May 2009: April Intensity

April was a very intense month for us, as you will see. It was very positive and productuve, but also challenging and full of activity.

Chris preaching in Sao Vicente

To begin the month, Francisco was able to get four hours per week on a local radio station that covers about half of Praia Grande and part of São Vicente. He presents his “show” for two hours on Saturday, and on Sunday uses recorded materials for two more hours. His show is called God's Eternal Purpose, and we hope it will reach many with the gospel. We set up a post office box and special email address to receive feedback from the program. Please keep that project in prayer, as it requires much preparation, but has the potential to reach many people.

Francisco leading singing

As I was unloading my pockets one day, my cell phone fell on my Palm organizer just right, and broke the touch screen. I instantly lost access to all my phone numbers, addresses, as well as my agenda and reminders. This was a real bummer, as I depend on it for nearly everything I do or need to remember. Fortunately, my brother-in-law Jefferson lent me his, so I can continue to function until my replacement arrives in June.

The congregation had a Put Luck this month, with was a wonderful event. There were 19 visitors and a total of 50 people, not counting several members who were traveling that day. We pray God will continue to bless us with many visitors as we reach out with the Gospel.

Good food

Visitors even helped out!

My motorcycle went into the shop for over a week to repair the rear suspension. The parts weren't available even from the factory, so they had to be machined from scratch. Fortunately, it didn't cost too much, but it did crimp our schedules as we worked with just one vehicle for a week. As if in sympathy, the microwave quit working too, and a day later the phone line went dead, along with our Internet, of course. It took a week to find the problem and fix it, so we were unable to communicate for a while.

As soon as we were able to communicate again, we got news from our friends the Kaisers, in Itu, that they wanted to bring the youth group from Itu to Praia Gande and have a joint youth retreat here. We were delighted, and since they had the events, lessons, and crafts all planned, we just had to arrange for food and lodging. We got right to it.

Alice and Mark Kaiser, from Itu

Meanwhile, The kids school arranged a special event for a city-sponsored retirement home here. Alessandra asked if she could also invite some church members to help, since we wanted to make contact with the home and help in the future. They agreed, so Alley and the ladies from church went along. Florinda wrote Psalm 113 into a song and sang it, Alessandra sang several hynms in English and Spanish, and even ended up emceeing the talent show of the school. It was a great day for the elderly who lived there, as well as for the church here. The administrator of the home said we could come back whenever we want.

Florinda singing her version of Psalm 113

Alley was a great MC

Alley singing in Spanish and English

Francisco and Rosa, a former neighbor, whom we have been trying to evangelize for a long time. She came with the church ladies to help.

The kids loved the ears and make-up. Grandparents love the kids.

As Alley was driving the ladies home again after the event, the car burst a hose and overheated. Fortunately, it died just in front of a good mechanic (we later learned that they are highly recommended). It took a week to fix the head and valves, and replace the hoses.

While the car was in the shop, the campaigners from Itu arrived! In order to keep up with the activities, Manuel, one of our regular visitors, loaned us his car and even drove to some of the campers home. Thanks, Manuel!

Isabele, Naiara, and a visitor at the retreat

Evening devotional

Game time (Guilherme Roncoleta on the right)

Carla, a visitor from Praia Grande

Crafts

Worship on Sunday with Itu

Chow time

Morning class

The inevitable Group Picture

Thanks to Mark, Alice, and Itu for a great time, and great outreach!

The kids stayed in Igloos (made of cement, not ice) and had a wonderful schedule of crafts, devotionals, beach time, study time, and small group discussions. More than half of the youth were visitors (9 came from Praia Grande and São Vicente), and two studies were set up afterward: Liduina will be studying with Edriana, Jorge's daughter, and Alessandra is already studying with Isabelle, Adriana's daughter. Praise God!

Easter in Brazil is a little different than in the US. Here, kids pretty much just get one, big, chocolate egg. There isn't a big hunt, but it is great fun to eat the chocolate (adults get one too!).

