Easter break

We had an Easter mini break from Thursday to Saturday at Green Pastures which was very nice. I enjoyed some good walks in the middle of lovely green pasture and trees and saw and heard dozens of species of birds. I also played some chess. I beat my architect grandson Felipe and drew with his partner Vivi. This morning we had the traditional Easter egg hunt with all the family including Liz's sister Esther and her family. We had heavy rain (18 mm) at the time of the hunt which added to the fun!

For those interested in nature let me give you the English names of the birds I saw at Green Pastures. If you Google these names you can see what they look like. Campo Troupial (orange - saw young in the nest in a lamp shade), Chalk-browed Mockingbird, Solitary Sandpiper (migrates from Canada), Small Egret, Rufous-bellied Thrush (sang lots), Blue-black Grassquit (flies up and down on the spot as it sings), Common Tody-Flycatcher (by its nest which hangs from a twig), Picazuro Pigeon (a lot of these), White-tipped Dove, Picui Ground-Dove, Red-cowled Cardinal (singing a lot at dawn), Caatinga Cacholote (making nests), Squirrel Cuckoo, Guira Cuckoo, Smooth-billed Ani (by its nest), Long-billed Wren, Southern Wren, Brazilian Teal, Spot-backed Puffbird (flew out of its burrow), Rufous-browed Peppershrike (singing profusely and beautifully), Pigmy Owl (singing night and day), Striped Cuckoo, Short-crested Flycatcher, Brown-crested Flycatcher, Cactus Paraqueet (2 nests in ant mounds in Eucalyptus trees). Whilst walking we observed over 100 Brazilian Plum trees that we have planted over the past years in partnership with the federal university forestry engineers.

QPR beat Birmingham 2 x 1 at home yesterday! 😁 They are now 4 places clear of the relegation zone. 👍

I led the Easter service at our Patos school tonight and three teenage boys made commitments to Christ at the end. PTL!

Asphalt

The street where we live in Patos is called 'Avenida Rio Branco' and we live at number 629. Next door to us is our daughters' English School. Streets in towns here start as earth streets, but with time these progress to cobblestone streets made from blocks of granite rock widely available in the region. Our street has been cobblestoned since we bought our house back in 1984 but today our street is finally being asphalted which will be much smoother than cobblestones. We feel quite posh! 😊

I travelled to Sao Mamede on Tuesday to hold the fortnightly service in this town together with the Patos men's fellowship. I preached on 'Jesus the mediator' from 1 Timothy 2:5 and stressed from verse 4 that God, through Jesus, "wants all men to be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth". It was a good service.

I see that Brazil beat England 1 x 0 at Wembley at the weekend. I didn't watch the game.

At Green Pastures I heard a Pigmy Owl giving its staccato hunting call. As its name suggests it is a tiny owl yet it is a feared hunter of other small birds. Yesterday it rained another 52 mm. PTL!

Big Black Snake

This week we found a 'Caatinga's Black Snake' 2 metres (6 feet) long at Green Pastures. It was found under the bed of our chief cook Linda but anyone in Brazil please don't tell her this! This snake is actually a very positive snake as its main diet is other snakes as it is immune to their poison.

The Brazilian census has shown that our state where we live and work (Paraiba) has the third highest level of illiteracy in Brazil, better only than the other northeastern states of Alagoas and Piaui. It is good to realize that EAB/ACEV's 17 little schools are contributing towards solving this problem and we thank all for their support for our action schools which help over 800 children. Our aim is to have with every church a school, as Martin Luther once proposed.

On Palm Sunday Liz taught the adult class in the Sunday School again in the morning. I led the main service of the week at night and in the service we showed the carnival camp video which we sent to everyone in the UK. Our Bible College student Rayla preached from Matthew 21:1-11. It was a good service.

On Sunday a father called Mateus, who had been backslidden for years, rededicated his life to God. We rejoice and ask you to pray for Mateus. 

BBC Global Minds

I am a member of the BBC's Global Minds listeners and watchers panel and have just replied to a survey concerning the BBC's new mission statement. About once a month they carry out a survey on some topic and it is always a pleasure to do my bit for the BBC. I have been on the panel for as long as I can remember as I used to be on it when I used to listen to the BBC at 3 pm every day on short wave radio! Now we have it on TV and via their website.

On Friday night a team from the Patos church went to the pituresque and tiny village of Picotes in the county of Sao Mamede. They held a blessed service at the home of Olga and her husband Etinho who are members of our church.

I have just received the sad news of the death of Margaret Irish in Australia who was the wife of David Irish for 57 years. They were missionaries to Papua New Guinea for many years. Our thoughts and prayers are with David and all the family who are consolled by the fact that Margaret is with the Lord.

I led the service last night at Green Pastures and Bible College graduate Murilo gave a good message from John 21. Nega sang together with three other sisters followed by Manoel who sang a solo. Sacha led the praise and worship with Lucas on guitar. It was a nice meeting.

Women's Fellowship

Liz took the study at the women's fellowship meeting on Wednesday evening and all went off well. Parallel to this a team held the weekly service at our school in the borough of Jatoba.

