Categoria: News

Our granddaughter Beatriz (Bia) is back in hospital with a severe allergic reaction to something, though allergy to what is the question, but it is probably an antibiotic she had started taking. She is swollen, is full of red blotches and has breathing difficulties. Please pray for Bia. 

Our deacon Dedé on his motorbike has been involved in a head-on collision with a car driven by a youngster. He is in hospital under observation because he has fractured 7 ribs and has pleural effusion. Please pray for Dedé who is the leader of our little Ipueira church.

The ‘Life Squad’ consisting of Pastor Rafael and Brother Roberto Tiburtino have been evangelizing in the men’s prison again. Please pray for this arduous work.

The Southern Wren sings joyfully outside my office window and House Sparrows constantly invade our kitchen to pick up any crumbs on the floor.

I am going to the doctor’s this afternoon to have my ears syringed prior to the ups and downs of flying next week which can be painful on one’s ears. I will be having my hair cut really short on Monday so that it will last me while I’m in the UK.

 Last night the Patos Men’s Fellowship travelled to the town of São Mamede to hold another street service. I always go with them, but I didn’t go this time as I am busy preparing for our journey to England via Portugal a week today. I have also just completed a lot of administrative work too for EAB. The service was led by school teacher Claudivan and Pastor Rafael preached the word.

QPR were knocked out of the Football League Cup yesterday in the first round when they were beaten by Plymouth 3 x 2 despite having been leading by 2 goals at half time. QPR played with a youth team and none of those who played in the league on Saturday played. 

Our 15-year-old granddaughter Beatriz (Bia) has been in hospital with gastritis and has been on a drip. Please pray for Bia. Now Alice has gone down with the same symptoms. Please pray for Alice too.

I have just made a wonderful evening meal! Bread and cheese with a bag of crisps, followed by a yoghurt! My culinary skills are amazing! Liz is out with Linda, Elza, Jozinete and Zenaide so I had to engage my survival skills! 💪

We have just got back from the pastors and leaders conference (EDL) at Green Pastures. It was an excellent conference full of the blessing of God and crowned with a real spirit of unity. The only problem that we had was 2 toilets blocked by the roots of trees searching for water in the drought. We gave probationary missionary status to 2 leaders: Ivonete from the state of Bahia where she leads the work, and Guilherme Santos from Campina Grande Catolé who will move to Diamante to work in the 4 churches of that region in January. If anyone would like to give him a motorbike to get around the 4 churches he will work in then we would be very happy and grateful.

The ministry of the word on the 2 nights of the conference from Pastor Moises was really good. On the first night he preached on ‘How to lead and how not to lead’ and on the second night he preached on ‘How to preach and how not to preach’. At the end of the conference Pastor Wostenes led our pastors and leaders in prayer for Liz and I as we embark on a ministry trip to Europe on the 20th.

Yesterday the Championship started its 2025/2026 season with QPR achieving a glorious draw 1 x 1 at home to Preston thanks to an own goal by Preston!

We’re having a long series of online meetings and phone calls with our pastors as we prepare for the Pastors and Leaders Family Conference (EDL) at Green Pastures which starts this Friday. We value your prayers.

Liz is going like the clappers buying food for the conference and taking it to Green Pastures.

Humming birds hover and dart between the flowers around our garden, and Great Kiskadees and Southern Wrens sing in praise of their creator!

On Tuesday night we held a meeting of the Patos church council, together with the leaders of church ministries, so as to align things prior to our UK trip on the 20th. It was a very good meeting discussing the work of the Lord.

I have been to Green Pastures again preparing for the conference.

On Sunday I led the monthly communion service in Patos, Sacha, Marina and Fábio led the worship and Sacha preached. It was a lovely service.

Yesterday we went to the wake of a 59-year-old motor-taxi driver who was the father of Michele and grandfather of Letícia who are members of our church.

