Thanks to those who have been praying for my ill health which resulted from intoxication from an MRI contrast injected in my vein on Wednesday. I felt terrible on Thursday and Friday but I am steadily improving today. Philip will take the service tomorrow in Patos to let me get completely over this hitch.
Continue ReadingOn Tuesday Liz and I travelled to Campina Grande for me to do a routine treadmill test with the cardiologist. All went off fine.
On Wednesday we went on to João Pessoa for me to do an MRI monitoring things and this went without a hitch too. However on Wednesday night I became unwell owing to a reaction to the contrast/die used in the MRI. I am now improving, but still feeling rough. I missed the Jabre Peak meeting yesterday as I wasn’t up to going.
We value our prayers at all times. I am a bit out of contact with emails etc. whilst I get over the MRI side-effects.
Continue ReadingOn Tuesday Liz and I travelled to Campina Grande for me to do a routine treadmill test with the cardiologist. All went off fine.
On Wednesday we went on to João Pessoa for me to do an MRI monitoring things and this went without a hitch too. However on Wednesday night I became unwell owing to a reaction to the contrast/die used in the MRI. I am now improving, but still feeling rough. I missed the Jabre Peak meeting yesterday as I wasn’t up to going.
We value our prayers at all times. I am a bit out of contact with emails etc. whilst I get over the MRI side-effects.
Continue Reading
Over the weekend a major bush fire started on the Teixeira mountain which is clearly visible from Patos. It is a terrible ecological tragedy. I can only presume that the suspicions that it was started deliberately are correct as this is the cooler time of year here (when it’s warmer in Europe it’s cooler here and vice-versa) and thus not conducive to such fires starting spontaneously. The bush fire has spread 10 km a journalist tells me in the counties of Teixeira and Cacimba de Areia and the firefighters have lost control. Please pray. A friend in Teixeira took this photo yesterday.
Liz and I’s weekend travel went off well. First stop was Itaporanga where we had a working lunch with the local pastor and his wife. This was lovely. Then we went on a dusty earth track with them to Barra de Oitis ex-slave community where the EAB/ACEV church is facing serious problems. The leader went of the rails (financial issues) and has left since being removed from the leadership. The problem is that the nearest pastor to this place is from Vazante and he is proving to be quite a headache and has fallen for a new couple in the problem church who are very domineering. Oh Lord! Such problems are very stressful and there is a lot more I could say! 🙂
From this trouble shooting we went to Curral Velho (Old Cow Pen) where I preached in a jubilant and blessed meeting held in the street in front of the church. We got home to bed at midnight. Tired and with mixed feeling from the good and the bad of the trip. Please pray.
Last night’s communion service in Patos went lovely with just some problems with the internet transmission as my nephew Ben has gone to England for a while with his wife and it was he who had the transmissions off to a fine art. Now a new lad is learning, so please have patience! I’m saying that to me too as I told him not to do certain things and he did them! Such is life!
Continue Reading
Over the weekend a major bush fire started on the Teixeira mountain which is clearly visible from Patos. It is a terrible ecological tragedy. I can only presume that the suspicions that it was started deliberately are correct as this is the cooler time of year here (when it’s warmer in Europe it’s cooler here and vice-versa) and thus not conducive to such fires starting spontaneously. The bush fire has spread 10 km a journalist tells me in the counties of Teixeira and Cacimba de Areia and the firefighters have lost control. Please pray. A friend in Teixeira took this photo yesterday.
Liz and I’s weekend travel went off well. First stop was Itaporanga where we had a working lunch with the local pastor and his wife. This was lovely. Then we went on a dusty earth track with them to Barra de Oitis ex-slave community where the EAB/ACEV church is facing serious problems. The leader went of the rails (financial issues) and has left since being removed from the leadership. The problem is that the nearest pastor to this place is from Vazante and he is proving to be quite a headache and has fallen for a new couple in the problem church who are very domineering. Oh Lord! Such problems are very stressful and there is a lot more I could say! 🙂
From this trouble shooting we went to Curral Velho (Old Cow Pen) where I preached in a jubilant and blessed meeting held in the street in front of the church. We got home to bed at midnight. Tired and with mixed feeling from the good and the bad of the trip. Please pray.
Last night’s communion service in Patos went lovely with just some problems with the internet transmission as my nephew Ben has gone to England for a while with his wife and it was he who had the transmissions off to a fine art. Now a new lad is learning, so please have patience! I’m saying that to me too as I told him not to do certain things and he did them! Such is life!
