Autor: eabrazil

This morning Liz and I attended virtually Liz’s Aunty Gwen’s Funeral Celebration of her 95 year long life held at the Lighthouse Community Church near Southampton in England via Skype. It was a lovely service with a very good internet link. We were able to chat to plenty of people after the service who were there.


I have prepared the Bible Study which I am off to church to give now. I have also been working on my sermon for Sunday too.


Liz has just received a visit from a doctor friend and prior to this had a meeting with a church leader concerning the Sunday School. Liz never stops!

Walking through Green Pastures is my exercise hopefully 3 times a week. It is relaxing, educational and inspiring. To create and maintain a Nature Reserve in NE Brazil is a challenge and a great pleasure. 


This week our infra-red camera has registered good 30 second videos of South American Racoons, Limpkins, Rufescent Tiger-Herons and Roadside Hawks. The interesting thing was to go to the spot in the stream where the Racoon was filmed eating a toad and find left in the water the poisonous toad’s skin which he had peeled off with his claws before eating – and all in the dark!

Today a Crane Hawk was flying overhead as I walked and calling loudly. I bumped straight into a Stripe-backed Antbird in its usual part of the Reserve and it pursued in calling out loudly too as it likes to do. It is interesting how we know where a lot of species always hang out. I walked through some dense undergrowth and wild guinea pigs were scampering in all directions as were a number of giant Teju lizards.


Every time I go to Green Pastures something is different. Some flowers finish flowering and others start. Different insects may be in action and all types of fauna are on the move. God’s creation is absolutely amazing!

When I went to Green Pastures on Tuesday I told Tarcísio I hoped to be back on Thursday (today) but left everything sorted there in case I couldn’t make it, as I have plenty of experience in the build up to our Field Conferences and know what they’re like. Sure enough I didn’t make it as I have been flat out with work.


Part of yesterday and today I spent preparing my sermon for Sunday in Patos after the Conference. I finished that this afternoon prior to having a little party for grandson Lucas on his 9th birthday. Such parties for our family last 15 minutes as we have no more time available. He is growing up to being a lovely lad.


Many other things have cropped up in the build up for the Conference as always happens. I have been utterly swamped out. Issues arose that needed attention prior to the Conference and I needed to check different reports in preparation too. It is funny as people contact me with things as if I am sitting twiddling my thumbs. Anyway it is all in a good cause and I am looking forward to the event which will be intense work throughout Friday and Saturday. It is such a shame that Liz won’t be able to be there as it is just not viable. I will miss her by my side as we work so well together and she helps me a lot with tense and complicated issues that arise. I value everyone’s prayers.

EAB/ACEV’s annual Field Conference starts tomorrow (Friday) and ends on
Saturday night. The new national leadership team will be chosen, 5 new
ministers given probationary status and 1 new pastor will be ordained.
There will be 4 general assemblies of all our leaders in which we seek
to decide everything unanimously. There will be much praise and the Word
will be preached about: “Jesus – You are our Hope!”. Please pray.

I am just off to bed after a very good service in the Patos church. I preached on the first part of Paul’s 3rd Missionary journey. There was one decision for Christ. PTL!


Last night’s service in the rural area of Patos was excellent. A bigger crowd gathered than expected.

I took part via Skype in an EAB Board meeting yesterday which was very good.


Liz is showing signs of improvement because I notice she can manage longer in the wheelchair than at first. PTL!


I have a meeting with the Deputy-Mayor of Patos at 9am tomorrow. He has asked to have a meeting with me. We shall see what this is about?


Now it’s flat out work this week for the final touches for the Field Conference on Friday and Saturday. Please pray.

There were two decisions for Christ in the mid-week service at the little São Vicente do Seridó EAB/ACEV church led by Sister Nenem. One other person re-dedicated his life to God. PTL!

I have been working flat out yesterday and today preparing for the Field Conference which starts a week on Friday. There’s so much work to do. I also did a long session of counselling and took part in another environmental meeting in defense of the highest point in our State. We have now formed a forum to try and take our battle with the authorities forward.


I also went to the dentist today and have my teeth all in order.


