Travels
This month I traveled to Belém do Brejo do Cruz, a city about 5 hours into the interior. The trip was long and hot, even in an air-conditioned car. I slept outside under the light of, no, not the stars but a street light. I could have slept inside the house, in fact, the owner of the house almost insisted but I wanted to feel some sort of breeze while lying in my hammock.
We went to ask the congregation of about 15 members if they would offer their only full-time worker to be a missionary to Campina Grande, the last of the four cities to establish a congregation and complete the first phase of the PORmissões plan. The brothers and sisters in Christ in this small town that is hard to evangelize said yes, we are happy to be able to be a part of the work of our Lord. I felt very encouraged by their faith and love for the lost. What examples they are to me as they reminded me what a congregation feels as it sends out a missionary that they love dearly. After three days and two nights we headed to our homes, hearts filled with joy and our lives enriched by this congregations sacrifice.
I could not help but think of 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 where the apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth about the example of their Macedonian brothers. How they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us as they begged Paul to be able to participate in fullfilling the need of the saints by giving beyond their means from there extreme poverty. It is wonderful to see lives changed so radically from materialism that this World has so deeply instilled in so many and to see the joy of giving even when you know it is going to be painful afterwards. Please pray for the congregation in Belem and thank God for their faith in His Word and His Promises.
This month my family and I also traveled to Caruaru where we attended the Congresso and saw a lot of the brothers and sisters from all over the Northeast that we have not seen in a long time.
What caught my attention at this congresso was the singing. It was truly uplifting. We sang old songs, we sang new songs, we sang and sang from the heart. I was encouraged. I was challenged. In my mind I thought of the times of when I was a around 10 years old and into my teenage years when would nights at Joelton Church of Christ where we would sing and it was beatiful. The singning was beautiful, that I remember, even though I really was not all that interested in singing. You do not know what you have until it is gone. The singing at the Congresso made me remember and reminisce on those nights when Tommy Fortner would lead the congregation or Ray Walker. Not that others do not bring the same joy it is just these two men that I remember the most from my youth. I like to sing, I had forgotten how much I like to sing until this Congresso. I hope all of you have memories and that you have moments that make you remember how wonderful it is to be with God's family, praising His name.
Plans
This year in João Pessoa a lot of changes are going to take place. Good things. I do not always like change, it brings challenges and uncertanties that I may not know how to plan for and am afraid I will not see the advantages.
This year the Church in João Pessoa is going to begin a new congregation in a large neighborhood in the city. We will begin a new congregation and build-up the existing one because some members will be helping establish the Church elsewhere in the city.
This year the congregation in João Pessoa is going to send a missionary to Campina Grande to establish the church in that city of 350,000 people about 1:30 away.
An old training program is beginning again in João Pessoa to better help members in their Christian lives and help them better use the gifts that they have to build-up the body of Christ in João Pessoa and throughout the State of Paraíba.
Lord willing an AIM team will be coming to help with the work and to be prepared in life, not for their financial future but for the future of the Kingdom. 6 young adults around 20 years of age will be coming to spend 14 months and maybe a little longer to learn and practice mission work.
These are just some of the major things that are happening this year with the church in João Pessoa. Please pray for these plans. We are asking God to bless these plans but we also pray that His Will will be done and not our own.
My family and I will be taking an extended furlough this year. Please pray for us.
This month I traveled to Belém do Brejo do Cruz, a city about 5 hours into the interior. The trip was long and hot, even in an air-conditioned car. I slept outside under the light of, no, not the stars but a street light. I could have slept inside the house, in fact, the owner of the house almost insisted but I wanted to feel some sort of breeze while lying in my hammock.
We went to ask the congregation of about 15 members if they would offer their only full-time worker to be a missionary to Campina Grande, the last of the four cities to establish a congregation and complete the first phase of the PORmissões plan. The brothers and sisters in Christ in this small town that is hard to evangelize said yes, we are happy to be able to be a part of the work of our Lord. I felt very encouraged by their faith and love for the lost. What examples they are to me as they reminded me what a congregation feels as it sends out a missionary that they love dearly. After three days and two nights we headed to our homes, hearts filled with joy and our lives enriched by this congregations sacrifice.
I could not help but think of 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 where the apostle Paul tells the church in Corinth about the example of their Macedonian brothers. How they gave themselves first to the Lord and then to us as they begged Paul to be able to participate in fullfilling the need of the saints by giving beyond their means from there extreme poverty. It is wonderful to see lives changed so radically from materialism that this World has so deeply instilled in so many and to see the joy of giving even when you know it is going to be painful afterwards. Please pray for the congregation in Belem and thank God for their faith in His Word and His Promises.
This month my family and I also traveled to Caruaru where we attended the Congresso and saw a lot of the brothers and sisters from all over the Northeast that we have not seen in a long time.
What caught my attention at this congresso was the singing. It was truly uplifting. We sang old songs, we sang new songs, we sang and sang from the heart. I was encouraged. I was challenged. In my mind I thought of the times of when I was a around 10 years old and into my teenage years when would nights at Joelton Church of Christ where we would sing and it was beatiful. The singning was beautiful, that I remember, even though I really was not all that interested in singing. You do not know what you have until it is gone. The singing at the Congresso made me remember and reminisce on those nights when Tommy Fortner would lead the congregation or Ray Walker. Not that others do not bring the same joy it is just these two men that I remember the most from my youth. I like to sing, I had forgotten how much I like to sing until this Congresso. I hope all of you have memories and that you have moments that make you remember how wonderful it is to be with God's family, praising His name.
Plans
This year in João Pessoa a lot of changes are going to take place. Good things. I do not always like change, it brings challenges and uncertanties that I may not know how to plan for and am afraid I will not see the advantages.
This year the Church in João Pessoa is going to begin a new congregation in a large neighborhood in the city. We will begin a new congregation and build-up the existing one because some members will be helping establish the Church elsewhere in the city.
This year the congregation in João Pessoa is going to send a missionary to Campina Grande to establish the church in that city of 350,000 people about 1:30 away.
An old training program is beginning again in João Pessoa to better help members in their Christian lives and help them better use the gifts that they have to build-up the body of Christ in João Pessoa and throughout the State of Paraíba.
Lord willing an AIM team will be coming to help with the work and to be prepared in life, not for their financial future but for the future of the Kingdom. 6 young adults around 20 years of age will be coming to spend 14 months and maybe a little longer to learn and practice mission work.
These are just some of the major things that are happening this year with the church in João Pessoa. Please pray for these plans. We are asking God to bless these plans but we also pray that His Will will be done and not our own.
My family and I will be taking an extended furlough this year. Please pray for us.
