Praise the Lord the church is still going strong and is recovering slowly each day.  We have been doing 2 services on Sunday.  One in the morning, and then in the evening.  The morning services have been relatively full, and people seemed to be comfortable with the idea of early morning service.  We have been able to maintain children ministry as well, praise the Lord!  

Elba and I held a mini conference about investments.  About 50 people came.  Here in Brazil, and in most 3^rd world environments, it has been our experience that when someone has money, they almost immediately spend it.  There are lots of reasons for that behavior and we want our congregation to start thinking differently about the future.  As Proverbs 21:20 states “The wise store up choice food and olive oil, but fools gulp theirs down.”   Everyone seemed excited about the concept of investing for their future, but they do not know where to start.  So, we talked about the basics, such as, how to open up bank accounts, and a broker account, how to transfer money, and etc.   During the conference, I also showed them some basic financial instruments so they can start investing in Brazil.  For a month or so afterwards, I have been working with people individually to get them setup to start investing.  It is getting some traction, so let’s see what happens. 

Dentist and helpers came throughout Brazil to serve the dental needs for children and adults here in the North of Brazil.  It was another amazing time of serving the community and helping people with dental needs that otherwise would not be able to get easy access to this care.   Unfortunately, it did not end on a high note as we made the decision to stop serving the community.  The reason was because almost the whole team tested positive, including us, and we felt that it was best to stop.  There were lots of safety measures in place but it did not prove to be enough.  We are now home resting.  Thanks for your prayers!

Before the project came to a rude stop, the team worked tireless hours serving the community needs.  In these short two weeks the volunteer dentist team performed cleanings, fluoride treatments, repairing cavities, and pulling teeth.  It was an incredible work and we pray the Lord’s hand upon them all.  It has been a pleasure working to serve the people, and share Jesus Christ through words and deeds.  Please keep us and the team in your prayers for excellent health!  The team is still there recovering since they are restricted to travel via airlines.  It is not fun to be far from family and home. 

We appreciate your continued prayers:

·         Please pray for our church, leadership, and congregation that we help people draw close to God as we navigate this time. 

·         The rejection of this virus from you, your family, friends, and to be thrown out of this universe forever. 

·         Please pray for Elba and I that we may hear clearly where to put our focus and energy in this next phase of our lives.  

·         Please pray for spiritual, physical, emotional and financial health for us.  

Much love, Steve, Elba, Camilly, and Alyssa

Tax deductible donations can be written and sent to:

Please click the donate button to make a secured on-line donation:

If you would like to unsubscribe to this email, please reply to this email with the word “Unsubscribe” and I will remove you.  Thanks.

Powered by WPeMatico

The church just moved to 2 services starting last weekend because we were approaching over capacity due to the restrictions.  This is really good news.  The bad news is that the city is again on red alert and there are lots of lockdowns again.  Unfortunately, people are suffering to a great degree, and we have many people in our church that are going through their 2^ndround of the virus.  It is distressing because they are young and in good health, but their lungs are compromised and they have been admitted to the hospital.  As I understand, the hospitals are at capacity, and they are stacking the rooms with patients.  Please pray for the sick, the church, and us.  UPDATE:  Due to high cases, church is closed again, and we are back to on-line services.  🙁  

The church continues to be the hands and feet of the Lord.  We have continued to go out to the neighborhood and give food.  However, given the uptick, we will probably stop for a short stint of time.  We have delivered meals and groceries to the sick to help as we can.  We are desperate for more of the Lord’s intervention, and to give us wisdom on how to continue to touch the lives of others. 

Elba made her famous chicken with tucupi sauce. If you are unsure, Tucupi is the yellow juice extracted from the root of a manioc (cassava) when grated and squeezed.  She puts lot of garlic, jambu, greens and chicken in the dish.  It is really delicious and it put some smiles on people’s faces.  

The girls are doing well.  They are still doing on-line school, and this is keeping them busy.  We are very proud of them and their diligence to achieve in school.  Here is a picture of the girls with their Mom.  Wow, they definitely got their beauty from their Mom.  

Continued prayer requests: 

Please pray for our church, leadership, and congregation that we help people draw close to God as we navigate this time. 

• The rejection of this virus from you, your family, friends, and to be thrown out of this universe forever. 

• Please pray for Elba and I that we may hear clearly where to put our focus and energy in this next phase of our lives.

Please pray for spiritual, physical, emotional and financial health for us.  

Much love, Steve, Elba, Camilly, and Alyssa

Powered by WPeMatico

He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Matthew 28:6.  Happy belated Easter!!!  Praise the Lord, He is Risen!!!  Thanks for all your prayers for the church, Brazil, and us.

