SETEBRAE

SETEBRAE is the name of our Bible College in Campina Grande and on Friday Liz and I travelled there for the graduation service of 12 students - 9 men and 3 women. We left Patos just after 3 pm and arrived there at 6:45 pm having stopped for a snack at Soledade on the way. The service started at 7:30 pm and about 300 people gathered for it. The service went very well and I was one of the speakers. The service ended at 9:45 pm and was followed by lots of photographs being taken.

When all had finished Pastor Wostenes asked us out for a meal together with his family which was very nice. This ended not far short of midnight and we got to bed about 1 am at the pastor's house. After a good night's sleep we had a nice time of fellowship together with the pastor and his wife over breakfast. We had a good discussion about different aspects of the work. After this we drove back to Patos, leaving about 10 am, and getting home around 1 pm. We were tired but rejoicing.

The main road between Patos and Campina Grande is being upgraded to a dual carriageway. The work is just beginning. It will obviously improve travel when it's finished in a few years' time. This work has already been done between Campina Grande and Joao Pessoa on the coast.

QPR travelled to Preston on Friday and won 2 x 0! 😂

Ear Ear!

I have been to the doctor's to have my ears syringed so that was good.

We have had another visit at Green Pastures from the IBAMA which is the Brazilian environmental body. They went there to release lots of wild birds which they had confiscated from people illegally keeping them in cages. They also released a lot of wild tortoises. They also collected a parrot which an elderly lady has asked us to give to the authorities for her.

I had a good walk at Green Pastures and saw 15 Picui Ground Doves. Please pray for rain which we badly need. We haven't had any for months and our lake has completely dried up.

Last night's prayer meeting and Bible study was lovely. We were down in numbers, but there was a lovely spirit of prayer, excellent participations with people sharing verses of scripture, and a good study.

Later today I will be travelling about 3 hours to Campina Grande to speak at our Bible College's graduation ceremony and service. 

Cidade Verde

Our second church on the coast in Joao Pessoa is in the borough of Cidade Verde and it has just celebrated its 19th anniversary under the leadership of Pastor Jose Vieira. A festive and blessed special service was held to commemorate the occasion. 

You will be thrilled to know that having lost at Norwich on Saturday, QPR actually managed to win a game last night at home to Stoke 4 x 2!! You will also have noticed that I had my hair cut yesterday. I hope you like it. 👨

Last night I preached on prayer in the town of Sao Mamede. It was a lovely service and my sermon went very well.

Yesterday afternoon I went for a nice walk at Green Pastures and saw a Chalk-browed Mocking bird and 3 White-naped Jays.

This Friday we will be travelling the 178 km east to Campina Grande where I will be speaking at the graduation service of our Bible College there. We will sleep there the night at Pastor Wostenes' house and travel back to Patos the following morning.

40th Anniversary Service

We drove to Caroa on Saturday afternoon leaving Patos at 1 pm and arriving at Caroa at 4:20 pm. The last 11 km of the journey is the worst although the earth track (road!) has been improved a lot over the last 40 years that we have been going there to minister. The anniversary service started 15 minutes late at 7:15 pm and was held in front of the church under a star-lit sky and a full moon. There was a constant gentle breeze blowing which was much appreciated so as to cool things down. An excellent crowd gathered from Caroa, plus pastor Francinaldo from our Manaira church, Fabio who leads the Fonseca and Travessia churches, Leonarda who leads the Umburana church, pastor Gerse (Princesa Isabel), pastor Roberio (Tavares), pastor Nemias (Flores), Deacon Sitonio (Mandacau), and others from Umbuzeiro, Olho D'aguinha Seco and Belem. I preached on 'Nothing will separate us from God' (Romans 8:31-39) The mayor was at the service and at the end I presented him with a copy of my book about the history of the work here.

After the service everyone was served with a hot dog and coke and we stayed talking to all the people. After this we stayed chatting to the local pastor Valdemy till gone 11 pm. We stayed at his house for the night and we left for Patos about 8 am the following morning. On the way home we went to visit brother Jose Paulinho and his wife Louisa at Manaira as Louisa doesn't enjoy good health and they were unable to go to the anniversary service. They are the parents of 17 children! We got back to Patos about 12:30 pm, ate egg and chips, had a siesta, and then got ready for the evening main service of the week in the Patos church.

I led the service in the Patos church and pastor Rafael preached. Sacha, Louisa and Marina led the worship. After the service the children's ministry sold a Munguza snack to raise money for the building work. Munguza is a regional maize based snack which was very nice.

Caroa

Later today Elizabeth, me and deaconess Josinete will drive to Caroa and tonight I will be preaching at their 40th anniversary service. We value your prayers.

Thursday night's prayer meeting and Bible study went well. There were about 25 there.

I have been doing a lot of administrative work. I have also had a nice walk at Green Pastures and had a good chat to Francisco. I heard the call of the Scarlet-throated Tanager whilst there.

Yesterday morning I inspected the construction work at the Care Centre. The brick layer was finishing off the wheelchair ramp and it is good to see the end of the work insight. Hopefully we will go into the new year with the Care Centre back in use and totally revamped. 

Christmas is coming!

Christmas approaches and the Patos church is already decorated appropriately. Every Sunday in December we will have a special Christmas feature in the service as follows. On the 3rd we will have a children's nativity play; on the 10th a Christmas ballet performance; on the 17th a special musical item; and on the 24th we will have our main Christmas play which I wrote.

On Tuesday evening I led the men's fellowship inductive Bible study called 'Jesus the great liberator' based on John 8:31-32. It was a lovely meeting with 12 present and which was very participative.

Our 22-year-old grandson Arthur presented his end of course dissertation for his law course at university and received the top mark. His dissertation, which was highly praised by his examiners, discussed the legal implications of Brexit. 

I have been in discussions with Gleydice in Campina Grande about our Bible College there. The college is struggling owing to the low numbers of students with only 22 this year. Please pray.

Liz went to the women's fellowship meeting last night which was held at Ana Karla's house. They had a good number there. (22)

Juazeirinho

At the weekend our Pastor Leandro at Juazeirinho baptized 4 new converts for which we praise the Lord. Juazeirinho is half-way between Patos and Campina Grande and our church there has 59 participants.

Sunday night's service was excellent in Patos. I led and Sacha preached on 'There is power in the name of Jesus'. She preached very well indeed. After church the worship group sold slices of cake plus savouries to raise money for the building work at the Care Centre. 

On Sunday both our grandson Arthur and his girlfriend Bianca sat their first stage of the Bar examination and they passed. They now sit the second and final stage of the Bar exam on January 21st. They both graduate from university as lawyers next month. They are both fine Christians.

Last night the youth prayer meeting had 12 in it which is up from 10 last week.

I went for a refreshing walk at Green Pastures yesterday afternoon.

Liz is down with the flu.