BP have made their biggest oil and gas find in 25 years off the coast of Santos in southern Brazil. As a result BP’s shares rose by 1.4% in London. It’s a small world!🌎

I have just booked our Christmas choir, which every year comes to us from our Catolé church in Campina Grande, to present a Christmas Cantata in Patos on Sunday, December 14th. On Saturday, 13th, they will present the cantata at our Conceição church. I am having to book things well ahead as we will only be back from Europe on November 8th.

The BBC has published a very interesting update on the Zika virus which occurred in 2015/2016 which caused 2,000 infected mothers to give birth to children with various deformities including reduced sized skulls. The virus transmitted by the mosquito was 75% in the north-east of Brazil and nobody knows why the virus disappeared. Please pray for the hundreds of mothers who still battle on with their children. 

Ex-Brazilian president Bolsonaro has been put under house arrest, as well as being electronically tagged, because he disobeyed restrictions placed on him by the court. Bolsonaro is under investigation for planning a coup d’état and planning the murder of the current president and the current supreme justice of the high court.  

This chapter starts with a tremendous conundrum as God incites David to count the fighting men of Israel and Judah and then ends up punishing them for exactly this which resulted in the death of 70,000 people!

Anyway, the count took 9 months and 20 days to complete the census of fighting men which showed that there were 800,000 able-bodied men in Israel that could handle a sword, and there were 500,000 in Judah. David recognized his sin in having conducted the census and asked forgiveness. Then God gave 3 options of punishment to David for having carried out the census and David opted for the 3 days of plague which killed 70,000 people. 

So David purchased a threshing floor and there he built an altar for the Lord where he sacrificed burnt offerings and peace offerings to the Lord. Hence God answered prayer and the plague on Israel was stopped.

Yesterday I saw a large flock of Common Waxbills at Green Pastures. There were hundreds of them. I also saw Cactus Parakeets, many Chalk-browed Mockingbirds and one Great Kiskadee. 

Yesterday afternoon I conducted the wedding of Murilo and Karol and everything went off beautifully. I included in the ceremony, as a surprise, a poem about the couple written by a poetess friend, and it went down very well. I also used the game of chess as a metaphor in my talk to the couple as Murilo and his father are keen chess players. I encouraged Murilo to always value and protect “his queen”, and encouraged Karol to care for the “pawns” (kids!) equally even if they have 8 as in chess! Sacha and Marina did the vocals for the ceremony and Rogério, Netinho, Rogaciano and Ricardinho provided the backing.

This chapter contains the final oracle of David which is a poem of praise to God thinking back over his reign and over his mighty warriors. David remembers God’s covenant with his house and the positive results of righteous rule. The oracle defines the ideal king as one who rules in righteousness and the fear of God, bringing light to the people as sun after the rain. And David compares the righteous ruler with a wicked one whom he describes as a thorny bush which is hard to handle. 

Then David goes on to recall some of his most valiant warriors like Josheb-Basshebeth who killed 800 men in one go! Next he cited the case of Eleazar son of Dodai who stood his ground against the Philistines even when his fellow Israelites retreated, and he fought so hard that his hand froze to his sword! Next was Shammah who took his stand in the middle of a field. Then comes Abishai who killed 300 with his spear and next comes Benaiah who killed 2 of Moab’s best men and also killed a lion in a pit on a snowy day, and killed a huge Egyptian. He ends up listing more warriors who were less famous. It is interesting to notice that the last warrior listed is Uriah the Hittite who was the husband of Bathsheba.

I love hearing the Southern Wren singing outside my office window as I work. It is loud and unmistakable. 

Tomorrow I will be conducting the wedding ceremony of Murilo and Karol at 4:30 in the afternoon. Murilo is a young lawyer in his 20s who is part of our Patos church ministry team, and Karol is a secretary with the State Roads Department. 

Last night we went out to a restaurant as a family to celebrate our granddaughter Alice’s 18th birthday. We had a lovely evening together.

This blog had 10,950 visits last month.

