Categoria: News

I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and I gave the study on the message of John the Baptist. Marina and Davi led the praise and worship and Espedita and Vasti sang solos. Mariana brought a lovely word of testimony about the Youth Conference and Dede, Deborah Maria, Mada and Marcio brought verses of Scripture. It was a delightful service with a good number present.

At Green Pastures yesterday I saw Red-cowled Cardinals, Chalk-browed Mockingbirds, Picui Ground-Doves, White Naped-Jays and Pale Baywings. The drought and heat are biting hard. Everything is scorched by the sun.

Last night we had a wonderful evening with our ‘Young at Heart’ seniors fellowship group held at Josinete’s house. We were all served a delicious meal (I ate 2 plates!), and then played some games, followed by the giving of gifts to all the ladies who regularly come to the weekly meetings. They were all profuse with their thanks for all the work done with them throughout 2024. This work with our seniors has now been carried on during 18 years and is led by Marah Danielle, Márcia and Josinete. 

This week’s Men’s Fellowship meeting centred on a talk by a doctor on men’s health, in line with the national emphasis on the topic in the month of November. Dr. Rafael Nóbrega brought us a very useful and interesting talk with discussion by the group.

Yesterday was another public holiday in Brazil, being 1 of 15+ such annual holidays! There are 8 in the UK. The married couples’ fellowship therefore made the most of the day spending it as an outing to Green Pastures and had a barbecue. The men cooked the barbecue whilst the women sunbathed! 😎

This week’s Men’s Fellowship meeting centred on a talk by a doctor on men’s health, in line with the national emphasis on the topic in the month of November. Dr. Rafael Nóbrega brought us a very useful and interesting talk with discussion by the group.

Yesterday was another public holiday in Brazil, being 1 of 15+ such annual holidays! There are 8 in the UK. The married couples’ fellowship therefore made the most of the day spending it as an outing to Green Pastures and had a barbecue. The men cooked the barbecue whilst the women sunbathed! 😎

This week’s Men’s Fellowship meeting centred on a talk by a doctor on men’s health, in line with the national emphasis on the topic in the month of November. Dr. Rafael Nóbrega brought us a very useful and interesting talk with discussion by the group.

Yesterday was another public holiday in Brazil, being 1 of 15+ such annual holidays! There are 8 in the UK. The married couples’ fellowship therefore made the most of the day spending it as an outing to Green Pastures and had a barbecue. The men cooked the barbecue whilst the women sunbathed! 😎

Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses came to visit Moses together with Moses’ wife Zipporah and their 2 sons Gershom and Eliezer. Moses told him all about what God had done delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and Jethro was overjoyed and offered sacrifices to God. The next day Moses worked all day as judge of the people and Jethro observed how hard he worked, so Jethro suggested that he delegate much of this work to good men who could share his work load. Moses accepted the suggestion and appointed judges to take care of the simpler cases, just bringing the more complicated issues to him.   

Jethro, the priest of Midian and father-in-law of Moses came to visit Moses together with Moses’ wife Zipporah and their 2 sons Gershom and Eliezer. Moses told him all about what God had done delivering the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, and Jethro was overjoyed and offered sacrifices to God. The next day Moses worked all day as judge of the people and Jethro observed how hard he worked, so Jethro suggested that he delegate much of this work to good men who could share his work load. Moses accepted the suggestion and appointed judges to take care of the simpler cases, just bringing the more complicated issues to him.   

I led the main service of the week on Sunday night and Bible College graduate Murilo preached on Matthew 5:1-8. It was an excellent sermon. The praise and worship flowed beautifully too led by Sacha and Fábio, backed by Rogerio, Netinho and Rogaciano. Our youth got back from their conference on the coast in Joao Pessoa just as the service finished.

Professor Flávia Moura of the Federal University is about to start research in termites at Green Pastures. Termites create large mounds on trees and it will be very interesting to learn from the professor and her team. The team of Maranhao biologists continue to research wild cats at Green Pastures.

The 246 young people from our churches, who went to their annual conference in Joao Pessoa, are now back home in their respective towns and villages. All report a real time of blessing for which we praise the Lord. Thank you for your prayers. 

Liz and I watched online Ken Rashleigh’s thanksgiving service this morning which was beautiful.