Philip will be flying back from Holland tomorrow and getting back to Patos on Friday (DV). 


I will be giving the Bible study this Thursday night so must prepare for this.

It was Mother’s Day in Brazil (and so many other places in the world yesterday) so we had a nice Sunday lunch with most of the family, though Philip is away on business in Holland for a week. In the evening we had a nice service and I preached on Psalm 37:1-11 focusing it on mothers. The service was broadcast live via facebook and many people watched in Brazil, USA and Europe. There were some difficulties with the transmission with it getting stuck about 15 times and we will continue experimenting on Sunday nights, without advertising the fact, until we can figure out how we can overcome the problems we had yesterday. We are not sure if they are resultant from our local internet provider or facebook. My nephew Ben is good at these sort of things and he is taking care of this matter. Ben married a girl from Patos and lives here. They are members of the Patos church. If you watched the service yesterday at all please let us have your feedback. It was nice for Liz to be able to watch the service at home in bed recovering from her accident.


Over the weekend I dispatched the latest EAB Nutshell Update. It was also the 9th anniversary service of the EAB/ACEV church at Tavares.


Please pray for the folk of the Plantation Project at Imaculada who lost their community leader killed in a road accident on Saturday together with her mother. 


Political uproar continues in Brazil. Please pray for the very tense situation.

My photographs on Flickr have now passed the 300,000 viewings mark. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/

Liz’s orthopaedic specialist visited her this evening and spent a nice time chatting to us. He pointed out that the scan showed a small improvement in her fracture but that it was definitely looking like a 3-month recovery job which is not sensible to try and rush. However Liz, as from tomorrow, can start to sit for periods of time in a wheelchair rather than just stay in bed, and she can sit up more in bed. So it’s a case of patience and caution – steady does it. He will consider starting Liz on physiotherapy in a couple of week’s time or so. Thanks for your prayers everyone and please keep praying.

I have just got in from the mid-week Bible study which went off very well. It was a blessed and participative service. Numbers are down mid-week with so many people ill, but it was a lovely meeting anyway.


Liz gets the result of her CT scan of her fractured pelvis tomorrow. We hold our breath and pray.

This Sunday night at 18:30 (Patos time) and 22:30 (UK time) the Patos church service will be live streamed on Facebook by my nephew Ben Levermore at www.facebook.com/benlevermore . Do not miss this wherever you are!

The Bible study went fine on Thursday. Tonight we have another special youth meeting with out excellent Campina Grande church band coming. Tomorrow we will hold the Communion service and also present certificates to the latest 9 people who have completed their one-year basic sign-language course for ministry to the deaf. 


Liz continues to be alright and looks forward to having her CT scan next week on her fratured pelvis which will show if she will from then on be able to use a wheelchair and no longer be confined to bed. She should receive the result by Friday so please pray.

Sunday went very well. I invited one of the soon-to-be probationary pastors from João Pessoa to preach and he was excellent. The service was very good.


Liz and I did a long counselling session today at her bedside. Liz is very good at counselling and doing it together worked great. I have been working a lot more linked to next month’s Field Conference. Prayers are valued.


We have had no more rain. It is a concern for everyone.

Today’s 9-hour marathon meeting of the Brazilian leadership was very tiring but very harmonious, positive and productive. The meeting was in preparation for the Field Conference next month. A vast amount of topics were discussed as the agenda for the Conference was prepared. We also interviewed 5 ministerial candidates who all will be presented at the Conference for probationary status, subject to the Conference’s approval, and one minister will be ordained.


A lot of discussion went into the formation of the new leadership team for the next 4 years which will be elected at the Field Conference with probably 10 members, 4 of whom are new to the Board. Please pray for all the decisions to be taken at the Conference. May God’s will be done.

Sadly Brazil is missing great opportunities to portray a good image to attract tourism and commerce as the Olympic Games approach, just as happened two years ago with the World Cup. As with the World Cup no doubt everyone will wake up at the last minute, but then it will be too late as it was two years ago. Two incredible national marketing opportunities are being lost. 

Here nobody talks about the Olympic Games. All that you hear about is politics with the nation bitterly divided and utter hatred being expressed constantly on social media. It is all very sad as the on-going battle to impeach the President charges on. Please pray for Brazil.

