Men's Fellowship

This week's Men's Fellowship meeting saw 13 of us gather for a lovely time of fellowship around the word of God. Teacher Claudivan led the meeting, Tiago and Fábio led the singing and Colonel Esaú brought an excellent well-prepared message on not yielding to temptation.

Our aged sister Maria Prata (in her 80s) has been in hospital to replace her feeding tube which became blocked. She is faithfully looked after at home by her daughter Vasti. Maria is very frail and bedridden.  Please pray for Maria and Vasti. 

I have finished reading another book called 'Through Brazilian Junglelands with the Book' by F. C. Glass. This is a very old book. The date it was published is not given but from the book's content I think it was published at around the time of World War II. It tells the story of work which the author did with the Bible Society. Of special interest to us is the pioneer work between 1929 and 1931 which he did selling Bibles, New Testaments and John's Gospels in three towns where EAB now has churches: Tavares, Princesa Isabel and Flores. This means that Frederick Glass was about 10 years ahead of EAB founder Albert Mundy. It is quite amazing how God prepares the way with his word. The book was a blessing to me.

Liz and I have been to the village of Campo Comprido which is 8 km outside of Patos on an earth road. We went there to visit a sister from our Patos church called Vanessa. She prepared a cake and Cashew  juice for us as she was so happy we went there. We had a nice chat with her as well as a nice time of prayer. 

Baptism

16 people were baptized at the weekend at our second church in Campina Grande in the borough of Presidente Médici. Pastor Hamilton is the leader there and is doing a great job. 4 people who had come to watch the baptism ended up committing their lives to Christ! One person was also received into fellowship in the service.

I have been in contact with all the EAB/ACEV pastors and leaders in preparation for our General Conference in two months' time at Campina Grande.

I have had good talks with pastors Manoel Oliveira Filho (João Pessoa), Jânio and Araújo (Campina Grande), and Betinho (Ibiara & Conceição) as well as the leader of our Água Grande church, Sandra Nogueira. 

I have played three more games of chess with my grandson Felipe and won all three. This puts me 9 x 0 up in our series.

We have had a meeting with a man called Belsan and his wife Cristina who are about to join our Patos church. They left another church because the pastor was kicking out people who refused to vote for ex-president Bolsonaro in last October's election! They left before they would have been expelled and because they rightly feel it is wrong for churches to take sides in party politics.

Wedding

 On Saturday Liz and I drove to Campina Grande for the wedding of Thyago and Letícia from our first church in that city. Letícia is the youngest daughter of Pastor Wostenes and his wife Gleydice. The wedding was to be at 3 pm but in fact started at 3:48 pm. We had an early lunch in Patos and arrived there at 2:10 pm before virtually anybody else! The journey only took 2 and a half hours whereas it can take 3 hours or more when there is traffic.

Our pet turkey at Green Pastures has been killed by a wild animal. This was probably caused by a wild Jaguarundi cat or a fox. Liz and I went for a walk at Green Pastures where we saw a Guira Cuckoo which flew alongside us, a Burrowing Owl and a Rufous-bellied Thrush nesting in the same place it nested last year.

I led the main service of the week last night in the Patos church. The church was again full to capacity. Pastor Rafael preached and Sacha led the praise and worship. At the end a young couple who are to get married in July, called João Paulo and Juliana, expressed their desire to be baptized. It was a lovely service.

Health

I continue to do regular physical exercises which do me a lot of good. It develops one's muscles and balance. We also walk twice a week at Green Pastures. I am much better in my health and thank all who pray for us. It is so good to be back to normal in health and strength.

A serious problem that we have in Patos is that of stray dogs - hundreds of stray dogs! Unfortunately the authorities do nothing about them. Last night a young man from our church was injured on his motorbike when swerving to miss dogs. He broke his wrist and has 2 deep cuts in his arm and foot which were stitched up. Please pray for Jeziel who is a young father of two boys and is married to Novinha.

Another prayer request is for little 7-year-old Anabelly from our Passagem church who has had surgery for an appendicitis in Patos. The operation was left late and the appendix had burst so there is a considerable risk of infection.

I took part in an important meeting yesterday with our projects' team of pastors Lindon Carlos, Wostenes, Robério and Gersé plus Marah Danielle and Eduardo. It was very good.

