Categoria: News

 Please do continue to pray regarding the Covid 19 situation here in Brazil. Please especially pray for 2 sisters that have gone down ill with the virus. One is Nininha at our Flores church in Pernambuco State. The other is Lena from our Imaculada church. She has been admitted to Patos General Hospital after waiting 24 hours for a bed to be available. All hospitals here are full. The situation is serious. 

The Guardian this week has called the Covid crisis in Latin America “unimaginable – lurching from bad to worse”. That about sums the situation up here! Brazil is the second worse country in the world in the number of Covid deaths. We greatly value your prayers. 

I had good discussions yesterday with Pastor Renilson high up in the mountains at Matureia. I also talked to Pastor Nemias (Neemiah) at Flores in the State of Pernambuco. He was asking prayer for a sister in our church there who has gone down with Covid 19. He also told me they have cancelled their mid-week in-person service to reduce the risks of Covid in the light of the seriousness of the present situation. 

The Patos General Hospital is 95% full to capacity as regards the Covid beds. The situation is the same all over Brazil.

This week Liz and I had 2 good 2 mile walks at Green Pastures.

The Guardian this week has called the Covid crisis in Latin America “unimaginable – lurching from bad to worse”. That about sums the situation up here! Brazil is the second worse country in the world in the number of Covid deaths. We greatly value your prayers. 

I had good discussions yesterday with Pastor Renilson high up in the mountains at Matureia. I also talked to Pastor Nemias (Neemiah) at Flores in the State of Pernambuco. He was asking prayer for a sister in our church there who has gone down with Covid 19. He also told me they have cancelled their mid-week in-person service to reduce the risks of Covid in the light of the seriousness of the present situation. 

The Patos General Hospital is 95% full to capacity as regards the Covid beds. The situation is the same all over Brazil.

This week Liz and I had 2 good 2 mile walks at Green Pastures.

 Last night a lovely special tribute was made to Sister Ivy Dyer who went to be with the Lord almost 8 years ago in January 2013. The tribute was made by a Bible College (JUVEP) on the coast in João Pessoa. Last week they contacted me asking for information, which I gave, as they had decided to speak about Ivy’s long years (over 60 years) of service in the interior and make a tribute to her in their graduation service. Pastor Matheus from our first church in João Pessoa went to the service to represent ACEV/EAB. I have watched the tribute on YouTube this morning and it is really lovely. Praise God for Ivy’s dedicated life to the Lord. She received her home call just 4 months short of reaching 90 years of age.

 Last night a lovely special tribute was made to Sister Ivy Dyer who went to be with the Lord almost 8 years ago in January 2013. The tribute was made by a Bible College (JUVEP) on the coast in João Pessoa. Last week they contacted me asking for information, which I gave, as they had decided to speak about Ivy’s long years (over 60 years) of service in the interior and make a tribute to her in their graduation service. Pastor Matheus from our first church in João Pessoa went to the service to represent ACEV/EAB. I have watched the tribute on YouTube this morning and it is really lovely. Praise God for Ivy’s dedicated life to the Lord. She received her home call just 4 months short of reaching 90 years of age.

 Last night Liz and I held a very good meeting with our assistant pastor Rafael. We were all duly masked and socially distanced in our back garden in the open air. We first of all discussed the Green Pastures church which we are in the process of reorganizing after the previous leader Tarcísio left and moved to the town. We are now holding a service there every Saturday evening which is led by Rafael.

We also had discussions on the Patos church as well as the Teixeira and Juazeirinho churches where Rafael had worked previously. 

 Last night Liz and I held a very good meeting with our assistant pastor Rafael. We were all duly masked and socially distanced in our back garden in the open air. We first of all discussed the Green Pastures church which we are in the process of reorganizing after the previous leader Tarcísio left and moved to the town. We are now holding a service there every Saturday evening which is led by Rafael.

We also had discussions on the Patos church as well as the Teixeira and Juazeirinho churches where Rafael had worked previously. 

 On Friday a lovely open-air thanksgiving service was held for a new well drilled at Olho D’água Seco Community in Tavares County. This well produces 2,800 litres of water per hour which is more than enough for the more than 40 families immediately benefitted by the well. This well will be great for irrigation for these farming folk too. We always hold a thanksgiving service at our project inaugurations and it was good to see a good crowd which gathered from the community who heard the Gospel loud and clear. 

