Autor: eabrazil

The service this evening went great. How good it was to see a young man come back to the Lord who has a bad drink problem. Please remember him in your prayers. The praise was good, the prayer was good and the Bible study went very well. PTL!


Philip is on the second leg of his 3 flights home from India – flying from Paris to São Paulo at the moment. He is utterly exhausted.

The little girl who fell down the lift shaft in Patos (see previous article) was in fact 6 years of age and has tragically died in the Patos Children’s Hospital this evening. Everyone in our neighbourhood is terribly sad and shocked beyond measure. Please pray for the parents who I understand were both Veterinary doctors.

We are very sad because a terrible accident has just happened in the lift shaft in Lynn’s apartment building in front of the English school which our girls run. A little girl of about 7 had a lesson this afternoon and then left the school and went to the apartment block to play with her friends. Somehow she fell down the lift shaft from 6 or 7 floors up. Presumably the lift had opened the door at the wrong level and the little girl apparently did not notice. She has just been rushed to hospital in an ambulance literally between life and death. Please pray.

I am an avid preparer of sermons. I can’t stand listening to waffle and on the spot ramblings. Hence I am at present preparing a sermon in the book of Isaiah for this coming Sunday in Patos. Such preparation always takes me many hours and even days. 


Sadly the rainy season has come to little at Green Pastures. I was there yesterday to check things over and we have now had 359mm of rain this year (15 inches). We would need at least double this for a reasonable year. Yes – we have prayed and are praying. There is hope of some rain as we go into May, but the main potential rainy season in our region is the first third of the year. Just like in the UK you don’t get snow in July so we don’t get rain in the second half of the year and little in the last two-thirds. This situation reflects on everything – life, nature, churches (people move away to survive) etc. We continue to pray and ask you to continue to pray with us as the thing is that 15 inches just doesn’t fill the reservoirs for later in the year.


It is encouraging the way university professors are increasingly warming to our Green Pastures endeavours. This is both helpful and I learn a lot from them.


I have been handling the usual stream of matters concerning the work with people turning up here in the office to talk to me, discuss things, ask questions + constant emails and phone calls. Liz is equally on the go continually. At times I don’t know how she copes. I also went to the dentist’s yesterday and I’m still breathing!

The Sunday night celebration service in the Patos church went off well with a full church as usual. The P&W group did very well. We had one of our pastors in as a visiting speaker and it could have been better. 


Lynn is due to have her baby daughter in about a month’s time so please remember her in prayer. That will be grandchild number 8 for us. Now surprise news for us is that Philip & Gylmara are to have a third child so that will be number 9!


QPR managed to miss scoring from a penalty against West Ham so ended up drawing a match at home they really had to win. Relegation looms larger and larger with 4 games to go, but I continue out in front in the QPR Prediction League by 18 points.

Liz and I travelled to Princesa Isabel’s branch church yesterday in the borough of Maia where I preached at the 9th anniversary service and the P&W group from Patos also ministered beautifully. Liz and I visited 2 rural areas where this branch church is also already reaching out to. We made these visits in the afternoon prior to the service.


It was a very good trip and really blessed of the Lord. It is good to see this work slowly and steadily growing. PTL!


Now we’re back in Patos and will soon be off to lead the evening service. Thanks for all your prayers and support.

Our leadership team meeting lasted 7 hours. It was exhausting but very united and positive. We have now entirely prepared the agenda for next month’s Field Conference (we hope) and amply discussed a very wide number of topics. There will be one ordination at the Conference + I will lead the closing celebration and Pastor Wostenes will preach. I will lead the 4 general assemblies too.


We decided to focus on the topic of unity next year and the annual theme will be “Together we are Stronger” and we will use John 17:21 as our core verse. The ACEV year runs from Field Conference to Field Conference. We also discussed the possible formation of the leadership team as from next year when the team will be elected for the following 4 years (2016 – 2020). 


We also defined the programme of the Leadership Conference for November which will be postponed from the usual September date owing to our UK trip. The next 10-day outreach is planned for the State of Ceará.

We also had a discussion on the dangers being faced in the new project which combats domestic violence, drug abuse etc. in a very violent borough in Patos. Much prayer is needed for our team.