Continue ReadingI watched part of the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro last night and Liz watched it all. I was pleased all went off without hitches. I thought they did well for a much lower budget than 4 years ago in London. I hope and pray all the rest will now go off well and without violence or major problems.
Liz and I are off to Itaporanga, Barra de Oitis and Curral Velho shortly, getting back late tonight. I will be preaching at the latter place and having trouble shooting meetings at the others on the way. I’ll be preaching at the Patos church communion service tomorrow.
I watched part of the Olympic Games opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro last night and Liz watched it all. I was pleased all went off without hitches. I thought they did well for a much lower budget than 4 years ago in London. I hope and pray all the rest will now go off well and without violence or major problems.
Liz and I are off to Itaporanga, Barra de Oitis and Curral Velho shortly, getting back late tonight. I will be preaching at the latter place and having trouble shooting meetings at the others on the way. I’ll be preaching at the Patos church communion service tomorrow.
Liz drove for the first time in 4 months yesterday. PTL! She had no problems, but just found the whole day very tiring owing to her loss of muscle mass over her period in bed and wheelchair following her accident. I would imagine she will take another month to build up her muscles again and feel totally 100%. Nevertheless she was able to go to church in the day and sort out lots of things there and in the Care Centre.
I have been doing a fair bit of counselling this week and also have been for a routine check-up with my diabetics doctor together with all the routine blood tests. The last were done in March. My results thus far are fine with my main glucose in the blood test dropping from 6.7 to 6.1 which is great. Other results take a few days to get back to us. I have further check-ups in Campina Grande & João Pessoa next week.
I am now busy preparing sermons for the weekend. I will be preaching at Curral Velho on Saturday and at the Communion Service on Sunday. I also have the Patos Bible study tonight. Will also be trouble shooting at Barra de Oitis and having a meal with the pastor and his wife at Itaporanga. Your prayers are always greatly appreciated.
Liz drove for the first time in 4 months yesterday. PTL! She had no problems, but just found the whole day very tiring owing to her loss of muscle mass over her period in bed and wheelchair following her accident. I would imagine she will take another month to build up her muscles again and feel totally 100%. Nevertheless she was able to go to church in the day and sort out lots of things there and in the Care Centre.
I have been doing a fair bit of counselling this week and also have been for a routine check-up with my diabetics doctor together with all the routine blood tests. The last were done in March. My results thus far are fine with my main glucose in the blood test dropping from 6.7 to 6.1 which is great. Other results take a few days to get back to us. I have further check-ups in Campina Grande & João Pessoa next week.
I am now busy preparing sermons for the weekend. I will be preaching at Curral Velho on Saturday and at the Communion Service on Sunday. I also have the Patos Bible study tonight. Will also be trouble shooting at Barra de Oitis and having a meal with the pastor and his wife at Itaporanga. Your prayers are always greatly appreciated.
Liz drove for the first time in 4 months yesterday. PTL! She had no problems, but just found the whole day very tiring owing to her loss of muscle mass over her period in bed and wheelchair following her accident. I would imagine she will take another month to build up her muscles again and feel totally 100%. Nevertheless she was able to go to church in the day and sort out lots of things there and in the Care Centre.
I have been doing a fair bit of counselling this week and also have been for a routine check-up with my diabetics doctor together with all the routine blood tests. The last were done in March. My results thus far are fine with my main glucose in the blood test dropping from 6.7 to 6.1 which is great. Other results take a few days to get back to us. I have further check-ups in Campina Grande & João Pessoa next week.
I am now busy preparing sermons for the weekend. I will be preaching at Curral Velho on Saturday and at the Communion Service on Sunday. I also have the Patos Bible study tonight. Will also be trouble shooting at Barra de Oitis and having a meal with the pastor and his wife at Itaporanga. Your prayers are always greatly appreciated.
On Friday morning I spent a lovely morning at Green Pastures with a new university professor to Green Pastures + 10 forestry students. They loved it and it went great.
Later on Friday we received the visit of the Brazilian Executive Director of Rocha International – Conservation and Hope. http://www.arocha.org/en/ This is a Christian organization with work in many countries whose headquarters is in London. He had come to visit Green Pastures which was for him a sort of case of love at first sight! As a result I have been asked to join their Council of Reference and Green Pastures is to become their centre of reference for environmental research and conservation for the whole of north-eastern Brazil. The brother preached on Saturday night in a great service at Green Pastures (photo below) and on Sunday preached in the Patos church. Both services were mightily blessed.