 On Friday a lovely open-air thanksgiving service was held for a new well drilled at Olho D’água Seco Community in Tavares County. This well produces 2,800 litres of water per hour which is more than enough for the more than 40 families immediately benefitted by the well. This well will be great for irrigation for these farming folk too. We always hold a thanksgiving service at our project inaugurations and it was good to see a good crowd which gathered from the community who heard the Gospel loud and clear. 

 Last week we held a 2-day training course for the women of the Desert Flower Project at Fonseca slave descendants community. They learnt how to plan, how to sell, how to control their money and how to unite so as to improve. The course went very well indeed. The ladies have learnt to make bread, cakes, savories and handicraft and now need to sell what they make so as to improve their income. 

 Last week we held a 2-day training course for the women of the Desert Flower Project at Fonseca slave descendants community. They learnt how to plan, how to sell, how to control their money and how to unite so as to improve. The course went very well indeed. The ladies have learnt to make bread, cakes, savories and handicraft and now need to sell what they make so as to improve their income. 

 Our 4-Legs Project attends extremely poor rural dwellers with good quality goats and this week 11 families were benefitted by the project in Custódia and Manaíra Counties and they were very grateful. We thank all who support EAB and make such projects possible.

I have been talking to Jair and Silvânia who lead EAB/ACEV’s second church in Princesa Isabel. They told me about the high levels of anxiety in the church owing to the pandemic. The church is meeting twice a week following all the distancing/mask rules. Please pray for this couple and for their church in the borough of Maia on the south side of Princesa Isabel. Please pray specially for their son who has severe depression problems. He is at university in João Pessoa on the coast. 

 Our 4-Legs Project attends extremely poor rural dwellers with good quality goats and this week 11 families were benefitted by the project in Custódia and Manaíra Counties and they were very grateful. We thank all who support EAB and make such projects possible.

I have been talking to Jair and Silvânia who lead EAB/ACEV’s second church in Princesa Isabel. They told me about the high levels of anxiety in the church owing to the pandemic. The church is meeting twice a week following all the distancing/mask rules. Please pray for this couple and for their church in the borough of Maia on the south side of Princesa Isabel. Please pray specially for their son who has severe depression problems. He is at university in João Pessoa on the coast. 

 Our 4-Legs Project attends extremely poor rural dwellers with good quality goats and this week 11 families were benefitted by the project in Custódia and Manaíra Counties and they were very grateful. We thank all who support EAB and make such projects possible.

I have been talking to Jair and Silvânia who lead EAB/ACEV’s second church in Princesa Isabel. They told me about the high levels of anxiety in the church owing to the pandemic. The church is meeting twice a week following all the distancing/mask rules. Please pray for this couple and for their church in the borough of Maia on the south side of Princesa Isabel. Please pray specially for their son who has severe depression problems. He is at university in João Pessoa on the coast. 

 I have been talking to Pastor João George who is doing a great job with the Action Child School at Imaculada despite all the restrictions and limitations of the pandemic. Schools continue closed so our team produces work and exercise sheets and delivers them to the children’s homes every two weeks. They have given all the children masks as well. The children receive food hampers periodically which helps all the family. 

I also am talking to Betinho and Maciene who lead both the Ibiara and Conceição churches. Ibiara, where they live, is doing well. Conceição is a 15 minute drive away and is not doing so well for two reasons. First of all because they had a number of cases of Covid so they suspended the church in-person services for a time whilst everyone recovered. Secondly because the church wants and needs a pastor who lives there and can focus attention specifically on Conceição. That person we don’t have at the moment, so please pray with us on this.

Another person I’ve been talking to is Maria José who leads the rural church of Cedro in Princesa Isabel County. Please pray for Maria José as she seems to be discouraged by the difficult days in which we live. The little EAB/ACEV church there can only fit 15 people owing to the necessary distancing, but they often don’t even get 10 there. Maria José was used to 30 or 40 in the services and one can understand her feelings.

 I have been talking to Pastor João George who is doing a great job with the Action Child School at Imaculada despite all the restrictions and limitations of the pandemic. Schools continue closed so our team produces work and exercise sheets and delivers them to the children’s homes every two weeks. They have given all the children masks as well. The children receive food hampers periodically which helps all the family. 

I also am talking to Betinho and Maciene who lead both the Ibiara and Conceição churches. Ibiara, where they live, is doing well. Conceição is a 15 minute drive away and is not doing so well for two reasons. First of all because they had a number of cases of Covid so they suspended the church in-person services for a time whilst everyone recovered. Secondly because the church wants and needs a pastor who lives there and can focus attention specifically on Conceição. That person we don’t have at the moment, so please pray with us on this.

