Ex-landless settlement

On Tuesday night I travelled with the Patos Men's Fellowship to the ex-landless settlement near the town of São Mamede. We held a Gospel service under a tree in front of one of our sisters' houses and a crowd of at least 40 people gathered. A parallel children's service was held by Rebeca who went with her husband Caetano. The children loved it. It was a very good evening.

I have written to MP Grahame Morris and Horden Parish Council (northeast England) to express my concern for the town after reading a report on the run down state of the place in the Daily Mirror. Horden has been abandoned by government since the coal pit closed in 1987. Now houses there sell for as little as 5,000 pounds and the place suffers with stabbings and shootings. The government must establish enterprises there, which generate jobs for the young, to revitalize the town. My uncle Wilf Robinson worked in the mine all his life and my cousin Philip Robinson lives in Horden to this day. I will let you know if I receive replies from the MP or Council.

Last night Liz and the women's fellowship held their meeting at sister Socorro Help's house. There was a good number there and it went well. Parallel to this the weekly service at our school was held and a couple and another woman came in to hear the Gospel as well as about 10 children.

Matureia

Up in the mountains at Matureia the EAB/ACEV church, led by Pastor Renilson, held special anniversary services over the weekend. 6 new converts were baptized and 1 woman made her commitment to Christ. She is the mother of one of our action school children. PTL!

On Sunday morning Liz helped the deputy adult class teacher with the lesson as the main teacher could not come. At night I led the main service of the week. I dedicated a 2-year-old little girl called Emanuelly. Her grandmother Verônica is a member of our church and she asked me if I would dedicate her granddaughter. I agreed to do so and she turned up with 6 or 7 family members to witness the occasion. It was a wonderful opportunity for the Gospel. The preacher on the night was Murilo César who recently graduated from Bible College. He preached very well indeed on 'Set your hearts on things above" from Colossians 3:1-4.

Last night we had a meeting with Sérgio and Gerlania whose wedding I will be conducting on the 29th of this month. Gerlania is the head teacher of our 'Pastor Frank Dyer School' in the borough of Jatobá in Patos. Please pray for this couple.

Meeting

On Friday night we had an excellent meeting with our assistant pastor Rafael. We had a discussion of a wide ranging field of topics, church members that need attention etc. We also had a time of prayer together.

On Friday afternoon we saw a flock of Smooth-billed Anis. There were about 20 of them flying amongst the tree tops. These are a black bird with a long tail. Feedback from the wild cat researchers at Green Pastures is that they are surprised by how many wild cats there are at Green Pastures.

Please pray for the family of José de Lima, of our Princesa Isabel church, who died of a heart attack on Friday. Please pray for the church too.

Last night I was to have led the weekly service at Green Pastures where I was also to have preached. However in the late afternoon it rained which led to a call of 'rain stopped pray'. It is a pity the service was cancelled, as the people wouldn't come out in the mud, but we are grateful to God for the rain.

I have prepared two wedding cerimonies for the 22nd (João Paulo & Juliana) and the 29th (Sérgio & Gerlânia).

Philip, Gylmara and the boys are coming over from the UK for five and a half weeks on the 20th. 

Women's Fellowship

Wednesday night's women's fellowship meeting was held at sister Hilda's house as her little boy called Heitor has just got out of hospital having had his adenoids removed. Liz says the meeting went well despite there having been a low turn out.

Our Kombi is in the garage for repairs having presented a loud strange noise. I don't know what the problem is but I hope they soon fix it with the minimum of expense.

The Care Centre and Mum's kitchen building work presses ahead in its second week. We are having to install a biodigester to the drainage system which is yet more expense for the job. The biodigester (see it on Google if you don't know what it is) is being installed at the insistence of the environmental department of Patos. I wouldn't mind if other people were obliged to have biodigesters, but I think ours will be the only one in the centre of town! 

Last night's Bible study went well despite a very low turn out of only 17 people. We did have some rain in Patos (not at Green Pastures) yesterday, so maybe that put people off.