Liz has today been given the all clear to drive again by her doctor. PTL! She has to go steady does it – a bit at a time – but she can get drive again which is wondersul. Thanks for your prayers.
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On Friday morning I spent a lovely morning at Green Pastures with a new university professor to Green Pastures + 10 forestry students. They loved it and it went great.
Later on Friday we received the visit of the Brazilian Executive Director of Rocha International – Conservation and Hope. http://www.arocha.org/en/ This is a Christian organization with work in many countries whose headquarters is in London. He had come to visit Green Pastures which was for him a sort of case of love at first sight! As a result I have been asked to join their Council of Reference and Green Pastures is to become their centre of reference for environmental research and conservation for the whole of north-eastern Brazil. The brother preached on Saturday night in a great service at Green Pastures (photo below) and on Sunday preached in the Patos church. Both services were mightily blessed.
Liz has today been given the all clear to drive again by her doctor. PTL! She has to go steady does it – a bit at a time – but she can get drive again which is wondersul. Thanks for your prayers.
Continue Reading
The Bible study went great last Thursday. It was a real blessing.
On Saturday Liz and I drove to the coast to preach at our João Pessoa main church’s 22nd anniversary service (photo below). The style of the church is a bit old fashioned and the service a bit uncrisp – but all went well and the sermon flowed nicely. We slept there the night and got back to Patos about 1.30pm on the Sunday.
Hence yesterday afternoon was very pressured as I had to prepare things I don’t usually have to do as your digital projector man is away – but we just about made it. The service went beautifully and visiting speaker pastor Angelo from Soledade preached. The leading of the meeting was handled between Philip and me.
Today I’ve been doing lots of communications work with all the churches.
In the morning I have two young men here from Tearfund who want to visit Green Pastures – I also have a new university teacher wanting to go there on Friday with 15 students – and on Saturday morning I have another visitor there from São Paulo. Never a dull moment! The brother on the Saturday will speak at the service at Green Pastures on Saturday night and in Patos on Sunday.
The Bible study went great last Thursday. It was a real blessing.
On Saturday Liz and I drove to the coast to preach at our João Pessoa main church’s 22nd anniversary service (photo below). The style of the church is a bit old fashioned and the service a bit uncrisp – but all went well and the sermon flowed nicely. We slept there the night and got back to Patos about 1.30pm on the Sunday.
Hence yesterday afternoon was very pressured as I had to prepare things I don’t usually have to do as your digital projector man is away – but we just about made it. The service went beautifully and visiting speaker pastor Angelo from Soledade preached. The leading of the meeting was handled between Philip and me.
Today I’ve been doing lots of communications work with all the churches.
In the morning I have two young men here from Tearfund who want to visit Green Pastures – I also have a new university teacher wanting to go there on Friday with 15 students – and on Saturday morning I have another visitor there from São Paulo. Never a dull moment! The brother on the Saturday will speak at the service at Green Pastures on Saturday night and in Patos on Sunday.
The Bible study is ready for tonight and my sermon for Saturday in João Pessoa is also prepared. Liz and I will be travelling to the coast on the Saturday and coming back on Sunday in time for the evening service in Patos. I will lead the service here but Pastor Angelo from our Soledade service will preach.
Liz is at the supermarket buying the week’s groceries for the first time since her accident. She was driven there as she can’t drive yet, but is able to get around fine and do the shopping at a steady pace.
Sacha is on a Cambridge English language course for teachers in São Paulo and has suffered a lot with the cold there. Deborah is at Fortaleza at a teacher’s conference. Philip & family are on holiday this week in Natal.
We are putting in a cattle grid at the entrance to Green Pastures which should be finished next week. This is because when we have camps and events on, there is a lot off tooing and froing, and the tendency is for the gate to be left open. This is dangerous for our nature reserve should cows, goats, donkeys etc. get in, so we are taking the bull by the horns so to speak. The gate will just be shut at night.
Continue ReadingThe Bible study is ready for tonight and my sermon for Saturday in João Pessoa is also prepared. Liz and I will be travelling to the coast on the Saturday and coming back on Sunday in time for the evening service in Patos. I will lead the service here but Pastor Angelo from our Soledade service will preach.
Liz is at the supermarket buying the week’s groceries for the first time since her accident. She was driven there as she can’t drive yet, but is able to get around fine and do the shopping at a steady pace.
Sacha is on a Cambridge English language course for teachers in São Paulo and has suffered a lot with the cold there. Deborah is at Fortaleza at a teacher’s conference. Philip & family are on holiday this week in Natal.
