Autor: eabrazil

Yesterday we took Amy to the Diamante (Diamond), Barra de Oitis and Vazante churches and projects. The initial nearly 2-hour journey west was on asphalt, but from then on the roads were bumpy earth roads. We showed Amy many toilet/shower units built for the poor and some market garden projects which are doing very well despite the drought. We had lunch at Pastor Nezinho Abílio’s house where I ate a lovely tilapia fish. At night I preached at the Diamante church and Amy brought a word of greeting interpreted by Liz. We got home a little before midnight after a lovely day.

The 10-day Outreach starts today at Soledade. Please pray. Amy has gone together with our granddaughters Alice and Bia who both speak English. 

Amy has been on a tour of Patos visiting our friend Dona Florzinha in the borough of Placas, followed by visits to the the boroughs of Sete Casas and Serrote Liso where we always distribute food hampers. She then visited the meat market where she found the cow intestines interesting, before going into the central market where she met Jesiel who used to be in Philip’s band called ‘Lift Off’. Liz then took Amy to visit the Roman Catholic shrine called ‘Cruz da Menina’.

After lunch we went to the Pastor Frank Dyer School followed by a visit to Green Pastures. I showed Amy the meeting hall, kitchen, EAB/ACEV museum, bedrooms, dormitories, swimming pool etc. and took her on a short walk along a dry and barren nature trail where we saw lots of Armadillo burrows. On our visit we saw a pair of Pearl Kites, a pair of Caatinga Cacholotes and a Roadside Hawk. We also heard Campo Troupials and Rufous-bellied Thrushes.

The Life-Squad (Pastor Rafael, Roberto Tiburtino and Iara) evangelized the Men’s prison again yesterday and 3 men made commitments to Christ.

Amy has been on a tour of Patos visiting our friend Dona Florzinha in the borough of Placas, followed by visits to the the boroughs of Sete Casas and Serrote Liso where we always distribute food hampers. She then visited the meat market where she found the cow intestines interesting, before going into the central market where she met Jesiel who used to be in Philip’s band called ‘Lift Off’. Liz then took Amy to visit the Roman Catholic shrine called ‘Cruz da Menina’.

After lunch we went to the Pastor Frank Dyer School followed by a visit to Green Pastures. I showed Amy the meeting hall, kitchen, EAB/ACEV museum, bedrooms, dormitories, swimming pool etc. and took her on a short walk along a dry and barren nature trail where we saw lots of Armadillo burrows. On our visit we saw a pair of Pearl Kites, a pair of Caatinga Cacholotes and a Roadside Hawk. We also heard Campo Troupials and Rufous-bellied Thrushes.

The Life-Squad (Pastor Rafael, Roberto Tiburtino and Iara) evangelized the Men’s prison again yesterday and 3 men made commitments to Christ.

Amy has been on a tour of Patos visiting our friend Dona Florzinha in the borough of Placas, followed by visits to the the boroughs of Sete Casas and Serrote Liso where we always distribute food hampers. She then visited the meat market where she found the cow intestines interesting, before going into the central market where she met Jesiel who used to be in Philip’s band called ‘Lift Off’. Liz then took Amy to visit the Roman Catholic shrine called ‘Cruz da Menina’.

After lunch we went to the Pastor Frank Dyer School followed by a visit to Green Pastures. I showed Amy the meeting hall, kitchen, EAB/ACEV museum, bedrooms, dormitories, swimming pool etc. and took her on a short walk along a dry and barren nature trail where we saw lots of Armadillo burrows. On our visit we saw a pair of Pearl Kites, a pair of Caatinga Cacholotes and a Roadside Hawk. We also heard Campo Troupials and Rufous-bellied Thrushes.

The Life-Squad (Pastor Rafael, Roberto Tiburtino and Iara) evangelized the Men’s prison again yesterday and 3 men made commitments to Christ.

Liz travelled to Recife airport yesterday, with Netinho from the Patos church, in order to meet Amy Gough from Southampton who is a theology degree student at St Mellitus College and who is coming to experience our 10-day evangelistic outreach, with a team of 130 mainly young people, which will be held this year at Soledade. There are a number on the outreach who speak English, including our granddaughters Alice and Bia, so communication will be no problem. We will also be taking her before and after the outreach to visit some of our churches and projects further in the interior.

