Friday 27 February 2015

Mid-week service

Last night's mid-week service was again blessed of God wonderfully. There were about 50 present which is not bad for mid-week in this day and age! The Bible study went well as did the prayer and praise. PTL!

Today we are to receive the illustrious visit at the Green Pastures Nature Reserve of two renouned biologists from Recife, one of whom did their master's degree at Durham University. We are really looking forward to the arrival of these experts who will doubtlessly make an important input into our work. It really is wonderful how God is bringing us so many expert professors to help our developing project.

I have prepared my sermon for this Sunday's communion service and value your prayers also. Please pray too for the EAB Action Schools and Bible Colleges now back into full swing in a new academic year.

Thursday 26 February 2015

Sermons

Yesterday was an exhausting but good day taking 574 tree seedlings to Green Pastures from the nursery in Patos. My lumbago has pretty well disappeared in the process.

I have prepared my sermon for the communion service in Patos on Sunday and I have prepared the Bible study for tonight.

Liz is still not right after all her allergy problems and she went back to the doctor's today who is going to do some further tests.

I have just posted a video clip of two raccoons having a punch up! I have seen so many videos of them coming to the watering holes at night at Green Pastures that I have lost count of the quantity and usually they come peacefully in pairs and leave equally peacefully. I don't know if this video shows a dispute between two males or if husband and wife fell out?! The first bash would have floored Mike Tyson! https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/16628795326/

Tuesday 24 February 2015

Lumbago

My lumbago was quite painful yesterday but is easing off today.

I went to Green Pastures this morning to see how the university professor was getting on organizing the tree seedlings plantation and everything was looking good. I was very happy to see a White Woodpecker for the first time there or anywhere. Loads of foxes and Raccoons too.

I have just got in from a meeting with a Tearfund person from the UK - Richard Lister. Now I am off to a Bible College meeting.

Monday 23 February 2015

Wet Sunday

Yesterday was a good day with more rain in the afternoon and in the evening. In Patos it rained 14mm and probably a similar amount at Green Pastures - although we don't have the exact amount yet from Tarcísio. So we are getting some rain, but we need a lot more big-time rain to really get things moving here. We are getting lots of tree seedlings into place ready for planting once we get enough rain.

The church service in Patos last night was great. I dedicated two babies, received 4 new members into fellowship (3 were baptized at the Camp), preached on Christian service and Philip presented a report to the church on the Camp. The rain fell quite heavily towards the end of the service so that meant people stayed for a sort of after-service with praise, snacks and fellowship. PTL!

Saturday 21 February 2015

We have steady rain!

We have had steady rainfall for the last couple of hours and it is continuing. I hope and pray it will rain through the night. Green Pastures reports that it's raining there too, so PTL!

Please pray for grandson Lucas who has been in and out of hospital today with allergic respiratory difficulties. 

I have more or less finished the preparation of my sermon for tomorrow night in Patos. The topic is Christian service. I will also be dedicating a baby and receiving new members into fellowship.

QPR lost 2 x 1 to Hull today having been reduced to 10 men early in the match with Joey Barton getting a red card once again! They almost hung on for a draw... almost! Despite the result, which I had predicted as a Rangers' win, I think I actually have increased my lead in the QPR prediction league! We shall see.

Friday 20 February 2015

The Fox Quartet!

I went out to Green Pastures this morning to check on everything after the Camp. All was already cleared up and cleaned by the team, not that our people make a lot of mess but there are always things to do. I picked up the memory card from the Infra-red automatic camera and was thrilled to find another first had been filmed: 4 foxes together drinking at a watering hole at 3.42am on the last night of camp when everyone was sleeping. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/16592289782/

By the way I forgot to say previously that we now have a Marmoset Monkey resident at Green Pastures. The environment people asked if we had a big aviary type cage to take one in as it has been badly treat in captivity somewhere and they wanted us to sort of slowly reintroduce it to the wild. Well it stayed in the aviary about a month after which it managed to find a hole big enough to escape through. However it never has left and moves around the trees and buildings and was the star attraction for the kids - very happy to be fed from people's hands.

Last night's after camp service in Patos was great. So many good testimonies. It was very encouraging. A real blessing! PTL!

Thursday 19 February 2015

EAB 'InTouch' Magazine

Edition 84 of the EAB "InTouch" magazine has now been printed and is in the process of being put in the post to all EAB supporters on the mailing list. If you are not on the list and would like a free copy then please send me your address or send it to the EAB UK office.