We are putting in a cattle grid at the entrance to Green Pastures which should be finished next week. This is because when we have camps and events on, there is a lot off tooing and froing, and the tendency is for the gate to be left open. This is dangerous for our nature reserve should cows, goats, donkeys etc. get in, so we are taking the bull by the horns so to speak. The gate will just be shut at night.
Continue ReadingThe Bible study is ready for tonight and my sermon for Saturday in João Pessoa is also prepared. Liz and I will be travelling to the coast on the Saturday and coming back on Sunday in time for the evening service in Patos. I will lead the service here but Pastor Angelo from our Soledade service will preach.
Liz is at the supermarket buying the week’s groceries for the first time since her accident. She was driven there as she can’t drive yet, but is able to get around fine and do the shopping at a steady pace.
Sacha is on a Cambridge English language course for teachers in São Paulo and has suffered a lot with the cold there. Deborah is at Fortaleza at a teacher’s conference. Philip & family are on holiday this week in Natal.
We are putting in a cattle grid at the entrance to Green Pastures which should be finished next week. This is because when we have camps and events on, there is a lot off tooing and froing, and the tendency is for the gate to be left open. This is dangerous for our nature reserve should cows, goats, donkeys etc. get in, so we are taking the bull by the horns so to speak. The gate will just be shut at night.
Continue Reading
This morning at Green Pastures I had the greatest shock to find a Wild Cat (Puma Yagouroundi) in one of our wide mouthed wells which only has water in the deeper central part and is dry now round the edges. The well is 7 metres deep (21 feet). I can only presume that it fell in there whilst hunting something and now couldn’t get out. The problem we faced was how to get it out? Normally it is a very wild creature, but it was just quietly looking up at Tarcísio and I as it had no choice (see photo). We eventually managed to lasso it with a long rope and haul it to freedom, when it went completely ferociously beserk, shaking free of the rope and running at great speed into the bush. It was quite an experience!
Services over the weekend went great. I preached at Picotes on the Saturday. It was a lovely service. Photos below.
The Sunday service went very well in Patos too. It was a really blessed time with a full church. Today I have had a good meeting with our deaf pastor Luiz Carlos and it is good to sense how well that section of the work with the deaf is going. PTL!
Continue ReadingThis morning at Green Pastures I had the greatest shock to find a Wild Cat (Puma Yagouroundi) in one of our wide mouthed wells which only has water in the deeper central part and is dry now round the edges. The well is 7 metres deep (21 feet). I can only presume that it fell in there whilst hunting something and now couldn’t get out. The problem we faced was how to get it out? Normally it is a very wild creature, but it was just quietly looking up at Tarcísio and I as it had no choice (see photo). We eventually managed to lasso it with a long rope and haul it to freedom, when it went completely ferociously beserk, shaking free of the rope and running at great speed into the bush. It was quite an experience!
Services over the weekend went great. I preached at Picotes on the Saturday. It was a lovely service. Photos below.
The Sunday service went very well in Patos too. It was a really blessed time with a full church. Today I have had a good meeting with our deaf pastor Luiz Carlos and it is good to sense how well that section of the work with the deaf is going. PTL!
Continue ReadingJust off to the Bible study which will be on ministries in and with the body of Christ. I have half prepared my Sunday sermon too on Psalm 19. I have to prepare to preach at Picotes too on Saturday. Help! Value your prayers.
Continue ReadingHow beautiful to receive this video from a deaf couple, Adalberto &
Jussara, who are members of our Patos church. They bought a food hamper
and gave it to a family they found in need! Action speaks louder than
signs!
Last night we had an excellent meeting with the singles/divorced/one-parent family fellowship. I am now preparing for tonight’s Bible study on ministry in and with the whole body of Christ.
Continue ReadingHow beautiful to receive this video from a deaf couple, Adalberto &
Jussara, who are members of our Patos church. They bought a food hamper
and gave it to a family they found in need! Action speaks louder than
signs!
Last night we had an excellent meeting with the singles/divorced/one-parent family fellowship. I am now preparing for tonight’s Bible study on ministry in and with the whole body of Christ.
Continue ReadingHow beautiful to receive this video from a deaf couple, Adalberto &
Jussara, who are members of our Patos church. They bought a food hamper
and gave it to a family they found in need! Action speaks louder than
signs!
Last night we had an excellent meeting with the singles/divorced/one-parent family fellowship. I am now preparing for tonight’s Bible study on ministry in and with the whole body of Christ.