I have just had a delicious Soursop smoothie. Soursop (Annona muricata) is a large tropical fruit with white flesh and green skin covered with sharp points.

Please pray for Jakeline who is a 46-year-old sister from our Patos church who is very ill in hospital with pancreatitis. She is in a lot of pain and very swollen.

Please pray too for Pastor João George who is the assistant pastor at our Imaculada church. He has been operated on for intestinal cancer and is recovering in hospital in João Pessoa.

A good number of beds are to be repaired at Green Pastures in time for our Pastors’ Family Conference (EDL) which will start on August 8th. Our odd-jobs man Catingueira will come in and do the work.

Please pray for us in the run in for our trip to Europe as our take-off approaches for Portugal, England, Scotland and Switzerland on August 20th. 

Today is our granddaughter Alice’s 18th birthday! Happy birthday Alice!

This song of praise is also found in Psalm 18. In this song David praises God for his power and protection. God is his rock, fortress, deliverer, refuge, shield and the strength of his salvation. David praises God for delivering him from the jaws of death and poetically describes God’s power like the thunder and lightning of nature. He says that God delivered him and brought him into a spacious place. He says God is his lamp which turns his darkness into light, and with God he can run through a barricade or even scale a wall! He says God makes his feet like the feet of a deer and he praises God for all his victories. He says the Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock! Exalted be God, my Rock, my Saviour!

David asked God what the cause was of a 3-year famine in Israel and God said it was because of Saul’s killing of the Gibeonites which had betrayed Israel’s oath to spare them. So David asked the Gibeonites what could be done to make amends for the wrong done to them. They requested 7 male descendants of Saul to be killed by them and to be exposed by them on a hill at Gibeah, and this David gave to them, whilst saving Jonathan’s son Mephibosheth because of David’s oath to Jonathan. Rizpah, mother of the dead men, held a vigil over the dead men’s abandoned bodies defending them from scavengers. Upon hearing of this David was provoked to give them a decent burial together with the bones of Saul and Jonathan in the tomb of Saul’s father Kish. Thus the atonement having been made God ended the famine.

The end of this chapter relates further battles between Israel and the Philistines. In the first David became exhausted and had to be rescued by Abishai. The next battles were at Gob where apparently the brother of Goliath was killed. Then came a further battle at Gath where a huge man was killed who had 6 fingers and 6 toes!

I am utterly exhausted this morning as I have made 2 cups of tea and I made the bed! 😩

I led the main service of the week on Sunday night with a full church, and assistant pastor Rafael preached on the danger of unbelief from Hebrews 3:7-13. It was a good service.

I am busy preparing for all our speaking engagements in the UK as we will be leaving on August 20th. I am also busy preparing for our pastors and leaders family conference at Green Pastures from the 8th to 10th August. We value your prayers.

Our grandson John David, who is a doctor, is now a GP at the Ana Maria Isodoro Surgery (UBS) in São Mamede, which is the municipality where Green Pastures is situated. I am particularly pleased about this as we have been in this municipality for 47 years and I was made an honorary citizen of São Mamede in 2012.

Yesterday afternoon we had an excellent online meeting with co-leaders of the work here Pastor Wostenes in Campina Grande and his wife Gleydice. We discussed various aspects of the work in the states of Bahia, Paraiba and Rio Grande do Norte.

I was asked to go to the police station to answer questions regarding our car crash 9 months ago in Teixeira. Grandson and lawyer Arthur went with me and I hope that is the end of the matter.

I have had an important meeting with Pastor Wostenes and Pastor Renilson about our action school project. We praise God for fine men of God as these who stand firm in the work of the Lord and care for the poor. What a wonderful work our action schools carry out to over 850 needy children!

We have started a ‘Donkey Haven’ at Green Pastures in the light of 94% of Brazil’s donkeys having been slaughtered and their extinction in Brazil expected over the next 5 years. We have acquired a young female donkey and are now looking for a husband for her! 😊

On the trip to João Pessoa I saw dozens of Cattle Egrets and one Great Egret. On the trip to Caroá I saw a hawk, but I was unable to see which species of hawk it was.

