When the going gets tough...

            I traveled to Cubati the end of July to continue visiting and teaching a correspondence course begun in June.  I am visiting once a month to keep up with contacts and trying to create new ones.  This visit the number of people continuing the course dropped from 13 to 6, but the remnant is excited about learning more. 

          

         Afonso and I also visited a nearby family in another city, and a door opened up for me to teach a finance class, in which I hope to lead them from earthly treasures to the true treasures of heaven. 

           

         Afonso and I traveled to Patos, a two hour trip, to have a meeting with the Brazilian evangelists in Patos, Emas and Belém to discuss the plans for establishing a congregation in Pombal.  The meeting was encouraging because I believe they began to see the vision that I am wanting to pass on to them so that they can carry-on the work by themselves when I am gone.

 

Please pray for:

•    Afonso, Vânia, Bila and Jandira in Cubati.
  
•  Those studying the Bible in Cubati
• Those who will be studying finances, that they may make the jump to heavenly treasures.

Cajazeiras all the way

        I traveled to Cajazeiras with Mark Hagewood at the beginning of August.  It was a short trip but a helpful one.  I have been looking for someone in the church that can help Café and Leila with maturing the Christians in Cajazeiras.  I think I may have found someone.  I ask for your prayers for the maturity of the church in Cajazeiras. 

          

         Mark and I taught a class to the older Christians about service and serving others.  I gave the lesson on Sunday trying to help the Christians understand who they are and why they are here. We are salt and light with the purpose of glorifying God in our lives.

Please pray that:

• God will give me wisdom to help the Christians throughout the state of Paraíba grow in maturity
• God will continue to bless Café, Leila and the church in Cajazeiras
  

AME - The Beginning

            Raniere Menezes has initiated AME (Evangelistic Adventures in Missions), an AIM-like program for Brazilians that encourages young people to get involved in missions. He traveled to Cubati along with 18 others, including 14 young people, ages 12 and up, who spent two Saturdays training for this campaign, even handing out pamphlets at the stop lights on one of the busiest intersections in João Pessoa.  In Cubati we handed out invitations, close to 300, on Saturday morning and had games with spiritual lessons during the afternoon and night.  About 25 young people showed up for the games. 

           

            Sunday with 18 visitors present, I taught the Sunday School class on David and Goliath  and then preached on Jesus and Satan in the sermon showing that both David and Jesus knew who they were and who was fighting their battle.  Because of this knowledge, or should I say faith, they were used by God the Father to defeat both of their enemies.  I related this message to the young people by showing them that we, too, are in a battle and, we are deciding in whom we believe by the small and large decisions we make in our everyday lives.  These decisions then define who we are and in whom we have placed our faith.  Only one side is victorious, and we already know who it will be. 

 

Please pray for these young people, both from João Pessoa, as well as, Cubati:

• That God may become real to them, that they may believe that He really does exist
• That they may understand that God has won and has invited us to be on His side
• That they may have the faith in God to live out His will in their lives.

It Is Easy to Plan for Success When You Already Know the Ending

From Cubati I traveled to Patos for a meeting with evangelists from Emas, Patos, and Belem about their plans for establishing a congregation in Pombal.  I am helping them learn how to better plan and execute those plans, as well as, instilling in them a vision to work together as one body and to look outside of their own city for the growth of the Kingdom.  

            There were other congregations present, but the focus was on these three.  The steps established at this meeting to be accomplished until the next meeting were to pick three members from their congregations to train, then, begin visiting, teaching and testing them to see their growth.  Tests are not written but practical: Bible studies given, visits made, etc. and then help these members grow in their needs.  Once the training of these members begins then we can start thinking about moving on to the next step, reaching outside their city, starting new congregations, seeing God's victory firsthand, the perfect ending.

• Please pray for Luciano, Givanildo, Santo, Marcelo and Silvan. 
• Please ask God to give them wisdom and patience to help other Christians grow in their faith and love for God and others.
• Please pray that God will guide them to people who are seeking the Truth in His Word.