Despite God’s constant provision for Israel the people’s faith was very limited, and when no water was readily visible and available the people began to moan again. So God instructed Moses to go and strike a rock at Horeb from which water flowed out, and he called the place Massah (testing) and Meribah (quarrelling) because the people quarrelled and tested the Lord there. Then the Amalekites attacked the Israelites, so Moses sent Joshua to take some men to fight them whilst Moses stood on top of hill with his staff raised. Whilst he maintained his arms raised Israel prevailed but if he lowered his arms Israel started to lose. So Aaron and Hur held his hands up all day and by sunset the Amalekites had been defeated. Moses built an altar of praise to God and called it the Lord is my banner.

Despite God’s constant provision for Israel the people’s faith was very limited, and when no water was readily visible and available the people began to moan again. So God instructed Moses to go and strike a rock at Horeb from which water flowed out, and he called the place Massah (testing) and Meribah (quarrelling) because the people quarrelled and tested the Lord there. Then the Amalekites attacked the Israelites, so Moses sent Joshua to take some men to fight them whilst Moses stood on top of hill with his staff raised. Whilst he maintained his arms raised Israel prevailed but if he lowered his arms Israel started to lose. So Aaron and Hur held his hands up all day and by sunset the Amalekites had been defeated. Moses built an altar of praise to God and called it the Lord is my banner.

A month after leaving Egypt the Israelites left Elim and came to the Desert of Sin between Elim and Sinai. Here they started to moan about the lack of food saying they would have been better off staying in Egypt as now they were liable to starve to death. So God started to send them manna (a type of delicious bread) in the morning and quails in the evening. They were to collect sufficient for each day (not more and not less) but on the 6th day they were to collect sufficient for 2 days so that they didn’t work on the sabbath. The collected food would last for the stipulated period of time, but if they collected too much it would become full of maggots and begin to smell. God told the people not to grumble at Moses and Aaron because if they did they would be in fact complaining against Himself. And the Israelites ate manna provided by God for 40 years until they reached the border of Canaan.

A month after leaving Egypt the Israelites left Elim and came to the Desert of Sin between Elim and Sinai. Here they started to moan about the lack of food saying they would have been better off staying in Egypt as now they were liable to starve to death. So God started to send them manna (a type of delicious bread) in the morning and quails in the evening. They were to collect sufficient for each day (not more and not less) but on the 6th day they were to collect sufficient for 2 days so that they didn’t work on the sabbath. The collected food would last for the stipulated period of time, but if they collected too much it would become full of maggots and begin to smell. God told the people not to grumble at Moses and Aaron because if they did they would be in fact complaining against Himself. And the Israelites ate manna provided by God for 40 years until they reached the border of Canaan.

A month after leaving Egypt the Israelites left Elim and came to the Desert of Sin between Elim and Sinai. Here they started to moan about the lack of food saying they would have been better off staying in Egypt as now they were liable to starve to death. So God started to send them manna (a type of delicious bread) in the morning and quails in the evening. They were to collect sufficient for each day (not more and not less) but on the 6th day they were to collect sufficient for 2 days so that they didn’t work on the sabbath. The collected food would last for the stipulated period of time, but if they collected too much it would become full of maggots and begin to smell. God told the people not to grumble at Moses and Aaron because if they did they would be in fact complaining against Himself. And the Israelites ate manna provided by God for 40 years until they reached the border of Canaan.

In reply to my comments about me perhaps playing for QPR, Pastor Michael Rollo (Found Church, Scotland) has suggested that if that doesn’t work out I could try Manchester City as they have lost 4 in a row! Meanwhile Mrs. Joan Heard has agreed that I should play for QPR! 😂

Last night I both led the service at Green Pastures and preached the word. It was the monthly communion service and Nega led the praise and worship. Josué, Paulo Silas, Fred, Dodora and Julio also took part. It was a good service.

Our annual youth conference finishes today. Over 200 young people from around our churches have gathered in Joao Pessoa for fellowship and spiritual renewal around God’s word. It has been a time of blessing.

In reply to my comments about me perhaps playing for QPR, Pastor Michael Rollo (Found Church, Scotland) has suggested that if that doesn’t work out I could try Manchester City as they have lost 4 in a row! Meanwhile Mrs. Joan Heard has agreed that I should play for QPR! 😂

Last night I both led the service at Green Pastures and preached the word. It was the monthly communion service and Nega led the praise and worship. Josué, Paulo Silas, Fred, Dodora and Julio also took part. It was a good service.