Liz gets lots of visitors as she’s well loved. She’s now in to her third week in bed recovering from her accident and keeping busy to try and avoid boredome. Of course just being in the same position 24×7 is pretty awful. She has her next CT scan on May 5th so we hope and pray she will be able to sit and use a wheelchair after that.


Tonight is Bible Study night so I’m ready for this. On Saturday we have an all day general leadership meeting preparing for the annual field conference on May 20-21 at Matureia up in the mountains. Please pray for this very important leadership meeting.

Last night’s Bible study went very well which covered the healing of a blind man in two stages (Mark 8) as opposed to a similar story in the previous chapter in one stage. We then started on the major confession of Peter as reported in the 3 synoptics. Prior to this we heard 3 short words from 2 young people and an older man. It was a lovely service.


Numbers were down at the service owing to more rain – which is a problem we love! It rained just over an inch at Green Pastures (28 mm). This takes us to a total this rainy season of 24 and a half inches of rain – but we need a lot more. Reservoirs in Paraíba State are only at a 15.7% level of capacity. Please continue to pray.

Oh how important sleep is, and last night Liz had a good night so that meant so did I! Liz is now into her second week post-accident and is doing OK. We will only know where she is with the fractured pelvis after a month on about May 8th after another CT Scan. If things are going well then she may be allowed to sit and move around the house a bit with a wheelchair in month 2. 


We’re needing more rain here badly. Please pray.

I have just had my second session of physiotherapy on my back, neck and shoulder to relieve the muscular side-effects of the Zica virus. So far so good. I feel the sessions are helping. PTL!


Liz has had a better day and medicational side-effects have eased a lot. Hopefully both of us should get a better night’s sleep tonight.


I have been doing more work on EAB’s Action Child programme and on the Annual Field Conference to be held next month. Your prayers are valued.

I had a long meeting with ACEV Vice-Chairman Pastor Wostenes from Campina Grande yesterday in my office. It went on till about 11pm and involved Liz at times (by us going into the bedroom) and was a good discussion on a variety of aspects of the work here around the churches and projects. There was one major problem to solve and I felt we sorted that.


Liz didn’t have such a good night last night and so nor did I as a consequence. Hopefully now she has finished her course of very strong medication she was on she will feel better as the day goes on. Your prayers contine to be valued a lot. The accident was a week today and she is free from pain without pain killers. She is sticking to her bedrest rigorously with never the left foot going to the ground.

I preached on Paul in Athens yesterday. It was a really good service despite a lot away ill. 3 people expressed their desire to follow the Lord at the end. PTL!


Last night was not a good one for Liz and I as the strong medication she is on is having side-effects and the medicaion will be reduced today. It was a long hard night! Your prayers are valued.

Liz’s orthopaedic specialist has just called and says that Liz must move her left leg as little as possible in the first week after the accident and no left foot to the ground for a long time to come. It must be total bed rest for the first month and then Liz will have another CT scan to see how it’s going prior to moving to a wheelchair stage. He reckons that if Liz sticks to the rules (as I know she will) she will be back to normal in 3 months. Only time will tell, he said, how the heal works out inside the hip. We can but trust and pray.

After her accident on Wednesday a CT Scan revealed a
fracture of the left acetabulum cavity of the pelvis, plus muscular and
articulation damage. The good news is that surgery should not be
necessary. The not so good news is that Liz will be stuck imobilized on a
bed for a long period of weeks. Your continued prayers are valued.

Liz continues to be her usual positive self answering 2 phones at once on the bed and receiving visitors like Madame Tussuad’s! 

Later in the day a second orthopedic specialist was called in to Liz as by then she was out of the immediate initial crisis and had the pain controlled by strong medication and could be examined more thoroughly. This revealed a small fracture in the left hip which holds the upper leg joint. She is going to have a more refined scan done tomorrow to define this more precisely. Hopefully it will not require surgery, but we will only know this with the scan. If she doesn’t need surgery she will have to have 3 weeks in bed, 3 weeks sitting and 3 weeks with a crutch so a long haul to recovery of at least 9 weeks. We value your prayers.

