I want to thank each one who takes the time to read our prayer letter and pray for us. Over the past few months, it has been such a blessing to see God’s hand at work. For 10 months, while Missionary Keith Putnam was on furlough, my wife and I cared for Victory Baptist Church. It has been wonderful to see the fruit God has allowed in this past month.
Two Weeks in the United States
In June, my wife and I left Brazil and came to the United States to attend FBMI’s Candidate School, which was a tremendous blessing. We learned so much. During our two weeks in the U.S., we had the opportunity to visit Jordan Baptist Church and join them for outreach on Saturday. I was also able to spend time with my brother-in-law, Timothy Whitmore. We visited Northwest Baptist Church as well. It was a precious time for us, as we were able to reunite with Missionaries Keith and Jamie Putnam after 10 months.
Back in Brazil
After Candidate School, we returned to Brazil for a few more weeks. Those weeks were amazing. We had our Youth Conference, and I had the opportunity to talk with a young man named Rafael. He had been Catholic his entire life and asked a very thought-provoking question: “Why do I need to go to church if salvation is only through Jesus?” He was clearly trusting in works for salvation. But after sharing several Bible verses and showing him the Scriptures, Rafael understood what Christ had done for him, and that night, he believed. (Rafael is the young man on my right in the photo.) We also continued weekly evangelism, reaching out to people in the streets and sharing Christ—what a joy it is to speak of Jesus!
A Special Saturday with the Youth
Two Saturdays before we left Brazil to begin deputation, Toni, the man currently leading our youth group, invited me to speak and preach to the young people. It was a wonderful time of fellowship and preaching. After two hours together, several youth came forward and shared how God had spoken to their hearts about missions.
I’d love to highlight two of them:
• One young person shared that God had clearly called them to missions but was battling fear. We had a special conversation about faith, and we prayed together.
• The second testimony came from a young man who, at the end of the service, said the message had been a blessing and that God had moved in his heart. That week, he called me and said, “I believe God is calling me into the ministry.” I asked, “Do you truly believe, and are you convinced?” He answered, “Yes.”
It’s such a joy to see God calling young people, not only for salvation but also into His wonderful work.
Starting Deputation
Let me briefly share what’s been happening this month of July. By God’s grace, we had two incredible services before leaving for the U.S., one at our home church and one where I served as assistant pastor for three years. In both services, God brought new families and new believers. From July 14–17, we had the opportunity to attend FBMI’s Missions University and were blessed by powerful preaching and important sessions about the mission field and family care. We’re now officially beginning deputation here in the United States. We’re especially grateful to Pastor Ellis and Jordan Baptist Church for being the first church to host us as we present our missionary project to start churches in Brazil.
Prayer Requests
• Pray that we can reach souls during our time in the United States.
• Pray that we will see God’s power working throughout this season.
• Pray for our mission field—Brazil.
• Pray that we may return to Brazil as soon as possible.
Sincerely,
Jonata & Karlene Oliveira