Our annual youth conference finishes today. Over 200 young people from around our churches have gathered in Joao Pessoa for fellowship and spiritual renewal around God’s word. It has been a time of blessing.

In reply to my comments about me perhaps playing for QPR, Pastor Michael Rollo (Found Church, Scotland) has suggested that if that doesn’t work out I could try Manchester City as they have lost 4 in a row! Meanwhile Mrs. Joan Heard has agreed that I should play for QPR! 😂

Last night I both led the service at Green Pastures and preached the word. It was the monthly communion service and Nega led the praise and worship. Josué, Paulo Silas, Fred, Dodora and Julio also took part. It was a good service.

Our annual youth conference finishes today. Over 200 young people from around our churches have gathered in Joao Pessoa for fellowship and spiritual renewal around God’s word. It has been a time of blessing.

Then Moses and the Israelites sang a song of rejoicing and victory unto the Lord, and Aaron’s sister and prophetess Miriam danced with tambourines. They praised God for their mighty deliverance hurling the Egyptian troops into the sea. They worshiped God for shattering their enemy by engulfing them in the sea after having delivered themselves on dry ground. They praised God who is incomparable among the gods, majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, doing wonders! The Red Sea deliverance strengthened the Israelites’ faith and belief regarding the future conquering of the land of Canaan. Then Moses led the people from the Red Sea into the desert and they grumbled about the lack of drinking water because when they arrived at Marah (bitter) the water wasn’t drinkable. Moses cried to God who directed him to throwing in some wood which made the water sweet. God then exhorted the people to listen carefully to his voice because he would not punish them with plagues as he was the Lord who heals them. Then they arrived to camp at Elim where there were 12 springs and 70 palm trees.

God told the Israelites to camp facing the Red Sea but Pharoah changed his mind about letting them go and prepared 600 plus chariots and troops to pursue them. When the Israelites saw them they were terrified and complained to Moses that he had had brought them to the desert to die. However God told them not to be afraid because he would deliver them and liquidate the Egyptians. Then God told Moses to raise his staff over the sea and it opened up a pathway through the sea which was totally dry, and the Israelites were able to escape through this pathway. However when the Egyptians pursued them it was no longer dry and they started to get bogged down in their chariots. After the Israelites had crossed, God collapsed the walls of the Red Sea engulfing the Egyptians, and they were all drowned. Thus the Israelites feared God and trusted him and trusted in Moses as they witnessed this miraculous deliverance.

God told the Israelites to camp facing the Red Sea but Pharoah changed his mind about letting them go and prepared 600 plus chariots and troops to pursue them. When the Israelites saw them they were terrified and complained to Moses that he had had brought them to the desert to die. However God told them not to be afraid because he would deliver them and liquidate the Egyptians. Then God told Moses to raise his staff over the sea and it opened up a pathway through the sea which was totally dry, and the Israelites were able to escape through this pathway. However when the Egyptians pursued them it was no longer dry and they started to get bogged down in their chariots. After the Israelites had crossed, God collapsed the walls of the Red Sea engulfing the Egyptians, and they were all drowned. Thus the Israelites feared God and trusted him and trusted in Moses as they witnessed this miraculous deliverance.

Yesterday we had an hilarious incident in Patos. For days now we have had air force jets zig-zagging across the skies of Patos. Yesterday there was a large explosion breaking up boulders at a building site and word spread in Patos that one of the jets had crashed! Social media was soon full of the story reporting that the pilot had ejected and was alive! It just goes to show how lies are easily spread.

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study. Sacha and Rogerio led the praise and Pastor Rafael gave the study on Jonah 2. It was a nice service.

Today is our 55th wedding anniversary and I will be taking Liz out for lunch to celebrate. God has been very good to us over the years and I am very grateful to Him for such a wonderful beautiful wife. 😍

Yesterday we had an hilarious incident in Patos. For days now we have had air force jets zig-zagging across the skies of Patos. Yesterday there was a large explosion breaking up boulders at a building site and word spread in Patos that one of the jets had crashed! Social media was soon full of the story reporting that the pilot had ejected and was alive! It just goes to show how lies are easily spread.

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study. Sacha and Rogerio led the praise and Pastor Rafael gave the study on Jonah 2. It was a nice service.

