We are grateful for your lives and for your prayers; I have no doubt that God has heard you. January started off in a spectacular way for us, and I want to share a testimony from our mission field in Brazil.
Over the last three years, while working with Missionary Keith Putnam and starting Victory Baptist Church, God gave us the joy of meeting a couple, Gisele and Luciano, who were part of a cult. Early on, Gisele understood her need for a Saviour, was saved, baptized, discipled, and served with great fervor. However, her husband still held firmly to the cult’s beliefs. Both Pastor Keith Putnam and I had several conversations with him about salvation in Jesus Christ and only in Jesus Christ. At the end of last year, by the Lord’s grace, Luciano finally understood, repented of his sins, and was saved. In the first week of January, he called me together with Pastor Putnam, and Luciano, with joy on his face, gave me the news that he would be baptized. On the first Sunday of January, he was baptized. This is a huge encouragement to our hearts, as it is an answer to prayer and the harvest of a planted seed, making us even more eager to return to Brazil and continue serving our Lord fervently.
Now, returning to deputation, God has been so good to us, taking care of us on every trip. Thank you to every church that has received us and prayed for us—God has heard your prayers! Thank you also to the churches that have contacted us and are supporting us financially. We have had very good times these past months. At the beginning of December, I had the opportunity to go out soul winning with my father-in-law, Missionary David Whitmore, here in the U.S., and we were able to visit two ladies in Chicago. It was a precious time; they were already saved, but I ask you to pray for Veronica and her mother. Please pray for their spiritual lives.
Also, during another time of evangelism, I had the opportunity to meet Leah and explain the Gospel to her for a while in the middle of the snow. It was, without a doubt, a time the Lord had prepared. Both Karlene and I have had several opportunities to go out soul winning and talk to people about Christ.
In recent months, we have been traveling between Iowa and Michigan. In Iowa, we were able to participate in one of the monthly missions services, as well as two Missions Conferences, and each of them was a blessing and very encouraging. At one of the conferences, I was able to meet a young man who surrendered his life to the Lord for missions. I had the privilege of encouraging him to take steps to follow and continue serving the Lord and to pray with him!
God has been good. This February, we will spend most of the time in Illinois, but in March, we will be traveling to several different places from North Carolina to Texas. Please continue to pray for safe travels and that God will use us as He wants to continue preaching the Gospel and encouraging Christians in every place and church we visit.
Thank you, dear brothers and sisters, for your support through prayers and finances. Your sacrifice for missions and, without a doubt, your love have deeply touched us.
Prayer Requests
• We have a special request regarding our project to start a church in Moreira Cezar, Sao Paulo, Brazil. At the moment, Pastor Keith Putnam is holding a service there once a month. Please pray that God continues to bless this work and that soon we may be there to start the new church.
• Keep praying that God gives us His power and wisdom to talk to and reach people here in the United States.
“For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord,”
Jonata and Karlene Oliveira
Serving faithfully until all of Brazil knows!
Missionary Pastor Keith Putnam baptized Luciano.