Yesterday we left Patos a little after 8 am and travelled to Cedro in the municipality of Princesa Isabel in a journey which took 2-and-three-quarter-hours. The mountain climb was very congested by heavy lorries. I have just heard that today a lorry went over the mountain precipice and killed the driver. When we got to Cedro we visited 21-year-old Jezrel who is recovering from a serious motorbike accident in January and is a member of our church there. It was nice to talk to him and all his family members there. After this we had lunch at the Paladar restaurant in Princesa Isabel.

After lunch were were pleased to see that at long last the authorities have asphalted the road on the Manaira side of the town as we proceeded to Caroá. There we made thanksgiving visits to the new wells at Chico de Nenem and Caroá. I then led a special thanksgiving service for these wells at which brother Robert from São Paulo preached the Word. It was a lovely service with a full church. The service was animated by blessed singing and dancing. At the end the Deputy Mayor spoke beautifully.

This morning we drove back to Patos from Caroá stopping at Manaira to visit an 85-year-old couple from our church there called José Paulino and Luiza. They still run their little convenience shop which they started about 35 years ago as a result of an EAB loan. Then we were back to Patos for egg and chips!

Liz and I had a very full and busy weekend. On the Friday we had a 4-hour meeting at Green Pastures with a group of Christians from São Paulo who wanted to visit the place and see what we do there in terms of Christian events and nature preservation. We took them on a nice nature trail and we had a lovely time of prayer at the prayer nook in the woods where we have a circle of rustic wooden seats where groups meet for prayer.

Then on Saturday morning we left on a 6-and-a-half-hour drive to João Pessoa on the coast where I went to preach at our main church’s there’s 31st anniversary service. We had lunch in Campina Grande on the way and unfortunately Liz’s fish allergy was inadvertently upset making her really sick. The service went well with a full church to whom I preached.

Then yesterday we drove back to Patos in time for me to preach in the evening service in which we especially gave thanks for our deaconess Beatriz’s 90th birthday. What an extraordinary woman of God she is full of the joy of the Lord!

11 babies in the south of Brazil were accidentally injected with an anti-snakebite serum instead of being vaccinated against hepatitis B. Fortunately the babies have suffered no ill affects.🐍

A lorry load of water had just filled our water cistern at Green Pastures. The water is for drinking and cooking. Our wells provide water for showers, flush toilets, cleaning etc. but we have to ship in non-brackish water for drinking and cooking.

Yesterday we went to visit 83-year-old Aina who is a sister in our church who has a serious problem with her right eye. She was there with her sister Lourdes, her brother João and her daughter Solange. We chatted with them, read the Bible and prayed with them.

Every Tuesday I do Pilates in the morning and aquarobics in the afternoon. It’s very important to keep fit. 🏃

I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and fireman Romildo brought an excellent Bible study on Jude 1 – 4. The praise was led by Dedé and Vasti and Espedita sang solos. One beautiful moment was when 7-year-old little boy Danilo said he had a prayer request for Milena. When we asked who Milena was he pointed to his mum’s tummy as she is 7 months pregnant with a girl!

A 12-year-old girl has died giving birth to a baby in Belo Horizonte, but the baby survived. The girl was a Venezuelan immigrant.

I heard some Solitary Black Caciques at Green Pastures. They are jet black, have red eyes, have bright white bone-like beaks and are about the size of the UK blackbird. Their nests are enormous contraptions up to 70 cm long which hang from the branches of trees.

I am now off to João Pessoa on the coast to preach at our church’s 31st anniversary service. It’s a 6-hour drive. I’ll be back tomorrow to preach in Patos.

I would like to congratulate British BBC blind journalist Gary O’Donoghue for his excellent exclusive interview with Donald Trump. The White House press secretary woke him up on the phone to give him the interview. Brilliant work Gary!