Another person I’ve been talking to is Maria José who leads the rural church of Cedro in Princesa Isabel County. Please pray for Maria José as she seems to be discouraged by the difficult days in which we live. The little EAB/ACEV church there can only fit 15 people owing to the necessary distancing, but they often don’t even get 10 there. Maria José was used to 30 or 40 in the services and one can understand her feelings.

 I have been talking to Pastor João George who is doing a great job with the Action Child School at Imaculada despite all the restrictions and limitations of the pandemic. Schools continue closed so our team produces work and exercise sheets and delivers them to the children’s homes every two weeks. They have given all the children masks as well. The children receive food hampers periodically which helps all the family. 

I also am talking to Betinho and Maciene who lead both the Ibiara and Conceição churches. Ibiara, where they live, is doing well. Conceição is a 15 minute drive away and is not doing so well for two reasons. First of all because they had a number of cases of Covid so they suspended the church in-person services for a time whilst everyone recovered. Secondly because the church wants and needs a pastor who lives there and can focus attention specifically on Conceição. That person we don’t have at the moment, so please pray with us on this.

Another person I’ve been talking to is Maria José who leads the rural church of Cedro in Princesa Isabel County. Please pray for Maria José as she seems to be discouraged by the difficult days in which we live. The little EAB/ACEV church there can only fit 15 people owing to the necessary distancing, but they often don’t even get 10 there. Maria José was used to 30 or 40 in the services and one can understand her feelings.

 Pastor Hamilton leads the 2nd EAB/ACEV church in Campina Grande and we have been discussing the work there. They are doing hybrid in-person and online services on Sundays and Wednesdays and all is being blessed. Their house groups are mainly online.

Another young pastor I’ve been working with is Iremar. He is responsible for two small churches at Juá, where he goes every fortnight. The other is a church plant in the João Pessoa borough of ‘Funcionários 2’ where he lives with his family. This church plant has been on hold owing to the pandemic but we hope and pray for improvement in the situation there so as to get things moving again. 

I have also been discussing things with Pastor Robério too at Tavares. They are doing things just the same as Campina Grande above. 

I’ve also had meetings with Sister Nenem Guimarães who leads the São Vicente do Seridó church. They are just holding the Sunday service there for the time being but all is well.

 Pastor Hamilton leads the 2nd EAB/ACEV church in Campina Grande and we have been discussing the work there. They are doing hybrid in-person and online services on Sundays and Wednesdays and all is being blessed. Their house groups are mainly online.

Another young pastor I’ve been working with is Iremar. He is responsible for two small churches at Juá, where he goes every fortnight. The other is a church plant in the João Pessoa borough of ‘Funcionários 2’ where he lives with his family. This church plant has been on hold owing to the pandemic but we hope and pray for improvement in the situation there so as to get things moving again. 

I have also been discussing things with Pastor Robério too at Tavares. They are doing things just the same as Campina Grande above. 

I’ve also had meetings with Sister Nenem Guimarães who leads the São Vicente do Seridó church. They are just holding the Sunday service there for the time being but all is well.

 Pastor Hamilton leads the 2nd EAB/ACEV church in Campina Grande and we have been discussing the work there. They are doing hybrid in-person and online services on Sundays and Wednesdays and all is being blessed. Their house groups are mainly online.

Another young pastor I’ve been working with is Iremar. He is responsible for two small churches at Juá, where he goes every fortnight. The other is a church plant in the João Pessoa borough of ‘Funcionários 2’ where he lives with his family. This church plant has been on hold owing to the pandemic but we hope and pray for improvement in the situation there so as to get things moving again. 

I have also been discussing things with Pastor Robério too at Tavares. They are doing things just the same as Campina Grande above. 

I’ve also had meetings with Sister Nenem Guimarães who leads the São Vicente do Seridó church. They are just holding the Sunday service there for the time being but all is well.

I have been discussing the situation at Flores in Pernambuco State with our leader there called Nemias (Nehemiah). They certainly seem to be facing a second wave of the Coronavirus and a number of people have recently died there. Nemias thinks they may soon not be able to hold church services. Please pray for Flores.