Liz was knocked down in the Patos town centre this afternoon by a pick-up truck which jumped the red lights and caught her on a pedestian crossing. We praise God that Liz has apparently not broken anything, though she is in a lot of pain with a dislocated left leg/hip. She has been medicated and is in hospital in observation. Please pray.

Of course the comments are in Portuguese but the images speak for themselves. See this 5 minutes report on our practical day of ministering God’s love to the very poor in the Placas borough in Patos last Saturday. Action speaks louder than words! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QuhrMmL_UPU

Our work is varied and one never knows what is going to happen in any given day. I am senior pastor of the EAB/ACEV headquarters church at Patos and will soon have Philip officially as assistant pastor, which has already been in practice for a long time. However as chairman of both the EAB/ACEV churches and projects it means masses of other things have to be sorted, prayed on and worked on every day!


Yesterday I sorted out, for example, some financial help for two of our workers in difficulty – but to get to that decision one has to go through a long process of email and phone consultations with the Board of leaders who are spread all over Paraíba.


I also checked some more stuff done for Action Child by Sacha, had discussions with the new Patos local TV about a possible regular EAB/ACEV weekly programme, and discussed issues raised by different church leaders. I also did more preparation for the Field Conference next month and did more work on ACEV’s history which is a new book I am writing.


Liz also had a massively long counselling session with someone in need and I had to handle a surprise consultation from a church member and nurse who seems set to be a candidate for Town Councillor in the October local elections!


Hence we always value your prayers as we never know what each new day will bring us! 


By the way – the social action day with the battered wives (I don’t use this term on facebook which could be read by them) was reported on by Patos TV and I will post it here once I have received a link to it’s you-tube version, removed from the whole half hour new bulletin. It’s in Portuguese of course, but the report is good and the visuals speak for themselves.

Yesterday (Sunday) was a blessed day. The business meeting in the morning lasted 2 hours and went off smoothly and unitedly. The church re-elected 2 deaconesses for another 3 year mandate (Deborah Maria & Josinete), re-elected another veteran deaconess as an honorary life-long deaconess (Beatriz), elected a new deaconess (Márcia) and a new deacon (Ricardo). Philip was also elected by the church to go before the annual Field Conference at Matureia next month as a candidate for probationary pastor status. A couple of ministries also had their leaders changed.


In the evening we held the monthly communion service and this was really blessed. Despite many away ill, with the absolute epidemic of viruses, the church was still completely full. PTL! I preached my 4th sermon on Paul’s 2nd Missionary journey and that went well covering Acts 17:1-15. We’re off to Athens next!


Last night we had no rain again in Patos but we had another quarter of an inch (6 mm) at Green Pastures. PTL! This takes us up to over 23 inches of rain at the farm this rainy season and with more rain possible this week things are really looking up. The Patos reservoirs have taken in quite a lot of water too. We rejoice and thank everyone for their prayers.

We have had 42 mm (nearly 2 inches) of rain tonight at Green Pastures and Tarcísio says it looks like more will fall during the night! PTL! Wow! What a relief! We will be planting tree seedlings tomorrow and pray for the rain to keep going throughout April!


Sunday night’s resurrection celebration was great. PTL! Packed church and great blessing.


Liz and I went and slept the night at Green Pastures on Sunday night after church and spent the day there just the 2 of us. It was nice. We had a long walk together in the morning and then cleared up things after the Easter break in the afternoon.


I have just had long discussions with the Ceará leader tonight. It’s good to see the work is going well there. Also good to receive news from far and wide of real blessing around the EAB/ACEV churches over Easter. PTL!

Liz and I and all the family had our traditional Easter break from Wednesday night to Saturday night at Green Pastures. We got back last night after a very nice relaxing time, but no rain sadly. I did lots of walking and look a good number of photos.


This morning back in the Patos church we had our traditional Easter Sunday fellowship breakfast followed by a short service in which I preached. Tonight we will have our big celebration service at which I will be preaching again. 


Yesterday my niece Lisa married Steve Oakley at a church in Basingstoke. They will be living in London. Congratulations to the happy couple! May God bless you.