Today is our 55th wedding anniversary and I will be taking Liz out for lunch to celebrate. God has been very good to us over the years and I am very grateful to Him for such a wonderful beautiful wife. 😍

In a direct link with the Passover rescue of the Israelite firstborn God established an annual ritual of the consecration of the firstborn interwoven with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As they moved into Canaan they were to remember to consecrate to God all their firstborn, including that of their livestock, and when their children asked about the meaning of this they should tell them that it was to remember all God did for them bringing them out of Egypt. Then God led the Israelites via the desert road towards the Red Sea, avoiding possible war with the Philistines on the more direct route. Moses took the bones of Joseph to bury in Canaan and God went with his people guiding them with pillars of cloud (in the day) and of fire (at night).

In a direct link with the Passover rescue of the Israelite firstborn God established an annual ritual of the consecration of the firstborn interwoven with the Feast of Unleavened Bread. As they moved into Canaan they were to remember to consecrate to God all their firstborn, including that of their livestock, and when their children asked about the meaning of this they should tell them that it was to remember all God did for them bringing them out of Egypt. Then God led the Israelites via the desert road towards the Red Sea, avoiding possible war with the Philistines on the more direct route. Moses took the bones of Joseph to bury in Canaan and God went with his people guiding them with pillars of cloud (in the day) and of fire (at night).

Another EAB/ACEV toilet/shower unit is starting to be built this week in the village of Barra de Oitis at the house of Lucinho and Leila. The building materials were delivered on Monday morning. Thank you for your prayers and support.

On Tuesday, November 19th at 1 pm, the thanksgiving service for the life of our great friend and brother in Christ Ken Rashleigh will be held at the Shirley Warren Action Church, 117 Warren Crescent, Southampton, SO16 6AY. Please attend and support our sister Marian. 

On Monday night Liz led the prayer meeting at which there were 7 present. Liz says it was a good meeting.

Last night I travelled to the town of Sao Mamede with the Patos men’s fellowship and held another street service in front of the house of José and Maricó. Chief of the police Esau led the service, there were various participations and Pastor Rafael preached the Gospel. It was a lovely meeting.

I played my granddaughter Bia yesterday at table tennis and lost 11 x 5, 11 x 4. It was fun.

This chapter lays out the rules for the celebration of the Passover and for the Feast of Unleavened Bread which were to be carried out in the spring, constituting the first month of the new ecclesiastical year in commemoration of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God told Moses that each Hebrew family should slaughter a year old lamb or kid which was without defect, with small families being able to share. They should then paint the blood on the sides and tops of their front door frames and roast the lamb or kid, eating it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They should eat whilst wearing a cloak tucked inside their belt, wearing sandals and holding a staff. (ready to march to freedom!) That same night God would kill the Egyptian firstborn,  but where he saw the blood he would ‘pass over’ and leave them unaffected by the plague of death. God said that the Passover festival together with the Feast of Unleavened Bread should be commemorated every year to remember the great deliverance of God in all future generations. At midnight on the first Passover God struck down the Egyptian firstborn without exception and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt, but where there was blood on the doorposts the angel of death passed over. During the night Pharoah finally gave in and told Moses, Aaron and the Israelites to get out of Egypt, and all the Egyptians urged them to leave quickly! So the Israelites’ 430 years in Egypt came to a close. They were 600,000 men plus women, children and livestock on their way to Canaan. So the Passover commemorates the setting free of the Israelites from slavery, no foreigner could eat of it and no uncircumcised men. God was finally bringing the Israelites out of Egypt!   

This chapter lays out the rules for the celebration of the Passover and for the Feast of Unleavened Bread which were to be carried out in the spring, constituting the first month of the new ecclesiastical year in commemoration of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God told Moses that each Hebrew family should slaughter a year old lamb or kid which was without defect, with small families being able to share. They should then paint the blood on the sides and tops of their front door frames and roast the lamb or kid, eating it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They should eat whilst wearing a cloak tucked inside their belt, wearing sandals and holding a staff. (ready to march to freedom!) That same night God would kill the Egyptian firstborn,  but where he saw the blood he would ‘pass over’ and leave them unaffected by the plague of death. God said that the Passover festival together with the Feast of Unleavened Bread should be commemorated every year to remember the great deliverance of God in all future generations. At midnight on the first Passover God struck down the Egyptian firstborn without exception and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt, but where there was blood on the doorposts the angel of death passed over. During the night Pharoah finally gave in and told Moses, Aaron and the Israelites to get out of Egypt, and all the Egyptians urged them to leave quickly! So the Israelites’ 430 years in Egypt came to a close. They were 600,000 men plus women, children and livestock on their way to Canaan. So the Passover commemorates the setting free of the Israelites from slavery, no foreigner could eat of it and no uncircumcised men. God was finally bringing the Israelites out of Egypt!   