I led the Bible study tonight which went very well. We had 5mm of rain last night at Green Pastures and 9mm today so we are grateful for small mercies.


Please pray for our national leadership team meeting tomorrow to discuss a whole host of topics. May the Lord guide us in every decision.

Today I have worked flat out preparing my sermon for Saturday when I will be ministering at the Princesa Isabel branch church in the borough of Maia to the south of the town. I was asked to preach on “If God is for us who can be against us”? I am not sure what they are expecting asking for this but I have spent since early this morning working flat out so as to be able to expound what Paul is saying and to get the context I felt I had to give a flying overview of all the earlier chapers. It was hard work but satisfying. May the Lord bless it. The P&W group will also be going on Saturday minus Philip who will be on his way back from India.


Good news today from Ben Price is that his wife’s visa has finally been sorted today so she will be able to join him and the kids in the UK next week. (DV) Ben says his mum’s health is stable.


I worked lots on Monday and Tuesday on the Field Conference to be held next month as we have a preparatory leadership meeting for this on Friday. This is a lot of work. Philip sent me from India the electronic forms the churches have to fill in for the conference so I have sent these to all our church leaders.


The married couples’ ministry had a nice day at Green Pastures yesterday.


I have also been sorting out one or two church problems – not in Patos but in other places. I have also been working on things linked to next January’s 10-day evangelistic outreach.

Last night’s Bible study went off nicely in Patos. My granddaughter Louisa led the P&W very well. In the study we handled the 3 accounts of the man (or men?) possessed by demons who lived amongst tombs and who was (were) delivered by Jesus. The main headache is to understand why all the pigs got involved. I have read many possible explanations but none of them convince me. Anyway one way or another the exorcism/s was/were accomplished demonstrating Jesus’s amazing and total power over evil.


Liz and I leave shortly to open the new church at Mandacaru and then go on to Tavares to open a new church there too on Saturday. Sermons are ready for both places – just Sunday in Patos is yet to be done. 


Our tickets are now bought to fly to the UK (DV) for out visit in the late summer/autumn – arriving Heathrow on August 26th and returning to Brazil on November 3rd. We look forward to seeing everyone and value your prayers always.

Ben Price and his kids are now in the UK for a year with his wife Miriam to follow once she sorts out her visa.

I am working flat out preparing sermons. First I finished the Bible study for this Thursday. I am now working on the message for the opening of the new church at Mandacaru and then I need to prepare for preaching at another church opening at Tavares prior to preparing for Sunday back in Patos. Your prayers are valued.

Please pray for EAB associate missionary Ben Price who will be going to the UK with his two children to be at his dear Mum’s side who has advanced cancer. Ben’s wife can’t go owing to British visa problems.

EAB/ACEV has just successfully drilled a new well – this time for the gypsy community, which is very large, at Sousa. The well has a production of 1,300 litres an hour of good quality water. PTL!


The service in the Patos church on Sunday was a blessing. Full church, blessed praise and worship and the sermon went really well. Thank you for praying.

“A GREAT NIGHT OUT”
Another Great concert presented by Cadnum
Methodist Church and friends at Copythorne Parish Hall. Pollards Moor
Road, Copythorne, Southampton – SO40 2NZ on Saturday 18th April 1915 at
7pm. Tickets £10 per person, children go free.
All proceeds to EAB. For more information phone 01794 323279 or jene.pelletier@gmail.com to book your tickets

My sermon is now fully prepared for tonight in Patos and will be the second in a series going through Mark’s Gospel where I will speak on the first exorcism done by Jesus in his ministry. It is a challenging topic in this modern age because of the two extremes faced on the matter. On the one hand here in Brazil we see “exorcisms” live on TV every day with neo-pentecostal sects – and on the other hand we have the “modern man” who has written off such matters as superstitious rubbish. Where in the middle is the truth?


Philip arrived in Mumbai last night. It was good that he gave me a site where I was able to follow the progress of his flights in real time. Very good.


The singles ministry’s meeting went great last night. PTL! This is so important. Churches need to wake up about this and treat singles with dignity and respect.

Philip left Patos last night for Recife and is now on a flight to Rio prior to going via Paris to India where he will be working for two weeks. Please pray for Philip’s long flights and heavy work schedule whilst there in India. It leaves a gap in the Patos church for 3 weekends – one going, one returning and one in the middle there.


