Categoria: News

The Bible study is ready for tonight and my sermon for Saturday in João Pessoa is also prepared. Liz and I will be travelling to the coast on the Saturday and coming back on Sunday in time for the evening service in Patos. I will lead the service here but Pastor Angelo from our Soledade service will preach.


Liz is at the supermarket buying the week’s groceries for the first time since her accident. She was driven there as she can’t drive yet, but is able to get around fine and do the shopping at a steady pace.


Sacha is on a Cambridge English language course for teachers in São Paulo and has suffered a lot with the cold there. Deborah is at Fortaleza at a teacher’s conference. Philip & family are on holiday this week in Natal.

We are putting in a cattle grid at the entrance to Green Pastures which should be finished next week. This is because when we have camps and events on, there is a lot off tooing and froing, and the tendency is for the gate to be left open. This is dangerous for our nature reserve should cows, goats, donkeys etc. get in, so we are taking the bull by the horns so to speak. The gate will just be shut at night.

Just off to the Bible study which will be on ministries in and with the body of Christ. I have half prepared my Sunday sermon too on Psalm 19. I have to prepare to preach at Picotes too on Saturday. Help! Value your prayers.

How beautiful to receive this video from a deaf couple, Adalberto &
Jussara, who are members of our Patos church. They bought a food hamper
and gave it to a family they found in need! Action speaks louder than
signs!

Last night we had an excellent meeting with the singles/divorced/one-parent family fellowship. I am now preparing for tonight’s Bible study on ministry in and with the whole body of Christ.

Just winding down for the night with the Patos Youth Leadership team’s meeting with Liz and I having just ended. It was very good. Philip leads the team with with two assistant leaders Brenda and Rayla. They are doing a great job especially with the younger youth. We discussed one or two problems which have arisen with some rebellious older ones. May the Lord give us wisdom on how to handle this.


It was lovely to see how people reacted worldwide to the tribute we did to Liz’s Dad over the weekend with Saturday having been the centenary of his birth. About 3,500 people responded to the tribute one way or another mostly via facebook.

On Saturday Liz and I went and preached up in the mountains at Juru. It was a great service. It was the 32nd anniversary and we’ve been involved, of course, since the start – so it’s great to see the work growing and going so well. PTL!


On Sunday back in Patos was the communion service and I preached again. The church was packed out. The sermon went very well finishing off Acts 19 still in Paul’s 3rd missionary journey.


Tuesday I went to Green Pastures and sorted a few things out there. I have started getting the hang of filming with my camera and not just doing still shots. It is going to take a bit of mastering but you might like to see some of my efforts that day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28078567336 (shows birds in the Cashew Nut Tree), https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/27516085753 (a bird down by the stream), and https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28030775722 (a tiny woodpecker working away right by my side).


Yesterday I produced and dispatched the latest EAB Nutshell Update amongst other things. Today I have been up to Teixeira in the mountains for an important meeting concerning the Jabre Peak battle to save the environment there. A new snake has just been found there which I can’t give details on till it’s all duly registered etc. This is utterly fantastic. A never previously known poisonous species of snake. Now I must rush aas I have to take the Bible study at church.

I function as the Patos Bible College Counsellor these days and the leaders asked for a meeting with me this afternoon. It went very well. PTL! We had a wide-ranging discussion and I gave a list of suggestions to them for the way forward. The College completes its 20th year this year. Please remember it in prayer.


The Bible study last night went great. It really was excellent. PTL! Really encouraging.


Please pray for Liz and I as we travel up the mountain to preach at Juru tomorrow and back in Patos on the Sunday.


Liz is now allowed to walk very slowly without crutches indoors, but must use them when she goes to church etc. The physiotherapist says Liz needs to walk like she’s recently had surgery very carefully. Liz gets very tired with all this but is doing very well indeed. PTL!


Well done again to Wales in the European Cup. Great team spirit and excellent football!