This chapter lays out the rules for the celebration of the Passover and for the Feast of Unleavened Bread which were to be carried out in the spring, constituting the first month of the new ecclesiastical year in commemoration of Israel’s deliverance from slavery in Egypt. God told Moses that each Hebrew family should slaughter a year old lamb or kid which was without defect, with small families being able to share. They should then paint the blood on the sides and tops of their front door frames and roast the lamb or kid, eating it with bitter herbs and unleavened bread. They should eat whilst wearing a cloak tucked inside their belt, wearing sandals and holding a staff. (ready to march to freedom!) That same night God would kill the Egyptian firstborn,  but where he saw the blood he would ‘pass over’ and leave them unaffected by the plague of death. God said that the Passover festival together with the Feast of Unleavened Bread should be commemorated every year to remember the great deliverance of God in all future generations. At midnight on the first Passover God struck down the Egyptian firstborn without exception and there was loud wailing throughout Egypt, but where there was blood on the doorposts the angel of death passed over. During the night Pharoah finally gave in and told Moses, Aaron and the Israelites to get out of Egypt, and all the Egyptians urged them to leave quickly! So the Israelites’ 430 years in Egypt came to a close. They were 600,000 men plus women, children and livestock on their way to Canaan. So the Passover commemorates the setting free of the Israelites from slavery, no foreigner could eat of it and no uncircumcised men. God was finally bringing the Israelites out of Egypt!   

Last night I led the main service of the week in Patos and I preached too on ‘New Heavens and New Earth’ from Isaiah 65:17 and Revelation 21:1. The service was disturbed a bit by the noise of football supporters celebrating the victory of their team ‘Flamengo’ (Philip’s team) who won the Brazilian Cup against ‘Atletico Mineiro’ . The church was full with 8 non-Christian visitors.

I have had various discussions with different pastors today talking about different aspects of the work of God. Of special focus is our central Princesa Isabel church which is in great need of prayer.

Last night I led the main service of the week in Patos and I preached too on ‘New Heavens and New Earth’ from Isaiah 65:17 and Revelation 21:1. The service was disturbed a bit by the noise of football supporters celebrating the victory of their team ‘Flamengo’ (Philip’s team) who won the Brazilian Cup against ‘Atletico Mineiro’ . The church was full with 8 non-Christian visitors.

I have had various discussions with different pastors today talking about different aspects of the work of God. Of special focus is our central Princesa Isabel church which is in great need of prayer.

Every Wednesday evening we have a small team which goes to our Pastor Frank Dyer School on the south side of Patos in the borough of Jatobá. They faithfully go there to hold an evangelistic service targeting children and teenagers from the school and their parents. Owing to the violence at night in Patos people are now very reticent to let their children out at night because the drug gangs have decreed a curfew! The shooting of the little 6-year-old girl also makes people jumpy. Please pray for peace in Patos and for God’s blessings on our weekly meetings at our school.

Our brother Etinho from our little church at the picturesque village of Picotes has had a nasty accident tonight whilst loading a cow onto a truck. He has double exposed fractures of his shin bones on one leg (Tibia and Fibula). Please pray for Etinho. 

We are having a good but exhausting weekend. On Friday we travelled to chair a church business meeting at our Princesa Isabel church. We installed a 3-man team of pastors Robério, Nemias and Lindon Carlos to care for the church whilst it is without a fixed pastor. Then on Saturday morning we visited a family there prior to travelling to Juru where I preached at the 40th anniversary service held in the street in front of the church. We got back to Patos and to bed at 1.30 am this morning.

QPR lost again! Oh dear! We lost 2 x 0 away to Leeds and are now back at the bottom of the league.

Every Wednesday evening we have a small team which goes to our Pastor Frank Dyer School on the south side of Patos in the borough of Jatobá. They faithfully go there to hold an evangelistic service targeting children and teenagers from the school and their parents. Owing to the violence at night in Patos people are now very reticent to let their children out at night because the drug gangs have decreed a curfew! The shooting of the little 6-year-old girl also makes people jumpy. Please pray for peace in Patos and for God’s blessings on our weekly meetings at our school.

