Praise the LORD for a good flight back to Brazil! During the second leg of the trip, Zachary was asleep before the plane left Charlotte, North Carolina; and he awoke after the plane landed in Brazil. During the first four days in the city of São Paulo, we took Zachary to the zoo, spent some time with dear friends, saw 2 people trust Jesus, witnessed to another lady who then visited the morning and evening services, preached Sunday morning and evening, and cleaned and prepared our household items for a Monday evening move. Pastor Marcos Pereira, the pastor in Cajuru, Sao Paolo, came with the moving truck to help us! As soon as everything was loaded (sometime after midnight), he drove our rental car (while I slept) four-plus hours to our new home!
God has provided us a lovely home to rent! About a month before returning, again with the help of Pastor Marcos, we were able to find a three-bedroom home with a lot of kitchen cabinets, a walk-in closet, and four bathrooms in one of the safest parts of town. What a blessing to serve a God Who loves us and knows our every need!
In the past eight weeks, 37 people have prayed to trust JESUS as their personal Saviour. One of them, Carol (age 17), recently invited her boyfriend and his brother to a Sunday evening service, and both received Jesus. At least 15 people have been obedient in going soul winning. Pictured are some of the soul winners with new believers!
We covet your prayers as the Holy Spirit works in and through our family during the next couple months while we are helping the church start an “In Every Home” soul-winning program with specific goals in tracts passed out, soul saved, visitors, baptisms, and new members. Five thousand “Smile” tracts were purchased to get started.
Please be praying for the World Cup Missions Trip on June 17-27. Twelve people are coming from Hyles-Anderson College and our home church, First Baptist Church in Hammond, Indiana, to take part in passing out one million Gospel booklets for True Victory–Brazil 2014 World Cup Outreach. Bro. Stephen Elliott, with Fishers of Men International (FOMI), will be with us July 1-13 to help us in sharing the Gospel with people in parks, open markets, on busy streets, etc. Please pray with us for the Holy Spirit to prepare the hearts of the people to hear and receive the Gospel.
Please continue to pray for the preparations for Team Brazil. We are making plans to join Missionary Ed Johnson, Team Leader, and other families in May or June of 2015 for the start of the church plant in Taubate, Sao Paolo.
Kelley is 21! It is hard to believe that Kelley, our oldest daughter, turned 21 in April! After a week here in Brazil, she will spend her summer working two jobs to pay for her third year at Hyles-Anderson College.
Bro. Dave Whitmore