I have played more chess with my 25 year old grandson Felipe and I am 6 x 0 up in our series. There's life in the old dog yet!

We have had another 104 mm (4.3 inches) of rain so that is good. Thank you for praying. We need much more between this month and next. 

Today is our eldest daughter Deborah's birthday.

Rio Grande do Norte

For over a week now violence, shootings, murders, bus and car torchings, public building burnings etc. have overshadowed the next State north of us called Rio Grande do Norte. We have one church in that state in the town of Ipueira. The riots and violence are being ordered by organized crime syndicates inside the jails. The prisoners are protesting about their bad prison conditions. Please pray.

I have been to the wake of 92 year old Maria Barbosa who died on Monday. She was our granddaughters' Alice and Bia's paternal great grandmother.

I led Sunday's main service and our third-year Bible College student, Murilo Cézar, preached the Gospel from John 1:1-14. He was excellent.

I have prepared a new sermon on Psalm 84.

Some of you have informed me that a final single party of a bride-to-be is called in English a hen party! Thank you for completing my education. I understand that in the case of the groom-to-be it would be a stag party, but I have never heard of them here.

I enjoyed the Men's Fellowship meeting last night. There were 14 present including the Chief of Patos Police Esaú who is the leader. We reflected together on Psalm 13.

President Lula is going to Santa Luzia today which is 42 km east of Patos. He is going to inaugurate the electricity generating wind farm which has been constructed in the mountains there.

I have had meetings with Pastor Oseias from Itaporanga.  

Market Gardens

We have just selected two further families to take part in EAB's Market Garden project. This project seeks to help simple poor rural folk with their attempt to make a living from planting and growing lettuce, coriander, tomatoes, beetroot, carrots, fruit trees etc. We seek out families who need technical help to improve their work and who need equipment (wheel barrow, shovel, hoe, watering cans, water tank etc.) to improve their income. The project helps people help themselves and shows the love of God for them in the process. The project is always church based through contacts with our churches and pastors. The following two families have been selected:

1. Rones Lúcio da Silva and his wife Amanda Raiane Barbosa Cordeiro. This young couple are 22 years old. They do not have children yet. They live at Macambira dos Lúcios Community in Tavares County in the State of Paraíba. This is where we dug and equipped a well last year. This couple live off a government benefit of 100 pounds a month.

2. Elder Mariano da Silva (35 years old), his wife Maria Aparecida Ferreira de Lima (28 years old) and their two boys Wendel (aged 6) and Wallace (aged 18 months). They live at Maxixeiro Community in Santana de Mangueira County in the State of Paraíba. This family also lives off a government benefit of 100 pounds a month.

The EAB/ACEV church at Soledade has just celebrated its 30th anniversary and is in a good spiritual state. The new leader there, Matheus, is doing a great job and will be a candidate for probationary ministry status at the ACEV General Conference in May. His wife, Hortência, will be a candidate as a missionária. Both Matheus and Hortência have degrees in theology. Matheus also has a Master's degree in physics. The church was full to capacity for their anniversary service.

Rain

Thank you very much if you prayed for us for rain. I am glad to tell you that last night we had the best rainfall so far this rainy season with 62 mm (just over two and a half inches). We also had another 36 mm during last week so this means that last week we had a total of 98 mm (four inches). Please do not stop praying as we still need a lot more rain!

Last night the usual Saturday service at Green Pastures was cancelled owing to the rain and resultant mud. I was all ready to go and take the service when down came the rain.

There were 35 in the Bible study this week. I had a good meeting with Dedé at the end of the service. Dedé is the leader of our "Christian in Action" group which mainly involves middle-aged people in the work of the Gospel.

We have taken a young man from Imaculada to the drugs/drink rehabilitation centre in João Pessoa. Please pray for this man who has been addicted to booze for a long time and now has sought help to break free. In this process let us pray that he might commit his life to God.

Termites have attacked our house devouring wooden furniture. We have had to rip out draws and shelves from the room that used to be Liz's Mum's room.

Water supply has been restored to our house in Patos. Thank you for praying.

Please pray for QPR! We lost 6 x 1 at Blackpool midweek and we lost 1 x 0 at home to Birmingham yesterday. We are now in serious danger of being relegated to the third division (League One).