Amy’s flight arrived about 30 minutes late and she came through customs at Recife airport about three quarters of an hour before midnight, so they slept the night at the Ibis Airport hotel from where they will be driving to Patos today. Welcome to EAB/ACEV and Brazil Amy! May God richly bless you with us!

Great Kiskadees, Smooth-billed Anis and Variable Orioles have been around our house in Patos. Birds not normally found in towns seem to be coming in in search of food and water. The drought here is catastrophic. 

I finished writing this year’s Easter play yesterday which our drama group will perform on April 4th which will be Easter Sunday. The play is called “Two Days to Easter” (Matthew 26:2). Having finished I have already got ideas for the Easter play 2027!

Liz travelled to Recife airport yesterday, with Netinho from the Patos church, in order to meet Amy Gough from Southampton who is a theology degree student at St Mellitus College and who is coming to experience our 10-day evangelistic outreach, with a team of 130 mainly young people, which will be held this year at Soledade. There are a number on the outreach who speak English, including our granddaughters Alice and Bia, so communication will be no problem. We will also be taking her before and after the outreach to visit some of our churches and projects further in the interior.

Amy’s flight arrived about 30 minutes late and she came through customs at Recife airport about three quarters of an hour before midnight, so they slept the night at the Ibis Airport hotel from where they will be driving to Patos today. Welcome to EAB/ACEV and Brazil Amy! May God richly bless you with us!

Great Kiskadees, Smooth-billed Anis and Variable Orioles have been around our house in Patos. Birds not normally found in towns seem to be coming in in search of food and water. The drought here is catastrophic. 

I finished writing this year’s Easter play yesterday which our drama group will perform on April 4th which will be Easter Sunday. The play is called “Two Days to Easter” (Matthew 26:2). Having finished I have already got ideas for the Easter play 2027!

Ipueira is a small town of just over 2,000 population in the state north of us called Rio Grande do Norte. We have been working there for God for 13 years led by deacon Dedé and the ‘Christians in Action’ team from Patos. We have now managed to purchase a piece of land for the building of a small church there. Please pray for this venture of faith.

QPR beat bottom of the Championship Sheffield Wednesday (with minus 7 points!) yesterday 3 x 0 at home. 😀

Last night I led the communion service in Patos and Pastor Rafael preached on being in the world but not of the world from John 17:14-19. It was a good service. It was good to see 7 deaf people in church with another 10 or so missing. This ministry to the deaf is doing a great work. 

Yesterday Pastor Jair, who leads our second church in Princesa Isabel in the da Baixa borough, baptized 5 new converts. PTL!

Ipueira is a small town of just over 2,000 population in the state north of us called Rio Grande do Norte. We have been working there for God for 13 years led by deacon Dedé and the ‘Christians in Action’ team from Patos. We have now managed to purchase a piece of land for the building of a small church there. Please pray for this venture of faith.

QPR beat bottom of the Championship Sheffield Wednesday (with minus 7 points!) yesterday 3 x 0 at home. 😀

Last night I led the communion service in Patos and Pastor Rafael preached on being in the world but not of the world from John 17:14-19. It was a good service. It was good to see 7 deaf people in church with another 10 or so missing. This ministry to the deaf is doing a great work. 

Yesterday Pastor Jair, who leads our second church in Princesa Isabel in the da Baixa borough, baptized 5 new converts. PTL!

Last night I drove out to the Green Pastures where I led the monthly communion service and preached. I preached on the ‘Testimonies about Jesus’ from John 5:31-47 and then about our testimonies for Jesus. It was a lovely service with over 30 local folk present. The service was really participative and blessed. Fabrícia and Fernanda did an excellent work with the children whilst the sermon was in progress.

Last night I drove out to the Green Pastures where I led the monthly communion service and preached. I preached on the ‘Testimonies about Jesus’ from John 5:31-47 and then about our testimonies for Jesus. It was a lovely service with over 30 local folk present. The service was really participative and blessed. Fabrícia and Fernanda did an excellent work with the children whilst the sermon was in progress.