We had nearly two inches of rain on Wednesday night at Green Pastures, which was quite a relief. We continue to pray for a lot more because we sure need it.


I am working on the preparation of my sermon for Sunday in Patos. I have to pop out to Green Pastures this afternoon to pick up seeds being gathered today for university research.

Liz and I went to Campina Grande at 6.30am today and got back at 4.30pm. First of all I went to see a dermatologist about lumps on the back of both hands, my chest and one eye. What a lovely doctor he was and soon had me cheerfully checked over and said the chest lump is nothing – just leave it alone… and none of the others are potentially malignant but best have them out anyway. OK I said – we’ll book a day for the bits of surgery and be back.


We left his office and presented his secretary at the reception with the form he had given me with what I need done and she said… well… when can you come back… or would you like it done today? Oh, yes, today would be great I said… and half an hour later I was being de-lumped! Brilliant stuff! So here I am typing this to you courageously having had 3 surgeries today! Now beat that! 


Following this we sorted out some other matters in Campina Grande prior to having lunch together (a bit of Chinese food with only the sour for me – no sweet of course!) and then heading for home. At Santa Luzia it was raining hard and we hope it will reach Green Pastures soon. We sure need it!


So many thanks to the Lord for another good positive health day. Thanks for your prayers always.

I have been to the dentist this afternoon and I am still breathing! I go back next Monday as I prefer things in small doses! I had no teeth with decay or pain – just a general clean up and one or two sensitive teeth to be fixed with some sort of enamel.


QPR drew at Aston Villa tonight 3 x 3 which was exactly the score I predicted. I also predicted 2 of the Rangers’ 3 goal scorers. Hence with six games to go in the season I expect my lead to have increased considerably in the QPR prediction league. Watch this space! However QPR are balanced on a knife edge as regards relegation with more chance of going down than staying up in my view. 


I have been doing masses of varied work this week. I have worked with the Patos Bible College and different issues with the Patos church. I have also been lining up the new deaf interpreters course to start this Friday and another meeting for the single and divorced this Saturday. 


I have also had lots of discussions with university professors. These seem to be coming thick and fast. It is really good how things are working out with university cooperation at Green Pastures. Sadly we are in a bad state as regards rain there, having had about half the rain there than that received in Patos only a few miles away. We hope and pray for a turn around in the situation this month. Please pray. 


The EAB facebook English language page is increasing in followers which is good. People have started following recently from India, South Africa and Portugal so that we are now approaching the 800 followers mark, which is encouraging. You can visit the page at https://www.facebook.com/eabrazil

This blog has now passed the 136,000 visits mark and my Flickr photo page has passed the 173,000 mark. Many thanks.

I’ve just got home from the big Easter Sunday Celebration in the Patos church. It was a great night. This morning’s fellowship breakfast was also excellent. At both we sang Easter hymns and I preached Easter messages at both.


The church activities started on Maundy Thursday with 15 youth evangelizing at the Coach station and even getting use of the intercom system! On Good Friday morning evangelism by a different group of 10 was done at the traffic lights beside our church. Unfortunately the service scheduled for that evening in a very rough part of town had to be cancelled as a 16 year old lad was murdered there that very day. 


This morning’s fellowship breakfast was beautiful with such a mix of all age groups and social classes just like the Church should be. Lots of poor kids came from the rough part of town mentioned previously and boy – did they eat! Bless their hearts and tummies! They even took food home with them for mum and brothers and sisters too!


We had a nice family time over Easter at Green Pastures. It was lovely. Just not enough rain, but apart from that perfect.


QPR even managed to win yesterday! That was a miracle!

Liz and I travelled to our cardiologist in Campina Grande yesterday for our routine periodical check-ups well overdue. Easter traffic was already hectic making the journey to get there take 3 hours rather than a possible 2. Anyway after hours of waiting to see the doctor we finally ended up happy with the results and all well, subject to a couple of follow up tests (treadmill and echo cardiograms), so we praise God for another set of good health check results.


