December 2009

Biblical Institute of Central America
A Two-Year Bible School - to prepare preachers and church leaders
From the Caribbean . .
December 2009
Seasons Greetings,
May the God of Heaven richly bless you and yours. Here is hoping that God will have His way with you and me. God
bless us, and all glory to Him.
After being on a whirlwind trip to be a part of the graduations in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua, I returned on
December 13th to the USA. I get to see my mother, children, and grandchildren once a year, so I plan to leave
December 16th to spend Christmas in Kentucky. Upon returning to Texas, it is necessary to leave on January 2nd to
teach evangelism in the three institutes. Prayers are welcome!
This is the time of year of giving, thinking of others, resolving to improve, and making commitments, etc. Let us
gather together at the foot of the cross and gaze into the eyes of Christ Jesus, spending some time thinking about the
purpose of the cross. Do not rush. Allow this experience to drive us and motivate us to resolve to promote the salvation
provided by the cross. As mentioned, it is a time of giving. Let us resolve to help the most needy, desperate people on
earth—the lost! That is what Jesus is all about. Let’s have His mind; it is better than ours. I ask you to help us by making
a personal commitment to use your influence to help us. Will you promote the “passing of the hat” in the various groups
in the local church where you reside? Please! Your youth group could support a teenager. The ladies’ Bible class can
support a young woman (our sister graduates are much in demand). Your different Bible classes can train their own
missionary, etc. How exciting! Folks throw in $2, $3, or $5 per week to support a student, and over the years hundreds
and hundreds will be saved. It doesn’t get better than this! Go ahead, please, make the commitment.
By the grace of God, we now have 193 graduates, having graduated 43 this year. If we would have put them on USA
support and continue that for 40 years at the cost of $500/month each, it would cost over $46 million. With the grace of
God, in two more years we will have 300 graduates costing $72 million under that plan. In contrast, we spend around
$10,000 for two years of school and one year of vocational help. These life-time self-supported missionaries cost about
4% of what it costs under the previously stated plan. Wow! Talk about more “bang for your buck”; you get it with BICA.
For pennies on the dollar, we produce an excellent product—excellent evangelists.
Now some information about our 2009 graduates:
Guatemala:
1. Edwin Galvez—27 yrs., from Guatemala City; return to the city to do jail and inner-city evangelism. He will run
his small restaurant.
2. Milton Mejia—19 yrs., from Chicacao, Suchite Pequez (south), will work in Santa Catarina church of Christ near
Antigua. He will finish high school and work on computers.
3. Karol Murillo—20 yrs., from Tegucigalpa, Honduras. She will return to work in Santa Rosa DeCopan, Honduras,
cell phone business
4. Norma Beatriz Alonzo—23 yrs., from Quatzaltengo. She will return to home church of Christ, will work with
evangelism, youth, women; will have a small shop for a living.
5. Eliseo Velasquezco - 28 yrs., from Chicacao—going to Mixco church of Christ. He will sell new and used shoes
from USA. He will make disciples, preach, lead singing.
6. Jose Gonzalez—26 yrs., from Ilopango, El Salvador. He will return home and sell milk products. He plans to
teach the leaders of the church of Christ, start house churches in other towns.
7. Jose Escobar—20 yrs., from Quetzaltengo, returns home; will open a school supply store—work in evangelism.
8. Carlos Lopez—29 yrs., wife—26 yrs., children 4 and 1 years old. From Chicacao, returns home to paint t-shirts,
etc., will make disciples.
9. Yulema Reyes—20 yrs., from Choluteca, Honduras—returns home. She will bake bread in an outside clay oven
and work in evangelism.
10. Rosibel Funes—37 yrs., from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, returns to work with the San Mateo church of Christ; she
will run her small pulperia, evangelism, teach women to read.
11. Claudia Medina—25 yrs., from Tegucigalpa, Honduras to Sanarate, Guatemala. Local church of Christ will
support her. She will study English; in the church of Christ she will work with women, children, and evangelism.
12. Luis Gomez—32 yrs., wife 25 yrs., kids ages 9 and 6—from Chimaltengo, returns home, work at book store,
school supply sales—evangelism.
13. Geovani Mora—38 yrs., wife 37 yrs., kids ages 12 and 4—from Guatemala City to Pinares church of Christ in the
city. II Tim. 2:2 evangelism
14. Rocio Ratana—58 yrs.—from Costa Rica, kids 28, 25, 23—returns home to San Jose, Costa Rica to start a day
care—evangelism.