EAB UK Office: Mrs. Beryl Gough (Hon. Treasurer)

6 The Glade, Langley, Southampton, SO45 1ZP

eabfinance@gmail.com

From Generation to Generation!


From generation to generation we will praise the Lord! Alice and Beatriz - Frank & Ivy Dyer's great grandchildren taking part in this week's Carnival Camp. Missionaries Frank and Ivy (now with the Lord) came to Brazil in 1949! His truth is marching on! PTL!

Tonight we will be having a great after camp testimony meeting in the Patos church. 

Wednesday 18 February 2015

4 Baptized at Carnival Camp

We are now back in Patos after an excellent Camp with just one or two hitches - but overall a very positive and blessed Camp. Philip led the whole event for the second successive year and did very well indeed. Liz coordinated the logistics despite ill health and I preached twice and was in a general support role. We had 210 residents at the Camp and another 60 came into to the camp on a daily basis giving us a total of about 270. This is lower then previous years and I would put this mainly down to the financial crisis in Brazil which is now hitting this country hard, years after Europe and the USA had it tough. Thanks to some people's kind donations via EAB we were able to allow some to come to the camp who wouldn't have been able to come otherwise. The number we had was a nice comfortable number to cope with.

The services were really good, the messages on radical discipleship were excellent and the whole spirit of the Camp was lovely. Unfortunately Liz's health was not good but she battled on despite it. Her allergy problems have not improved, affecting her throat and chest. She has been further medicated by the doctor since getting back to Patos and will being seeing the doctor again in the morning. Please pray.

We had the joy of baptizing 3 from Patos and 1 from Princesa Isabel at the Camp. It was a very blessed and victorious moment.

During the camp we had problems with poachers/hunters twice. Deborah and I caught them on the Saturday and Tarcísio caught them on the Sunday. What a pain!

On the final afternoon of the Camp I was preparing to preach at night in my room when I suddenly received a young man verbally abusing me quite awfully because his mobile phone had gone missing.  He was so agressive. It was terrible. He turned out to be a new person from our Itaporanga church who says he's a Christian. He certainly didn't give me the impression that he was. The episode and ensuing enquiries ruined the final service for me and I don't know how I managed to preach. I felt it was very hard to preach and didn't go well. The mobile phone has not been found so the mystery continues.

Despite this bad taste in people's mouths one felt that the Lord blessed many people in the Camp and we thank all those who supported it and prayed for it. There is much more to praise about than the opposite. PTL!

I have just received the news that Phyllis Hurst, who was at the docks to see off the Mundys in 1938 at the launch of EAB, has today gone to be with the Lord. We praise the Lord for her faithful life of service to God to the end.


Sunday 15 February 2015

Carnival Camp - end of day 2

Praise God the Carnival Camp is going great - so blessed! Thanks for your prayers and support. The services are flowing in the Spirit and the messages about radical discipleship are being really good. PTL! We even had a shower of rain during the opening service of 5mm!

The attacks continue with hunters attacking on both days. Please pray. But nothing detracts from the wonderful atmosphere and blessing of God. See below Philip leading the opening service on Saturday evening.


Saturday 14 February 2015

University Herbarium

I am very pleased to report that the lovely native tree - Erythroxylum pungens - found in abundance and in bloom this week at Green Pastures has been definitively identified and the university professors Caminha and Fátima, one of whom studied at Kew, asked for small branches in flower for the university herbarium as they did not have this species in it. It was a joy to supply the university in this way.  



This partnership is really developing with the federal university forestry engineering and biology schools and is a continuation and development of such partnerships which we have maintained over many years. The university has now produced seedlings from seeds we supplied from the quite rare tree Vitex gardneriana and we are now carefully observing the one and only even rarer Sideroxylon obtusifolium tree that we have so that when it flowers and produces seeds we can then collect all the seeds and send them to the university so as to produce lots of seedlings. It is exciting caring for God's creation.

People, as happens every year, are already gathering at Green Pastures for the Camp. The official arrival time is in the afternoon but there are always plenty who manage to arrive early! May the Lord bless the camp and the big opening service this evening.

Prayers valued

This is the day that the big annual Carnival Camp kicks off through Wednesday. We value your prayers.

The difficulties of these days have been quite amazing (as referred to in a special prayer request email) with spiritist attacks of the black magic type, Liz really unwell (now on the mend), our grandson held up at gunpoint and now last night two known ex-convict thieves and drug dealers around our house a lot. These are days of extreme pressure. They even dumped stolen goods in our front garden and we called the police and had it taken away! We need your prayers please.