Pastor Gersé at Princesa Isabel tells me that all is well in the church and that their services on Sundays and Wednesdays are attended by about half the normal number. He asked us all to pray for them. This is the church where an elder Otávio has already died with the virus. So please pray for Gersé who seems a bit discouraged. 

I have also been talking to Pastor Oseias at our Itaporanga church where they are conducting hybrid services in-person and online on Sundays. He says that they plan to hold other weeknight services in church as from January, but we shall have to see how things go.

Pastor Nezinho Abílio pastors both the Vazante and Barra de Oitis churches and he has asked my to see what can be done to help Brother Damião who has fractured a leg and has been waiting for surgery in Patos for 10 days. I have contacted our Nurse Gisane asking her to see what can be done to speed things up. 

Pastor Esequias has gone down with a heavy cold so he tells me that he got others to lead the service yesterday so as to be on the safe side. Please pray for him. 

I have been discussing the situation at Flores in Pernambuco State with our leader there called Nemias (Nehemiah). They certainly seem to be facing a second wave of the Coronavirus and a number of people have recently died there. Nemias thinks they may soon not be able to hold church services. Please pray for Flores.

Pastor Gersé at Princesa Isabel tells me that all is well in the church and that their services on Sundays and Wednesdays are attended by about half the normal number. He asked us all to pray for them. This is the church where an elder Otávio has already died with the virus. So please pray for Gersé who seems a bit discouraged. 

I have also been talking to Pastor Oseias at our Itaporanga church where they are conducting hybrid services in-person and online on Sundays. He says that they plan to hold other weeknight services in church as from January, but we shall have to see how things go.

Pastor Nezinho Abílio pastors both the Vazante and Barra de Oitis churches and he has asked my to see what can be done to help Brother Damião who has fractured a leg and has been waiting for surgery in Patos for 10 days. I have contacted our Nurse Gisane asking her to see what can be done to speed things up. 

Pastor Esequias has gone down with a heavy cold so he tells me that he got others to lead the service yesterday so as to be on the safe side. Please pray for him. 

I have been discussing the situation at Flores in Pernambuco State with our leader there called Nemias (Nehemiah). They certainly seem to be facing a second wave of the Coronavirus and a number of people have recently died there. Nemias thinks they may soon not be able to hold church services. Please pray for Flores.

Pastor Gersé at Princesa Isabel tells me that all is well in the church and that their services on Sundays and Wednesdays are attended by about half the normal number. He asked us all to pray for them. This is the church where an elder Otávio has already died with the virus. So please pray for Gersé who seems a bit discouraged. 

I have also been talking to Pastor Oseias at our Itaporanga church where they are conducting hybrid services in-person and online on Sundays. He says that they plan to hold other weeknight services in church as from January, but we shall have to see how things go.

Pastor Nezinho Abílio pastors both the Vazante and Barra de Oitis churches and he has asked my to see what can be done to help Brother Damião who has fractured a leg and has been waiting for surgery in Patos for 10 days. I have contacted our Nurse Gisane asking her to see what can be done to speed things up. 

Pastor Esequias has gone down with a heavy cold so he tells me that he got others to lead the service yesterday so as to be on the safe side. Please pray for him. 

Edson and Aparecida are a young couple who came to Christ at our church at Barra de Oitis in Diamante County. This community of slave descendents is extremely poor. The couple fell in love and wanted to do things properly and get married, but the big question was where could they live? So it was that some family and friends got together with them to make them a tiny house using mud and sticks for the walls and clay tiles for the roof, but like most houses in the village it had no toilet or shower.

EAB therefore decided to put them on its list for its toilet/shower project and when funds became available we have just built them behind their house a lovely toilet/shower unit and the newlyweds are over the moon! The circular construction is 2.5 meters wide, has a water tank above and dual cess pits beneath. Inside it has a flush toilet, shower and hand basin and outside has a large sink for washing clothes.

Edson and Aparecida join us in thanking EAB supporters for this wonderful wedding present. May God richly bless you. 

Edson and Aparecida are a young couple who came to Christ at our church at Barra de Oitis in Diamante County. This community of slave descendents is extremely poor. The couple fell in love and wanted to do things properly and get married, but the big question was where could they live? So it was that some family and friends got together with them to make them a tiny house using mud and sticks for the walls and clay tiles for the roof, but like most houses in the village it had no toilet or shower.