On Tuesday night we had a wonderful men’s fellowship meeting led by chief of the police Esau. I led the inductive Bible study on Jesus being the light that everyone needs… the light of the Gospel, the Word, the Church, the Peoples, the New Jerusalem and of the believer. There was excellent participation from everyone present, and at the end we had a nice time of prayer together. 🙏

Our granddaughter Beatriz (Bia) is back from her youth excursion to the USA. She enjoyed it very much but she is glad to be home to take part in the national table tennis championships. Our grandson John David who is a doctor did a 24-hour shift at a clinic at Desterro the day before yesterday and today he is doing another 24-hour shift at a clinic in Teixeira.

Yesterday we went to Green Pastures where Liz prepared things for a special group of visitors we will be receiving from the south of Brazil tomorrow, and I checked out our pet Cockatiels which have a nest with 5 eggs, and our pet rabbits and guinea pigs. Children at our camps love these pets.

Chelsea are FIFA Football World Champions having beaten PSG 3 x 0 in the final at the weekend. Cole Palmer sounds like an exceptional player!

Please pray for me preaching in João Pessoa this Saturday (19th) and in Patos the following day. On Tuesday (22nd) we will be inaugurating 2 wells at Caroá and Chico de Nenem, and I will be leading the thanksgiving service. On August 2nd I will be conducting the wedding of Murilo and Karol in Patos, and from August 8th to 10th we will hold the Pastors and Leaders Family Conference at Green Pastures. Then on August 20th we will be flying to Blighty. We value your prayers.

I have just eaten fried cassava with fried egg. Delicious! 😋

Here in Brazil there is a strange fixation with flashing lights. Nearly all police vehicles, ambulances and even lorries for towing breakdowns always have their lights flashing whether they’re in an emergency situation or not, so the obvious result is that everyone ignores them.

I have just seen a beautiful flock of at least 30 Cactus Parakeets at Green Pastures, plus a smaller flock of Pileated Finches. I also saw 3 wild tortoises and a Roadside Hawk. 

We ask your prayers for our Pastors and Leaders Family Conference (EDL) to be held at Green Pastures from August 8th to 10th. The special visiting speaker will be Congregational pastor Samuel from Campina Grande who will speak on ‘How to Lead & How not to Lead’ one night, and on the other night will speak on ‘How to Preach & How not to Preach’. 

Last night we got back to Patos at 11 pm after a 2 and a half hour drive home from Princesa Isabel where we had a wonderful weekend. On Saturday I preached at the 56th anniversary service of our Cedro church led by Sister Maria José. The service was held in front of the church as it wasn’t possible to get the 100 present inside the church. It was very cold there with the temperature at 19 degrees plus wind, but it was a lovely meeting at which I also dedicated a lovely little girl. Then yesterday we visited  the Action School there with head-teacher Ruth which is a school which teaches 80 children. At night I preached at the induction service of Pastor Robério who is now the pastor of the central Princesa Isabel church, Deacon Paulino who is now the leader of the Tavares church, and Deacon Rafael Barbosa who is now the leader of the Belém church. It was a lovely service with the church packed to capacity with not one seat spare. We got home tired but rejoicing in the Lord!

Following on from Absalom’s rebellion now was the turn of Sheba, a Benjamite, to revolt against David. The men of Israel supported Sheba but not the men of Judah. With David now back in Jerusalem he put his 10 concubines in a house under guard, but didn’t have sex with them ever again after Absalom’s abuse of them. David them sent men loyal to him to pursue Sheba, and when they got to Gibeon Amasa met with Joab who had never got over his substitution as commander of David’s army. Joab took his chance to get his own back against Amasa, stabbed him with his dagger in his belly, his intestines spilled out onto the ground, and he died. Then all the troops proceeded with Joab and besieged Sheba at Abel Beth Maacah. There a wise woman negotiated a solution for the stand-off offering Sheba’s head for peace, and this was agreed. So Joab was reestablished as David’s army commander.

