Sunny Sunday

Sunny Sunday Jeremy Newlin

On a sunny Sunday, I took a carload to Alagoinha, my two sons, Nicholas and Dylan, Joseph and Edda's son, Samuel, and a sister from church, Lucia de Fátima. We visited only one family in the city before meeting with the church.

This family was the first family I met in the city about 13 years ago. The father was an alcoholic, a daughter told me that if I was trying to make her leave the Catholic church that I could forget it. I told her that I was not trying to make her leave anything, I just wanted to study God's Word with her. This visit, though, they all mentioned how thankful they were to God that I came and taught them God's Word. The father no longer drinks. The daughter told me that she loves to see me and my family when we visit. The mother and one of the other daughters were both baptized years ago, but neither meet with the church anymore. The entire family goes to a denomination, but I am not giving up. I continue to visit and study God's Word with them.

The visit to the church in Alagoinha was, in a word, joyful. We studied how Jesus tells us to carry our cross and to love him more than any family members or even ourselves. Then from Hebrews 10:19-25, we discussed the privilege of being in God's presence and the importance of encouraging one another towards love and good works. We all know this is true, but in Alagoinha, there is a man whose zeal for God, His Word and His church seems, at times, to overshadow the feelings and difficulties of the other members.

The result of the study was a physical change in their body posture and on their faces. They seemed relieved and happier. The spiritual results I hope to see in the very near future. Please pray for the church in Alagoinha.