The day after the retreat ended, we took Jonathan to the doctor and discovered he had sinusitis with bronchitis. He was scheduled to have surgery at the end of the month for a small hernia and undescended testicle, so we were very concerned. He began ten days of antibiotics and got better quickly.

Three couples placed membership this month with us: Caio and Sabrina, who will be married next week. Caio is a student in the School of the Bible. This young couple recently invited us to thier engagement party to pray with them and thier family for thier future marriage. It was an honor to be able to be there. Many of the people present were not Christians.

Alley, with Caio, Sabrina, and Sabrina's mom

Engagement here in Brazil is different than the states. Here instead of a private dinner by candlelight and a spakling diamond ring presented at just the right moment as part of an intimate evening, the couple invites the both families, like a huge birthday party, and they announce together the engagement, giving each other gold bands (but work on the right hand instead of the left, until they are oficcialy married).

The moment of the announcement

Marcia and Valdivino, and their two children Marlon and Maria Eduarda also placed membership, also from the School of the Bible. I continue to study with them on Thursday evening. Sebastian and Gilda Rodriguez, and their two children, Diego and Debora will also be worshiping with us this month. They had been worshiping in São Vicente, but had to sell their car, and since they live in Praia Grande, will be with us now. Sebastian was trained at a preaching school in northern Brazil, so we know they will be a blessing to the family here.

As Jonathan's sinusitis/bronchitis cleared up, it became clear that I had caught the same thing. I didn't need antibiotics, but it still was a pain to deal with the congestion. Jonathan did get better, but then caught a cold right afterward. The day we went to Santos for his surgery, the anesthesiologist didn't want to take any extra risks, and postponed the surgery for 15 days until his congestion cleared up. Please continue to pray for him, as he goes in in about a week.

Alley and the kids' class on Sunday

We averaged 38 per week in worship in April, and our cell group averaged 11. We are involved in many studies, so please pray for these wonderful people by name as you remember the work in Praia Grande before God in prayer this month:

Chris studying with Marcia and Valdivino, Lucas

Chris, Alley, Marlon, Marcia, Valdivino, and Maria Eduarda after studying in their home

Alessandra studying with Isabele

Liduina studying with Edriana

Francisco studying with Fatima, Serra and Albina, Gilberto, Analda, Egipcio, Edson, Maria, Vania, Jorge, and following up with several members as well

Liduina, Stephanie, and two of Jorge's daughters

We pray that through it all, our efforts will yield eternal fruit in the kingdom that belongs to the Lord. We are indebted to you for your prayers and support. May God bless you all.

Chris, Alley, Francisco, Liduina, and family

Liduina, Francisco, Jonathan, Chris, Alessandra, Jefferson, Stephanie, Priscila

November 2008

Dear Friends, family, and supporters,

October has been a very active month, for both Alley and I and the kids. We have really been kept on our toes over the last few weeks. Surprises do have a way of finding us, don't they?

I have been working hard on the development of the church statute here in Praia Grande, which is the legal document that will allow us to function as a non-profit legal entity here in Brazil. It is quite complicated at times, and though we are working with a lawyer, he doesn't always understand our doctrine or church structure, so it depends on me in many ways to get done. I don't mind learning the process, as it will help me serve the congregation here in the future. Recently we finishied the final draft and submitted it to the Prefecture (city government) for approval. Imagine my surprise when I learned that the cost of finalizing all the documents would be over $2000 dollars! We had about half that on hand, but still need another $1000 in order to recieve the documents when they are completed (about two weeks from now). Please pray for this need, and if anyone is, in spite of the financial situation in the US right now, capable of helping us with this need, please let me know as soon as possible. Without these documents the church here will continue to operate as an underground (illegal) entity, and I believe we need to do everything we can to comply with the law of the land.

