General Election Day

Today is Brazil's 4-yearly general election for President, Senators, Federal Deputies (MPs), State Deputies and State Governors. Each voter places 6 votes! Brazil has a population of 214 million with an electorate of 158 million, yet we will have the results early tonight thanks to the excellent electronic voting system. 

I placed my votes just before midday which took me nearly 2 hours to do because there was a mix-up with my documentation and then there was a long queue. But I voted, which was the important thing, as I see voting as a Christian duty voting for the candidates who serve the common good and benefit the poor.

I led last night's communion service and Pastor Rafael preached a good sermon on the sufferings of Job. Numbers were down owing to the switch from Sunday to Saturday, but they were reasonable.

Service on Saturday

Our main service of the week has been switched from the usual 6:30 pm slot on Sunday owing to the General Elections this Sunday. The service will be held today, Saturday, at 5:30 pm and it will be a communion service which I will be leading and at which Pastor Rafael will be preaching from Job chapter 1. This will leave everyone free for election day to vote and cheer or cry! As voting in Brazil is digital and electronic it means that on Sunday night we will have the results quite early, though the decision for president, and maybe state governor, will probably go to a run-off second round of voting 3 weeks from now on October 25th.

Liz went to Green Pastures yesterday with Josinete and Zenaide preparing things for the next event there at the end of the month which will be another youth camp. Please pray. There are always masses of preparations to be done for these camps.

Mid-Week

Last night I led the mid-week prayer meeting in Patos, Pastor Rafael took the service in Teixeira and Pastor Murilo took the service at Santa Teresinha. In Patos Firefighter Romildo gave the study on Acts 1:1-5 and Erika and Davi led the praise and worship. It was a good service.

Please pray for the General Election in Brazil the day after tomorrow when 158.7 million voters will go to the polls to elect President, Senators, Federal Deputies, State Deputies and State Governors. The main contenders for President are President Lula standing for reelection for the last time, and Flávio Bolsonaro who is the son of ex-president Bolsonaro who is serving a 27 year jail sentence for having planned and attempted a coup after loosing the last election. 

Toilet/Shower Unit

We have concluded building another toilet/shower unit for an extremely poor family who had never in their lives had a toilet before! The building took place in the Riacho do Meio Community in the Municipality of Diamante at the mud and sticks house of Francisco de Assis and Edineida and their two children. We installed a flush toilet, a wash basin and a shower inside, with a sink to wash the clothes outside and the family is very happy and grateful. 

The 4-Legs project with hair sheep and goats continues to go well and we have just distributed a lovely sheep at the Queimadas Community in the Municipality of Tavares.

Our church at Teixeira is changing pastor as the previous pastor Maésio, who wasn't doing very well, has left. Yesterday we had 2 meetings dealing with this matter and Pastor Rafael, from Patos, is going there later today to take the mid-week service. Please pray for the Teixeira church up in the mountains. 

Last month this blog was read 857,999 times. Thanks and greetings to one and all. 

Soup Run

Yesterday our Soup Run team was out again distributing a delicious thick chicken soup or broth to the needy in the Rua do Meio area of Patos distributing 70 meals together with gospel tracts. What was especially interesting was the way the people asked for prayer from the team. One lady was heartbroken as she had just had her 3 children taken away from her as she had been drunk and disorderly and unable to care from them. 

Our visitation team, led by deaconess Deborah Maria, visited 87-year-old Judite yesterday. Judite only has one eye but she is doing alright. Please pray for Judite. 

Sacha's mother-in-law continues in intensive care in the Patos Regional Hospital and is still gravely ill. Please pray for Eleni. 

Galatians 6 (résumé): Doing good to all

Paul concludes his letter to the Galatians discoursing about how life should be in the Spirit. "If someone is caught in a sin... restore him gently whilst watching yourself not to be tempted... and carry each other's burdens... remembering that a man reaps what he sows... and he who sows to please the Spirit will reap eternal life... so don't get weary in well doing... but do good to all people especially the family of believers... but never boast except in the cross of Christ... for neither circumcision or uncircumcision means anything. What counts is a new creation!... and the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit brothers, amen!"

Galatians 5 (résumé): Freedom in Christ

Paul starts Galatians 5 exalting Christian freedom from the yoke of the slavery of law and the freedom to live a Spirit-filled life. He says: "It is for freedom that Christ has set us free... the only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love". Paul then says that Christian liberty does not mean doing whatever we want. Instead, believers should serve one another in love. "Do not use your freedom to indulge sinful nature, but serve one another in love... live by the Spirit!... for if you are led by the Spirit you are not under law... and those who live practicing the acts of sinful nature will not inherit the kingdom of God... but against the fruit of the Spirit there is no law... and since we live by the Spirit let us keep in step with the Spirit".