Categoria: News

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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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. 

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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!

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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.

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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!

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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/

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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.

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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!

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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

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Liz and I received the visit of 2 university professors from Recife this weekend at Green Pastures. Both are biologists (PhD & MSc). We knew Ana Carolina years ago prior to her going to Durham University for her master’s degree. Her husband we knew less previously. He is an ornithologist. They brought their 10-year old daughter with them so we took granddaughter Alice and Bia to play with her. It was a lovely weekend and I learnt so much from a professional ornithologist. They loved Green Pastures.


We were back in church for Sunday in Patos and the Communion service was greatly blessed. The sermon went well and at the end three people made commitments to Christ and another three re-dedicated their lives to the Lord. The church is so full these days always. It’s lovely.


Today I have worked on a number of ACEV administrative issues and also have sent out the proposed itinerary for our trip to the UK which I will post separately. Ben & Miriam Price have been in today from Ibiara so it was nice to see them again.


I need to prepare for a wedding on Saturday which I am conducting at a place between Campina Grande and João Pessoa. It is Josinete’s eldest son who is getting married. I also need to prepare the Bible study for Thursday and my sermon for Sunday as it’s a busy week again for sure. We value your prayers always.

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Last night’s mid-week service was again blessed of God wonderfully. There were about 50 present which is not bad for mid-week in this day and age! The Bible study went well as did the prayer and praise. PTL!


Today we are to receive the illustrious visit at the Green Pastures Nature Reserve of two renouned biologists from Recife, one of whom did their master’s degree at Durham University. We are really looking forward to the arrival of these experts who will doubtlessly make an important input into our work. It really is wonderful how God is bringing us so many expert professors to help our developing project.


I have prepared my sermon for this Sunday’s communion service and value your prayers also. Please pray too for the EAB Action Schools and Bible Colleges now back into full swing in a new academic year.

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Yesterday was an exhausting but good day taking 574 tree seedlings to Green Pastures from the nursery in Patos. My lumbago has pretty well disappeared in the process.


I have prepared my sermon for the communion service in Patos on Sunday and I have prepared the Bible study for tonight.


Liz is still not right after all her allergy problems and she went back to the doctor’s today who is going to do some further tests.


I have just posted a video clip of two raccoons having a punch up! I have seen so many videos of them coming to the watering holes at night at Green Pastures that I have lost count of the quantity and usually they come peacefully in pairs and leave equally peacefully. I don’t know if this video shows a dispute between two males or if husband and wife fell out?! The first bash would have floored Mike Tyson! https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/16628795326/

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My lumbago was quite painful yesterday but is easing off today.


I went to Green Pastures this morning to see how the university professor was getting on organizing the tree seedlings plantation and everything was looking good. I was very happy to see a White Woodpecker for the first time there or anywhere. Loads of foxes and Raccoons too.


I have just got in from a meeting with a Tearfund person from the UK – Richard Lister. Now I am off to a Bible College meeting.

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Yesterday was a good day with more rain in the afternoon and in the evening. In Patos it rained 14mm and probably a similar amount at Green Pastures – although we don’t have the exact amount yet from Tarcísio. So we are getting some rain, but we need a lot more big-time rain to really get things moving here. We are getting lots of tree seedlings into place ready for planting once we get enough rain.


The church service in Patos last night was great. I dedicated two babies, received 4 new members into fellowship (3 were baptized at the Camp), preached on Christian service and Philip presented a report to the church on the Camp. The rain fell quite heavily towards the end of the service so that meant people stayed for a sort of after-service with praise, snacks and fellowship. PTL!

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We have had steady rainfall for the last couple of hours and it is continuing. I hope and pray it will rain through the night. Green Pastures reports that it’s raining there too, so PTL!


Please pray for grandson Lucas who has been in and out of hospital today with allergic respiratory difficulties. 


I have more or less finished the preparation of my sermon for tomorrow night in Patos. The topic is Christian service. I will also be dedicating a baby and receiving new members into fellowship.