Continue ReadingJust winding down for the night with the Patos Youth Leadership team’s meeting with Liz and I having just ended. It was very good. Philip leads the team with with two assistant leaders Brenda and Rayla. They are doing a great job especially with the younger youth. We discussed one or two problems which have arisen with some rebellious older ones. May the Lord give us wisdom on how to handle this.
It was lovely to see how people reacted worldwide to the tribute we did to Liz’s Dad over the weekend with Saturday having been the centenary of his birth. About 3,500 people responded to the tribute one way or another mostly via facebook.
Just winding down for the night with the Patos Youth Leadership team’s meeting with Liz and I having just ended. It was very good. Philip leads the team with with two assistant leaders Brenda and Rayla. They are doing a great job especially with the younger youth. We discussed one or two problems which have arisen with some rebellious older ones. May the Lord give us wisdom on how to handle this.
It was lovely to see how people reacted worldwide to the tribute we did to Liz’s Dad over the weekend with Saturday having been the centenary of his birth. About 3,500 people responded to the tribute one way or another mostly via facebook.
Just winding down for the night with the Patos Youth Leadership team’s meeting with Liz and I having just ended. It was very good. Philip leads the team with with two assistant leaders Brenda and Rayla. They are doing a great job especially with the younger youth. We discussed one or two problems which have arisen with some rebellious older ones. May the Lord give us wisdom on how to handle this.
It was lovely to see how people reacted worldwide to the tribute we did to Liz’s Dad over the weekend with Saturday having been the centenary of his birth. About 3,500 people responded to the tribute one way or another mostly via facebook.
Liz and I went to Soledade on Saturday and had a meeting with the church members chatting over different aspects of the work and ending up with the reelection of the pastor (Angelo) for another 5 year mandate). I think our system of mandates is good as it stops any eventually lazy leaders getting embedded into a job or sort of taking the church over. Most mandates get renewed but the trigger is there if necessary. Angelo’s mandate was renewed. See below the photo from the meeting. On the way there and back Liz and I had our usual business meetings to make the most of the journies.
On Sunday morning Liz was back teaching her Sunday School class for the first time since her accident. Then at night the service was lovely. The sermon went great on “All you need is love”.
Today Liz has been at the Care Centre with the Care Centre Doctor Luiz caring for extremely poor people linked to the battered wives project we run in a Patos slum.
Continue Reading
Liz and I went to Soledade on Saturday and had a meeting with the church members chatting over different aspects of the work and ending up with the reelection of the pastor (Angelo) for another 5 year mandate). I think our system of mandates is good as it stops any eventually lazy leaders getting embedded into a job or sort of taking the church over. Most mandates get renewed but the trigger is there if necessary. Angelo’s mandate was renewed. See below the photo from the meeting. On the way there and back Liz and I had our usual business meetings to make the most of the journies.
On Sunday morning Liz was back teaching her Sunday School class for the first time since her accident. Then at night the service was lovely. The sermon went great on “All you need is love”.
Today Liz has been at the Care Centre with the Care Centre Doctor Luiz caring for extremely poor people linked to the battered wives project we run in a Patos slum.
Continue Reading
On Saturday Liz and I went and preached up in the mountains at Juru. It was a great service. It was the 32nd anniversary and we’ve been involved, of course, since the start – so it’s great to see the work growing and going so well. PTL!
On Sunday back in Patos was the communion service and I preached again. The church was packed out. The sermon went very well finishing off Acts 19 still in Paul’s 3rd missionary journey.
Tuesday I went to Green Pastures and sorted a few things out there. I have started getting the hang of filming with my camera and not just doing still shots. It is going to take a bit of mastering but you might like to see some of my efforts that day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28078567336 (shows birds in the Cashew Nut Tree), https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/27516085753 (a bird down by the stream), and https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28030775722 (a tiny woodpecker working away right by my side).
Yesterday I produced and dispatched the latest EAB Nutshell Update amongst other things. Today I have been up to Teixeira in the mountains for an important meeting concerning the Jabre Peak battle to save the environment there. A new snake has just been found there which I can’t give details on till it’s all duly registered etc. This is utterly fantastic. A never previously known poisonous species of snake. Now I must rush aas I have to take the Bible study at church.
On Saturday Liz and I went and preached up in the mountains at Juru. It was a great service. It was the 32nd anniversary and we’ve been involved, of course, since the start – so it’s great to see the work growing and going so well. PTL!