Our brother Etinho from our little church at the picturesque village of Picotes has had a nasty accident tonight whilst loading a cow onto a truck. He has double exposed fractures of his shin bones on one leg (Tibia and Fibula). Please pray for Etinho. 

We are having a good but exhausting weekend. On Friday we travelled to chair a church business meeting at our Princesa Isabel church. We installed a 3-man team of pastors Robério, Nemias and Lindon Carlos to care for the church whilst it is without a fixed pastor. Then on Saturday morning we visited a family there prior to travelling to Juru where I preached at the 40th anniversary service held in the street in front of the church. We got back to Patos and to bed at 1.30 am this morning.

QPR lost again! Oh dear! We lost 2 x 0 away to Leeds and are now back at the bottom of the league.

God told Moses that he was about to bring the last plague upon Egypt which would finally secure the release of the Israelites. So God instructed the people to ask their Egyptian neighbours for gold and silver for their soon coming journey to freedom. Moses then went to Pharoah and told him that at midnight all the Egyptian firstborn would die, including the cattle, and that loud wailing would be heard everywhere. This would have the effect that the Egyptians would be glad to see the back of the Hebrews. However Pharoah stubbornly refused to set the people free. 

God told Moses that he was about to bring the last plague upon Egypt which would finally secure the release of the Israelites. So God instructed the people to ask their Egyptian neighbours for gold and silver for their soon coming journey to freedom. Moses then went to Pharoah and told him that at midnight all the Egyptian firstborn would die, including the cattle, and that loud wailing would be heard everywhere. This would have the effect that the Egyptians would be glad to see the back of the Hebrews. However Pharoah stubbornly refused to set the people free. 

God told Moses that he was about to bring the last plague upon Egypt which would finally secure the release of the Israelites. So God instructed the people to ask their Egyptian neighbours for gold and silver for their soon coming journey to freedom. Moses then went to Pharoah and told him that at midnight all the Egyptian firstborn would die, including the cattle, and that loud wailing would be heard everywhere. This would have the effect that the Egyptians would be glad to see the back of the Hebrews. However Pharoah stubbornly refused to set the people free. 

8 have been baptized at our Juru church where Esequias (Ezekiel) is the pastor. I will be preaching there this Saturday at the 40th anniversary service. Juru is 115 km south-west of Patos where we live. On the Friday we will be travelling to nearby Princesa Isabel (33 km further west) where I will chair a church business meeting to try and sort out some problems there. Please pray. 

QPR lost at home 4 x 1 to Middlesbrough on Tuesday night! How very sad! 😒We remain in 23rd place in the 24 team Championship. I think I will have to pop over to Loftus Road and play a few games for them! Do let me know if you think this a good idea. 😉

8 have been baptized at our Juru church where Esequias (Ezekiel) is the pastor. I will be preaching there this Saturday at the 40th anniversary service. Juru is 115 km south-west of Patos where we live. On the Friday we will be travelling to nearby Princesa Isabel (33 km further west) where I will chair a church business meeting to try and sort out some problems there. Please pray. 

QPR lost at home 4 x 1 to Middlesbrough on Tuesday night! How very sad! 😒We remain in 23rd place in the 24 team Championship. I think I will have to pop over to Loftus Road and play a few games for them! Do let me know if you think this a good idea. 😉

On Sunday night I preached at our Joao Pessoa Boa Esperança church’s 19th anniversary service. In the city of Joao Pessoa we have 4 churches: our central one in the borough of Cidade Universitária (Pastors Umbirajara and Matheus), then one in the borough of Cidade Verde (Pastor José Vieira), the third where we preached in the borough of Boa Esperança (Pastor Manoel and Missionary Alexandra) and our fourth in the borough of Funcionários 3 (Pastor Iremar). It was a good service.

Yesterday we drove back from Joao Pessoa in the afternoon, arriving back in Patos safe and sound at 7:30 pm after a 5 hour journey.

Liz had 2 hours on the beach whilst we were in Joao Pessoa together with Lynn and Amanda and Liz got quite a good suntan. 