Water

We are without water in our house in Patos as the Waterboard has some sort of defect in their system. Water is now rationed in Patos in the rainy season and we will be days without water! How do you cook food or wash your hands without water? Our water storage tank had a defect in the ball valve which we only discovered when it was dry!

I have finished reading another book called 'Brazilian Adventure' by Peter Fleming. It tells the true story of an expedition from the UK to central Brazil in the 1930s to look for the lost explorer, Colonel Fawcett, in which Peter took part. Somebody gave me the book many years ago, but I only got round to reading it now.

Yesterday the Patos Men's Fellowship went to hold a service in the town of São Mamede which is a 25 minute drive north-east of Patos. We baptized 3 from São Mamede at the Carnival Camp so we now have 5 Christians attending regularly in this town.

I have been having further discussions with our senior leadership team regarding the General Conference to be held towards the end of May. Of special note have been the talks with Pastor Matheus (João Pessoa) and Pastor Wostenes (Campina Grande).

This week we have held a trouble-shooting meeting with a person from one of our churches whom I can't name. Thankfully the meeting went well and the problem was apparently resolved.

New Well

Our projects team has started the process of selection for another well which EAB/ACEV plans to dig or drill later this year. Gersé, Lindon Carlos and Marah Danielle went and had a meeting with the leaders of the Guaribas community in the County of Princesa Isabel and explained to them our well project's rules and conditions and discussed them with them.

On Saturday afternoon Liz went to a party for a girl from our church called Talita who is to marry Ryury later this year. I am not sure what you call this in English but it is like a final party as a single girl. Only women go to these parties. This couple are one of four couples in our Patos church expected to get married this year. Also engaged are Marina and Isaac, Rogaciano and Monique and Rafael and Rayla. 

Saturday night's service at Green Pastures was very low in numbers because rain was impending which kept people at home. It rained 20 mm (nearly an inch) which was most welcome.

I took a photo of Liz whilst walking at Green Pastures near the lake and have posted it on Facebook and Instagram. In the photo Liz is standing beside a Catingueira tree (Cenostigma pyramidale) in flower. Its flowers are yellow.

I led the Sunday night service in Patos, the children sang a lovely song, the church was full and assistant pastor Rafael preached the Gospel. It was a blessed and lovely service.

General Conference

EAB/ACEV holds its General Conference every May. This year it will be held on May 26th-27th at our first Campina Grande church in the borough of Catolé where Wostenes is the senior pastor. I am in the process of drawing up the agenda for this event together with our senior leadership team.

The building materials for our next two toilet/shower units were delivered to Barra de Oitis this week by a lorry from Itaporanga. Marilene, Edicledia and families were overjoyed at the sight as they start to see evidence of their dreams of a toilet come true.

Friday night is the night when our Patos church members have the opportunity to learn sign language for the deaf. Our assistant pastor Luis Carlos (who is deaf) is the teacher and a new group is starting now. The basic course usually lasts between one and two years. please pray for this new group and our church's ministry with the deaf.

Typing these words to the sound of the song of the Southern Wren is beautiful. The species is often singing in our garden. Another nice aspect of nature at our house in Patos is a Humming bird which has made a nest on a plant on our veranda. The bird sometimes flies inside our house. 

Rains

We return to ask you to please pray for rain for us in the interior of north-east Brazil. The first months of the year constitute our rainy season. If we don't get rain now then only next year. So far this year we have had 241 mm (10 inches) of rain and our aim in a good year is 40 inches. This means we need another 30 inches between now and May.

I have returned to playing chess with our eldest grandson Felipe who is an architect. We play one evening a week. It has been years since I last played. So far I have surprised Felipe and am winning 3 games to 0. 

Please pray for our deacon Ricardo who is ill with the virus transmitted by mosquitoes called Chikungunya. He has been sent home from hospital but is still most unwell. Chikungunya starts with a high fever and causes lots of pain in the joints and muscles. 

This week's men's fellowship meeting went well and I enjoyed it. Ray Santana brought a very good little word about being "clothed with Christ" from Galatians 3:26-29. There were 11 present. 

Liz and I had a nice walk at Green Pastures yesterday afternoon. We try to keep this up twice a week. It is sad to see the lake so low in water. Everything is green, but there has not been enough rain to affect the lake. 