I have heard a number of Striped Cuckoos at Green Pastures. Its plaintive call has generated legends that it is a bad omen. I personally love to hear its call.

I led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study last night and there was a good number present of 30. Co-pastor Rafael brought the study from Amos 2:1-5. Vasti and Espedita sang solos.

Rogerio

Rogerio is a lovely man aged 42 who many moons ago was a pupil of our Pastor Frank Dyer school in the borough of Jatobá in Patos. Today he is doing a job for us in our garden. He is married and the father of 3 children. 2 of these have been pupils of our school and the third is currently at the school. His 2 older children take part in our adolescents follow-up group at our school.

Orlando is working with Rogerio in our garden today where a wall has fallen down. Orlando is the fruit of our Job Creation project which helped Orlando commence a gardening business kitting him out with tools. Today he is the best gardener in Patos. These two men are the direct result of EAB's practical projects which put God's love in action. Orlando and his son have since been converted. PTL!

We had a busy day yesterday with counselling and meetings. We counselled a young man who stands in need of your prayers. We also had an excellent meeting with our co-pastor Rafael about a variety of church issues including the 12 being prepared for baptism by the month of May.

Our men's fellowship meeting last night went well at the house of my co-pastor Rafael and his wife Rayla.

Cemetery vandalism

One of Patos's three cemeteries was attacked during the night and over 30 tombs were violated and smashed. Many coffins were exposed and even some coffins were opened! Please pray for the culprit to be caught and punished. This did not happen at the cemetery where Liz's parents are buried.

A young woman in our Patos church has just had a traumatic experience with an armed robber forcing his way into her house and robbing mobile phones and other items. Please pray for Fia. 

QPR travelled to Sunderland on Saturday and drew 0 x 0. We remain one point above the relegation zone with eight matches to go to the end of the season. It is going to go down to the wire! You need strong nerves to be a QPR supporter. 😊

I have had good discussions with Pastor Valdemy of our Caroa church. Such contacts are an important part of my work. I also sent a recorded message to the Caroa church via the pastor.

The Sunday services went well. Liz taught the adult class in the morning Sunday school and I led the main service of the week at night with my co-pastor Rafael preaching from Luke 13. Fabio sung a lovely solo.

Counselling

Liz has done a 3-hour session of marriage counselling. Please pray for the couple. Liz also enjoyed the women's fellowship meeting which was held this week at an elderly sister's house.

4 little Peacocks have hatched at Green Pastures and they are strutting around the place with their mum! It has rained a further 40 mm. PTL!

3 young people have been baptized at our third Joao Pessoa church in the borough of Boa Esperança. Please pray for them.

More very positive reports keep coming in as feedback from last month's Carnival Camp at Green Pastures. One mother came to me last night and told me that her "family has been revolutionized by God as a result of the camp!" The family is now always in church whereas previously they came very little. Another young father tells us he has been drawn closer to God as a result of the camp. This just goes to show how worthwhile these events are! They are a lot of hard work, but God's blessing on lives is really encouraging. Thank you for your prayers and support.

I led the mid-week prayer and Bible study and I gave the study on Romans 12. We had a good tussle with "heap coals of fire on their heads"! How would you like me to heaps coals of fire on your head as a goodwill gesture?! 😉

Tavares Reservoir

 On Monday night it rained 117 mm in Tavares (2-hour drive from Patos) and their enormous reservoir there is overflowing with a beautiful waterfall. At Green Pastures it rained 16 mm.

Next month I am going to preach at our second church at Princesa Isabel which is about a two and a quarter hour journey south-west of Patos. I value your prayers. The church is led by Jair and Silvania and is in the borough of Baixa. It will be their 19th church anniversary.

I went out to Green Pastures and boy isn't there are a lot of birdlife! We have Green-barred Woodpeckers nesting and Little Woodpeckers too. Also nesting are Southern Wrens, Rufous-bellied Thrushes and Campo Troupials. All these birds are nesting around the house there. 

On Tuesday evening I travelled to the town of Sao Mamede where I preached the Gospel on 'The just shall live by faith' from Romans 1:17, Habakkuk 2:4, Galatians 3:11 and Hebrews 10:38. It was a lovely service.

Jurema Village

Jurema village in the county of Tavares is about a two hour drive south west of Patos where we are based. For a number of years we have been working on planting a church in this village, but the going is very tough. The village, which has no other gospel witness in it, is being pioneered by a young woman called Iraneide and we ask you to especially pray for her. Up till now only one woman and her son had come to the Lord there, but now a man called Jair has also made a commitment to Christ. Please pray.

On April 27th Cadnam Methodist church will be holding their annual musical concert in aid of EAB. Please support this event. This church has an amazing group of expert musicians who put on quite a show! Tickets cost 10 pounds. Call 01794 323279 for details. 

On Saturday morning I led a group of adults on an educational walk around Green Pastures encouraging them to care for creation. We came face to face with a young Tropical Screech Owl which just stood on the ground and wasn't the slightest bit scared as the people got really close to it to take its photograph.