Edition 85 of the EAB InTouch magazine is on the way to everyone and is also available on the EAB website where it now has a better more reader friendly format. Check it out at http://www.eabrazil.com/


I have dispatched the EAB Diary Update today.


The electrical problem which was the Electricity Board’s fault has now been sorted, so we will have electricty for the Easter weekend in the Patos church, which is a relief. My sermon is ready and the order of service already with the digital projector brother, so we are ready to roll this Easter. 


I have completed chapter 9 of the ACEV Brazilian history of the work here.

We had a little over half an inch of rain last night at Green Pastures (16mm) so that was a small step in the right direction for which we are grateful. May it continue today and for many more days!


I worked more on ACEV’s history in Portuguese yesterday and you will be pleased to know that World War II is over (in my book). I also checked Action Child reports for Sacha before she sends them to Marian in the UK.


The political turmoil just goes from bad to worse here. It is so sad to see the hate between pastors on facebook who have differing opinions on politics! It is disgusting. I see history repeating itself as it was in the sad days of the military regime here. Some never learn! Some pastors in those days had other pastors locked up in jail and even tortured! Oh Lord!

Tonight Philip will be leading a special youth meeting in the Patos church. Initially the band will lead praise & worship and then the drama group will present a short play called “The Light of the World”. Then Rafael, the young man who leads our Teixeira church up in the mountains and will receive probational pastoral status at the Field Conference in May, will preach the Word. I will be going together with Liz which will be my first time in church for a couple of weeks. I am steadily feeling better. I plan to preach this Sunday night. We look to God for a great weekend. The youth have certainly done a great job inviting people to hear the Gospel tonight, which is most encouraging.


Yesterday I went for a short walk at Green Pastures for the first time in a couple of weeks. That was really refreshing. Tarcísio is now down with the virus and looked pretty rough. Please pray for him.

Liz and I had eye check ups today. I am fine but Liz will have to have a cataract removed within the next couple of years the doctor said.


I did a short interview for TV this afternoon about Easter. I gave them the simple Gospel very straight and joyfully as all the catholic leaders want to talk about are the ceremonies, processions and customs deemed to be vital to Easter which in fact divert attention from the fact that Jesus is alive!


This afternoon it has started to rain in Patos. It’s a steady gentle rain. I just hope and pray that this is the start of big rains to change the dramatic water shortages the whole region is facing. I don’t know how the rain is at Green Pastures but hope to go there and see in the morning. I am feeling steadily better.


Liz took part in the work with the ladies (battered wives) today and she says it was lovely to see their love and appreciation for the project in their community teaching them income generating skills. Some said to Liz that they just live for the project as it is giving them hope of better days. There are over 40 women in the project who mostly turn up with their kids making quite a crowd! We need to buy fans to cool the crowd down and little tables and chairs for the kids when we can.

I did chapter 5 today of the Brazilian history book I am writing about the work of ACEV/EAB. I also prepared a sermon for Easter Sunday so now have sermons prepared to preach over the next 3 weeks. I have also worked on the agenda for the Field Conference in May as we will have a leadership meeting next month in preparation for the Conference.


I still don’t feel 100% well. It’s a question of being patient and slowly building up health, strength and energy. 


We desperately need rain. February and March have been disastrous thus far.


Political turmoil here in Brazil is reaching a level which makes one fear what is going to happen. I am keeping quiet about the tremendously confusing situation and pray for peace and solutions.

It has been great to receive a lovely update on the EAB Action Child School at Imaculada today and to see how well it is going. What a difference this is making in so many very poor kids’ lives! You can see photos at https://www.facebook.com/eabrazil/


My blood test yesterday was fine and the doctor is pleased with my progress and recovery from the Zica virus. It is an awful thing with different side-effects turning up all the time! Nevertheless in general I am progressing although I still don’t feel I can cope with my so enjoyed walks as Green Pastures.


I have made some progress writing and sermon preparing these last few days. I have two sermons ready to roll. I hope I’ll be alright to preach this Sunday. I am writing the Brazilian history of the work here to keep my mind occupied. I have now completed 4 chapters.