Special Edition

Over the years many people have offered encouragement for our Gospel ministry to the emerging first generation Hispanic community of Southwest Florida.  You can help us continue our Christ-centered service by supporting our ministry with your prayers and your financial support.  All donations are tax deductible.  Please make your donation payable to “Amigos Center”. Thank you for supporting our work.

 

New life in Christ

María is proud to invite friends and neighbors to her Saturday night home Bible study.  She glows with the joy of salvation through Jesus alone.  After being raised in the Catholic Church she became a convert to the Jehovah’s Witnesses.  Not fully satisfied, she accepted a friend’s invitation to attend our worship service in Fort Myers.  It has been our joy to see her faith in her Savior Jesus thrive.  Her husband shares her enthusiasm and participates with her and their young daughter.

 

As the Hispanic community continues to grow we have expanded our efforts to preach the Word of God and to disciple His people.  This year we started Sunday morning worship services at St. Michael’s Lutheran Church & School in Fort Myers.  By God’s grace we have been blessed with steady growth.  The best part is that people are responding to the life changing Gospel of our Savior Jesus Christ.

 

New Life in the USA

After September 11, 2001 immigrants have found that it is much more difficult to qualify for a Florida driver’s license (DL) or identification (ID) card.  Many immigrants who rightfully qualify for a DL or ID card are being denied daily by the local offices of the Florida Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).  Amigos Center has established a customer service contact person in Tallahassee who we are contacting weekly regarding our clients who have been denied a DL or ID card.  Typically the client first contacts us to say that the DMV denied them a DL or ID card even though they do qualify since they are asylee pending, asylee approved, pending a family petition case or many other types of cases.  We fax the information to our contact in Tallahassee who then contacts the local DMV to explain to the supervisor why our client does qualify for a DL or ID card and to set up an appointment.  After we receive word back from Tallahassee that an appointment has been set, then we contact the client and have them go into the local DMV to get the DL or ID card.  Clients always call or visit us afterwards with tears of joy and words of gratitude for our hard work in advocating on their behalf.

 

Wish List

The following expenses represent what it cost to carry out our ministry during 2003.  This is also what we expect to pay during 2004.  Can you help pay for these expenses?

 

Cost per immigration client                           $65

Cost per client (case worker)                       $40

One English Class Student (12 weeks)          $50

Annual liability insurance                             $950

One “Succeeding in USA” conference          $10

Telephones for one month                          $160

Monthly newsletter cost                                $80

One humanitarian emergency                      $100

One box of paper                                         $25

One computer Ink cartridge                          $35

Spanish Newcomer’s Guide (1 copy)             $1

Publicity brochures (100)                             $10

One Bible                                                      $5

 

Use Your Albertson’s Card

Remember to use your Albertson’s Community Partners Card.   Let the cashier scan your card and 2% of your purchase goes to Amigos en Cristo, at no additional cost to you.  This works at Albertson’s Supermarkets and affiliates all across the country.  Let us know if you have not yet received your card.

 

Give thanks to God for . . . 

Ø                  A thriving Word and sacrament ministry;

Ø                  Volunteers who sacrifice time and talent;

 

Pray for . . .

Ø                  Our wish list to be fullfilled;

Ø                  Your support of our ministry.