Last night I drove out to the Green Pastures where I led the monthly communion service and preached. I preached on the ‘Testimonies about Jesus’ from John 5:31-47 and then about our testimonies for Jesus. It was a lovely service with over 30 local folk present. The service was really participative and blessed. Fabrícia and Fernanda did an excellent work with the children whilst the sermon was in progress.

I went out to Green Pastures yesterday and will be going there again today to take the weekly service of the church there. Yesterday I saw White-naped Jays, Red-cowled Cardinals and White-throated Seedeaters. Francisco reported having seen another wild Margay Cat and a 6-banded Armadillo. But everything is so barren there with the awful drought.

The youth have gone to Green Pastures today for a day outing. 

I went out to Green Pastures yesterday and will be going there again today to take the weekly service of the church there. Yesterday I saw White-naped Jays, Red-cowled Cardinals and White-throated Seedeaters. Francisco reported having seen another wild Margay Cat and a 6-banded Armadillo. But everything is so barren there with the awful drought.

The youth have gone to Green Pastures today for a day outing. 

We had our traditional New Year’s Day family lunch yesterday with chicken casserole for one and all. It was a nice time of food and fun together.

I see that the BBC News site has the Rio de Janeiro New Year’s celebration as its main photographic feature. The photo taken by a drone above the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue with the fireworks in the background on Copacabana beach is beautiful.

Oh dear! 😖QPR lost their first game of 2026! They lost 2 x 1 at home to Norwich.

How good it is to know as we go into another year that God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth“. (1 Timothy 2:4) Praise God that the Gospel is for the whosoever!

We had a good online meeting yesterday with Pastor Wostenes and his wife Gleydice discussing issues of God’s work.

We had our traditional New Year’s Day family lunch yesterday with chicken casserole for one and all. It was a nice time of food and fun together.

I see that the BBC News site has the Rio de Janeiro New Year’s celebration as its main photographic feature. The photo taken by a drone above the iconic Christ the Redeemer statue with the fireworks in the background on Copacabana beach is beautiful.

Oh dear! 😖QPR lost their first game of 2026! They lost 2 x 1 at home to Norwich.

How good it is to know as we go into another year that God “wants all men to be saved and to come to a knowledge of the truth“. (1 Timothy 2:4) Praise God that the Gospel is for the whosoever!

We had a good online meeting yesterday with Pastor Wostenes and his wife Gleydice discussing issues of God’s work.

We wish all our readers a Happy New Year full of the blessings of God!

Last night we held our final thanksgiving service of the year which I led. A variety of people took part with short words of greetings and songs of praise. I kept all the participations down to 5 minutes by threatening them with a hooter if they went over… and it worked! 😂It was a lovely service. We received video messages from Philip and family too which was nice.

After church we had another family get together around supper and then we saw the New Year in together.

During December this blog was read 13,267 times. Thank you to one and all. Please add your comments and greetings at the bottom of the posts making sure you put your name.

We wish all our readers a Happy New Year full of the blessings of God!

Last night we held our final thanksgiving service of the year which I led. A variety of people took part with short words of greetings and songs of praise. I kept all the participations down to 5 minutes by threatening them with a hooter if they went over… and it worked! 😂It was a lovely service. We received video messages from Philip and family too which was nice.

After church we had another family get together around supper and then we saw the New Year in together.

During December this blog was read 13,267 times. Thank you to one and all. Please add your comments and greetings at the bottom of the posts making sure you put your name.

Now Job’s ‘friend’ or ‘comforter’ Eliphaz returns to goad him. Eliphaz says that Job’s words are empty and that he is a bag of wind! He says Job’s words are useless and without value, and that Job’s own words condemn him and testify against himself. He asks Job who he thinks he is because he is not the owner of wisdom and the wisdom of the aged back Eliphaz and friends’ point of view. He asks how Job can speak to God the way he does? “What is man that he could be pure”? asks Eliphaz. If God doesn’t even trust the angels how much less would he trust man? Eliphaz says that distress and anguish come to man because “he shakes his fist at God and vaunts himself against the almighty”. Man might be fat but he will end up living in ruins and his wealth will not endure”. Eliphaz tells Job to stop trying to deceive himself because “the company of the godless will be barren”.

