Dear Prayer Partners,
The past month has been a very busy one. God has blessed us in incredible ways and we are very thankful. We appreciate the notes of encouragement and the assurance of your prayers.
PRAISES:
- Carlos and family – My brother, Carlos, and his family are still in Conway, Arkansas. Carlos is assisting in the choral department and teaching voice lessons at the University of Central Arkansas. They are in New Orleans this weekend getting some things from their house. They will be able to attend a worship service at First Baptist Church New Orleans this Sunday. Even though there is still no electricity, they are using a generator.
- Bible Storying Clinic – The clinic went very well. Between Friday and Saturday, there were 74 people registered. The teaching was dynamic, practical and those who attended were enthusiastic about using what they learned.
- Bairro Ipiranga – There have been visitors in the services each week. We continue to be blessed as we work with the youth and see their passion to reach their peers and family members.
- Brejaru – The “house church” in Brejaru continues to grow. There were 28 people present last Saturday. In our last newsletter I mentioned a lady that had come running behind us one day as we were leaving asking for prayer. The following week, we were able to go to Eliane’s house to pray for her. She accepted Christ that day and has been faithfully attending the Ladies’ Bible Study on Thursdays. It is exciting to hear the women sharing about all God is doing in their lives. The week of October 8-15 a wonderful team from Woodmont Baptist Church in Florence, Alabama worked in Brejaru. Thank you for praying about the weather. The foundation was completed, even though we only had two full days of sunshine! While the team was here, it only rained a couple of times, and not at a time that kept them from working with the exception of the last day, when all the guys really needed a rest! During the week we saw God work in amazing ways. Even with 22 pieces of luggage lost, the team ministered through a medical team, a construction team and a children’s ministry team. Approximately 400 patients were seen, medicine was dispensed as needed, the community center walls were raised to a little over 5 feet, and many heard the gospel in the school, as they waited for medical treatment, and in their homes. We are so blessed to have wonderful volunteer teams that partner with us. We will probably begin a new house church soon in another part of the neighborhood. Odiles has opened her home.
- Sao Sebastiao – The Tuesday afternoon Ladies’ Bible Study is going well. It is a thrill to see them searching the scriptures and sharing with each other what God is teaching them, and about the difference Jesus is making in their lives.
- Estiva – Three more boys indicated that they wanted to follow Christ yesterday! These are new residents at the Drug Rehabilitation Center.
REQUESTS:
- Bairro Ipiranga – Please continue praying for the church council. We have met several Monday nights to pray together and develop a strategy to reach Bairro Ipiranga for Christ. Pray that there will be unity among the group and for wisdom for Pr. Zenilton. He will be attending a Haggai Leadership Conference next week. Pray that it will be a very beneficial time for him as he strives to become a more effective leader.
- Brejaru – Please pray for the volunteer mission team from First Baptist Church Winter Park, Florida. We are praying that hurricane Wilma will weaken or die out so that it doesn’t interfere with their travel. They are scheduled to leave Miami airport Saturday night. Pray that all bags will arrive safely and that the Holy Spirit will prepare the hearts of all who will hear the gospel message. Please continue praying for the new Christians there. Pray that they will be bold in their witness.
- Sao Sebastiao – The baby shower for Cristina (Sandro’s wife) went really well. She commented afterward that it was so different from other baby showers and that she would especially remember the devotional based on Deuteronomy 6. Please pray for the husbands of the ladies that are attending the Bible Study. One of them left home about 3 months ago. His wife is pregnant and they have a little three-year old girl. Another one attends a spiritist center regularly. Another one is an alcoholic. Pray that through their wives’ testimony and changed lives, their husbands would become believers. (1 Peter 3:1-2).
- Estiva – Please continue praying that God would raise up some committed Christian men to work as monitors at the Center, and that there would be some stability in the staff. A new coordinator has been hired, but they still need monitors.
- Loretta – The documents she presented September 28th were accepted and her application has been submitted. Please pray that the visa will be granted quickly so that she can get back down here.
Pray that “in everything we will set them an example by doing what is good. Pray that in our teaching we will show integrity, seriousness and soundness of speech that cannot be condemned, so that those who oppose the Lord may be ashamed because they have nothing bad to say about us.” Titus 2:7-8.
Please check out our website. We have posted pictures of the Bible Storying Clinic and some of the pictures of the week with the volunteers from Alabama.
Love,
Ron and Alana
