In our May/June prayer letter, we should have also mentioned the blessing that our church moved to a second rented location across the street from the first location just before the Family Conference the last week of May. On Saturday, July 1, we had Missionary Garry Tyler from Limeira, Sao Paulo, preach the Inauguration Service in the new location.
During the first 12 days in January 2017, we met each morning for a special time of prayer. One of the prayer requests was for God to grow our Sunday evening crowd, the largest-attended service at our church, from 45 to 70 by the end of the year. To the glory of God, He has already done so; and many new families continue to visit and enjoy the warm reception, the Christ-honoring music, and the Bible-centered preaching.
The second week of July (9-15), we had another week of special prayer. When we met in January, there were five of us who prayed together. Praise the Lord that during the week in July, we had 20+/- every day! On the last day, Saturday, we had 18+ young people who came for a busy afternoon of soul winning at 3:00 p.m., prayer time at 5:00 p.m., supper at 6:00 p.m., and the weekly Saturday Teen Time at 7:30 p.m. What an extreme blessing to see the young people also being involved in God’s work!
The next week (19-23), I was honored to serve our Saviour in a church of five families in Arcos, Minas Gerais, by teaching and preaching on soul winning seven times. On the way to Arcos, through God’s divine plan, He allowed me to miss my connecting bus in Sao Paulo, and I spent a very long, cold nine hours waiting for the next bus. Preaching with a fever and cough was not in my plans, but God promises in II Corinthians 12:10, “. . . when I am weak, then I am strong.” God used His truths to encourage and strengthen His people. At least nine were saved during the services. At a park on Saturday afternoon, several soul winners shared the good news of our Saviour, and at least one man bowed his head and trusted Jesus. An added blessing of our time was on Monday after the conference when several more friends trusted Jesus. “To God be the glory; great things He has done!”
After returning, I was too sick to attend church on Wednesday night, but He gave strength to preach Saturday night to a group of English students in a neighboring town and then teach Sunday school and preach the morning and evening service at our church while Bro. Ed Johnson was preaching at another church.
A bittersweet blessing started for us when the great-grandson of Helio was born on Wednesday, June 14, and died two days later due to probable fault of the doctors. The young mother and her immediate family are all saved but had strayed from God’s will. The grandmother visited for the first time during the week of prayer in July and continues to attend at least one service a week and has welcomed us into her home twice to talk and pray with her family. Please pray for Flavia to keep her eyes on Jesus, as she prays for the rest of her family to allow God to work in their lives.
On Sunday, August 13, we had 41 in the morning service, 78 in the evening service, with 7 first-time visitors, 6 being saved during the invitation, and 12 new members joining the church.
When we first arrived in Brazil over 13 years ago, we started helping other fundamental Baptist pastors and missionaries receive Bibles from the BEAMS ministry under the leadership of Dr. Rene Freret. The last two months, we have also been extra busy getting updated contact information for about 90 pastors. Thus far, over 30 shipments of 4 boxes have been sent. Please pray for the remaining 60 shipments to be safely received so that these Bibles can be a blessing in each ministry.
THANK YOU for faithfully praying and giving so that our family can continue to serve our Saviour among the greatest people in all the world—the PEOPLE of Brazil! We are honored to serve with you for the cause of Christ!
Dave + Dawn and Children