On Sunday night I preached at our Joao Pessoa Boa Esperança church’s 19th anniversary service. In the city of Joao Pessoa we have 4 churches: our central one in the borough of Cidade Universitária (Pastors Umbirajara and Matheus), then one in the borough of Cidade Verde (Pastor José Vieira), the third where we preached in the borough of Boa Esperança (Pastor Manoel and Missionary Alexandra) and our fourth in the borough of Funcionários 3 (Pastor Iremar). It was a good service.

Yesterday we drove back from Joao Pessoa in the afternoon, arriving back in Patos safe and sound at 7:30 pm after a 5 hour journey.

Liz had 2 hours on the beach whilst we were in Joao Pessoa together with Lynn and Amanda and Liz got quite a good suntan. 

The killer of 6-year-old Ayla has been caught by the police together with the other 2 cronies with him in the crime. The 3 have confessed the crimes of killing the little girl and shooting a 17-year-old boy. They say it was a case of mistaken identity as they thought the boy was a member of an opposing drug gang. The boy remains in hospital but is out of intensive care. What a sad story! Please pray for the boy’s recovery and for the comforting of the little girl’s parents.

On Friday night we held an excellent meeting of the 9 person Patos church council. We discussed subjects such as chewing gum (we have an epidemic of deposits in church!), the friends service, the Care Centre, the young at heart, the deaf, and the next carnival camp etc.

Yesterday QPR did well again drawing 0 x 0 at home to top of the table Sunderland, having had the same score line against next to top Burnley the week before. That’s 3 draws on the run now so let’s hope we will start winning soon! 

We are in Joao Pessoa to preach tonight but we have to be very careful with the water here as thieves robbed 450 metres of copper cable from the city’s water distribution centre and cut off the whole city from water!

The killer of 6-year-old Ayla has been caught by the police together with the other 2 cronies with him in the crime. The 3 have confessed the crimes of killing the little girl and shooting a 17-year-old boy. They say it was a case of mistaken identity as they thought the boy was a member of an opposing drug gang. The boy remains in hospital but is out of intensive care. What a sad story! Please pray for the boy’s recovery and for the comforting of the little girl’s parents.

On Friday night we held an excellent meeting of the 9 person Patos church council. We discussed subjects such as chewing gum (we have an epidemic of deposits in church!), the friends service, the Care Centre, the young at heart, the deaf, and the next carnival camp etc.

Yesterday QPR did well again drawing 0 x 0 at home to top of the table Sunderland, having had the same score line against next to top Burnley the week before. That’s 3 draws on the run now so let’s hope we will start winning soon! 

We are in Joao Pessoa to preach tonight but we have to be very careful with the water here as thieves robbed 450 metres of copper cable from the city’s water distribution centre and cut off the whole city from water!

Next God sent a plague of locusts in all of Egypt because Pharoah continued to resist setting free the Israelites. The locusts devoured what was left of the crops after the hail and they devoured the foliage of the trees. So Pharoah repented of his sin, but soon retracted once the locusts had left. Therefore God sent a plague of darkness over Egypt for 3 days, but the Israelites were not affected. So Pharoah tried to negotiate a partial release of the Israelites, without them taking their livestock, but this was unacceptable to Moses. So Pharoah lost his patience, told Moses to get lost and threatened to kill him if he saw him again. 

Next God sent a plague of locusts in all of Egypt because Pharoah continued to resist setting free the Israelites. The locusts devoured what was left of the crops after the hail and they devoured the foliage of the trees. So Pharoah repented of his sin, but soon retracted once the locusts had left. Therefore God sent a plague of darkness over Egypt for 3 days, but the Israelites were not affected. So Pharoah tried to negotiate a partial release of the Israelites, without them taking their livestock, but this was unacceptable to Moses. So Pharoah lost his patience, told Moses to get lost and threatened to kill him if he saw him again. 

Next God sent a plague of locusts in all of Egypt because Pharoah continued to resist setting free the Israelites. The locusts devoured what was left of the crops after the hail and they devoured the foliage of the trees. So Pharoah repented of his sin, but soon retracted once the locusts had left. Therefore God sent a plague of darkness over Egypt for 3 days, but the Israelites were not affected. So Pharoah tried to negotiate a partial release of the Israelites, without them taking their livestock, but this was unacceptable to Moses. So Pharoah lost his patience, told Moses to get lost and threatened to kill him if he saw him again. 