We are still averaging 21 people in worship, with visitors present every week. Marcia, one of our newest members, volunteered to help us clean the building on a regular basis, which was a big help. After getting things cleaned up, Francisco usually makes a snack and hosts an informal study. Eduardo is nearly always there to help as well, which makes for great fellowship.

Construction in front of the church is nearly finished, which has increased the flow of pedestrian traffic and our own visibility. We hope this will gain us some more contacts and visitors.

In a windstorm, our sign blew down just as they were ripping up the sidewalk. It looks MUCH better than this now!

The School of the Bible will close for the year after our final exams in December. Eduardo is the most faithful of all the students, but there is still a small group who is seeing the course through to the end. Carlos, Carlos Antonio, and Edmilson are all wonderful students, and I ask that you pray for them by name as they study with us. Also, please pray for Ana and Emilene, who have not been able to continue, but whom I hope will return next year.

Eduardo is the son of Dick Farney, jazz musician of "Copacabana" fame

Did you know that phone lines can rust? If you have enough humidity in the house, they can! We have lost phone and internet on two separate occasions due to humidity inside the house corroding our phone lines and causing loss of signal. Hopefully our new, shielded wire will do better than the last one! In addition to the corrosion problem, our communication situation suffered again when Service Pack 3 crashed our computer, and we had to wipe the hard drive and reinstall from scratch. Thankfully, I am learning a little from the past, and had a great complete backup that made it very easy.

I have been watching the kids a lot recently. Alley and the other ladies of the congregation were invited to organize the games at the Ladies Conference in Vargem Grande Paulista. Marcia, Liduina, and Alley all participated, along with ten other women, and organized games and fun time for 400 women! In the history of the event, never have that many women participated in the games, but with Alley's talents of persuasion, everyone participated this year. Due to the great contacts she made there, we have been invited to direct the Jr. Teen camp next year as well. The biggest shocker last month was definately the car incident. We lock our car at all times since the kids like to get inside and push the buttons. However, that didn't stop Jonathan from climbing up, grabbing the keys, opening the door, startign the engine, and putting the car in reverse. He drove it backwards, scraping along the wall of the house, and into the bicycles. I was working in the back at the time and took quite a shock to see him go by. He was a little scared too, but not hurt. The car suffered greatly, though, with a broken window, mirror, and a dorr and two panels damaged. After freaking out, calming down, and calling the insurance, we had the privilege of repairing the car to the tune of a thousand bucks. Note: the insurance wouldn't cover the damage because Jonathan wasn't a licensed driver.

One of the highlights of the work here is the privilege I have to be studying with Pedro and Marcos. Pedro is a new convert, less than a year old. He is very shy, but asked us to train him to pray, read scripture, and preach! SO we meet together weekly to study and practice the basics of public service. Pedro has an attitude that brightens the room every time he arrives, and gives hugs like a bear. I know his presence will bless the congregation as he continues to grow into his dream: to preach the book of James.

Pedro, studying

I also continue to study with Marcos Serrano, a member fo the Sao Vicente congregation. He preached last Sunday for the first time since we have been working on sermon preparation. It gives me great joy to see this young man put into practice the techniques I am teaching him, but even more importantly, put into practice the Word itself. Pray for both of these "young" men as they grow in their ability to serve the Lord.

Marcos Serrano

We would like to send a big thanks to our newset supporters, Christ's Heritage church in Lynwood, WA., and the Kersey family. Thank you very much for helping in the work here in Brazil. May God use us together to build a strong and loving church family here, to the glory of the Lord.

With uncertainty everywhere, let me remind us all that it is not in physical things that we have our hope. Our sense of security shouldn't be in our retirement or savings. Instead, as members of a spiritual Kingdom, our treasure is stored in heaven where moth and rust can't degrade, and thieves can't steal. I hope that our hearts are truly there, and therefore, our treasures, and that no matter what the scenario economically, we can smile and trust that our futures are truly secure. May God bless you all.