QPR lost 2 x 1 to Hull today having been reduced to 10 men early in the match with Joey Barton getting a red card once again! They almost hung on for a draw… almost! Despite the result, which I had predicted as a Rangers’ win, I think I actually have increased my lead in the QPR prediction league! We shall see.

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I went out to Green Pastures this morning to check on everything after the Camp. All was already cleared up and cleaned by the team, not that our people make a lot of mess but there are always things to do. I picked up the memory card from the Infra-red automatic camera and was thrilled to find another first had been filmed: 4 foxes together drinking at a watering hole at 3.42am on the last night of camp when everyone was sleeping. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/16592289782/


By the way I forgot to say previously that we now have a Marmoset Monkey resident at Green Pastures. The environment people asked if we had a big aviary type cage to take one in as it has been badly treat in captivity somewhere and they wanted us to sort of slowly reintroduce it to the wild. Well it stayed in the aviary about a month after which it managed to find a hole big enough to escape through. However it never has left and moves around the trees and buildings and was the star attraction for the kids – very happy to be fed from people’s hands.


Last night’s after camp service in Patos was great. So many good testimonies. It was very encouraging. A real blessing! PTL!

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Edition 84 of the EAB “InTouch” magazine has now been printed and is in the process of being put in the post to all EAB supporters on the mailing list. If you are not on the list and would like a free copy then please send me your address or send it to the EAB UK office.

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We are now back in Patos after an excellent Camp with just one or two hitches – but overall a very positive and blessed Camp. Philip led the whole event for the second successive year and did very well indeed. Liz coordinated the logistics despite ill health and I preached twice and was in a general support role. We had 210 residents at the Camp and another 60 came into to the camp on a daily basis giving us a total of about 270. This is lower then previous years and I would put this mainly down to the financial crisis in Brazil which is now hitting this country hard, years after Europe and the USA had it tough. Thanks to some people’s kind donations via EAB we were able to allow some to come to the camp who wouldn’t have been able to come otherwise. The number we had was a nice comfortable number to cope with.


The services were really good, the messages on radical discipleship were excellent and the whole spirit of the Camp was lovely. Unfortunately Liz’s health was not good but she battled on despite it. Her allergy problems have not improved, affecting her throat and chest. She has been further medicated by the doctor since getting back to Patos and will being seeing the doctor again in the morning. Please pray.


We had the joy of baptizing 3 from Patos and 1 from Princesa Isabel at the Camp. It was a very blessed and victorious moment.

During the camp we had problems with poachers/hunters twice. Deborah and I caught them on the Saturday and Tarcísio caught them on the Sunday. What a pain!

On the final afternoon of the Camp I was preparing to preach at night in my room when I suddenly received a young man verbally abusing me quite awfully because his mobile phone had gone missing.  He was so agressive. It was terrible. He turned out to be a new person from our Itaporanga church who says he’s a Christian. He certainly didn’t give me the impression that he was. The episode and ensuing enquiries ruined the final service for me and I don’t know how I managed to preach. I felt it was very hard to preach and didn’t go well. The mobile phone has not been found so the mystery continues.


Despite this bad taste in people’s mouths one felt that the Lord blessed many people in the Camp and we thank all those who supported it and prayed for it. There is much more to praise about than the opposite. PTL!


I have just received the news that Phyllis Hurst, who was at the docks to see off the Mundys in 1938 at the launch of EAB, has today gone to be with the Lord. We praise the Lord for her faithful life of service to God to the end.

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This is the day that the big annual Carnival Camp kicks off through Wednesday. We value your prayers.


The difficulties of these days have been quite amazing (as referred to in a special prayer request email) with spiritist attacks of the black magic type, Liz really unwell (now on the mend), our grandson held up at gunpoint and now last night two known ex-convict thieves and drug dealers around our house a lot. These are days of extreme pressure. They even dumped stolen goods in our front garden and we called the police and had it taken away! We need your prayers please.

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It is absolutely non-stop here in preparation for this year’s Carnival Camp which runs Saturday through Wednesday. All the bedrooms, dormitories, kitchens, meeting hall etc. have been cleaned, re-painted where necessary and repaired. We needed some new locks, two new benches (sort of park benches) as the old ones were destroyed by termites, some new loo flushes and seats (many plastic things desintegrate with the heat), many new lamps. The electician will still be returning on Friday as another problem has arisen.