Job now continues by decrying the brevity and frailty of human life being just a “few days”, “full of trouble”, “like a fleeting shadow” that does not endure. Job says man’s days are determined by God and his months are numbered. He compares human life to that of a tree saying that a tree can sprout from the stump after being felled, whereas with a man “he breathes his last and is no more”. Thus man is worse off than a tree. Job wishes God would hide him in the grave until his anger had passed! Job imagines that God could seal his offences in a bag and cover his sin. For Job declares to have lost hope, just feeling pain as he mourns. 

I had my hair cut for 2026 yesterday morning at 7:30 am! It was this early because my hairdresser cuts my hair at our home before going to his shop. I can’t stand my hair long so I hope you like it? 👨

Our final service of the year will be tonight at 7:30 pm and will be a thanksgiving service for 2025 with multiple short words from folk interspersed with singing items. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Please pray for our 10-day evangelistic outreach at Soledade from January 9th to 18th which will have a team of 130 mainly young people drawn from our churches. 43 come from our Campina Grande region, 41 from the Imaculada region, 29 from the Patos region, 10 from our Itaporanga region and 7 from our João Pessoa region. Part of this team will be Amy Gough coming from Southampton, England. May the Lord give us much fruit.

Francisco saw 3 Jaguarundi Wild Cats at Green Pastures yesterday. Wildlife is attracted by our watering troughs and they are easy to see because there are no leaves on the trees at all with the catastrophic drought.

I had my hair cut for 2026 yesterday morning at 7:30 am! It was this early because my hairdresser cuts my hair at our home before going to his shop. I can’t stand my hair long so I hope you like it? 👨

Our final service of the year will be tonight at 7:30 pm and will be a thanksgiving service for 2025 with multiple short words from folk interspersed with singing items. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Please pray for our 10-day evangelistic outreach at Soledade from January 9th to 18th which will have a team of 130 mainly young people drawn from our churches. 43 come from our Campina Grande region, 41 from the Imaculada region, 29 from the Patos region, 10 from our Itaporanga region and 7 from our João Pessoa region. Part of this team will be Amy Gough coming from Southampton, England. May the Lord give us much fruit.

Francisco saw 3 Jaguarundi Wild Cats at Green Pastures yesterday. Wildlife is attracted by our watering troughs and they are easy to see because there are no leaves on the trees at all with the catastrophic drought.

I had my hair cut for 2026 yesterday morning at 7:30 am! It was this early because my hairdresser cuts my hair at our home before going to his shop. I can’t stand my hair long so I hope you like it? 👨

Our final service of the year will be tonight at 7:30 pm and will be a thanksgiving service for 2025 with multiple short words from folk interspersed with singing items. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Please pray for our 10-day evangelistic outreach at Soledade from January 9th to 18th which will have a team of 130 mainly young people drawn from our churches. 43 come from our Campina Grande region, 41 from the Imaculada region, 29 from the Patos region, 10 from our Itaporanga region and 7 from our João Pessoa region. Part of this team will be Amy Gough coming from Southampton, England. May the Lord give us much fruit.

Francisco saw 3 Jaguarundi Wild Cats at Green Pastures yesterday. Wildlife is attracted by our watering troughs and they are easy to see because there are no leaves on the trees at all with the catastrophic drought.

Here Job continues to stand up to his friends who are no more the owner of truth than he is. Job calls his friends “worthless physicians” and tells them that they should not put words into God’s mouth. For his friends’ maxims are ashes and their defences are clay. Job insists that he wants to speak to God. For his faith in God is steadfast and he says “Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him”. And Job insists that once he can present his case to God he will be vindicated. Job asks God what he has done wrong and what sins he has committed? He also suggests that his friends would be wiser to keep quiet!

I have just read an excellent article on the BBC website written by John Simpson who is one of their most experienced and competent journalists. The article is entitled “I’ve reported on 40 wars but I’ve never seen a year like 2025”. The article is in my view accurate, frightening and well worth reading.

QPR lost their last game of the year 2 x 1 away to West Brom, so end 2025 in 9th place in the 24 team Championship.

Liz went to the prayer meeting last night and practiced to sing with the ladies in our New Year’s Eve service tomorrow. I continued to prepare a sermon on King Hezekiah. 

2 more have been baptized. This time at our church at Juru where Pastor Esequias is the pastor.

I led the last Sunday service of the year last night and our daughter Sacha preached on “Hitherto has the Lord helped us” from 1 Samuel 7. It was a good service.