The special Easter church activities start this morning with evangelism at the coach station and then evangelism at the traffic lights tomorrow morning and in a poor borough of Patos at night. Sunday will see a fellowship breakfast and a great celebration of the resurrection at night with communion. I will be preaching on the final of the 7 “I am” sayings series of Jesus in John’s Gospel: “I am the Ressurection and the Life”!


A very happy Easter to one and all. We will be having our tradional family Easter at Green Pastures and be back in for Easter Sunday.


Our prayers are especially with Kathy Glover and all at the Bristol Pentecostal Holiness Church. We learnt yesterday that their pastor Dave Glover went to be with the Lord after courageous cheerful battles with his health for years. He was a faithful EAB supporter. We praise God for his life and example and pray that the Lord will be with his wife Kathy and all his loved ones.

The Lord gave us a good weekend all round. My results from exams done earlier last week in João Pessoa were all good. PTL! The service last night was excellent. We are getting so many people in that it is difficult to keep up with so many constantly new faces. PTL! It is wonderful to see some really transformed lives now joyfully serving God! PTL! Thank you for your prayers and support.


The Patos youth went to Teixeira at the weekend and held a good service with Philip preaching. The Christians in Action group also were blessed at Ipueira in Rio Grande do Norte State. At Soledade 3 came to Christ in a special impact weekend. News is in too of blessings at Conceição, Juá and Campina Grande. PTL!


We now have our UK trip all sorted so we are now seeking to sort out a vehicle. Any ideas? We will not need it for the north-east and Scotland as we will be doing those places by train and we may go to Wales by train too. Thus we need a vehicle for our travels in the south of England. Please pray.

This is such a beautiful report that I am posting it despite many not speaking Portuguese to understand it – but you can get the gist by watching the report. This is a wonderful demonstration of true Christian service to very poor kids. http://g1.globo.com/pb/paraiba/jpb-2edicao/videos/t/edicoes/v/jpb-mostra-professor-que-se-dedica-a-mudar-a-vida-de-criancas-atraves-do-esporte/4068035/


I have completed my sermon preparation for tomorrow and am ready to roll! “I am the true vine” (John 15:1-17). Your prayers are valued.


The youth are in Teixeira tonight ministering there and the Christians in Action group are in Ipueira. The deaf are at the Care Centre.

We are grateful to God for steady rain every day since last Saturday totalling nearly 5 inches of rain. The Green Pastures lake has taken in some water and the wide-mouth well levels have risen a lot. The newly planted 3,500+ tree seedlings are looking great. 


The Bible study last night went very well. Numbers were up even more than usual. It was a blessed night of prayer, praise, testimonies and the Word.


I am now preparing my sermon for this Sunday in Patos and I need to prepare for the following weekend which will be Easter. Tonight Liz and I have to do a session of marriage counselling with a couple and there will also be a seminar for the Bible College students working on combatting violence against women. Your prayers are valued.

Our trip to Europe is now fully organized and all the church bookings have been duly confirmed. God willing things will be as follows:


August 30 Hardley am

September 6 Thamesmead am / 13
Bristol Ivy am + Bristol PHC pm / 14-19 Switzerland / 20 Cadnam am / 27
Great Lumley am + Bishop Auckland pm / 29 Horden

October 1 Hylton
Castle / 4 Larbert / 11 Millbrook am + West Wellow (pm) / 14 Shirley
Warren / 18 Verwood am / 25 Danbury

November 1 Cefn Cribwr.

We look forward to seeing everyone and value your prayers. 

Liz and I have just got back from a 2-day trip to João Pessoa. We went for me to do a routine medical check-up and took the opportunity to visit Cesário, Euda and family who were part of the Patos church years back. It was a lovely encouraging meeting. 


Rain continues to fall steadily at Green Pastures. PTL! We’ve had some rain every day since Saturday. I will have more precise details after going there tomorrow.

The final outstanding ministry engagement for our UK trip in the late summer/autumn has now been confirmed. PTL!

We have had about a further two thirds of an inch of rain this afternoon/night to add to the one third yesterday. PTL! This is so good for the trees planted and we will now get on and plant the rest this week. Of course we need much more abundant rain to fill reservoirs but it is a step in the right direction.


The service tonight in Patos had a good number present but less than usual owing to the rain. The service was good and the sermon went well with quite a few hands raised at the end for prayer.


