Regarding our future

On the “Latest News”, written the 2nd of February 2024, I wrote that we were hoping to buy a hotel that would become our fixed location from where we could evangelize far and wide. I also explained, very briefly, I think too briefly, why this was the best option for us. In this present writing I would like to extend myself a bit more on this issue so you may understand our present situation better.

The need of a permanent location

For approximately six years, I have written about our intention to establish ourselves in a permanent location from where we could launch out to evangelize some of the most needed areas of Spain. As most of you know, we have been a mobile ministry for more than 50 years, moving our camp from city to city, remaining in a location for just a few months at a time. During these stays, evangelistic campaigns have been held under our big tent as well as meetings in the main squares and streets of the city. But, as I have shared with you, this way of working, i.e., to move from city to city with our camp, is becoming impossible due to new laws and regulations. Therefore we are left with one single option, namely, to establish ourselves permanently in a fixed location.

The location

Of course the emplacement of this future base is extremely important. It must be in the heart of a “mission field” within Spain, by this I mean, it must be situated in a place of great spiritual need, where evangelicals are rare and where spiritual darkness has reigned for thousands of years without being disturbed. Remember! Our ministry is mainly directed to pioneering work and on this path we want to continue.

The birth of the transition

The idea of establishing ourselves in a fixed place was born in the summer of 2016 when Manuel Cabrera, a very dear brother and a close friend of mine, told me something like: “Simon, you will have to begin to make plans for the future, for the day is coming in which you won’t be able to move your camp as you have done until now. You must look for an old farm where you will be able to establish your camp permanently.” To this my answer was: “Manolo, you know as well as I do that we don’t have finances to buy such an old farm.” His answer was as quick as clear: “Don’t worry, I will take care of it”. So, shortly after, our search begun. What follows is a concise history of that search.

A brief history of our search

At first, we thought we could modify our containers and turn them into little wooden cabins in view to establish ourselves in the countryside. But this option proved to be impossible due to recent regulations regarding permanent housing. The ultimate verdict, which was clearly expressed by the authorities of different localities, was: Although a building can be constructed on such a land, it must be used as a second residence only, not as a permanent one, besides, only a single house can be build on such a terrain, not 15 of them.

After hearing it, we continued to investigate for nearly a year to see if we could find a loophole in the law but our effort was in vain. The conclusion was forced on us: We would not be able to use our containers as living quarters once we establish ourselves in a fixed place. Needless to say, this was a major blow for us. By then, three years had passed and the difficulties to move our camp had only been multiplied by ten. To make things worse, my friend, Manuel Cabrera, had died of a cancer in the fall of 2019. Below is a picture of him with his wife Regina and me on the far right. This picture was taken four months before he died.

Our second attempt was to buy some houses located near each other in some rural area, but the fact that the water supply for these houses is provided (most of the time) by illegal wells, and that the authorities are recently cracking down on such wells due to the severe drought Spain is experiencing since a few decades, this alternative is nearly abolished. Added to it, this option would have fragmented our community since these houses were somewhat apart from each other. Besides, the final cost would have been well above a million Euros, which is very expensive for an inadequate solution. Another possibility was to build houses in an urban area, but the cost of such a project was simply too elevated.

A more plausible option

At one point it seemed there was no possibility for us. After six years of investigation no reasonable option had been found, but at the end of January 2024 a ray of light came out of darkness. A hotel is in sale in “San Bartalomé de la Torre”, a locality situated in the heart of a real mission field. “San Bartalomé de la Torre” is literally surrounded by cities and towns without evangelical witnesses, a perfect location to pioneer in view to establish churches where there is none. Added to it, these cities and towns are teeming with immigrants, most of them Muslims from Africa. They come every year to work in the numerous harvests taking place in this part of Spain, and a good percentage of them remains here all year long on the staff of several companies. Therefore the opportunities to evangelize them are many and the doors are wide open.

The cost of the hotel is 800,000 Euros, but the real estate agents told us they believe we could have it for 750,000. Its real value is actually much higher. It was built in the year 2008. It has an industrial kitchen, two industrial cold rooms, solar panels to provide hot water, a place of meeting, a lift, and 12 dormitories with air conditioning (not a luxury in Andalusia); and to crown it all it has numerous parking places in its surrounding. In brief, it is not only an ideal option, but also the only one we have found in six years. Added to it, a second floor can be legally built, which would be perfect to lodge the whole community with the possibility to receive new workers as well. In fact, the lift is already built to reach that eventual second floor (we don’t know what will be the cost of that second floor yet, we are still investigating) . In that new set up each member could have a room of approximately 12 square meters (3m x 4m). And since the hotel is built in an urban area, there would be no problem with water or with septic tanks that would need to be emptied many times a year, or with waste management.

For those of you who would like to see pictures of that hotel here is the link:

https://www.idealista.com/inmueble/100882121/

If you want to participate in this challenging project here is the information. To know more about it you can contact me at : simondesjardins5@gmail.com.

May God help us! The need is urgent since this hotel could be sold anytime soon. We need a miracle. I will keep you informed of any development on this very page. Thank you for your concern and prayers.