On Sunday back in Patos was the communion service and I preached again. The church was packed out. The sermon went very well finishing off Acts 19 still in Paul’s 3rd missionary journey.
Tuesday I went to Green Pastures and sorted a few things out there. I have started getting the hang of filming with my camera and not just doing still shots. It is going to take a bit of mastering but you might like to see some of my efforts that day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28078567336 (shows birds in the Cashew Nut Tree), https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/27516085753 (a bird down by the stream), and https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28030775722 (a tiny woodpecker working away right by my side).
Yesterday I produced and dispatched the latest EAB Nutshell Update amongst other things. Today I have been up to Teixeira in the mountains for an important meeting concerning the Jabre Peak battle to save the environment there. A new snake has just been found there which I can’t give details on till it’s all duly registered etc. This is utterly fantastic. A never previously known poisonous species of snake. Now I must rush aas I have to take the Bible study at church.
On Saturday Liz and I went and preached up in the mountains at Juru. It was a great service. It was the 32nd anniversary and we’ve been involved, of course, since the start – so it’s great to see the work growing and going so well. PTL!
On Sunday back in Patos was the communion service and I preached again. The church was packed out. The sermon went very well finishing off Acts 19 still in Paul’s 3rd missionary journey.
Tuesday I went to Green Pastures and sorted a few things out there. I have started getting the hang of filming with my camera and not just doing still shots. It is going to take a bit of mastering but you might like to see some of my efforts that day: https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28078567336 (shows birds in the Cashew Nut Tree), https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/27516085753 (a bird down by the stream), and https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/28030775722 (a tiny woodpecker working away right by my side).
Yesterday I produced and dispatched the latest EAB Nutshell Update amongst other things. Today I have been up to Teixeira in the mountains for an important meeting concerning the Jabre Peak battle to save the environment there. A new snake has just been found there which I can’t give details on till it’s all duly registered etc. This is utterly fantastic. A never previously known poisonous species of snake. Now I must rush aas I have to take the Bible study at church.
I function as the Patos Bible College Counsellor these days and the leaders asked for a meeting with me this afternoon. It went very well. PTL! We had a wide-ranging discussion and I gave a list of suggestions to them for the way forward. The College completes its 20th year this year. Please remember it in prayer.
The Bible study last night went great. It really was excellent. PTL! Really encouraging.
Please pray for Liz and I as we travel up the mountain to preach at Juru tomorrow and back in Patos on the Sunday.
Liz is now allowed to walk very slowly without crutches indoors, but must use them when she goes to church etc. The physiotherapist says Liz needs to walk like she’s recently had surgery very carefully. Liz gets very tired with all this but is doing very well indeed. PTL!
Well done again to Wales in the European Cup. Great team spirit and excellent football!
I function as the Patos Bible College Counsellor these days and the leaders asked for a meeting with me this afternoon. It went very well. PTL! We had a wide-ranging discussion and I gave a list of suggestions to them for the way forward. The College completes its 20th year this year. Please remember it in prayer.
The Bible study last night went great. It really was excellent. PTL! Really encouraging.
Please pray for Liz and I as we travel up the mountain to preach at Juru tomorrow and back in Patos on the Sunday.
Liz is now allowed to walk very slowly without crutches indoors, but must use them when she goes to church etc. The physiotherapist says Liz needs to walk like she’s recently had surgery very carefully. Liz gets very tired with all this but is doing very well indeed. PTL!
Well done again to Wales in the European Cup. Great team spirit and excellent football!
The Bible study tonight will be on how to get “unhooked from mobile phones” and other modern day addictions! If you have doubt about this being in the Bible please pop down to Brazil and join our Bible study this evening! This matter arose because I encourage church people to ask questions for the Bible study nights so that I can scratch where they’re itching.
Liz is in physiotherapy at the moment and doing well. She went to the Projects and Care Centre this morning and had an excellent meeting with our team. Please pray for the team as the danger they are in with our “battered women” project is quite spine chilling!
The Bible study tonight will be on how to get “unhooked from mobile phones” and other modern day addictions! If you have doubt about this being in the Bible please pop down to Brazil and join our Bible study this evening! This matter arose because I encourage church people to ask questions for the Bible study nights so that I can scratch where they’re itching.
Liz is in physiotherapy at the moment and doing well. She went to the Projects and Care Centre this morning and had an excellent meeting with our team. Please pray for the team as the danger they are in with our “battered women” project is quite spine chilling!