15. Jacinto Quin—23 yrs., from Santa Cruz de Queche, returns home to make Mayan clothes, preach, II Tim. 2:2
16. Celedonia Lopez—27 yrs., from Chimaltengo; she will work as a special aid to Mayan students—evangelism.
17. Richard Wikalson—19 yrs., from Guatemala City, to work with students in the city, lead cell groups on Tuesday
nights, continue as a student.
18. Santos Ascencio—21 yrs. From San Salvador, El Salvador, to Estanzuela, Guatemala, will go to computer and
high schools.
Honduras:
1. Ernesto Sorto—34 yrs., wife 31 yrs., kids ages 9 and 3; from Santiago de Maria, El Salvador. He will start a new
church of Christ near his home town. They will sell food.
2. Manuel Lara—35 yrs., wife 40 yrs., kids ages 13 and 11, from Catacamas; return home and work with Via Verde
church of Christ, make tortillas for living, evangelism, preach
3. Angel Almendarez—26 yrs. From Le Ceiba—to Choluteca to work as preacher; they will support him.
4. Marlon Borjas—30 yrs., from Tela, return home, work as a fisherman, work 1/2 time with church of Christ.
5. Ruben Diaz—21 yrs., from Olancho to Gualaco, Olancha, work in evangelism with his father and work on the
farm with his father.
6. Yovanny Juanes—35 yrs., wife, kids ages 15, 13, 11, 6. From Tegucigalpa to San Mateo, start new church of
Christ is La Paterique—sell used clothes.
7. Melisa de Juanes—wife of Yovanny
8. Rosa de Sorto—wife of Ernesto
Nicaragua:
1. Harold Ampie—21 yrs., from Tipitapa—to Boaco to start new church of Christ, computer school.
2. Gabriel Rivera—25 yrs., wife 22 yrs., from Managua to Almendro church of Christ, work at computer school.
3. Juan Perez—27 yrs, wife 25; kids 8, 4; from Masay to Almendro church of Christ, 1/2 day church work, 1/2 day
computer and accounting school.
4. Ramiro Lainez—27 yrs, wife, 21, from Leon, to Leon church of Christ; he is a lawyer who will continue studies in
business and accounting. He is now teaching 21 disciples.
5. Augusto Hernanez—30 yrs., wife, 33, child age 6, from Jinotepe, to home church of Christ for one year, then
establishing a church of Christ in Doloraes; school for computer repair.
6. Juan Carlos Valle—19 yrs., from Managua, to Bario La Fuento, Managua, work with youth and new converts,
already has 3 disciples. Go to computer and accounting school.
7. Isidro Quiroz—23 yrs., from Ocotal, will return home, attend school for cell phone repair, evangelism, II Tim. 2.2.
8. Erick Gonzalez—28 yrs., wife 26, child 2 yrs. From Jinotepe to Diriamba, evangelism, school for accounting to
provide for his family.
9. Angel Meza—20 yrs., from Chinadega, to home church of Christ, work with youth, teach in church, evangelism,
school for computer repair.
10. Jose Guido—23 yrs., from San Marcos, to home church of Christ, 1/2 time with church, 1/2 time in school for
computers and accounting, II Tim. 2:2
11. Walter Rivas—25 yrs., from Masaya to Sacuamche—full-time evangelist, weekend in computer and graphic design.
12. Christobal Zeledon—41 yrs., wife 41, child 17, from Jinotepe church of Christ, return home, school to make furniture, evangelism
13. Christian Perez—19 yrs., from Managua, to home church of Christ, Berthadiae, train youth, school to prepare for
self-support, computer repair.
14. Benito Soza—34 yrs., from Esteli—to home church of Christ, to establish a new church of Christ in Condega;
school—study computers—make disciples.
15. Leonardo Quintanilla—21 yrs., from Managua, to home church of Christ, evangelism, youth, preaching; school—
computer repair.
16. Oscar Morales—22 yrs., from Masaya, to home church of Christ, will work with uncle in Vera Cruz to establish a
church of Christ; school—graphic design.
17. Luis Guevara—needs to complete some BICA. He and his wife have been ill.
God bless you. Thanks for everything. Pray for us.
In Christ,
George W. Hall
Congratulations to
these 2009 graduates
of the Biblical Institute
of Central America.
Photos courtesy of Aaron Lerma.