I had a good meeting with Pastor Maésio from Teixeira up in the mountains. It was good to talk over the work there and to know that God is blessing and that things are going well.

This week we held a meeting of the EAB/ACEV Action Child School teachers to talk over how things are going in 2023 and to discuss future plans and strategies. We praise God for how well our little schools are going.

Liz enjoyed the women's fellowship meeting this week. There were 40 present. This was a higher number than average as it coincided with International Women's Day so there was a special meeting with refreshments. 

Toilet/showers

I have been having discussions with our project coordinators Pastor Lindon Carlos (Imaculada) and Social Worker Marah Danielle (Patos) to define the selection process for the next stage of the EAB/ACEV Toilet/Shower project. Our clear aim is to help the poorest of the poor and the decisions are not easy to take as clearly everyone without a toilet/shower at their house needs one! After much prayer, discussion and deliberation, based on the project team's visits to the homes at Barra de Oitis village in Diamante County, the following families were selected.

The first family selected for a toilet/shower unit at the back of their house complete with double cess-pit drainage system, overhead water tank and external sink for washing up and washing clothes is that of Marilene Tomaz de Alquino. Marilene is a 40-year-old single mother of three children aged 20, 14 and 9. They live off a government benefit of about 100 pounds a month and occasionally manage to get some work cleaning someone's house or washing someone's clothes. This work is unfortunately hard to get as most people at Barra de Oitis are very poor indeed. Please pray for Marilene and family who were sadly abandoned by their husband/father. The family, which lives in a mud and sticks house, is not committed to Christ but is being evangelized by local pastor Nezinho Abílio and others from the local EAB/ACEV church.

The second family selected for a toilet/shower unit is that of Edicledia Pereira da Silva who is 33 years old, is a single mother of 5 children aged 11, 9, 6, 5 and 6 months old from a variety of partners. Edicledia has been going to our church at Barra de Oitis for quite a long time and has made a committment to Christ since the birth of her last child. They live in a mud and sticks house off a 100 pounds a month government benefit just like Marilene does. Please pray that Edicledia will stand firm in the faith, grow in Christ and that all her children will follow the Lord.

The building materials for these two toilet/shower units will be purchased this week and delivered to the houses at Barra de Oitis from Itaporanga which is the nearest largish town.

Visiting

This week Liz and I spent time visiting folk from the Patos church and giving them copies of my book about the history of EAB/ACEV from 1938 to 2018. First of all we visited Maria Prata and family. Maria has recently been in intensive care in hospital. We then visited the church cleaner Linda followed by two deaconesses Beatriz and Josinete.

Pastor Wostenes in Campina Grande has contacted us to ask us to send a resumé of the life of the late EAB missionary Frank Dyer (1916-1987). This is to be sent to the city council because there is a new street near our church which does not have a name yet. Pastor Wostenes and church will propose that the street be named in honour of Frank Dyer which would be very nice.

I have just finished reading a book called "Call the Bee Man!" by Keith W. Dyer, who is Liz's cousin in the New Forest. This interesting and enjoyable book tells the story of Keith's business as a keeper of bees for many years. The book is also a clear testimony to Keith's Christian faith.

Yesterday we held another Jumble Sale at our Patos school. For us a jumble sale achieves two things. It raises money for the church's building project with the revamp of the Care Centre, and it also helps us help the poor with dignity by selling them clothes etc. rather than giving them them. The church folk donate things for the sale in good condition and poor people can pick, choose and buy really cheap.   

Evaluation

We have held an evaluation meeting with the leaders of the Carnival Camp: Liz, myself, Marah Danielle, Sacha, Ray and Pastor Rafael. The idea was to get feedback from everyone whilst it is fresh in the mind. The feedback was really positive with all agreeing it had been an excellent camp. We noted what can be improved next year. It was a good meeting.

We also held a meeting with our youth leaders Rayla, Ray and Rafael to go over their plans for the rest of 2023. It was another very positive meeting.

I have already started working on the agenda for our General Conference which is always held in May. This year it will be held at Campina Grande. I have already started asking for suggestions for the agenda from our senior leadership team.

We have interesting and encouraging news from the Jatobá indigenous community where we have just inaugurated our latest well. We are told that people are now coming to get water from neighbouring indigenous communities so the well is now helping over 50 families.