Categoria: News

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


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

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


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

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


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

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


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


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

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


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

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


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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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


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


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


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


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

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


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


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

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


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


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


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

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


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


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

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


I have dispatched the EAB Diary Update today.


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


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

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


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


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

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


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

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


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


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


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

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


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


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


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

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


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


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

I want to thank everyone for their prayers and say that I am improving in health. My secondary infection is much better and I am now resting as much as possible recovering from the Zica virus. I have
done a further blood test today to monitor progress, will be seen by my
doctor later, and continue to value prayers. I certainly feel I have turned the corner and it is a matter of slowly building up strength again whilst resting as much as possible.


Liz tells me that the service in Patos last night went very well and the Lord really blessed. Philip does a great job leading in my absence. Please pray for him too.

Blood tests today confirm that I have the Zica Virus and secondarily infected legs. Please pray for my speedy recovery and for Philip as he leads the Patos church in the meantime.

My virus drags on and I will be having blood tests done in the morning. Please pray. I feel lifeless and far from right.


The rain crisis also drags on. We just get the odd shower from time to time which is useless for filling reservoirs. Some towns are without water completely (Itaporanga, Princesa Isabel etc.) causing great hardship and the men are moving away to find work in the south. We desperately need big prolongued heavy rains this month and next. Please pray.


Politically and economically Brazil is in a very bad state too. The country is very tense. Please pray.

I value your prayers as I have had a nasty virus since Thursday afternoon. There is an abolute epidemic of virus in our part of the world at the moment with Dengue, Zica etc. 


Philip will be leading the service in Patos tonight.

Please read this superb report on the EAB/ACEV Planting Project. A very good read full of important imformation: http://tilz.tearfund.org/en/resources/publications/footsteps/footsteps_91-100/footsteps_99/planting_for_the_future_in_brazil/

EAB’s latest magazine – InTouch, edition 85, dated March 2016, will be posted to everyone on our mailing list this week. It is already available online on the EAB website at http://www.eabrazil.com/wp-content/uploads/intouch85-web.pdf

Everything is green with the measure of rain we’ve had this year, but the reservoirs are in an increasingly desperate situation. In the State of Paraíba there are 124 public reservoirs of which 23 are bone dry, 57 have less than 5% of their capacity still with water and 36 have less than 20%. If we don’t get an abundance of rain in March and April then we will be in unbelievable trouble. Please pray!

I travelled down to São Paulo on Tuesday for a meeting ot the Brazilian Evangelical Alliance. A 6-hour drive to the airport followed by a 3-hour flight to Campinas, São Paulo. Two days later it was the same again the other way round.


The meetings were very good however and I felt the trip was well worthwhile. It is important for us to be part of and support endeavours to unite the genuine Biblical orthodox evangelical church in Brazil, work together to influence with Christian ethics the government, and have a united voice in the name of all of us who make up the Evangelical Alliance.


Sacha led the Bible study on Thursday night in Patos and Pastor Sílvio from our Portelo church came and gave an excellent Bible study. Pastor Angelo will be coming tomorrow from Soledade to preach in Patos and I will lead the service.


We had half an inch of rain at Green Pastures whilst I was in São Paulo – so the rains continue to follow the pattern of dribs and drabs and so we hope and pray for a couple of really big rains to fill up lakes and reservoirs.

The new EAB InTouch magazine – edition 85 – is ready for the printers thanks to the work of Marian Rashleigh (EAB Board), Dave Flowers (our design man) and me putting in some overtime in overdrive! It will be great to get a new edition out and as soon as possible I will put the online version on the EAB website. Everyone should get their hard copies in the post early in March.


With the new system us ‘3 musketeers’ have worked out I think we can now go back to thinking of two editions a year as in the old days. PTL! Whilst we are hot with our online news via this blog, email nutshell & dairy updates, website and facebook it still is important to have a paper magazine once in a while to back communications up which covers non-internet people, as do the monthly postal updates.