Liz and I travel to João Pessoa tomorrow to visit an elderly couple who used to be members of the Patos church- Cesário and Euda. On the Tuesday I will be having some routine medical exams done.

The launch of the new singles and divorced ministry got off to a lovely start last night. It was really good. Some really opened up their hearts. It made it quite clear to us how right we were to insist on starting this ministry. Please pray.


Please pray for my sermon tomorrow in the Patos church. I am looking forward to preaching. What a responsibility it is preaching God’s Word. I discovered this week how last week’s sermon was a lifeline to two people and I had no idea until a few days later. PTL!

We are rejoicing even though it wasn’t much rain tonight, but the way this rainy season is not happening then one third of an inch of rain is such a relief at Green Pastures this evening. PTL! This drop of rain will be a life-saver to many of the trees we planted a couple of weeks back. I estimate that 10% of the 1,800 planted thus far are now dead or on the way there – but we need to save the 90%. If we get more rain in the night and tomorrow then we will be able to plant the rest of the trees awaiting planting next week. It’s a risk, but life in this semi-arid region is a risk and challenge! We have to go for it as it’s no good waiting for ideal times!

The Bible study went very well last night and my sermon for Sunday is ready. Mark 1:1-20. “The 180º Jesus”!


The BBC is forecasting rain for our region tonight and tomorrow night as well. I really do hope and pray they are correct as we are 71% down on where we were on this date last year.


We launch a new ministry for singles tonight in a restaurant. We feel we owe them the prodigal son’s treatment like when he returned home. Not that they are prodigals but because the church tends to neglect older singles and divorced people.

I have just had a scan of my thyroid and will get the results tomorrow. This is a routine check up as the last scan was done about 18 months ago.


Liz is away with Lynn, John David & Arthur. They will be back tomorrow.


Still no rain here. The situation is getting increasingly serious. Remember that we had a nearly 3 year drought and then had rain in the first half of 2014. This was good but nowhere near enough to fill up reservoirs. The government says that in the sertão interior of Paraíba the reservoirs are now at the lowest levels in history as we have had very little rain this year. We desperately need rain at Green Pastures where we are trying to plant about 4,000 trees.


I am preparing my sermon for Sunday on Mark chapter 1. I need to prepare the Bible study for tomorrow night too.

You will probably have heard about all the protests in Brazil against the newly re-elected government. I have said nothing about this to date as I am not sure what to say. The thing is that the country is divided down the middle politically with the current government re-elected by a narrow majority. It strikes me that partially those who lost the election are who are now protesting.


It is undeniable too that there are problems with serious corruption in government, but that is no new problem in Brazil unfortunately. We are of course against corruption from any source and must stand against it. However we must not be naive and manipulated by sections of the press who have supported the defeated candidate from day one.


It strikes me that the current re-elected government has done undeniable good for the poor and as this increases it gets increasingly under the skin of the rich. That has a lot to do with all this turbulence I suspect, but we will watch and pray.

Another factor in the present political crisis in Brazil is the economy which was doing great when in Europe and the USA things were bad. Now it’s the other way round as recession kicks in here. Electricity, for example, has just gone up in price by one third! Wow! That’s enough to make anyone protest!

Liz brought a beautiful message to the Patos church last night about the life of the 24 year old young woman from our church who died last week. It was a terrific challenge. Really blessed.


The whole service went great last night with the church packed out as usual. The sermon on John 14:6 went very well too and we presented the latest 3 young women who have completed their sign language training course with their certificates.


After the service Liz and I were involved in umpteen meeting with different people and groups wanting to speak to us. These meetings are becoming more and more common and numerous with Liz talking to some groups and me to others. It’s good to have a keen church. 


It was lovely to see 2 ladies who came all the way from our church plant at Ipueira in Rio Grande do Norte State to be at the service in Patos last night. PTL!


We are badly needing rain. Please pray. The situation is getting more and more serious yet again.

QPR managed to get one goal back in the second half from a scorer I predicted so at the end of the day my lead at the top of the QPR prediction league, may actually have incresed! We will see. The goal was brilliant but what good does that do when we lost?