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and it was a good service. After some initial praise, led by Marina and Rogerio, we had a nice time of prayer together. I put people’s requests up on a flip-chart and then different brothers and sisters led in prayer. After the prayer sister Espedita sang a solo and then Adriana, Dedé, Marcos, Rayla and Espedita read out verses of Scripture. Then came the Bible study with Pastor Rafael concluding the book of Obadiah. 

During last month this blog received 2,453 visits.

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and it was a good service. After some initial praise, led by Marina and Rogerio, we had a nice time of prayer together. I put people’s requests up on a flip-chart and then different brothers and sisters led in prayer. After the prayer sister Espedita sang a solo and then Adriana, Dedé, Marcos, Rayla and Espedita read out verses of Scripture. Then came the Bible study with Pastor Rafael concluding the book of Obadiah. 

During last month this blog received 2,453 visits.

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and it was a good service. After some initial praise, led by Marina and Rogerio, we had a nice time of prayer together. I put people’s requests up on a flip-chart and then different brothers and sisters led in prayer. After the prayer sister Espedita sang a solo and then Adriana, Dedé, Marcos, Rayla and Espedita read out verses of Scripture. Then came the Bible study with Pastor Rafael concluding the book of Obadiah. 

During last month this blog received 2,453 visits.

Now God sent further plagues to try and force Pharoah to set his people free. First he sent a plague on Egypt’s livestock whilst Israel’s was plague free. This plague caused the death of all Egyptian livestock, yet still Pharoah remained resolutely intransigent. Following this God sent a plague of boils and festering boils broke out on the Egyptians and their animals. God kept calling Pharoah to release his people, but he would not heed. So God sent the biggest hailstorm ever with thunder and lightening and the plantations were ruined. Pharoah was initially relented with this, but once Moses had called off the storm he changed his mind and resisted giving the Israelites their freedom.  

Now God sent further plagues to try and force Pharoah to set his people free. First he sent a plague on Egypt’s livestock whilst Israel’s was plague free. This plague caused the death of all Egyptian livestock, yet still Pharoah remained resolutely intransigent. Following this God sent a plague of boils and festering boils broke out on the Egyptians and their animals. God kept calling Pharoah to release his people, but he would not heed. So God sent the biggest hailstorm ever with thunder and lightening and the plantations were ruined. Pharoah was initially relented with this, but once Moses had called off the storm he changed his mind and resisted giving the Israelites their freedom.  

God continued to pressure Pharoah into freeing his people through the sending of 3 further plagues of Frogs, Gnats and Flies, but stubborn Pharoah would not give in. Twice he initially said he would release the Israelites, but he went back on his word each time. The Egyptian magicians even managed to imitate the plague of frogs, but not the gnats or the flies. Despite the repeated infestations of frogs, then gnats and then flies, Pharoah would not be moved and just hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

God continued to pressure Pharoah into freeing his people through the sending of 3 further plagues of Frogs, Gnats and Flies, but stubborn Pharoah would not give in. Twice he initially said he would release the Israelites, but he went back on his word each time. The Egyptian magicians even managed to imitate the plague of frogs, but not the gnats or the flies. Despite the repeated infestations of frogs, then gnats and then flies, Pharoah would not be moved and just hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

The Tuesday men’s fellowship meeting was cancelled because one of its participants’ Fabio’s father (Buita) died that morning. His father had been ill for four and a half years so it was a happy release from his suffering.

Yesterday morning I conducted the funeral service of 66-year-old Buita. Sacha and Rogerio did the praise and Liz and Pastor Rafael also spoke. Everything went off smoothly. When the service ended we walked over the road to the committal in the cemetery and as Buita had been an ambulance driver the road was blocked off by ambulances with their sirens sounding and their lights flashing. Then at the entrance to the cemetery there was a guard of honour with lines of men from the ambulance brigade in uniforms. It was very moving. 

I have prepared my sermons for this Sunday in João Pessoa – Boa Esperança (19th anniversary), and for the following Saturday at Juru (40th anniversary). The pastor of the first church is Manoel Oliveira Filho and of the second is Esequias (Ezekiel!) de Oliveira. 

There has been a terrible murder this week in Patos of a beautiful little 6-year-old girl called Aylla. She was shot and killed in cold blood as she played with a 17-year-old boy in front of their house. The boy was also shot and is in hospital in intensive care. What the motive was for the shootings is not yet known, but I have heard that arrests have just been made.