EAB Nutshell Update

I have just dispatched our latest EAB Nutshell Update. If you have not received it and would like to please email us at eabrazil@gmail.com

I have a meeting with the Patos Bible College leaders this afternoon in my advisory capacity which I now have with the College. Sadly the College is going through difficult days.

Hot and Dry

Today we had 38.4º C (101.1º F) with extremely low air humidity of just 12% which is dangerously low - I am told lower than the Sahara Desert. It means any walking at Green Pastures will now have to be done earlier than ever. I think the next time I go I will sleep there so as to be there ready to walk from 4 am to no later than 8 am. For in the northern hemisphere you now have short days and ours are long with it getting light at 4.

Great Service

We had a great service in the Patos church tonight. The church was full as usual and there was a real blessing on the P&W and ministry of the word.

We now have a retired Congregational pastor and his wife who are in fellowship with us. This is a blessing. I have known him and got on well with him for 18 years at the Patos Bible College. He will be a big back-up help in ministry. Thank you Lord. 

Well well well!

Thanks for your prayers and support as the work presses ahead despite difficulties which arise. A lovely thanksgiving service was held this week at Domingos Ferreira ex-slave community in Tavares County where a new well and pump was inaugurated. 

Funeral & Graduation

I was up yesterday at 5.30 am and arrived at the farmstead for the funeral service of Tarcísio's father one minute before time for a 7 am kick-off. This is my own father's training on time still paying dividends! The service gathered 30 local farmers and went well. Two of the hymns nobody knew so I sang them alone.

Then in the afternoon I travelled to Campina Grande in plenty of time for the EAB/ACEV Bible College graduation where I spoke. There were 16 graduates PTL! It was a lovely service. I got back to bed in Patos at 1.30 am pretty tired to put it mildly. Below is my view of the service.

Wake

I have been to Tarcísio's father's wake this afternoon at a small holding not far from Green Pastures. I will be conducting the funeral service at 7 am tomorrow. It's not everyday you get to do a funeral at that time!

In the afternoon this Saturday I will travel to Campina Grande and back, which is two and a half hours each way, to speak at the EAB/ACEV Bible College's graduation and 15th anniversary service.

It's all happening!

I left as planned for the well inauguration in Tavares County yesterday afternoon but on the way was hit by a drunk driver at Água Branca. Fortunately I managed to brake sufficiently to minimise damage and impact and nobody was hurt. The man was driving an old truck with no rear section on it apart from the chassis, and had no lights or indicators. He said to me afterwards that he had only had "3 beers"! He went on to insist that he had fixed an EAB/ACEV lorry the previous day which we don't have! He certainly was the worse for drink. Anyway our Jeep received a damaged radiator with the impact so I had to get it towed back to Patos for repairs.

Now this morning Tarcísio's father at Green Pastures has died aged 87. It has been really ill for a long time and had had both legs amputated. Please pray for Tarcísio and family. I am awaiting news from Tarcísio regarding when the funeral will be as I expect I will conduct that. I was hoping to do another well inauguration today in Princesa Isabel County but await the funeral details so as to know what I will be doing. Your prayers are valued.

Busy Week

The Soup Run last week went very well and reached out to desperately poor and hungry people. We always distribute Gospel tracts with the food too.

I held an exposition of some of my nature photos all week which attracted a total of 2,000 people from all walks of life ranging from judges and medical doctors to teachers and very poor children. It was a wonderful opportunity to estimulate greater care of God's creation. There was a real impact on the population.

On Wednesday Liz and I enjoyed our 48th wedding anniversary by the grace of God.

From Friday to Sunday the EAB/ACEV Youth held their annual Youth Conference at Princesa Isabel and this was a real blessing.

The Sunday services went well in Patos. I continued my series of sermons in John's Gospel and am nearly at the end of chapter 7.

We extended the nature photographs exhibition to Tuesday (yesterday) owing to popular demand and especially moving was to have the deaf on the Monday evening present and on the final day the Special Needs School came. The great challenge was to make the experience work for the blind! So I gave them graphic descriptions of each photo and relevant stories with special sound effects attached to them and they really loved it. It was a very moving experience.

Tonight the 'Drug Free' group is in action. We really need to pray for the group.

Tomorrow and Friday I will be inaugurating new wells in Tavares and Princesa Isabel Counties and holding thanksgiving services with the preaching of the Gospel at each place. Then on Saturday I will be ministering at our Campina Grande Bible College before getting back to Patos for ministry on Sunday. Your prayers are valued.

EAB Charity Concert this Saturday!

Liz & I sent this message to EAB's Annual Celebration on Saturday

Please note that my QPR Teddy insisted on being on the video. Please give him a wave whilst you watch!

A general view of the EAB Celebration

This photo was taken whilst Marian Rashleigh was giving her report to those at EAB's 79th Celebration on Saturday.

EAB holds its 79th Annual Celebration

EAB's Annual celebration was held this Saturday (11th Nov.) and Chairman of the Board Roy Dyer was the speaker. Others who contributed to the programme were Marian Rashleigh, Jean Medcraft-North and the Lighthouse Community Church worship group. 50 people gathered to praise God for another year of victory and blessing. Thanks to all who supported this event. 

EAB's 79th Annual Celebration

Please be at EAB's 79th Annual Celebration this Saturday (Nov. 11th) to be held at the Lighthouse Community Church, Hardley, Southampton, SO45 3NZ. There will be a fellowship tea at 6pm and the Celebration will start at 7pm. 

Green Pastures Service

Saturday night's service at Green Pastures went very well. 42 present in a rural area on a Saturday night is not bad! We had all the people doing their bits in the service and then I preached the Gospel. It was a refreshing night blessed of the Lord.

On Sunday I took the Communion Service in Patos which also went very well. During the week we had done quite a lot of counselling with folk from the church.

On this Monday (6th) we took off for João Pessoa again. Another 4 to 4.5 hour drive. This was for Liz to have her second cataract surgery on Tuesday morning. This went off fine and we travelled back to Patos yesterday (Wednesday). 

Also during this week I wrote our annual report for the EAB Board of trustees, in time for this weekend's Board Meeting and EAB celebration. We also made a video message for the service. We hope you can be there!