An awful road accident in the north-eastern state of Bahia, where we have a church, left 11 dead. The head-on collision was caused by irresponsible overtaking and there were 8 people in one of the cars!

I have just eaten some delicious red mombins. 😋

3 were baptized at our Água Grande church and 2 were baptized at our Juazeirinho church yesterday. Then 2 made decisions for Christ at the Sítio Mumbassa in the municipality of Flores in the state of Pernambuco. All glory be to God! We are ending the year well!

I led the last Sunday service of the year last night and our daughter Sacha preached on “Hitherto has the Lord helped us” from 1 Samuel 7. It was a good service.

An awful road accident in the north-eastern state of Bahia, where we have a church, left 11 dead. The head-on collision was caused by irresponsible overtaking and there were 8 people in one of the cars!

I have just eaten some delicious red mombins. 😋

3 were baptized at our Água Grande church and 2 were baptized at our Juazeirinho church yesterday. Then 2 made decisions for Christ at the Sítio Mumbassa in the municipality of Flores in the state of Pernambuco. All glory be to God! We are ending the year well!

Last night I led the Pastor Frank Dyer School Christmas service together with the inauguration of the new school playground. Liz (Frank’s daughter) opened in prayer, we had a Christmas choreography and a short Christmas play. I then preached the Biblical Christmas gospel before we gave certificates to the mothers who had done our cookery course, and then we gave presents to the children. It was a lovely service after which we served a snack to one and all. There were about 350 people present.

I have finished reading the 9th book in the Blitz Detective series called ‘The Soho Murder’ by Mike Hollow. It was another most relaxing and enjoyable read and I now look forward to the sequel. I send my congratulations to Detective Inspector John Jago for cracking another nut! 

Last night I led the Pastor Frank Dyer School Christmas service together with the inauguration of the new school playground. Liz (Frank’s daughter) opened in prayer, we had a Christmas choreography and a short Christmas play. I then preached the Biblical Christmas gospel before we gave certificates to the mothers who had done our cookery course, and then we gave presents to the children. It was a lovely service after which we served a snack to one and all. There were about 350 people present.

I have finished reading the 9th book in the Blitz Detective series called ‘The Soho Murder’ by Mike Hollow. It was another most relaxing and enjoyable read and I now look forward to the sequel. I send my congratulations to Detective Inspector John Jago for cracking another nut! 

Last night I led the Pastor Frank Dyer School Christmas service together with the inauguration of the new school playground. Liz (Frank’s daughter) opened in prayer, we had a Christmas choreography and a short Christmas play. I then preached the Biblical Christmas gospel before we gave certificates to the mothers who had done our cookery course, and then we gave presents to the children. It was a lovely service after which we served a snack to one and all. There were about 350 people present.

I have finished reading the 9th book in the Blitz Detective series called ‘The Soho Murder’ by Mike Hollow. It was another most relaxing and enjoyable read and I now look forward to the sequel. I send my congratulations to Detective Inspector John Jago for cracking another nut! 

With the temperature at 37 degrees it hardly seemed like Boxing Day yesterday!

QPR drew away to Portsmouth 1 x 1 yesterday and continue close to the play-offs. 

I went to Green Pastures and saw Picui Ground-Doves, Black Headed Vultures and Caatinga Cacholotes. A large deer was sighted yesterday morning drinking from one of our drinking troughs maintained for wild animals. A number of rust-coloured wild cats have been observed too, together with a small spotted wild cat and many foxes.

Someone asked me if I believe in extra-terrestrial creatures? Well I believe in the incarnation. I believe that the Son of God was born of a virgin at Bethlehem. I believe that God became flesh. So yes… I believe in extra-terrestrial beings coming to earth. That is the whole point of the Christmas message!

With the temperature at 37 degrees it hardly seemed like Boxing Day yesterday!

QPR drew away to Portsmouth 1 x 1 yesterday and continue close to the play-offs. 

I went to Green Pastures and saw Picui Ground-Doves, Black Headed Vultures and Caatinga Cacholotes. A large deer was sighted yesterday morning drinking from one of our drinking troughs maintained for wild animals. A number of rust-coloured wild cats have been observed too, together with a small spotted wild cat and many foxes.