EAB therefore decided to put them on its list for its toilet/shower project and when funds became available we have just built them behind their house a lovely toilet/shower unit and the newlyweds are over the moon! The circular construction is 2.5 meters wide, has a water tank above and dual cess pits beneath. Inside it has a flush toilet, shower and hand basin and outside has a large sink for washing clothes.

Edson and Aparecida join us in thanking EAB supporters for this wonderful wedding present. May God richly bless you. 

 The election for Mayors and town councilors occurred last Sunday (15th) and our pastor Valdemy just missed being elected as a councilor. He is naturally disappointed as he feels it is an open door to serve his community, but on the other hand too much politics could be detrimental to his pastoral work.

The church at Caroá carries on in blessing anyway as do the other churches in the region at Mandacaru, Água Grande, Pinheiro and Umburana. I had a good chat with both Valdemy and his brother Valdemar to discuss all this.

I have also been talking to Pastor Lindon Carlos at Imaculada where the church is going well despite low numbers owing to all the Coronavirus issues. Pastor Maésio at Teixeira reports all well as does Pastor Renilson at Matureia. The Action Schools are going on too at Matureia and Imaculada and being real blessings.

Last night Liz and I had a very good meeting with Pastor Rafael to discuss a few issues that have cropped up in Patos. 

 The election for Mayors and town councilors occurred last Sunday (15th) and our pastor Valdemy just missed being elected as a councilor. He is naturally disappointed as he feels it is an open door to serve his community, but on the other hand too much politics could be detrimental to his pastoral work.

The church at Caroá carries on in blessing anyway as do the other churches in the region at Mandacaru, Água Grande, Pinheiro and Umburana. I had a good chat with both Valdemy and his brother Valdemar to discuss all this.

I have also been talking to Pastor Lindon Carlos at Imaculada where the church is going well despite low numbers owing to all the Coronavirus issues. Pastor Maésio at Teixeira reports all well as does Pastor Renilson at Matureia. The Action Schools are going on too at Matureia and Imaculada and being real blessings.

Last night Liz and I had a very good meeting with Pastor Rafael to discuss a few issues that have cropped up in Patos. 

I have been talking to Pastor Umbirajara from our 1st Church (of 3) in João Pessoa. He tells me that they have had cases of Covid 19 in the church, but all have recovered. PTL! The Sunday service there is hybrid in-person and online.

Pastor Francinaldo at Manaira reports no cases of the virus in the church. Their in-person Sunday services are going well. Numbers are down as older folk can’t go but God is blessing anyway. They recently held an open-air service at Travessia which saw a big group of people come to and hear the Gospel. We have plans to build a little church at this place when possible. We have bought the land for the building. Services are being held at Fonseca as well. All necessary safety precaution are taken by our churches.

I have been talking to Pastor Umbirajara from our 1st Church (of 3) in João Pessoa. He tells me that they have had cases of Covid 19 in the church, but all have recovered. PTL! The Sunday service there is hybrid in-person and online.

Pastor Francinaldo at Manaira reports no cases of the virus in the church. Their in-person Sunday services are going well. Numbers are down as older folk can’t go but God is blessing anyway. They recently held an open-air service at Travessia which saw a big group of people come to and hear the Gospel. We have plans to build a little church at this place when possible. We have bought the land for the building. Services are being held at Fonseca as well. All necessary safety precaution are taken by our churches.

 Ecclesiastes 3 tells us there is a time for everything and certainly in this time of pandemic it is being a time for me to keep in contact with all our leaders online so as to support them and encourage them. Our prayer always is that many years of experience may be helpful to all, especially to the younger pastors. 

I’ve been having good discussions with Gleydice and Wostenes who lead our first Campina Grande church. They hold hybrid in-person and online services on Sundays and Wednesdays and these are going well despite the masks and all the other rules and regulations. 

I’ve had chats with pastor Ângelo at Soledade and with Tica and Ramos who lead the Curral Velho church. Everyone is doing all they can under the circumstances. We all seek to make the most of these difficult days. The Lord is faithful and is blessing. We greatly value your prayers for us and for all our church leaders.

 Ecclesiastes 3 tells us there is a time for everything and certainly in this time of pandemic it is being a time for me to keep in contact with all our leaders online so as to support them and encourage them. Our prayer always is that many years of experience may be helpful to all, especially to the younger pastors. 

I’ve been having good discussions with Gleydice and Wostenes who lead our first Campina Grande church. They hold hybrid in-person and online services on Sundays and Wednesdays and these are going well despite the masks and all the other rules and regulations. 

