Our family loves Thanksgiving and regardless of our geographical location, we always pause to reflect and praise God for all He has done in our lives and ministry.
Isaiah 12:4-5 says,
Give thanks to the Lord, call upon his name, make known his deeds among the peoples, proclaim that his name is exalted.
Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done gloriously; let this be made known in all the earth. ESV®
We are so grateful for each family, individual, and church that supports our family through prayer, notes of encouragement, gifts, and monthly support. Frequently, we marvel at how God continues to guide people to give of their resources to His work here in Brazil. Thank you.
Even as we write this, our church is preparing for a neighborhood evangelism program this afternoon in a needy community. Organized by one of our members, a group from church has been trained and prepared to go out into the community and share the Gospel. Also, Tim and our Brazilian pastor are actively seeking and narrowing down property options to purchase a piece of land for a much-needed church building. Lord willing, we will have made an offer by the end of the year. Another group is practicing for our first Christmas cantata, and a New Year’s Eve dinner and service is being planned.
An additional highlight is our ministry trip to Cape Verde, Africa, where Tim helped teach African Pastors and church leaders last week. This invitation came last minute as another instructor from their team had to back out, and we felt God leading us to accept since Tim is fluent in Portuguese which is the primary language in Cape Verde. The 7 days of training were intense; however, the reception and growth were amazing. Seeing these African leaders learn and interact with God’s Word was unforgettable.
Even more unforgettable, walking up the road to our 4th evening session, Andrea stepped in one of many potholes and broke her ankle. Finding emergency care and supplies was a challenge. As soon as Tim finished teaching the course, 3 days later, we took advantage of our layover in Portugal to buy basic things needed for immobilization and treatment which were not available in our location in Africa. God was gracious in so many ways through it all, and we appreciate prayers for the next few weeks as an orthopedic doctor in Brazil needs to be consulted etc. Another difficult experience was the first death of a church member. While we were in Africa, one of dear ladies passed into glory.
Just seems like around every corner is a surprise, but we keep praising and submitting to His will and plan. Andrea has a wonderful team that works at the orphanage with her, and they have already stepped in to fill a bigger role in all that she has planned for that ministry as well.
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