Ipueira

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!

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Saturday night service

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.

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Saturday night service

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.

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Saturday night service

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.

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Green Pastures

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. 

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Green Pastures

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. 

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New Year’s Day

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.

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New Year’s Day

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.

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Happy New Year!

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.

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Happy New Year!

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.

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Job 15 (summary): Eliphaz returns

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”.

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Job 15 (summary): Eliphaz returns

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”.

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Job 14 (summary): Job bemoans the fragility of Life

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. 

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Job 14 (summary): Job bemoans the fragility of Life

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. 

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Hair cut

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.

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Hair cut

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.

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Hair cut

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.

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Job 13 (summary): Job continues

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!

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Job 13 (summary): Job continues

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!

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John Simpson

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.

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Last Sunday

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!

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Last Sunday

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!

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School Christmas Service

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! 

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School Christmas Service

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! 

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School Christmas Service

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! 

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Boxing Day

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!

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Boxing Day

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!

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Christmas Day

Christmas day was a nice relaxed family day with all the family, except Philip and family of course who are in England, eating Christmas lunch together. We even had Christmas pudding courtesy of Marian! See our Christmas day family photo below.


Please pray for Pastor Phil Watkins of the Bristol Ivy Church who is spending the Christmas period in hospital with serious health problems. 

The Psalmist said in 139:14 – “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. How true that is! Our heart pumps our blood round our arteries and veins. Our brain controls everything and our variety of organs exercise different functions. And to think that one day we will have resurrected and glorious bodies forever with the Lord!

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Christmas Day

Christmas day was a nice relaxed family day with all the family, except Philip and family of course who are in England, eating Christmas lunch together. We even had Christmas pudding courtesy of Marian! See our Christmas day family photo below.


Please pray for Pastor Phil Watkins of the Bristol Ivy Church who is spending the Christmas period in hospital with serious health problems. 

The Psalmist said in 139:14 – “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. How true that is! Our heart pumps our blood round our arteries and veins. Our brain controls everything and our variety of organs exercise different functions. And to think that one day we will have resurrected and glorious bodies forever with the Lord!

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Christmas Day

Christmas day was a nice relaxed family day with all the family, except Philip and family of course who are in England, eating Christmas lunch together. We even had Christmas pudding courtesy of Marian! See our Christmas day family photo below.


Please pray for Pastor Phil Watkins of the Bristol Ivy Church who is spending the Christmas period in hospital with serious health problems. 

The Psalmist said in 139:14 – “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made”. How true that is! Our heart pumps our blood round our arteries and veins. Our brain controls everything and our variety of organs exercise different functions. And to think that one day we will have resurrected and glorious bodies forever with the Lord!

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Son of Promise

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.

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Son of Promise

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.

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Son of Promise

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.

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Christmas Presents

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.

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Christmas Presents

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.

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Christmas Presents

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.

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Playground

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. 

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Playground

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. 

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15 baptized

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.

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4 Decisions

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!

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4 Decisions

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!

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Job 12 (summary): Job retaliates

Job now refutes his friends’ “wisdom” and ensues on a strong attack of their arguments during 3 chapters, insisting that he is in no way inferior to them. Job points out that true wisdom and power belongs to God who controls all creation. He seems to say that his friends’ logic of ‘sin produces suffering’ is not always the case as many wicked men have been allowed to live happy lives by God. Job clearly showed that he did not share his friends’ simplistic world view. (Life is not black and white… it is coloured!) Job knew he was a righteous man yet he had become a laughing-stock to his friends. Job clearly argued that he was righteous but the just don’t always prosper and the wicked weren’t always punished. Job showed that he didn’t understand why some things happened, but he trusted in God nevertheless. Job closes the chapter showing that he was well aware of God’s greatness despite being bewildered by his current suffering.

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Job 12 (summary): Job retaliates

Job now refutes his friends’ “wisdom” and ensues on a strong attack of their arguments during 3 chapters, insisting that he is in no way inferior to them. Job points out that true wisdom and power belongs to God who controls all creation. He seems to say that his friends’ logic of ‘sin produces suffering’ is not always the case as many wicked men have been allowed to live happy lives by God. Job clearly showed that he did not share his friends’ simplistic world view. (Life is not black and white… it is coloured!) Job knew he was a righteous man yet he had become a laughing-stock to his friends. Job clearly argued that he was righteous but the just don’t always prosper and the wicked weren’t always punished. Job showed that he didn’t understand why some things happened, but he trusted in God nevertheless. Job closes the chapter showing that he was well aware of God’s greatness despite being bewildered by his current suffering.