I led Sunday night's main service of the week as I usually do. Our youngest daughter Sacha preached on Hebrews 12:1-3. She preached very well. Her half hour just flew by. The service was a thanksgiving service for women allusive to International Women's Day which was on Friday.

Green Pastures Walk

On Friday afternoon I went for a lovely walk at Green Pastures which is really green in this rainy season. I saw the footprints of a Racoon and of an aquatic bird called a Wattled Jacana. I also saw the markings in the soil of the 6-banded Armadillo. I also saw thousands of large flying ants and countless butterflies. The Wild Cavies were on the move too and I saw 2 of them. Sadly I also saw a large dead wild tortoise which was caught in the river in the heavy rains and drowned.

On Friday night I had a good meeting with the leaders of the Patos youth and we discussed the plans for the first half of this year. These include a day at Green Pastures on April 13th and a youth camp at Green Pastures between June 21st and 24th. Please pray for our youth. 

This week our projects team has been travelling a lot monitoring the progress of our market garden project in a number of places. They have also been visiting families at Barra de Oitis as part of the selection process for the building of further toilet/shower units. One lady they visited is 81 and has never had a toilet in her life!

Yesterday QPR lost at home to Middlesbrough 2 x 0.

I led the weekly service last night of our Green Pastures church. It was a lovely service with about 30 present and the local folk took part with lots of praise. One of our Bible College students and youth leader Rayla brought the evening's message.

I watched QPR!

On Wednesday Brazilian TV showed the QPR match against West Bromwich which ended up as a 2 x 2 draw. It is the first time I have actually seen QPR play for years. 😀QPR deserved to win. The independent Brazilian commentators said that. QPR missed a penalty and had a goal saved on the line by handball which the referee didn't see. There is no VAR in the Championship.

On Wednesday evening Liz led the Women's Fellowship meeting at which there were about 35 present. The meeting commemorated international women's day and there were 2 non-christians present.

On Wednesday it rained another 22 mm which is almost an inch. PTL!

It is wonderful to hear the bird called in English 'Caatinga Cacholote' everyday outside our house in Patos. This rust coloured bird is about the size of a Blackbird with a crested head and a long tail. The pairs sing duets which are beautiful and unmistakeable.

Yesterday afternoon we went to visit sister Margareth whose sister has been diagnosed with cancer of the pancreas. We had a long talk to her and prayed for the whole situation.

I led last night's mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study which was very good with 30 present. Co-pastor Rafael brought the study from Amos chapter 1.

Ezekiel

I have had some important discussions today with Pastor Esequias (Ezekiel) from our Juru church. I am glad to say that news from there is good with the church growing. I discussed with him an issue (I can't say what) that was worrying him and gave him advice.

I am thrilled to report that a young father called Jordan from the Patos church came to tell me how his life was changed by the carnival camp! He said he's a different person as a result of the ministry of God's word at the camp. Please pray for Jordan.

In the first 5 days of this month of March it rained 121 mm at Green Pastures. The dam in the river bed is overflowing and the lake has taken in a very large amount of water. We are rejoicing and praising the Lord! Thank you for praying, but please don't stop as we need much more. If the lake was to overflow it would be fantastic! 🙏

Liz and I were up praying at nearly midnight for elderly sister Socorro Help who was having an anxiety attack. We went and visited her the day after and found her much better.

There were 11 of us in last night's men's fellowship meeting which was led by chief of the police Esau.

Rain stopped Pray

 We had another 7 mm of rain on Saturday at Green Pastures and this was enough for the local ACEV/EAB church to cancell the weekly service which I was to take. Nevertheless a service went ahead in the town of Ipueira led by Dede and the Christians in Action group. There were also fellowship group meetings in Patos of the deaf and the youth. This meeting of the deaf is their main meeting of the week led by deaf pastor Luiz Carlos.

QPR travelled to top of the Championship Leicester and beat them 2 x 1. This means we remain just outside the drop zone on goal difference.

Last night's communion service was really blessed of God. I both led the service and preached. I preached on 'True Freedom' from Psalm 119:41-48. In the morning Liz taught the adult class in the Sunday School.

There is another epidemic of Dengue Fever in Brazil at the moment and it is killing a lot of people. The illness is spread by a mosquito. Please pray.

Rain count

Here is our rain count for this rainy season, with last year's amounts in brackets: December 100 mm (67), January 103 mm (94), February 160 mm (147). Thus you can see that so far we are up a bit on last year.

I both led the mid-week prayer meeting and Bible study and gave the Bible study on Romans 12:9-15. It was a lovely service with 30 present.

I went for a nice walk at Green Pastures and it is lovely to see everything so lush and green with the rains. The birds are hiperactive nesting with some species already into their second nest this rainy season. I heard a Tropical Screech Owl and a Pigmy Owl as well as a Southern Wren. I saw a Pale Baywing and a Caatinga Cachalote.

Francisco, who works at Green Pastures, hung his leather gloves, used to handle thorny cactus plants, in a tree. However one of the gloves he left quite low and in the night a fox came and stole the glove! The markings from the fox were clear for all to see. So if you see a fox wearing only one glove please tell it that we have the other one! 😉