Francisco is also studying with several people we would like you to pray for: Jorge and his three daughters; Serra and Albina; Aderson and his wife; Elito; and Analda. These are precious opportunities to preach Christ. Our attendance last month averaged 24, with 20 visitors during the month. The school of the Bible averaged 10 students per week.
A highlight last month was the trip the ladies took to the Metro congregation in São Paulo. Alessandra drove Cida, Analda (2 visitors), Liduina, Florinda, and Marcia to the all-day conference. They all returned invigorated and encouraged by the experience of being with so many Christian women (there were about 150).
(l. to r.) Floringda, Liduina, Analba, Alessandra, Cida, and Marcia
Our sermon series last month was about the one-another passages in the Bible. Love one another. Be patient with one another. Accept one another. Encourage one another. If we grow in these attitudes of mutual service, the church can't help but grow to be more like Christ, and grow in number as well.
Ladies invasions: The ladies of Praia Grande, along with Gilda Rodriguez from São Vicente, have been “invading” each other's homes each week and having an on-site devotional. These visits have been a great encouragement to our members, a gret opportunity to gtet to know each other, and even reach out. One of the invasions was at the home of our former neighbor, Claudia, whose daughters have participated in some of our youth activities.
The "invasion" of Claudia's house: Claudia and her daughter, Alessandra, Taynara, Jane, Liduina, Marcia, Ofenisia, and Gilda
The highlight of the month for our kids was the trip to the Zoo Safari in São Paulo. It is a drive-through zoo where you can see lions and tigers up close, as well as monkeys climbing on your car, and you can feed the deer and camels. The kids loved it and are begging to go back.
Missionaries by necessity have to wear many hats. I have been recently wearing the hat of a pedreiro, or bricklayer. We have put a small flower bed in the front of the church building and are working on finishing part of the loft to accommodate a small library. Bricklayer is the more traditional translation, but a pedreiro here really does everything from laying cement blocks and framing molds for poured concrete to laying tile. I have been working more with blocks, and will graduate to tile in a few weeks.
Couples event: March saw the first of what is going to be a regular couples event in Praia grande. Couples from São Vicente joined us, as well as a number of visitors, for a seminar on the rights ways to deal with marital conflict. That was followed by a wonderful dinner together. Chris gave the class, Marcia's mother Ofenisia watched the kids, and many others helped with the dinner. May God bless us with strong relationships and homes, to His glory, and to the strength of the church!
There is such a thing as "good conflict"?
Ofenisia with the kids
The fiood was GREAT!
Marcia and her husband, Edson, one of our regular visitors, and Alley
We are proud to announce the opening of the first of what we pray will be many of the church body's cell groups. We began a small study in the home of the Carlos and Adriana Guerrero family. We have had several visitors to the group, including their neighbors from both sides, and as a result Adriana's father Manuel has been coming regularly to worship with us on Sundays. Please pray for Manuel and Eva, whom we have been trying to reach for some time. Pray also that this group can grow and multiply as a true cell should.
We are very busy about the work here, with the constant prayer that business will not overshadow fruitfulness, nor distract from spirituality, but truly produce a spiritual return in the Kingdom. May God bless all of our work.
The congregation, with regular visitors Marcia, Valdivino, Analba, and Alley's sister and brother-in-law, Jefferson and Priscila
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