We are in the process of bringing our vaccinations up to date prior to our trip to the UK next month. Today we were vaccinated against pneumonia and shingles. 

I saw and heard Caatinga Cacholotes, Scaled Doves, Pileated Finches, Cactus Parakeets and Blue-winged Parrotlets at Green Pastures where the drought is biting very hard.

I have been talking to our leaders at our Curral Velho church (Old Cow Pen) who want to resign as they are facing internal opposition. Please pray for this situation.

The final of the FIFA World Cup of Clubs this Sunday will be between Chelsea and PSG after PSG slaughtered Real Madrid in their semi-final 4 x 0.

Trump is threatening Brazil with 50% tariffs because he doesn’t agree with a legal case against the previous right-wing president! Trump confuses being president of the USA with being president of the whole world! Don’t interfere with Brazil Donald! Brazil’s President Lula has already said that if Trump goes ahead with his 50% tariff then Brazil will answer with a reciprocal tariff.

Last night we went to take part in a thanksgiving service for the birthday of Deaconess Dodora at the ex-landless settlement in the municipality of São Mamede. It was a good service with a good number present, but it was very cold! The temperature dropped to 24 degrees and with a breeze in an elevated location I was shivering! 

David kept on weeping and mourning the death of his rebellious son Absalom so that he was failing to thank his soldiers for having fought for him. Thus Joab denounced this imbalance of emotions and told David that is he didn’t show gratitude to the men he would soon lose their backing. David heeded Joab and got up and took his seat in the gateway demonstrating his willingness to be reinstated as king with the support of the army.

Initially there was disagreement as to who should now be king after the Absalom fiasco, but David made a clever diplomatic and political move appointing Amasa, who had been the commander of Absalom’s army, as commander of his army replacing Joab, and this unified support for David so that the men sent word to David to return to Jerusalem as king.

When David crossed the River Jordan Shimei met him together with a thousand Benjamites and pleaded for forgiveness for having cursed David and thrown stones at him. Abishai said that Shimei should be put to death, but David wouldn’t hear of it. David forgave Shimei and promised him freedom to live. Then Mephibosheth came to David and said that his servant Ziba deceived and betrayed him on the occasion of Ziba’s earlier encounter with David, and that he had only not gone with David when he fled because he was lame. As a consequence David divided Mephibosheth’s land half and half between him and Ziba though the text is not clear how this ended up. Finally David spoke to Barzillai and invited him to go with him to Jerusalem but he declined alleging old age, and he sent his servant in his place.

Tensions were always near the surface between the men of Israel and the men of Judah, with the former group accusing the latter group of leaving them out of the reinstatement of David as king. A fierce argument ensued.

I went for a nice walk at Green Pastures and saw and heard Red-legged Seriemas, White-tipped Doves, Pearly-vented Tody-tyrant, Sooty-fronted Spinetail and exotic Campo Troupials which are black and mainly shockingly bright orange. They are very beautiful. I also saw a largish wild tortoise. One of our pet guinea pigs gave birth to twins today and they are gorgeous. 

At the weekend on the Saturday I will be preaching at the 56th anniversary service of our Cedro church in the rural area of the municipality of Princesa Isabel. The last time I preached there was the 50th so I can’t have preached very well! 😜I will also be dedicating a baby there. Then on the Sunday I will be preaching at the induction service of Pastor Robério (Central Princesa Isabel church), Deacon Paulino (Tavares church) and Deacon Rafael Barbosa (Belém church). We will also be visiting the Princesa Isabel Action School. Please pray for us on this full weekend.

Last night I preached the Gospel in the town of São Mamede on Mark 3:13-30. Deacon chief of the police Esau led the service. It was lovely to speak to a little old lady there whom I had prayed for 2 or 3 months ago and who has now committed her life to the Lord. 🙌

Chelsea are through to the final of the football clubs world cup in the USA having beaten Brazilian club Fluminense yesterday in the semi-final 2 x 0.

