Dear Family in Christ,

It has been a long time since my last newsletter, frankly, because I did not know what I needed to communicate to you, or how to do it.

Many things have been going on in my life in these last three months or so. I began to lose weight rapidly and experienced a loss of stamina and strength. I didn’t think much of it at the time as I put it down to the way I was eating which was rather erratic.

I kept ministering at the Val Verde Detention Center, ministering to men in lock down. One day I found I was too weak to climb the stairs to reach the second floor.

I went to the hospital emergency facility, but was not really helped.

I called my family. Two days after my daughter’s arrival she put me in the car and took me to Shannon Hospital in San Angelo, Texas. I was there for ten days and underwent a battery of tests. The doctor’s diagnosis was stage four prostate cancer that has metastasized into my bones. They found a few other things too, but not worth mentioning.

A recent visit with my 3 children: Kathleen, Cliff and Sheryl

The result is I have left Del Rio and am now living in Seymour, Texas with my youngest daughter and family. I go to the Texas Oncology clinic once a month in Wichita Falls for treatment. The doctor there sounded quite hopeful, but we all know that it is God that heals.

On a more positive note, I have been attending the First United Methodist Church here and I am setting them up to visit the Casa de Misericordia orphanage in Piedras Negras next year. They have a great outreach to the youth in the city every Wednesday night and I am working on getting Bibles for them. I have been able to order a quantity of Bibles for the migrant camp in Ciudad Acuña and ten cases for the detention center in Del Rio.

As far as the illness goes, I do not have a termination date stamped on my foot, and I intend to minister through every door that God opens for me here. Physically, I am stronger and more active than I have been in several months. For this I give thanks to God, the prayers of godly people, and my daughter’s cooking. With the grace of God enabling me, the Holy Spirit leading, guiding and anointing me, I will finish and do the work God has for me to do.

I want to extend my profound thanks to each and every one of you who have prayed and have supported me, not just for the finances, but with love and concern.

I am so blessed to have people like you praying and standing with me. God bless you all so very much.

In Christ,
Bob Bell

“For I consider [from the standpoint of faith] that the sufferings of the present life are not worthy to be compared with the glory that is about to be revealed to us and in us!”
Romans 8:18

“And we know [with great confidence] that God [who is deeply concerned about us] causes all things to work together [as a plan] for good for those who love God, to those who are called according to His plan and purpose.”
Romans 8:28