June was a whirlwind month! There’s so much going on and happening here in July – I’ll do my best to keep it still to one page.
We rescheduled our couple’s banquet due to Pastor Jonathan being ill last month. The banquet is now scheduled for the 20th of July. We have over 20 couples registered for this event, many of whom are not saved. Please pray for the Gospel to go forth and for souls to be saved!
Also, be in prayer for Victoria and Anderson – a young couple and coworkers of one of our ladies. Anderson tried to commit suicide a few weeks ago. They are not saved and while I have not had a chance to visit with them personally, I’ve had the chance to send messages to them. Please pray for the Lord to work in their hearts.
It has been a joy to watch the spiritual growth of the church! I’ve been discipling Damion for several months now and it’s contagious to see his enthusiasm for the Lord. His brother-in-law, Joelington, is still not saved. Continue to pray for him. I’ve had the chance to witness to him, but while he has come to church several times, he shows little interest. Damion’s brother- and sister-in-law (Leandro and Joyce) still are not saved. Continue to pray that the Holy Spirit would use Damion and his family to reach these cold hearts. Further, a few Saturdays ago, Patricia traveled a significant distance by bus to come be a part of our soulwinning time. The dedication and desire to reach the lost has been so encouraging!
I had the opportunity to preach at a youth conference in Taubaté. We had a total of 7 teens from our church participate and it was a great time seeing the Lord work in hearts. Our young people are susceptible to the many dangers and temptations that exist, plus many do not have good, godly friends in their neighborhoods, schools, or families. Pastor Jonathan and Mrs. Karlene have done a wonderful job with the teens. Please continue to pray for them to learn to walk with God and have a heart to serve Him.
We have just a few weeks until we leave for furlough. It’s hard to believe that our first term is quickly coming to an end. I was pondering the 4.5 years here in Brazil and just reflecting on God’s goodness to us through the local church. We understand and appreciate that you all sacrifice day in and day out financially to further the Gospel in the regions beyond. We love you all and pray for you often. We know that without your financial and prayer support there could be no Victory Baptist Church and the influence the Lord allows us to have! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! We’re excited to be able to report to many churches and have some opportunities left if you’re interested. Our fall calendar is full; however, if you’d like to have us sometime between mid-January and mid-April please don’t hesitate to let us know. There are still several details to take care of, but in general we are all set for our travel.
Our heart is for church planting. With this in mind, we are seeking to help Bro. Diego plant a church in August of 2025 in the neighboring city of Caçapava. He and his family will be moving there in February of 2025 to begin working in this needy city. We as a church are supporting him as a missionary, but the start-up costs are significant. If you’d like to help a new church plant get off the ground, Bro. Diego and his family would be a worthy consideration. They are needing around $10,000 to get started. Many needs have been supplied but there is still a great financial investment needed. All support is going through New Life Baptist Church, but it can be sent to us and we can get it to them.
This is our last letter from this first term from the field. Thank you so much for your investment in us these 4.5 years here. We look forward to seeing many of you upon our return and certainly what the Lord will continue to do here both in our absence and upon our return home to Brazil.