Astute military man David carefully planned and organized his army into 3 sections led by Joab, Abishai and Ittai. David wanted to go to battle too but his generals would not hear of it as he was too valuable an asset, so David stayed behind asking for his men to go carefully with Absalom! So the battle took place in the Ephraim Forest where David’s men defeated Absalom’s men killing 20,000 men. Then Absalom came to his end in an unusual way. For whilst riding his mule through the forest his hair got caught up in the branches of an oak tree, the mule kept doing leaving Absalom dangling from the tree. Joab had no mercy and plunged 3 spears into Absalom’s heart, and once he was dead the battle came to an end. 

When word reached David of his son’s death he was devastated and went into a period of profound mourning. David withdrew, despite everything, and wept saying, “O my son Absalom. If only I had died instead of you”!

Absalom sought counsel on how to consolidate his coup by eliminating or capturing his father David. Counsellor Ahithophel proposed a surprise attack against David with an elite force of 12,000 men, but Hushai countered this plan saying David was too wiley to fall for this. Hushai proposed a mass attack mobilizing the entire Israelite army which appealed to Absalom’s vanity and this ploy was adopted. However secretly Hushai sent word to David telling him of the plan and advising David and his men to immediately cross the Jordan to a safer location which he did. When Ahithophel realized that his proposal had not been followed he hung himself! Then Shobi, Makir and Barzillai took abundant supplies to David and his men because they were hungry, tired and thirsty in the desert. 

Here is a little poem I wrote about Liz 34 years ago! For those reading this translated into Portuguese it won’t be the same as it doesn’t rhyme when translated. Anyway here we go:

Liz Medcraft is no soft touch, this cannot be denied. If she should meet a big fat snake, she’d look him in the eye. When drunks appear inside the church to cause a great commotion, our Liz just takes them by the ear and orders their submission.

Survivor of so many years of northeast Brazilian ardours. She’s still alive to tell the tale ‘spite smallpox and amoebas. However there is one weak spot in this dear Christian warrior. For if a cockroach should appear then she is bound to holla!

Dark brown and just a few inches long, with its antennas twitching. This is a foe Liz hates to face, and when she does she’s screaming. Now it is true that the cockroach is not a pleasant fellow. It lives throughout the daylight hours in cess pits and sewers.

But when night falls and all is dark roaches come out in force, to pick up any scraps of food to eat them up of course. Our sinister friend unfortunately will not stay on the floor, its aim is higher ground it says where EAB missionaries snore!

With feelers quivering nervously it shuffles round their mouths to see if marmite there remains despite the late night showers. This marmite makes him thirsty but liquid is very close. For now it has a nice long drink from a good English nose!

So when you pray for EAB, especially for Liz, do not forget its not the snakes that get her in a tiz. In fact the Lord might say to you this very day, Brazil’s the place where you should go, don’t just remain and pray.

And then EAB’s army joined you too will face the foe. Boldly announce the Gospel to those in sin and woe. But when you hear brave Liz scream cockroach you will be very sure – you’ll boldly charge straight to her aid and squash it on the floor!

David continued his flight from Absalom and after going beyond the summit of the Mount of Olives he met Ziba, steward of Mephibosheth, who gushingly gave him donkeys laden with provisions. David asked after Mephibosheth and Ziba dubiously said that he had stayed behind in the hopes of regaining the throne previously belonging to his grandfather. (This story will be contested by Mephibosheth in chapter 19) But David believed Ziba and gave him the land belonging to Mephibosheth. 

Then a member of Saul’s clan named Shimei came and started cursing David and throwing stones at him and his officials. Abishai wanted to go and kill Shimei but David wouldn’t allow it seeing the cursing as a possible message from God. 

Meanwhile Absalom set himself up as king in Jerusalem seeking to put into effect the coup, and Ahithophel was with him as was David’s friend and spy Hushai. Ahithophel advised Absalom to make his claim to the throne clear cut ending all possibility of a rapprochement with his father by having sex with his father’s concubines and this he did. 