The Bible study tonight will be on how to get “unhooked from mobile phones” and other modern day addictions! If you have doubt about this being in the Bible please pop down to Brazil and join our Bible study this evening! This matter arose because I encourage church people to ask questions for the Bible study nights so that I can scratch where they’re itching. 


Liz is in physiotherapy at the moment and doing well. She went to the Projects and Care Centre this morning and had an excellent meeting with our team. Please pray for the team as the danger they are in with our “battered women” project is quite spine chilling!

I watched the referendum results on TV last night and was still watching when the BBC finally declared the result at 12:40am our time (04.40am UK time). The decision has been taken and only time will tell what this will bring and cause. We watch and pray.


Today our church youth have spent the entire day at Green Pastures as part of our programme to get them away fom all the mess in Patos. They have had a great day. PTL!


I have prepared my sermon for tomorrow’s youth night in the Patos church and am now working on my Sunday sermon.


Liz is getting increasingly more agile on her crutches. It is so good seeing her able to get around easier and freer.

Liz yesterday packed away her wheelchair and is now on crutches for everything. PTL! Her wheelchair will eventually be given to someone poor who needs it. Yesterday was a major step forward. She still has a lot of pain in her shoulders, which basically has been caused by pushing herself round in a wheelchair, but praise God she is slowly but surely getting back to normal. Thanks for your prayers.


I am busy preparing to speak to the special youth meeting this Saturday on “Christians & Culture”. It will be a big very special meeting with choreography, drama, a regional music band from our Conceição church and me speaking. Philip will be leading. You will be able to watch the service live on the church’s Facebook page or see it recorded the following day. It will be very different to the normal Sunday services so I think many will find it interesting.


We are conscious of the referendum in the UK and concerned about the result. I have deliberately not got involved here in this blog or anywhere else on the matter. Someone even asked me to use my blog in a certain direction which I refused. I have my opinion but refuse to get involved as EAB must go on after the referendum whatever its result. We pray.

I’ve just got home from a wonderfully blessed Sunday celebration where the ministry of the Word was abundantly blessed and appreciated. The live broadcast via the church’s facebook page was a great success with people far and wide following. There were around a thousand with us at some point or other. PTL!

As from this Sunday the evening’s service at 22:30 (UK time), 21:30 (New York time)
and 18:30 (Brasília time) will be transmitted live from the church’s own Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/A%C3%A7%C3%A3o-Evang%C3%A9lica-Patos-PB-773650192729931/. Please watch if you can, and like or comment, so that we can
know you are watching. May God bless you and spread the word!

Well done to Wales for civilized supporters and winning their first match in the European Football Championship. For England it was business as usual! Supporters on the rampage boozing like mad, and after winning all the qualifying matches only managed to draw their opening match.


Brazil were knocked out of the South America ‘Copa America’ football tournament last night having lost 1 x 0 to Peru. It’s true that the goal was knocked in by another “hand of god” thing so clear that it was unbeleivable, but nevertheless the Brazilian team was pathetic and I fear to think how many they would have lost by had they been playing QPR!

The results of Liz’s fracture X-rays have been confirmed by the specialist as excellent. PTL! There is no sign of the fracture anymore! In fact the doctor got a bit confused as to which side of the pelvis had been fractured as of course both sides are now back to being the same!


This means that Liz has bought a pair of crutches for the slowly does it return to walking. It will be a sort of mix of bed, wheelchair and crutches from now on. The crutches have to be used with all the weight on the right leg at first, just sort of dragging the left one. Then after a few days 10% weight on the left foot and slowly increasing over the coming month. Liz will have to re-learn to walk.


Liz starts her first session of physiotherapy too tomorrow morning. She is obviously going to have lots of sessions to rebuild muscles etc. She also needs work done on her shoulders also painful from the accident.


So we are very grateful to God for the progress. The specialist was really pleased with the bone mending progress. Liz has really stuck to the rules and God has helped her too. Thank you for praying and please don’t stop.