Someone asked me if I believe in extra-terrestrial creatures? Well I believe in the incarnation. I believe that the Son of God was born of a virgin at Bethlehem. I believe that God became flesh. So yes… I believe in extra-terrestrial beings coming to earth. That is the whole point of the Christmas message!

Last night I led the traditional Christmas Eve service which had as its main feature a one hour play which I wrote called “Son of Promise”. The play starts with Isaac the son of promise of Abraham and Sarah. Then comes the birth of Jesus the son of promise and the play closes with the words of Paul in Galatians 4:28 that we in Christ are the “Children of Promise”. The service ended with us giving gifts to the children.

Once home from church we had a family Christmas Eve supper together which was very nice.

Last night I led the traditional Christmas Eve service which had as its main feature a one hour play which I wrote called “Son of Promise”. The play starts with Isaac the son of promise of Abraham and Sarah. Then comes the birth of Jesus the son of promise and the play closes with the words of Paul in Galatians 4:28 that we in Christ are the “Children of Promise”. The service ended with us giving gifts to the children.

Once home from church we had a family Christmas Eve supper together which was very nice.

Last night I led the traditional Christmas Eve service which had as its main feature a one hour play which I wrote called “Son of Promise”. The play starts with Isaac the son of promise of Abraham and Sarah. Then comes the birth of Jesus the son of promise and the play closes with the words of Paul in Galatians 4:28 that we in Christ are the “Children of Promise”. The service ended with us giving gifts to the children.

Once home from church we had a family Christmas Eve supper together which was very nice.

I gave Liz a bouquet of flowers for her Christmas present and she gave me a chocolate panatone cake of which I have already eaten half! 💞

I have done my Pilates and aquarobics so am fit for Christmas! 🏃Everything in Brazil focuses on Christmas Eve with a special supper after the service in church. However having dual nationalities we also follow the British tradition of the special turkey lunch on Christmas Day! 😋

Last night I travelled to the town of São Mamede with the Patos Men’s Fellowship to take part in another street service there to which between 40 and 50 people gathered to hear the Gospel. School teacher Claudivan led the service and Pastor Rafael preached a Christmas message from John 3:16. It was a good service with Rebeca working with the children during the sermon. After the service Sister Maricó served soup to everyone.

Brazil’s President Lula has decreed that “Gospel culture be officially recognized as a national manifestation”. This is a positive recognition of the evangelical church’s strength in Brazil.

I gave Liz a bouquet of flowers for her Christmas present and she gave me a chocolate panatone cake of which I have already eaten half! 💞

I have done my Pilates and aquarobics so am fit for Christmas! 🏃Everything in Brazil focuses on Christmas Eve with a special supper after the service in church. However having dual nationalities we also follow the British tradition of the special turkey lunch on Christmas Day! 😋

Last night I travelled to the town of São Mamede with the Patos Men’s Fellowship to take part in another street service there to which between 40 and 50 people gathered to hear the Gospel. School teacher Claudivan led the service and Pastor Rafael preached a Christmas message from John 3:16. It was a good service with Rebeca working with the children during the sermon. After the service Sister Maricó served soup to everyone.

Brazil’s President Lula has decreed that “Gospel culture be officially recognized as a national manifestation”. This is a positive recognition of the evangelical church’s strength in Brazil.

I gave Liz a bouquet of flowers for her Christmas present and she gave me a chocolate panatone cake of which I have already eaten half! 💞

I have done my Pilates and aquarobics so am fit for Christmas! 🏃Everything in Brazil focuses on Christmas Eve with a special supper after the service in church. However having dual nationalities we also follow the British tradition of the special turkey lunch on Christmas Day! 😋

Last night I travelled to the town of São Mamede with the Patos Men’s Fellowship to take part in another street service there to which between 40 and 50 people gathered to hear the Gospel. School teacher Claudivan led the service and Pastor Rafael preached a Christmas message from John 3:16. It was a good service with Rebeca working with the children during the sermon. After the service Sister Maricó served soup to everyone.

Brazil’s President Lula has decreed that “Gospel culture be officially recognized as a national manifestation”. This is a positive recognition of the evangelical church’s strength in Brazil.

Liz and I visited our Pastor Frank Dyer School and saw all the preparations for the official opening of our new playground this Saturday together with the school’s Christmas service. The playground looks lovely.

