Four days after Dawn, Zachary, and I arrive back in Brazil, New Life Baptist Church (Igreja Batista Nova Vida) will celebrate its 5th anniversary on September 19 & 20 with Dr. Mark Bosje, our FBMI Missions Director, on the exact dates as the inaugural services. We praise the Lord that the owner of the building where the church meets has graciously given us permission to use a 1,000-square-meter building directly behind the church for the conference so that there will be ample space to comply with the COVID-19 regulations.
Karlene, our sixth child, enrolled at Hyles-Anderson College on September 1. Timothy, our fifth child who is starting his junior year, is more than a little excited to have his little sister in college with him.
We received unexpected news from Triumph Baptist Church (formerly Baptist Temple) of Fort Worth, Texas, where Bruce Engelman is the current pastor. They were one of our original supporting churches but had not been able to support us for several years. They are now supporting us at double the original amount. Also, several months ago, some friends in California contacted us about supporting us on a monthly basis. When I asked them why, the reply was, “We love missions!”
While we have been in the U.S., BEAMS Bibles have continued to be sent to over 100 Brazilian pastors and missionaries on a regular basis. What a blessing it is to help Dr. Rene Freret and the Trinitarian Bible Society in São Paulo get Bibles to the Independent Baptist churches throughout Brazil!
On January 2 of this year, we honored a Brazilian couple, Ailton and Edineide, on Ailton’s 66th birthday for being used of God to open a door for our family 11 years ago to serve two different children’s homes of 40-plus young people through the church where we had been helping in São Paulo. Since the sharing of more than 370 pictures of memories of times together through social media, the Holy Spirit has helped renew friendships and allowed precious conversations with many of them.
On August 26, Witalo Alves, age 26, sent a message, asking if I could help him find his family. As far as I can remember, he was the only one of that group that had no recollection of any contact with any of his relatives. On Saturday, August 26, we talked on the phone for 50 minutes. Among many different topics, he mentioned that he remembered going to teen camp with the other young people. When I asked him if he was 100% sure of his salvation, he told me about a time and place when he had trusted Jesus. Though he has unbelievable hurts that I honestly do not understand, I am honored to be one of his friends. Please pray that Witalo will continue to communicate with us so we can help him.
Would you take four minutes to watch our recently published ministry video showing some of the 50 men and their families for whom we are praying. Each picture represents a unique story of an extremely precious man and his family, who either is not yet saved, has been saved but is presently not in church, is having great difficulties and burdens, or who died and is either in Heaven with Jesus or in Hell for all eternity.
“The Great Commission in Action Through Team Brazil”
THANK YOU for praying and sacrificing so that our family can continue reflecting the light and love of our Saviour among the PEOPLE of Brazil! “Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you.” (II Thessalonians 3:1)
Looking unto Jesus (Hebrews 12:2),
Dave + Dawn and Zachary