Visits

Liz has just conducted two important visits. First of all she went to visit a person from the Patos church, together with Deaconess Deborah Maria, who is undergoing treatment for cancer. I can't give the person's name for privacy reasons. Please pray for this person. The visit was as good as possible under the circumstances. Liz also visited, this time on her own, a couple who are enduring extreme difficulties whom I can't name again for privacy reasons. The husband is bedridden and has severe mental problems, and the wife is very low as a result of the stress of caring for her husband non-stop. Please pray for this couple.

Yesterday Liz and I went for a 3 km walk at Green Pastures and saw a White-bellied Nothura which flew off wildly, as they always do, when we disturbed in in the long dry grass.

Last night there were 9 of us in the Men's Fellowship meeting which was held at Vicente Conserva Junior's house. It was held there to encourage him as he recently lost his aged mother and is feeling it a lot. Recently graduated from Bible College Murilo César brought an excellent Biblical reflection on faith, focusing on the examples of Noah, Abraham and Moses from Hebrews 11.

I have been checking and monitoring the EAB Action Child and Action Schools' bi-annual reports as they are sent to our coordinator in the UK Marian Rashleigh. Our daughter Sacha does the translation and compilation of these reports, but I monitor things so as to keep in contact with the progress of this excellent project which blesses over 800 very poor children. I found especially moving the story of a 7-year-old little boy called Moisés at Juru. He and his two little sisters were abandoned by their parents and are being cared for by an aunt. He has asked out teacher there to adopt him saying he "promises to be good!" Please pray for dear Moisés and his sisters.

Green Pastures

On Saturday night I went to lead the weekly service at Green Pastures and Pastor Rafael preached. Fred, Júlio and Manoel sang songs, but of special note was the group of 8 women, led by Nega, which sang absolutely beautifully. It is lovely to see the local church developing in this place. In fact Green Pastures is a multi-faceted place of Christian ministry. It is a local church, a Christian Conference Centre and a nature reserve which gives a great example to all in our region of caring for God's creation. Please pray for and support Francisco and Leca who are the couple who care for the day to day running of Green Pastures' ministries. In the last 3 days we have had 27 mm (just over an inch) of rain which is most unusual at this time of year and most welcome.

A Boa Constrictor snake caused a great commotion amongst the Cancãos (White-naped Jay) as it was lodged in a tree digesting a large animal, which may have been a wild guinea pig or a giant lizard. The birds kept on crying out greatly distressed by the snake!

On Saturday night the Patos youth had a nice time of fellowship together playing volleyball.

I have been preparing a sermon for ministry at our Glória church in a few weeks time.

Last night I led the service in Patos and the church was full to capacity. The service was good. We heard a lovely testimony from a Veterinary Doctor, who is a member of our church, called Adriana.

Decisions for Christ

I am glad to report 2 decisions for Christ at Fonseca this week. Damião and Lourdes committed their lives to Christ in a service led by its leader Fábio (who many years ago was a sponsored EAB action child) and the regional pastor Francinaldo. Please pray for these new converts.

The building work at our Care Centre, which will now include 'Mum's Kitchen' (in memory of Missionary Ivy Dyer), recommenced this week. The builders first of all cleared out all the supplies of sand etc. which had been stored inside the building, and organized it outside. They then worked on the drainage system.

I have finished reading the book: 'The Camden Murder' by Mike Hollow and thoroughly enjoyed it as I have the other 6 books in the Blitz Detective series. Mike now has a competitor in our grandson John David! He is about to publish his first novel called 'Magic Crystals - O Carrasco'. He has today signed a contract with Pen Dragon Publishers. I suspect that John's book will not be my cup of tea, but I will read it when it comes out and let you know.

The mid-week service at our school was hampered by an odd shower of rain which fell at a time which stopped people from going out. That evening Liz enjoyed the women's fellowship meeting with 11 present. On Thursday we had about 20 present for the Bible study.