I took 2 men home from the Care Centre dentist yesterday to farmsteads in São Mamede where there is no public transport access. Our dentist does a great job and it is wonderful to serve the community in this way.
At Green Pastures many Red-legged Seriemas are coming to a feeding trough and water trough near the meeting hall. Also deer are appearing too. These are of the species Mazama gouazoubira.
I led the main service of the week in Patos and Pastor Murilo preached on 'The Vine and the Branches' from John 15:1-12. It was a lovely service and a very good sermon.
I am now writing daily 'Bible Bytes' and publishing them here on the blog. These are key verses from each chapter of the Bible with a brief devotional comment. So far I have written 16 covering each chapter of Peter, John and Jude's epistles. I also write a parallel version in Portuguese and publish this on Facebook.
Please pray for EAB support which has fallen by 30% over the past year. We trust the God of EAB's 88 years history to lead us on to our century with the salvation of many and the caring for the poor.
"In the last times there will be scoffers who will follow their own ungodly desires... so build yourselves up in your most holy faith... and keep yourselves in God's love". (Jude 18, 20)
We can't control worldly philosophies and practices, but we can assume responsibility for our own spiritual growth and commitment.
I have started translating the second semester reports from EAB's Action Schools as these are done in May and November. So far I have sent the reports with photos to Marian at Southampton from our Soledade and Juazeirinho schools, so that's 2 down and 12 to go.
QPR won at home to Lincoln 2 x 1 yesterday and are back up to 8th slot in the Championship and in the play-offs zone again. 😀⚽
I can hear a Southern Wren singing in the garden. 🐦
Last night I led the communion service at Green Pastures and preached on Jesus' anointing by Mary of Bethany in John 12:1-11. It was a lovely service with participations from Nega, Josué, Paulo Silas, Fred, José Vieira and Manoel. Deaconesses Leca and Dodora served the communion and Fabrícia and Fernanda ministered to the children. On the way there I saw a Pigmy Nightjar and heard many Shiny Cowbirds near the meeting hall.
It is extremely dry and hot in Patos today with the official temperature said to be going to reach 40.6 degrees which would be the highest temperature ever in the whole of our state of Paraiba! 🔥
Last night we went to the Patos Business Exposition where our girls' Cultura Inglesa TEFL school had an excellent stand. It was great meeting up with a lot of old friends during the couple of hours we spent there.
I heard a little Common Tody-Flycatcher in our garden this morning which is yellow underneath and black on top. It has an unmistakable call sounding like the winding up of an old watch of many decades ago. I also heard a Great Kiskadee.
Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study in Patos and Pastor Murilo brought the study from Matthew 13. Pastor Rafael ministered up the mountain in Teixeira and Deaconess Dodora led the service at the ex-landless settlement in São Mamede.
Brazil now holds the world record for red cards in a football match! 🟥In a semi-final match of the under-20s championship in Minas Gerais no less than 53 red cards were distributed with 43 players, 8 coaching staff and 2 members of the board! The previous world record was held by Argentina with a mere 36 red cards!
"I pray that you may enjoy good health and that all may go well with you, even as your soul is getting along well... do not imitate what is evil but what is good". (3 John 1:2,11)
God cares about both our physical and spiritual health. A healthy spiritual lifestyle is shown by our imitation of Christ's goodness.