On Saturday afternoon we held a special children’s service in Patos called the Children’s Holiday Special (EBF). It was lovely to see the children dancing and singing praises to the Lord and hearing the Gospel declared loud and clear. The theme of the 2-hour special was ‘Salt & Light’ from Matthew 5.

From the children’s service I went out to Green Pastures to take the weekly service for the local church there and I preached on ‘Testimony’ and ‘Things Above’ from John 3:22-36. It was a communion service and it was very good. Fabio led the praise and Flávio led in prayer. There was a very good number present.

There are now 4 teams left in the World Cup of football clubs. One semi-final will be between Chelsea (England) and Fluminense (Brazil). The other will be between PSG (France) and Real Madrid (Spain).

Linda is the chief cook at our Green Pasture camps and responsible for the Patos church cleaning. Please pray for her as she seems to have had a mild stroke and was in hospital, but is now home and Liz has visited her. 

I led the main service of the week last night and our daughter Sacha preached an excellent sermon from Job 42. Last night was our monthly communion service.

The more I read the Bible the more I love it. The more I read the Bible the more I realize what brilliant ancient literature it is with stories that make your hair stand on end. The more I read the Bible the more I hear God speaking to me through schools of prophets and apostles. Thank you Lord for your precious word!📖🙌

On Thursday night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study which had a good number present. Michelle and Davi led the praise, Espedita and Vasti sang solos, various people shared Bible verses of blessing and Pastor Rafael brought the study from the first chapter of Nahum. 

Beatriz (Bia) is back in Miami from the Bahamas and is well and smiling. 😀

Liz and I have had vaccinations for influenza and DTPA (Diphtheria, Tetanus and Whooping Cough). 💉

I went to Green Pastures and saw flocks of Picui Ground Doves and Vultures. I also saw Red-cowled Cardinals and Chalk-browed Mockingbirds. The mother rabbit with 3 babies which we were given this week look beautiful. 🐇

Last night we held a meeting of our Patos youth leadership team to evaluate the youth conference held last month at Green Pastures. 

For 4 years Absalom conducted a subtle campaign of self-promotion in Israel undermining his father King David’s authority. He then went to Hebron where he staged a coup by declaring himself king following him receiving growing support from many people. Word then came to David in Jerusalem that “the hearts of the men of Israel were with Absalom” and David fled Jerusalem to avoid bloodshed and civil war because of the rebellion. David left his 10 concubines to take care of the palace and he marched around Israel accompanied by a large following. David sent the ark back to Jerusalem with Zadok the priest and his son Abiathar, but David went weeping with his head covered and barefoot up the Mount of Olives. It was a demonstration of humility, mourning and grief. He then sent his friend Hushai to Jerusalem to try and frustrate Ahithophel’s advice to Absalom who was then arriving back in the city. 

 Joab, King David’s army commander, knew how much David was missing his son Absalom so he devised a plan to promote their reconciliation. He got a wise woman from Tekoa to come and spin a yarn to the king telling him that one of her son’s had killed the other, people wanted vengeance, but she asked David to grant her son  pardon, which he readily did. The woman then revealed the true intention of her visit by asking David why he didn’t grant a pardon to his son Absalom for having killed his brother. David questioned if Joab was behind this, and upon learning that he was he granted permission for Joab to go and get Absalom, though he would have to stay at his own house out of contact and view of the king.

Absalom was extremely handsome and when he cut his hair on rare occasions it would weigh over 2 kg. He had 3 sons and a daughter whom he named Tamar in honour of his sister of the same name, and she became very beautiful. When Absalom had spent 2 years back in Jerusalem he sent for Joab to try and change the situation, but Joab ignored him until he set alight his barley field which soon had him running! Absalom said he would be better living back in Geshur if he wasn’t going to see his father, so upon hearing this David finally summoned his son Absalom and the king kissed him.