I’ve had chats with pastor Ângelo at Soledade and with Tica and Ramos who lead the Curral Velho church. Everyone is doing all they can under the circumstances. We all seek to make the most of these difficult days. The Lord is faithful and is blessing. We greatly value your prayers for us and for all our church leaders.

 Our Projects Team continue to do a great job. The team is now setting up some new types of work in the Barra de Oitis slave descendants community as follows, similar to what we already do at the Fonseca community.

Training 10 women in cookery and handicraft making.

Training 8 young men in the basics of caring for and fixing motorbikes.

Training 12 people as basic community health workers and also training them to care for the environment. 

Everyone involved in these projects receives hygiene kits to combat and protect from the Covid 19 virus.

Please pray for these projects that they might make real life changing differences in many lives and that they might make commitments to Jesus Christ too. 

 Our Projects Team continue to do a great job. The team is now setting up some new types of work in the Barra de Oitis slave descendants community as follows, similar to what we already do at the Fonseca community.

Training 10 women in cookery and handicraft making.

Training 8 young men in the basics of caring for and fixing motorbikes.

Training 12 people as basic community health workers and also training them to care for the environment. 

Everyone involved in these projects receives hygiene kits to combat and protect from the Covid 19 virus.

Please pray for these projects that they might make real life changing differences in many lives and that they might make commitments to Jesus Christ too. 

 Today is our 51st wedding anniversary by the grace and goodness of God.

Today is also election day here for Mayors and Town Councilors. We pray for honest competent leadership to be chosen as we sure need it.

Please pray for a sister from our Patos church who had gone down with Covid 19. Her name is Linda. She is the church cleaner.

The service held at Green Pastures last night was excellent. Sacha led the praise and worship. The new format of services at Green Pastures is working out very well. 

In Patos there will not be a service owing to the election. There is always lots of noise at the time of the service so we always cancell. 

 Today is our 51st wedding anniversary by the grace and goodness of God.

Today is also election day here for Mayors and Town Councilors. We pray for honest competent leadership to be chosen as we sure need it.

Please pray for a sister from our Patos church who had gone down with Covid 19. Her name is Linda. She is the church cleaner.

The service held at Green Pastures last night was excellent. Sacha led the praise and worship. The new format of services at Green Pastures is working out very well. 

In Patos there will not be a service owing to the election. There is always lots of noise at the time of the service so we always cancell. 

 Today is our 51st wedding anniversary by the grace and goodness of God.

Today is also election day here for Mayors and Town Councilors. We pray for honest competent leadership to be chosen as we sure need it.

Please pray for a sister from our Patos church who had gone down with Covid 19. Her name is Linda. She is the church cleaner.

The service held at Green Pastures last night was excellent. Sacha led the praise and worship. The new format of services at Green Pastures is working out very well. 

In Patos there will not be a service owing to the election. There is always lots of noise at the time of the service so we always cancell. 

 Our Green Pastures Christian Conference Centre and Nature Reserve sees the Conference Centre on hold owing to the pandemic. Last month, for example, would have normally seen our annual leaders conference there but this had to be cancelled and essential business was dealt with an online Google Meet Conference. However of course the Nature Reserve side of things carries on unaffected caring for creation and seeking to be a Christian example. Thus we had the thrill this week to register with a Bushnell automatic wildlife camera a deer for the very first time, which are extremely rare in our region. 

Tonight the local church there will be meeting in-person with all the necessary precautions and we pray that God will bless. A team from Patos will be taking the service.

I have been doing a lot more work on the history of the churches and projects here for the benefit of our churches. The idea is to cover the first 80 years and I’ve now just completed 66 years. It’s a lot of work wading through the minutes of meetings plus church and project reports and newsletters but I believe the end result will be worthwhile. I value your prayers.

 Our Green Pastures Christian Conference Centre and Nature Reserve sees the Conference Centre on hold owing to the pandemic. Last month, for example, would have normally seen our annual leaders conference there but this had to be cancelled and essential business was dealt with an online Google Meet Conference. However of course the Nature Reserve side of things carries on unaffected caring for creation and seeking to be a Christian example. Thus we had the thrill this week to register with a Bushnell automatic wildlife camera a deer for the very first time, which are extremely rare in our region. 

Tonight the local church there will be meeting in-person with all the necessary precautions and we pray that God will bless. A team from Patos will be taking the service.