Speed bumps are an epidemic in Brazil! Whereas in Switzerland they don’t exist and in the UK they hardly exist, here in Brazil they are everywhere. Speed bumps here are speed walls or mountains and are ridiculous.

Last night we had a shower of rain in Patos but not at Green Pastures. Showers change nothing here, but at least they are a sign of hope. 

Liz and I visited our Pastor Frank Dyer School and saw all the preparations for the official opening of our new playground this Saturday together with the school’s Christmas service. The playground looks lovely.

Speed bumps are an epidemic in Brazil! Whereas in Switzerland they don’t exist and in the UK they hardly exist, here in Brazil they are everywhere. Speed bumps here are speed walls or mountains and are ridiculous.

Last night we had a shower of rain in Patos but not at Green Pastures. Showers change nothing here, but at least they are a sign of hope. 

Yesterday I baptized 10 in a lovely service at Green Pastures and Pastor Rafael helped me. 7 were from the Patos church, 1 was from our congregation of São Mamede, 1 was from the ex-landless settlement of NS Aparecida II, and 1 was from the Green Pastures church. Marina and Rogaciano led the worship and Pastor Rafael brought a brief word on baptism. After the baptismal service we had a delicious fellowship breakfast together. It was an excellent morning. 

5 were also baptized at our Princesa Isabel church yesterday. PTL!

Last night I led the service which was blessed by the deaf choir and a lovely Christmas choreography. Pastor Rafael preached on ‘Mary’s song’ from Luke 1. The praise was led by Sacha and Rogério. It was a good service.

A team led by Pastor Rafael held a meeting in the Rua do Meio street in Patos last night and 4 decisions of commitment to Christ were made at the end. The street is known for drugs and murders. Please pray for those who made decisions and for the monthly services we are now going to hold in this street. All glory be to God for the faithful evangelism of this street by sister Iara for years, and for the more recent evangelism there by Roberto Tiburtino and his wife Nenem. 

The water crisis gets increasingly worse here and the Farinha reservoir is down to 1% of its capacity with masses of fish floating dead on its surface. Please pray for rain!

Last night we went to take the Green Pastures Church’s Christmas service. Deaconess Josinete went with us and both her and Liz brought short words to the church. Liz also read a lovely Christmas poem. I led the service and preached on the Christmas story going through prophecies from Isaiah and the New Testament virgin birth narratives from Matthew and Luke. The children also had a special dance participation in the service which was excellent.

When we go into a community with a project we don’t just land by parachute and drill a well or build a toilet. First of all we hold community meetings to get to know the people and to hear what their needs are. We listen to the people and respect them. We also hold educational community meetings such as to teach people to care for the environment and not throw rubbish in any old place. We have seen real transformations as a result of this. Then we always hold a thanksgiving inauguration service where we clearly preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When EAB/ACEV drill a well they take 2 types of water to the community!

A team led by Pastor Rafael held a meeting in the Rua do Meio street in Patos last night and 4 decisions of commitment to Christ were made at the end. The street is known for drugs and murders. Please pray for those who made decisions and for the monthly services we are now going to hold in this street. All glory be to God for the faithful evangelism of this street by sister Iara for years, and for the more recent evangelism there by Roberto Tiburtino and his wife Nenem. 

The water crisis gets increasingly worse here and the Farinha reservoir is down to 1% of its capacity with masses of fish floating dead on its surface. Please pray for rain!

Last night we went to take the Green Pastures Church’s Christmas service. Deaconess Josinete went with us and both her and Liz brought short words to the church. Liz also read a lovely Christmas poem. I led the service and preached on the Christmas story going through prophecies from Isaiah and the New Testament virgin birth narratives from Matthew and Luke. The children also had a special dance participation in the service which was excellent.

When we go into a community with a project we don’t just land by parachute and drill a well or build a toilet. First of all we hold community meetings to get to know the people and to hear what their needs are. We listen to the people and respect them. We also hold educational community meetings such as to teach people to care for the environment and not throw rubbish in any old place. We have seen real transformations as a result of this. Then we always hold a thanksgiving inauguration service where we clearly preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ. When EAB/ACEV drill a well they take 2 types of water to the community!