Last Thursday’s Bible study went well with Sacha leading the P&W. Last night’s Sunday service went great too with a packed church and Sacha also leading the P&W. She’ll be leading the whole service this Thursday as I will be going to São Paulo tomorrow and only getting back on Thursday night. Pastor Sílvio from our Portelo church will be coming to give the Bible study.


I leave at 10am tomorrow for Recife airport which is a 6 hour drive. I could have got a flight to the Campinas, São Paulo airport from João Pessoa which would only have taken me 4 hours to get to by road, but the flight was 50% more expensive which is ridiculous. My 3 hour flight is due to arrive about 9pm and from the airport I will head for my usual Ibis hotel to sleep. Early on Wednesday I will head to the venue where there will be a gathering of the Brazilian Evangelical Alliance with denominational leaders from the 4 corners of the country. The meetings will go on right through the day. I am looking forward to representing EAB/ACEV at the event to which I was very warmly invited and to meet some pastors I haven’t seen in decades. I should be back in Patos on Thursday night.


Philip is steadily recovering from his appendicitis operation last Wednesday. They removed his appendix in the nick of time as it burst immediately it was removed. These details we get to know in Brazil! Also the fact that the surgeon and team are all Philip’s friends helps!


I am doing a lot of work in preparation for the annual EAB/ACEV Field Conference in May. This is the most important meeting of the year for all our leaders so please pray for all the work that goes in to the build up to it. We will have an ACEV Board meeting in April a month ahead of the Conference. At the Conference the new Board will be elected for the coming 4 years from 2016-2020. Time flies!

Philip is about to be operated on for acute appendicitis. He became ill during the night. We value your prayers.

Thursday night’s service was good with many testimonies from people blessed at the Camp. This was very encouraging.


Yesterday we received the visit of Pastor Wostenes and his wife Gleydice in Patos. Wostenes is the vice-chairman of ACEV and the couple have meetings with Liz and I from time to time to discuss details concerning the work. It was a very good day with lots of short and medium term decisions taken. We had a working lunch in the middle at a restaurant which was hopeless, but we survived! As they went to return to Campina Grande their car would not start so they took ours whilst we get theirs fixed hopefully tomorrow. It’s probably the fuel pump which has broken.


I have managed to prepare my sermon for tonight amidst everything else and am ready to roll. I will also be dedicating a baby tonight.

I have just got back to Patos after a great 4th day of Camp yesterday – the best day of them all this time round. Pastor Max of the Independent Presbyterian Church preached on prayer in the morning and it was for me the sermon of the Camp! Superb! I preached at night on evangelism and we ended up round the Lord’s Table together about 9.30pm last night. 


The kids insisted that they had a little bomfire after the final service as we always used to. We let them have a mini-bonfire led by grandson Lucas! It was very touching to see the kids give their testimonies round the bomfire.


This Camp has not been entirely easy because of one or two internal problems within in the team. It caused Liz and I a lot of stress and heartache but we managed to keep this secret from nearly all at the Camp so as not to hinder God’s blessings on people’s lives. Gratefully many came to us telling them how their lives had been touched during the event so PTL!


We are now very tired and have photos to sort out and lots of emails to answer. I managed to post something here on the blog during the Camp and on facebook. Unfortunately I still haven’t managed to get an Internet signal working at Green Pastures but I am slowly eliminating possible options and hope I will soon have this fixed. To be able to post during the Camp I had to drive back to the outskirts of Patos to get a signal. Now I will, however, work on the Camp photos taken on my Nikon camera and put together an album or albums with better and more photos. All the photos posted on facebook thus far were taken on my mobile phone.


Thanks very much to those who prayed for this Camp. We sure needed it. It was a spiritual battle from well before it started and became increasingly so whilst there. However we feel God gave the victory and touched many lives powerfully. Liz and I just have a few “gunshot” wounds to take care of as a result of the battles!