I have been doing a lot more work on the history of the churches and projects here for the benefit of our churches. The idea is to cover the first 80 years and I’ve now just completed 66 years. It’s a lot of work wading through the minutes of meetings plus church and project reports and newsletters but I believe the end result will be worthwhile. I value your prayers.

 Last night’s Men’s Fellowship was both in-person and online and turned out to be quite an international night with our son Philip taking part in England. Gilmarco also took part from the extreme south of Brazil. The meeting was led by Major Esaú and assistant pastor Rafael brought a short Biblical reflection on the subject of repentence based on Psalm 51. The meeting was really blessed of God and one man called Flávio, who has been away from God for years, came for the second time and made a public unsolicited recommittal of his life to God. Praise the Lord!

Monday night’s prayer meeting went well too. This morning I walked for over 3 miles at Green Pastures which is good physical, spiritual and mental exercise in the middle of God’s creation. It is just a pity that it’s getting so hot early, rising to 38 degrees in the shade most days. By 8 am it was really hot and rain we haven’t seen for months so air humidity levels are dangerously low and the vegetation is utterly parched. 

 Last night’s Men’s Fellowship was both in-person and online and turned out to be quite an international night with our son Philip taking part in England. Gilmarco also took part from the extreme south of Brazil. The meeting was led by Major Esaú and assistant pastor Rafael brought a short Biblical reflection on the subject of repentence based on Psalm 51. The meeting was really blessed of God and one man called Flávio, who has been away from God for years, came for the second time and made a public unsolicited recommittal of his life to God. Praise the Lord!

Monday night’s prayer meeting went well too. This morning I walked for over 3 miles at Green Pastures which is good physical, spiritual and mental exercise in the middle of God’s creation. It is just a pity that it’s getting so hot early, rising to 38 degrees in the shade most days. By 8 am it was really hot and rain we haven’t seen for months so air humidity levels are dangerously low and the vegetation is utterly parched. 

 Last night’s Men’s Fellowship was both in-person and online and turned out to be quite an international night with our son Philip taking part in England. Gilmarco also took part from the extreme south of Brazil. The meeting was led by Major Esaú and assistant pastor Rafael brought a short Biblical reflection on the subject of repentence based on Psalm 51. The meeting was really blessed of God and one man called Flávio, who has been away from God for years, came for the second time and made a public unsolicited recommittal of his life to God. Praise the Lord!

Monday night’s prayer meeting went well too. This morning I walked for over 3 miles at Green Pastures which is good physical, spiritual and mental exercise in the middle of God’s creation. It is just a pity that it’s getting so hot early, rising to 38 degrees in the shade most days. By 8 am it was really hot and rain we haven’t seen for months so air humidity levels are dangerously low and the vegetation is utterly parched. 

This week our team distributed over 500 items of new and second-hand clothes in good condition to the slave descendent communities of Barra de Oitis and Fonseca. Shoes and hygiene kits were also distributed. These simple expressions of God’s love made many people very happy. 

Last night a team from Patos went and held the first in-person service at Green Pastures for months observing social distancing, the wearing of masks etc. Thank you for your prayers. The service was a real blessing with a good number from the region present. 

This week our team distributed over 500 items of new and second-hand clothes in good condition to the slave descendent communities of Barra de Oitis and Fonseca. Shoes and hygiene kits were also distributed. These simple expressions of God’s love made many people very happy. 

Last night a team from Patos went and held the first in-person service at Green Pastures for months observing social distancing, the wearing of masks etc. Thank you for your prayers. The service was a real blessing with a good number from the region present. 

 Liz and I did another of our drive-through visits this afternoon. We visited our deaconess Josinete and her husband Zaqueo. They were very happy with the visit. We pulled up in front of their house in our jeep and talked to them whilst they stood a few metres away. We all were wearing masks. It was nice to chat to them and catch up with some of their family news. They reminded us of their daughter’s wedding scheduled for April. She has been going out with the boy for 19 years! That is what I call patience! Both Gisliany and Perlânio are members of the Patos church. She works at the Care Centre and he is an interpreter for the deaf fellowship.

 Liz and I did another of our drive-through visits this afternoon. We visited our deaconess Josinete and her husband Zaqueo. They were very happy with the visit. We pulled up in front of their house in our jeep and talked to them whilst they stood a few metres away. We all were wearing masks. It was nice to chat to them and catch up with some of their family news. They reminded us of their daughter’s wedding scheduled for April. She has been going out with the boy for 19 years! That is what I call patience! Both Gisliany and Perlânio are members of the Patos church. She works at the Care Centre and he is an interpreter for the deaf fellowship.