This afternoon we have a drama group workshop teaching and evaluating those who would like to join this ministry in the Patos church. This evening we have the Christians in Action group continuing their great work at Ipueira in Rio Grande do Norte State planting a church there. Then there will also be the Deaf and Youth fellowships meeting + the married couples’ ministry is putting on a seminar for parents – so there’s never a dull moment at our church.


In the morning we have Sunday School at 9.30am and the main Celebration of the week at 6.30pm. We value your prayers for all going on this weekend. My sermon is ready for tomorrow night.

This blog has now passed the 135,500 visitors mark so many thanks. My nature photos and films at https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/ have now passed the 167,000 viewings mark. Wow! Many thanks!

Oh dear – a chance to watch QPR on Brazilian TV and what do I get? At half-time we are already losing 3 x 0 against the “mighty” Crystal Palace! Whatever glimmer of hope for survival in the Premiership now vanishes. The suicidal all out attack do or die approach today has clearly defined die!


I predicted a 3 x 3 draw for this match… which would need nothing other than a miracle!

For those of you interested in these sort of things you might like to know that I have now photographed 4 species of Nightjars – Pigmy, Little, Rufous and Scissor-tailed and I have also photographed 2 species of Nighthawks – Least and Nacunda. As well as these I have also photographed the Pauraque which is a Nighthawk/Jar of some sort but has this different name for some reason or other. So in all I have clicked 7 species of Nightjars and Nighthawks. I don’t know about you, but I like that! If you have never experienced being in the dead of night in the silent woods hearing these birds you have really missed something. God’s creation is utterly wonderful in every detail!

Liz got back exhausted from her trip to the funeral at Princesa Isabel whilst I was giving the Bible study in the Patos church. Numbers were down with the funeral and all that, but the study went particularly well. PTL!


I have just had my hair cut, you will have noted?


In the service on Sunday in Patos I will be presenting the latest 3 certificates to people who have completed the year’s training course we run in sign language for the deaf. This is very good as they will be more folk to boost this important ministry.


I have just been interviewed by a journalist for an FM radio in the middle of typing this… and so my life goes on!

The funeral of the young woman from the church who died yesterday will be conducted by Pastor Gersé at Princesa Isabel where she was originally from, in about an hour’s time. Liz and Gylmara have taken car loads of people from the Patos church in support. I have stayed to conduct the Bible study in Patos this evening.

We are in the middle of a panic situation with Taiane from our Patos church, who normal depends on a kidney machine 3 days a week, having suddenly become far worse – rushed into hospital and is entubated in intensive care. I am not fully clear on all the story but just ask everyone to pray please. Philip is flying to one side of town and Liz to the other helping out.

I have prepared my sermon for Sunday today – on Wednesday! Hallelujah!


I have also had the computer technician in a couple of times. He has fixed me up with software which enables me to see what is on the church big screen on my mobile phone. This should be really useful. He has also fixed me up with an external keyboard for my laptop as the original laptop keyboard has given up the ghost and was nearly driving me insane sticking and missing letters etc. 


I have also been working on the Ministry to the Deaf and a new ministry we are to launch for the single and divorced. This I feel is a greatly neglected group within churches – often discriminated, considered a joke even and often void of pastoral care.

You can read the latest edition 84 of the EAB magazine “InTouch” on the EAB website at http://www.eabrazil.com/?page_id=448


We had another 2/3rds of an inch of rain at Green Pastures yesterday so when I went there this morning all the trees we are planting looked good and we are getting on planting lots more. We need a lot more rain for the reservoirs but for the tree planting things need to keep ticking over like they are. The university professor giving us guidance in all the planting has gone there this afternoon. 


At about 50 feet high, on top of one of our many Trumpet Trees, I discovered a nest of Rufescent Tiger Herons this morning and a nest of Crane Hawks. Wonderful!


I have been for a scan on my shoulder/upper arm this afternoon. It is getting slowly easier but the doctor insists on discovering exactly what went wrong to give me such a lot of prolonged pain.

My sermon on Jesus’ attitude to women + OT & NT approaches probably didn’t go down too well with the male chauvanists last night, but all went off well. It was a lovely service. PTL!

I went to the doctor’s this morning with my gammy shoulder/arm. He thinks I’ve damaged a tendon but has asked for an MRI to rule out other possibilities.