Almost the exact moment that I sent out last month’s update, the city went into a very restrictive lockdown.  The lockdown was due to the infection rate spreading rapidly, and the completely over capacitated hospitals to which I have been told that people are still waiting to get in the hospitals.   

Vaccines are being administered for anyone over 60 years old.  However, I understand that they are not going below 60 because they are running out of vaccines, and they want to make sure they have the 2^nd round of shots for the ones that received their 1^st shots.  They are giving the vaccine called Sinovac, and Astra Zeneca.  I will have to confess that when I heard that they were giving vaccines to 16 and up in some parts of the USA.  It really makes me miss that 1^st world privilege. 

So, for the last month, we have been completely doing on-line services.  We will be going back to church in person this Sunday but at a very restrictive capacity.  We will also continue to do 2 services so that we can get people into the building and continue to comply with the spacing restrictions and not crowd into 1 service.  The church family really wants to be back at the church.  

As a church we have been helping to buy groceries for the ones in need in the community.  We have distributed a lot of food and we feel blessed to be able to help in this way.  We have also given food baskets to our other churches to help people in their community.  These 2 ladies were so grateful and emotional because of the help.  One of them said that she had just paid the rent, but did not have anything left to buy groceries.  The food basket and hot meal came at the perfect time.  God organized it all for His glory!  In addition, we have been helping people with medical procedures. 

The girls are doing well.  They are still doing on-line school, and this is keeping them busy.  They certainly miss the social aspects of being with their friends.  It is tough, but they believe it is the right thing to do at the moment.  Most of their social interaction is through online, except, Alyssa likes to jump on the trampoline with her cousin who lives next door in the rain.  As you can, our trampoline is stretched to the max!!!  LOL

We appreciate your continued prayers:

• Please pray for our church, leadership, and congregation that we help people draw close to God as we navigate this time. 

• The rejection of this virus from you, your family, friends, and to be thrown out of this universe forever. 

• Please pray for Elba and I that we may hear clearly where to put our focus and energy in this next phase of our lives.  

• Please pray for spiritual, physical, emotional and financial health for us.  

Much love, Steve, Elba, Camilly, and Alyssa

Powered by WPeMatico

First, let me say thank you for all your prayers for our trip back to Brazil.  Praise the Lord, we got home safely after about 2 days of traveling. 

We also want to say thank you for your prayers this last year for the sale of the property.  We got back on the 8^th of February at around 1:30pm, and at 3:30pm the following day we signed the papers to close on the property.  WOW!!!  That was a long journey of back and forth with negotiations, many contract revisions, lawyer negotiation, and key people getting sick and recovering, and so on.  Through it all, we are so relieved that we were able to close on the property.  Thank you again for all your prayers!!!

As you may imagine, we literally hit the road running, and it has not stopped.  We are not complaining, but excited for each day and seeing the Lord work in our midst.  However, I do have 1 complaint.  Upon arrival we have been fighting for about 2 weeks to get the rats out of our house.  They have been having a party on top of our ceiling, and inside the house.  We have been chasing them around with brooms to get them out….YUCK.  Thankfully we have dogs that are very good hunters, as well as the use of other means. 

The church is doing well.  Elba just started a new preaching series and the church will be participating in 40 days of fasting and prayer.  Elba preached to a full house last Sunday and it was really good to be back.  We purchased about 70 food baskets to give to our surrounding churches to bless the people that are without.  A food basket contains things like rice, beans, sugar, oil, powder milk and etc.  Like you know, it has been a tough for many people financially.  Also, starting this Thursday, we will be making hearty soup to give to people at the church.  We feel blessed to be the hands and feet of Christ to help.  

 

We are in the midst of the rainy season here in the North of Brazil.  It has rained almost every day since we have come back.  The church went to visit one of our church plants in the Suribim.  It was an adventure to say the least.  Roads were blown out, and deep water to pass through.  But praise the Lord they got through and had a great time bringing the good news, encouraging the community, and giving away food baskets.  

Continued prayers request: 

• Please pray for our church, leadership, and congregation that we help people draw close to God as we navigate this time. 
• The rejection of this virus from you, your family, friends, and to be thrown out of this universe forever. 
• Please pray for Elba and I that we may hear clearly where to put our focus and energy in this next phase of our lives.

Please pray for spiritual, physical, emotional and financial health for us.  

Much love, Steve, Elba, Camilly, and Alyssa

Powered by WPeMatico