Liz had 3 X-rays done on her left pelvis/hip yesterday, from different angles, and the result is apparently very positive. We must await the specialist’s analysis later today to know the precise verdict and where we go from here. I would imagine that physiotherapy will now start but we shall see what the doctor says. Watch this space and thanks for your prayers.


Sunday’s communion service was very good. Despite being very tired, as he only got back from the USA on Friday night, Philip led the service and I led the Communion and preached. It was a good team effort. You can see the service, which was broadcast live via Internet, at https://www.facebook.com/benlevermore/videos/1896355707258011/


Tomorrow at Green Pastures we have a whole bunch of university teachers and students doing a field lesson throughout the day.


I have been invited to speak at a graduation event involving catholics and protestants with me being the protestant! I am not sure what to do. It is too complicated a story to explain here. Please pray for me to take the right decision.

Yesterday’s rain at Green Pastures of 42 mm (1.75 inches) was a very pleasant surprise for which we are grateful to God and thank you for your prayers. Normally in June we can get the odd light shower but this amount is most unusual. This takes us up to a total this rainy season of 652 mm. The rain yesterday will really help the 6,000 tree seedlings we planted this year and which were already doing much better than those planted last year. Now this good rain will surely help most of them survive the routine drought in the second half of 2016.


We have fish in our lake again which were given to us by a neighbour so that is nice and is attracting lots of aquatic birds.


I finished my sermon preparation late last night for this Sunday’s Communion service. I will preach on “The Way – establishing the church in Ephesus”. (Acts 19:8-12) I finally got to terms with verses 11-12 which took me hours!


Tonight is the big annual united church outreach in Patos called “Jesus is so Good”! Our church is always well involved of course, which is good. Please pray.

Every Sunday we are transmitting our main evening service on Facebook at www.facebook.com/benlevermore.
The service starts at 17:30 (New York time) or 22:30 (London time). The
transmissions have improved in quality so do join us for a while at
least, and get a feel of our EAB/ACEV Patos headquarters church.

Philip is safely in his hotel in North Carolina, USA on business. He’ll be back on Friday (DV). Please remember him in your prayers. He’s taken my mobile phone as he needed it to demonstrate something or other to a client so I’m without mobile phone connections this week. That’s what Dads are for!

The service this Sunday night was really blessed in Patos. A full church as always, including the overflow hall, and great P&W + the sermon went well too. A technical hitch with the computer partially messed up the digital projector, but that was overcome. Of course all was extra special with Liz back in church. That was wonderful. She’s naturally a bit tired today but slowly does it and she will rebuild her energy.


I went for a long walk at Green Pastures this morning. I try to get in 3 walks a week. Now the rains have passed (we may get an odd shower but that’s it) the tracks have been worked on and trimmed so I was checking them and clicking my camera from time to time as usual. Nature is relaxing and inspiring.


I had a meeting with the Patos Congregational Church pastor this afternoon. I think he just wanted to let off steam about things with me. We’ve known each other for years.

I am very happy because Liz is getting ready to go to church! PTL! We’ll leave 15 minutes earlier than usual to allow time for manoeuevres with the wheelchair. Watch this space!

I completed my sermon preparation for this Sunday by lunchtime today. 


I also have worked on some reorganization issues of the work here following the Field Conference and finalized the lining up of new leaders for the Ibiara church to take over on June 11th. Please pray.


Philip flies to the USA tomorrow but should be back on Friday night.


Our eldest daughter was mugged yesterday evening. Please pray for her as it does shake you up. Stole her mobile phone. Violence fuelled by drugs is staggeringly on the increase here in the interior.


Concern increases with the very low water levels in the reservoirs. The average of the five reservoirs which Patos depends on are under 20% capacity levels with the rainy season now over. Rain unlikely till 2017 now. The main reservoir from where our pipeline comes is down to 8.5% capacity.

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.