The Youth night last Saturday was fantastic with regional music, a great play (which brought tears to my eyes), dance and I spoke on the relation between the Christian and Culture. It was a greatly blessed night with a packed church.
On the Sunday I preached again – this time on Psalm 138. I also dedicated a baby boy and Philip led this service as he did on the Saturday evening too.
Yesterday I had a meeting with a candidate for the Mayor of Patos in the October elections. He came to have a discussion with me together with his team.
Today I have prepared my sermon for this coming Saturday where I will be preaching up in the mountains at Juru. It’s their 32nd anniversary service. It is at Juru that EAB is completely revamping a very poor special needs child’s little house which had been near to collapsing.
It will be the communion service on Sunday in Patos and I will be preaching yet again.
Liz presses on steadily with her physiotherapy and the specialist has said that as from next week she can do exercises with her physiostherapist in a swimming pool as well as do some walking with just one crutch. So PTL Liz is steadily progressing! Thanks for your prayers.
The Youth night last Saturday was fantastic with regional music, a great play (which brought tears to my eyes), dance and I spoke on the relation between the Christian and Culture. It was a greatly blessed night with a packed church.
On the Sunday I preached again – this time on Psalm 138. I also dedicated a baby boy and Philip led this service as he did on the Saturday evening too.
Yesterday I had a meeting with a candidate for the Mayor of Patos in the October elections. He came to have a discussion with me together with his team.
Today I have prepared my sermon for this coming Saturday where I will be preaching up in the mountains at Juru. It’s their 32nd anniversary service. It is at Juru that EAB is completely revamping a very poor special needs child’s little house which had been near to collapsing.
It will be the communion service on Sunday in Patos and I will be preaching yet again.
Liz presses on steadily with her physiotherapy and the specialist has said that as from next week she can do exercises with her physiostherapist in a swimming pool as well as do some walking with just one crutch. So PTL Liz is steadily progressing! Thanks for your prayers.
I watched the referendum results on TV last night and was still watching when the BBC finally declared the result at 12:40am our time (04.40am UK time). The decision has been taken and only time will tell what this will bring and cause. We watch and pray.
Today our church youth have spent the entire day at Green Pastures as part of our programme to get them away fom all the mess in Patos. They have had a great day. PTL!
I have prepared my sermon for tomorrow’s youth night in the Patos church and am now working on my Sunday sermon.
Liz is getting increasingly more agile on her crutches. It is so good seeing her able to get around easier and freer.
I watched the referendum results on TV last night and was still watching when the BBC finally declared the result at 12:40am our time (04.40am UK time). The decision has been taken and only time will tell what this will bring and cause. We watch and pray.
Today our church youth have spent the entire day at Green Pastures as part of our programme to get them away fom all the mess in Patos. They have had a great day. PTL!
I have prepared my sermon for tomorrow’s youth night in the Patos church and am now working on my Sunday sermon.
Liz is getting increasingly more agile on her crutches. It is so good seeing her able to get around easier and freer.
I watched the referendum results on TV last night and was still watching when the BBC finally declared the result at 12:40am our time (04.40am UK time). The decision has been taken and only time will tell what this will bring and cause. We watch and pray.
Today our church youth have spent the entire day at Green Pastures as part of our programme to get them away fom all the mess in Patos. They have had a great day. PTL!
I have prepared my sermon for tomorrow’s youth night in the Patos church and am now working on my Sunday sermon.
Liz is getting increasingly more agile on her crutches. It is so good seeing her able to get around easier and freer.
Liz yesterday packed away her wheelchair and is now on crutches for everything. PTL! Her wheelchair will eventually be given to someone poor who needs it. Yesterday was a major step forward. She still has a lot of pain in her shoulders, which basically has been caused by pushing herself round in a wheelchair, but praise God she is slowly but surely getting back to normal. Thanks for your prayers.
I am busy preparing to speak to the special youth meeting this Saturday on “Christians & Culture”. It will be a big very special meeting with choreography, drama, a regional music band from our Conceição church and me speaking. Philip will be leading. You will be able to watch the service live on the church’s Facebook page or see it recorded the following day. It will be very different to the normal Sunday services so I think many will find it interesting.
We are conscious of the referendum in the UK and concerned about the result. I have deliberately not got involved here in this blog or anywhere else on the matter. Someone even asked me to use my blog in a certain direction which I refused. I have my opinion but refuse to get involved as EAB must go on after the referendum whatever its result. We pray.
