hospice for other illnesses.
We are facing hostility
For reasons that we cannot explain, many of those who are more established. Many of those that no longer work in the fields, those that in many cases have their own business, are finding themselves being investigated. Some have had personal property confiscated during these investigations. This legal actions are outside all of those that are loosing their homes during the crisis that our nation is facing. In fact recently, much media attention was given to a school for the children of the mexican farm workers which was closed in the middle of the night by the local authorities. This is a community without a voice, I say this because whenever one of them raise their voice in concern, they and their families disappear in the night (they are deported).
We are facing a spirit of division
In the last year we have seen our attendance drop in half (from 120 to 60 including children), mostly from people who were happy with our ministry but that were leaving looking for a economic opportunities elsewhere. Recently we have seen some of our leaders within our church leave as well. Most have left for larger churches with actual buildings (we are a church without walls), for a while those that left were actively trying to evangelize from within our membership, but sadly most of them are now finding themselves not attending any church services.
We remain hopeful.
Though are attendance does not reflect it. we have saved and baptized over 30 individuals this year so far. Also, during this crisis God has opened doors for us to meet with high ranking members of of the Homestead government, and our faith that God will see us through this has never been stronger. Today is my 14th day of fasting and prayer as I continue to humble myself before the Lord asking for his strength, wisdom and grace to help us through this. Many in our church are also fasting and praying for God to perform a miracle and bring life back to us (a revival). We plan to increase our outreach efforts and what ever happens, we will give the glory to God.
Pray that God gives our family the strength to continue to work all day and minister all night, until he sees fit to bless us with the resources to focus on ministry 100% of the time.
Pray that God continue to open doors with our local government, and agencies so that we can work to end some of recent hostility against a people without a voice.
Pray that God, bind our common enemy who we know is behind the rise in sickness and poverty and the spirit of division that we are facing.
Thank you,
Hector Dueñas Jr.
Pastor IBB Homestead Church
Park Street Baptist is honored to host the September meeting here in St. Petersburg. We have planned a meeting that we trust will be an encourgagement to you. Our theme is "Reaching Each Generation." I have asked three preachersfrom three generations to speak for us. Brother Leroy Eldridge from Temple Baptist Church in Titusville will represent the old guys. (Sorry Leroy) Brady Brinson is our middle aged speaker. By some standards he would be considered one of the young preachers at 44. He is the son of E. J. Brinson and is just starting a church on the south side of Lakeland. Tom Hunter represents the young preachers. Tom is the pastor of Plantation Baptist Church and is doing a great job. Plan on coming for a great time of fellowship and encouragement.
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