No further rain has arrived and we badly need it.


Look at this fantastic video of a Tiger Heron about 3 feet tall at Green Pastures last week. Fantastic! https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/16577506060/

I have been in a lot of intense pain these past few days having tweeked muscles in my shoulder and upper arm. Despite this I managed to conduct the wedding of Josinete’s son Wesley near João Pessoa last night with Liz driving. We slept the night at Campina Grande and have now got back to Patos.


I am ready to lead the service in Patos and preach as well. Being International Women’s Day my sermon will be built around the theme of Jesus’ liberating positive approach to women as also reflected in the early church.

We have had a wonderful two inches of rain this evening at Green Pastures. We are ecstatic! This is equal to the two inches received to date this year… so now we’ve had four inches! PTL!


It has been madness this evening. The prayer and Bible study was cancelled as nobody could get there in the pouring rain. Then I had to organize things with the university to start planting the seedlings tomorrow at Green Pastures and there are the last load to go out there from the university nursery so a truck has been arranged. Joyful mayhem!


I have also been pressing on with my sermon for Sunday. Help!

I am happy to present an update on our itinerary with some further confirmations:


August – 30 Hardley am (confirmed)



September – 6 Thamesmead am (confirmed) /
13 Bristol Ivy am (confirmed) + Bristol PHC pm / 14-19 Switzerland (confirmed) / 20
Cadnam am / 27 Great Lumley am + Bishop Auckland pm / 29 Horden



October – 1 – Hylton Castle (confirmed) / 4 Larbert (confirmed) / 11 Millbrook am + West Wellow (pm) confirmed / 14 Shirley Warren (confirmed) / 18 Verwood am / 25 Danbury


November – 1 Cefn Cribwr

The night before last I had a nasty glucose low out of the blue in the middle of the night. It demands swift action and leaves you drained.


I have prepared the wedding for Saturday and am now working on tonight’s Bible study and then Sunday’s sermon. 


We need to crank up the rain prayers as things are dodgy here again with the rainy season just not materializing. We have only had 56 mm at Green Pastures and up at Jabre Peak they have only had 30 mm. The situation is getting serious again. We have over 3,000 tree seedlings ready to plant but with no rain no plant!


Liz has been counselling a deaf couple with marriage problems via an interpreter. Please pray.


The teenagers did some lovely work this week distributing food to street people. It was entirely their initiative – bless their hearts!


QPR lost again last night at home to Arsenal. Things are looking increasingly gloomy. Nevertheless I remain in 1st place in the QPR prediction league – 12 points clear at the top!


I have had some replies concerning our speaking engagements for the autumn in Europe, but I will only be able to give a more definitive itinerary when I have received more replies.

Please note that the initial itinerary outline below is only provisional and subject to adjustments as necessary. Some churches have already confirmed but one so far has asked for a different date – so we are seeing how this re-shuffle can be accomplished. Watch this space.

As mentioned in previous communications Liz and I plan to go to Europe this late summer/autumn (DV) in place of what we had planned for 2014 but which was postponed owing to my ill health. Today I sent out an email to churches we had been booked for last year and I have followed the same schedule as lined up for 2014 to make things simpler – and I am waiting to hear from these churches to know if the new dates are alright for them. I hope this will work out for everyone, but if it doesn’t then we will have to do some shuffling. I have already received some positive responses which I have marked accordingly. So this is the plan:


August – 30 Hardley am (confirmed)


September – 6 Thamesmead am (confirmed) / 13 Bristol Ivy am + Bristol PHC pm / 14-19 Switzerland (confirmed) / 20 Cadnam am / 27 Great Lumley am + Bishop Auckland pm / 28 Horden / 29 Hylton Castle

October – 4 Larbert / 11 Millbrook am + West Wellow (pm) confirmed / 14 Shirley Warren / 18 Verwood am / 25 Danbury


November – 1 Cefn Cribwr


Please kindly confirm your dates if you are on this list, via eabrazil@gmail.com and if anyone is not on the list and wants to be, then please contact us at the same address. The airfares we already have, kept back from last year. All we need is a vehicle to get us around. We will be based between London and Basingstoke as usual and value your prayers for this whole venture.