Liz yesterday packed away her wheelchair and is now on crutches for everything. PTL! Her wheelchair will eventually be given to someone poor who needs it. Yesterday was a major step forward. She still has a lot of pain in her shoulders, which basically has been caused by pushing herself round in a wheelchair, but praise God she is slowly but surely getting back to normal. Thanks for your prayers.
I am busy preparing to speak to the special youth meeting this Saturday on “Christians & Culture”. It will be a big very special meeting with choreography, drama, a regional music band from our Conceição church and me speaking. Philip will be leading. You will be able to watch the service live on the church’s Facebook page or see it recorded the following day. It will be very different to the normal Sunday services so I think many will find it interesting.
We are conscious of the referendum in the UK and concerned about the result. I have deliberately not got involved here in this blog or anywhere else on the matter. Someone even asked me to use my blog in a certain direction which I refused. I have my opinion but refuse to get involved as EAB must go on after the referendum whatever its result. We pray.
The annual St. John’s Festival starts today (Tuesday) and runs for six nights till dawn next Monday morning. It is a period of lawlessness in Patos with drugs everywhere, excessive drinking, wild promiscuity and so the sad list goes on. The main attraction in the opening show tonight will start singing after midnight and is called “Wesley Safadão” which could best be translated as something like “Wesley chauvanistic pervert” or “Wesley recklessly immoral”. I think that might give you a feel of the spirit of the festival!
In our church we always run a Christian alternative programme so please pray for this. The big Saturday night service will be the biggest night of this programme at which I will be speaking. It will be focused on regional music and choreography showing we as Christians are not opposed to local and regional culture but are against this culture being hijacked and perverted. This service will be shown on our live Facebook stream as will be the Sunday night service.
I have been dealing with a big problem at one of our smaller churches these past few days. It is at the ex-slave community of Barra de Oitis. Please pray for us as we handle a very difficult situation.
Today we have had further scientists at our Green Pastures Nature Reserve – this time to start reseach on Lizards – Iguanas, Giant Tejus and all the smaller varieties. It is wonderful how God is opening up doors to all this and very rewarding for all the hard work we have put in and are putting in to caring for God’s earth. The photo below was taken this morning with the scientists.
The annual St. John’s Festival starts today (Tuesday) and runs for six nights till dawn next Monday morning. It is a period of lawlessness in Patos with drugs everywhere, excessive drinking, wild promiscuity and so the sad list goes on. The main attraction in the opening show tonight will start singing after midnight and is called “Wesley Safadão” which could best be translated as something like “Wesley chauvanistic pervert” or “Wesley recklessly immoral”. I think that might give you a feel of the spirit of the festival!
In our church we always run a Christian alternative programme so please pray for this. The big Saturday night service will be the biggest night of this programme at which I will be speaking. It will be focused on regional music and choreography showing we as Christians are not opposed to local and regional culture but are against this culture being hijacked and perverted. This service will be shown on our live Facebook stream as will be the Sunday night service.
I have been dealing with a big problem at one of our smaller churches these past few days. It is at the ex-slave community of Barra de Oitis. Please pray for us as we handle a very difficult situation.
Today we have had further scientists at our Green Pastures Nature Reserve – this time to start reseach on Lizards – Iguanas, Giant Tejus and all the smaller varieties. It is wonderful how God is opening up doors to all this and very rewarding for all the hard work we have put in and are putting in to caring for God’s earth. The photo below was taken this morning with the scientists.
I’ve just got home from a wonderfully blessed Sunday celebration where the ministry of the Word was abundantly blessed and appreciated. The live broadcast via the church’s facebook page was a great success with people far and wide following. There were around a thousand with us at some point or other. PTL!
Continue ReadingI’ve just got home from a wonderfully blessed Sunday celebration where the ministry of the Word was abundantly blessed and appreciated. The live broadcast via the church’s facebook page was a great success with people far and wide following. There were around a thousand with us at some point or other. PTL!
Continue ReadingI’ve just got home from a wonderfully blessed Sunday celebration where the ministry of the Word was abundantly blessed and appreciated. The live broadcast via the church’s facebook page was a great success with people far and wide following. There were around a thousand with us at some point or other. PTL!
Continue ReadingAs from this Sunday the evening’s service at 22:30 (UK time), 21:30 (New York time)
and 18:30 (Brasília time) will be transmitted live from the church’s own Facebook page at: https://www.facebook.com/A%C3%A7%C3%A3o-Evang%C3%A9lica-Patos-PB-773650192729931/. Please watch if you can, and like or comment, so that we can
know you are watching. May God bless you and spread the word!