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Road Sweepers

Our church at São Vicente do Seridó, about a 2-hour drive east of Patos, is led by Missionary Nenem Guimarães, and she and her flock have just made a beautiful Christian gesture in the town. They organized a delicious and plentiful Christmas breakfast for all the road sweepers who absolutely loved it and said nothing like it had ever happened to them. (I should just explain to overseas readers that the term ‘missionary’ is used in ACEV to define ordained workers who are not officially pastors, though in effect they are!)

I went to Green Pastures and had a nice visit with our 3 donkeys: King Solomon, Queen of Sheba and Merrylegs II. They are well and nice and plump despite the drought. I saw White-naped Jays and Chalk-browed Mockingbirds whilst there. A small flock of Red-legged Seriemas came to drink water at our water fountain and 2 males got in a big fight over the females making a terrific din!

I have started a short course online on Philosophy taught by Dr. Luiz Felipe Pondé who is a professor at São Paulo University (USP).

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Road Sweepers

Our church at São Vicente do Seridó, about a 2-hour drive east of Patos, is led by Missionary Nenem Guimarães, and she and her flock have just made a beautiful Christian gesture in the town. They organized a delicious and plentiful Christmas breakfast for all the road sweepers who absolutely loved it and said nothing like it had ever happened to them. (I should just explain to overseas readers that the term ‘missionary’ is used in ACEV to define ordained workers who are not officially pastors, though in effect they are!)

I went to Green Pastures and had a nice visit with our 3 donkeys: King Solomon, Queen of Sheba and Merrylegs II. They are well and nice and plump despite the drought. I saw White-naped Jays and Chalk-browed Mockingbirds whilst there. A small flock of Red-legged Seriemas came to drink water at our water fountain and 2 males got in a big fight over the females making a terrific din!

I have started a short course online on Philosophy taught by Dr. Luiz Felipe Pondé who is a professor at São Paulo University (USP).

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Job 11 (summary): Zophar replies

Now is the turn for Job’s third friend or comforter to comment on Job’s predicament. His name is Zophar, (and with friends like the 3 “comforters” who needs enemies?) Zophar accuses Job of idle talk and mockery, and that Job’s hidden sin was the cause of his suffering. Nevertheless Zophar says that Job should be grateful because God was even letting him off from a lot! Zophar points to God’s mysteries as fathomless being longer than the earth and wider than the sea, and God recognizes deceitful men. The only solution, Zophar says, is for Job to put away his sin and allow no evil to dwell in his tent! For if Job puts his life right before God things will change and “life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning”. However he says that “the eyes of the wicked will fail” and “their hope will become a dying gasp”!

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Job 11 (summary): Zophar replies

Now is the turn for Job’s third friend or comforter to comment on Job’s predicament. His name is Zophar, (and with friends like the 3 “comforters” who needs enemies?) Zophar accuses Job of idle talk and mockery, and that Job’s hidden sin was the cause of his suffering. Nevertheless Zophar says that Job should be grateful because God was even letting him off from a lot! Zophar points to God’s mysteries as fathomless being longer than the earth and wider than the sea, and God recognizes deceitful men. The only solution, Zophar says, is for Job to put away his sin and allow no evil to dwell in his tent! For if Job puts his life right before God things will change and “life will be brighter than noonday, and darkness will become like morning”. However he says that “the eyes of the wicked will fail” and “their hope will become a dying gasp”!

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Job 10 (summary): Job’s lament continues

 Job now continues to struggle to come to terms with why on earth he is experiencing such horrific suffering. Job starts this chapter saying he loathes his very life and begs of God that he tells him what charges he has against him. He asks God if it gives him pleasure to oppress him? Job says that God seems to be searching for his faults and probing for sin even though he knows that he is not guilty. Job accuses God of stalking him like a lion and displaying his awesome power against him. Job says he wished he’d never been born, but he just hoped for a little bit of joy before death.

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