Major Mountain Bush Fire

Over the weekend a major bush fire started on the Teixeira mountain which is clearly visible from Patos. It is a terrible ecological tragedy. I can only presume that the suspicions that it was started deliberately are correct as this is the cooler time of year here (when it's warmer in Europe it's cooler here and vice-versa) and thus not conducive to such fires starting spontaneously. The bush fire has spread 10 km a journalist tells me in the counties of Teixeira and Cacimba de Areia and the firefighters have lost control. Please pray. A friend in Teixeira took this photo yesterday.

Liz and I's weekend travel went off well. First stop was Itaporanga where we had a working lunch with the local pastor and his wife. This was lovely. Then we went on a dusty earth track with them to Barra de Oitis ex-slave community where the EAB/ACEV church is facing serious problems. The leader went of the rails (financial issues) and has left since being removed from the leadership. The problem is that the nearest pastor to this place is from Vazante and he is proving to be quite a headache and has fallen for a new couple in the problem church who are very domineering. Oh Lord! Such problems are very stressful and there is a lot more I could say! :)

From this trouble shooting we went to Curral Velho (Old Cow Pen) where I preached in a jubilant and blessed meeting held in the street in front of the church. We got home to bed at midnight. Tired and with mixed feeling from the good and the bad of the trip. Please pray.

Last night's communion service in Patos went lovely with just some problems with the internet transmission as my nephew Ben has gone to England for a while with his wife and it was he who had the transmissions off to a fine art. Now a new lad is learning, so please have patience! I'm saying that to me too as I told him not to do certain things and he did them! Such is life!