On the water pump side of things a tree frog got in one of the switches and short-circuited it. That has been replaced and the fountain pump has been fixed too. The Nature Reserve area has had its fencing altered and finalized and signs put on the gates. The trail right round the reserve has had bushes and branches trimmed back for people’s walks.


I have finished my sermon preparation for the Camp and will be having a meeting later with Philip to discuss the question and answer times in each service in the mornings. Philip is the Camp leader like last year. I am glad to report that my throat is much easier, but still not 100%. Please pray. The other pastors who will be speaking at the Camp are all ready to roll. We are looking to God for another greatly blessed Camp. 


Please pray for the rain situation at Green Pastures as we badly need lots of rain soon. 


QPR managed to win at Sunderland on Tuesday so are now just to say out of the relegation zone on goal difference. Let’s hope they can keep in winning ways.

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I value your prayers as I prepare my sermon for the last night of the Carnival Camp which starts this Saturday. I don’t feel so well today having had a bad throat for a few days now. 


The team is all working like the clappers ready for the Camp. The easy way to remember when Carnival is each year is working backwards from Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the last day of the Camp and this immediately follows Pancake Tuesday (which I never have forgotten since my childhood with my Mum tossing the pancakes in the air). The Camp starts on the Saturday prior to Pancake Tuesday and Ash Wednesday! It couldn’t be easier!


Ash Wednesday here is when the catholics go to mass to get their sins forgiven which they committed during carnival and the priest gives them a big charcoal cross sign on their foreheads to prove they are OK.

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Tomorrow QPR travel to Sunderland and I have predicted a draw of 1 x 1 at half-time and 2 x 2 at full-time with Rangers’ goals to be scored by Zarete and Zamora. Clearly we need a win, but a draw would be a miracle as we haven’t got a point away from home all season. With the defeat against Southampton with their “last ghasp” (their words on their site) on Saturday QPR look increasingly destined to relegation. Their next games against Sunderland and Hull are must-winners, but it’s difficult to believe they will win either of them. They can’t even get themselves a new manager! Oh boy!

I continue at the top of QPR’s prediction league by the way: http://qprtillidie-predictionleague.webnode.com/table/


I am working hard today on administrative matters linked to EAB. I know EAB’s treasurer will be pleased when I send her the paper trails I am working on… but it is a lot of monotonous work!


I have received the new signs to be put on the Green Pastures Nature Reserve gates in time for the Carnival Camp of the weekend. I’ll post a photo when they’re in place.


Liz’s Uncle Stephen (Dyer) died today, aged 91. Our prayers and condolences are with the family.

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I was off to Green Pastures at 6.30am with a university professor and a university student. We had a long brisk walk all round the nature reserve as the professor plans how and where to plant what trees as soon as we have enough rain. I got stung by a type of wasp whilst there but these things affect me little as I don’t have allergy problems. Just hurt quite a bit for an hour or so.


My throat is a lot better today. 


There is frenzied activity preparing for the Carnival Camp which starts on Saturday. At Green Pastures we had an electician and a gardener working on top of the usual people when I was there. Lots to be done but we are getting there. Please pray.

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The service was lovely tonight with a full church as usual, really blessed worship and the sermon went very well. I applied the principles of how the Father received the Prodigal Son to how the church must receive people from a wide variety of situations. 


The Green Pastures church is rejoicing with the conversion of two couples plus another man making a total of 5 this weekend. PTL!


Now it’s all stations go for the Carnival Camp which starts on Saturday. Please pray. 


My throat is pretty sore, but I managed to preach alright despite this.

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A thirsty Brown Racer Snake (philodryas nattereri) was filmed drinking at one of our watering holes this week at Green Pastures. The date on the film is incorrect. I find the 30 second film fascinating as I had never seen a snake drink like this before. This snake is fast moving and eats frog, lizards, bats and small birds. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/15840316244/


Liz went to Green Pastures last night with Josinete and only got home at nearly midnight. They took out supplies for the Carnival Camp which starts a week today.

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