 Liz and I did another of our drive-through visits this afternoon. We visited our deaconess Josinete and her husband Zaqueo. They were very happy with the visit. We pulled up in front of their house in our jeep and talked to them whilst they stood a few metres away. We all were wearing masks. It was nice to chat to them and catch up with some of their family news. They reminded us of their daughter’s wedding scheduled for April. She has been going out with the boy for 19 years! That is what I call patience! Both Gisliany and Perlânio are members of the Patos church. She works at the Care Centre and he is an interpreter for the deaf fellowship.

 Cícera Virgulino da Silva is a 37-year-old mother of 5
who is married to João Paulo. Her family has lived at Barra de Oitis slave
descendent community for many generations. She cannot read or write. Cícera has
only ever known poverty and used to walk for 2 hours to find water to wash the
family clothes when she was just 9. By 11 she had to work in the plantations in
the rainy season. This she still does today as a mother of 5.

Cícera says: “I always dreamed of having a bathroom
and toilet which is something we never ever had. We just had a hut for the
women to wash down in but no toilet. This was especially difficult and even
dangerous for the women. Now we are overjoyed by the toilet/shower unit that
EAB/ACEV have built for us. It is wonderful and will serve our house and 7
other houses near ours!”

These folk are also receiving help setting up market
gardens and chicken runs so as to enhance their income and improve their diet.
This community is hearing the Gospel too and seeing God’s love in action. We thank
everyone who prays for and supports the work of EAB.

 Cícera Virgulino da Silva is a 37-year-old mother of 5
who is married to João Paulo. Her family has lived at Barra de Oitis slave
descendent community for many generations. She cannot read or write. Cícera has
only ever known poverty and used to walk for 2 hours to find water to wash the
family clothes when she was just 9. By 11 she had to work in the plantations in
the rainy season. This she still does today as a mother of 5.

Cícera says: “I always dreamed of having a bathroom
and toilet which is something we never ever had. We just had a hut for the
women to wash down in but no toilet. This was especially difficult and even
dangerous for the women. Now we are overjoyed by the toilet/shower unit that
EAB/ACEV have built for us. It is wonderful and will serve our house and 7
other houses near ours!”

These folk are also receiving help setting up market
gardens and chicken runs so as to enhance their income and improve their diet.
This community is hearing the Gospel too and seeing God’s love in action. We thank
everyone who prays for and supports the work of EAB.

 EAB/ACEV has been digging and drilling wells for nearly 30 years and their impact on communities is quite extraordinary. When I look back I see how God has blessed us in and through this ministry and project as we had to learn everything from scratch. 

As I am writing EAB/ACEV history I asked our team to tell me just how many wells we drilled and equipped during the first 12 years of this project from 1992 to 2004. The answer is that we drilled or dug 54 wells which is an average of over 4 a year. These 54 wells benefitted very poor and needy people in a wide range of communities blessing at least 22,400 people!

Most of our wells are deep-bore which drill 50 meters deep. The well then has to be tested for the water quality and quantity and equipped with an appropriate pump. A water storage tank is built so that the water can be distributed from there my gravity to the whole community. We always also provide an animal drinking trough near the water tank. 

So thanks very much for all your prayers and support for the wide range of EAB Projects. Thank you for praying too that the living water of Jesus Christ also reaches into these communities for the glory of God. 

 EAB/ACEV has been digging and drilling wells for nearly 30 years and their impact on communities is quite extraordinary. When I look back I see how God has blessed us in and through this ministry and project as we had to learn everything from scratch. 

As I am writing EAB/ACEV history I asked our team to tell me just how many wells we drilled and equipped during the first 12 years of this project from 1992 to 2004. The answer is that we drilled or dug 54 wells which is an average of over 4 a year. These 54 wells benefitted very poor and needy people in a wide range of communities blessing at least 22,400 people!

Most of our wells are deep-bore which drill 50 meters deep. The well then has to be tested for the water quality and quantity and equipped with an appropriate pump. A water storage tank is built so that the water can be distributed from there my gravity to the whole community. We always also provide an animal drinking trough near the water tank. 

So thanks very much for all your prayers and support for the wide range of EAB Projects. Thank you for praying too that the living water of Jesus Christ also reaches into these communities for the glory of God.