Thursday 12 February 2015

Carnival Camp final preparations

It is absolutely non-stop here in preparation for this year's Carnival Camp which runs Saturday through Wednesday. All the bedrooms, dormitories, kitchens, meeting hall etc. have been cleaned, re-painted where necessary and repaired. We needed some new locks, two new benches (sort of park benches) as the old ones were destroyed by termites, some new loo flushes and seats (many plastic things desintegrate with the heat), many new lamps. The electician will still be returning on Friday as another problem has arisen.

On the water pump side of things a tree frog got in one of the switches and short-circuited it. That has been replaced and the fountain pump has been fixed too. The Nature Reserve area has had its fencing altered and finalized and signs put on the gates. The trail right round the reserve has had bushes and branches trimmed back for people's walks.

I have finished my sermon preparation for the Camp and will be having a meeting later with Philip to discuss the question and answer times in each service in the mornings. Philip is the Camp leader like last year. I am glad to report that my throat is much easier, but still not 100%. Please pray. The other pastors who will be speaking at the Camp are all ready to roll. We are looking to God for another greatly blessed Camp. 

Please pray for the rain situation at Green Pastures as we badly need lots of rain soon. 

QPR managed to win at Sunderland on Tuesday so are now just to say out of the relegation zone on goal difference. Let's hope they can keep in winning ways.

Tuesday 10 February 2015

Feeling a bit wobbly

I value your prayers as I prepare my sermon for the last night of the Carnival Camp which starts this Saturday. I don't feel so well today having had a bad throat for a few days now. 

The team is all working like the clappers ready for the Camp. The easy way to remember when Carnival is each year is working backwards from Ash Wednesday. Ash Wednesday is the last day of the Camp and this immediately follows Pancake Tuesday (which I never have forgotten since my childhood with my Mum tossing the pancakes in the air). The Camp starts on the Saturday prior to Pancake Tuesday and Ash Wednesday! It couldn't be easier!

Ash Wednesday here is when the catholics go to mass to get their sins forgiven which they committed during carnival and the priest gives them a big charcoal cross sign on their foreheads to prove they are OK.

Monday 9 February 2015

Prediction League

Tomorrow QPR travel to Sunderland and I have predicted a draw of 1 x 1 at half-time and 2 x 2 at full-time with Rangers' goals to be scored by Zarete and Zamora. Clearly we need a win, but a draw would be a miracle as we haven't got a point away from home all season. With the defeat against Southampton with their "last ghasp" (their words on their site) on Saturday QPR look increasingly destined to relegation. Their next games against Sunderland and Hull are must-winners, but it's difficult to believe they will win either of them. They can't even get themselves a new manager! Oh boy!

I continue at the top of QPR's prediction league by the way: http://qprtillidie-predictionleague.webnode.com/table/

I am working hard today on administrative matters linked to EAB. I know EAB's treasurer will be pleased when I send her the paper trails I am working on... but it is a lot of monotonous work!

I have received the new signs to be put on the Green Pastures Nature Reserve gates in time for the Carnival Camp of the weekend. I'll post a photo when they're in place.

Liz's Uncle Stephen (Dyer) died today, aged 91. Our prayers and condolences are with the family.

A Great Night Out!


“A GREAT NIGHT OUT”

Another Great concert presented by

Cadnum Methodist Church and friends

at

Copythorne Parish Hall.

Pollards Moor Road, Copythorne, Southampton SO40 2NZ


on Saturday 18th April 1915 at 7pm


Tickets £10 per person, children go free



All proceeds to EAB


For more information phone 01794 323279 or

Email jene.pelletier@gmail.com to book your tickets.

Early Start

I was off to Green Pastures at 6.30am with a university professor and a university student. We had a long brisk walk all round the nature reserve as the professor plans how and where to plant what trees as soon as we have enough rain. I got stung by a type of wasp whilst there but these things affect me little as I don't have allergy problems. Just hurt quite a bit for an hour or so.

My throat is a lot better today. 

There is frenzied activity preparing for the Carnival Camp which starts on Saturday. At Green Pastures we had an electician and a gardener working on top of the usual people when I was there. Lots to be done but we are getting there. Please pray.

Sunday 8 February 2015

Good service - bad throat

The service was lovely tonight with a full church as usual, really blessed worship and the sermon went very well. I applied the principles of how the Father received the Prodigal Son to how the church must receive people from a wide variety of situations. 

The Green Pastures church is rejoicing with the conversion of two couples plus another man making a total of 5 this weekend. PTL!

Now it's all stations go for the Carnival Camp which starts on Saturday. Please pray. 

My throat is pretty sore, but I managed to preach alright despite this.

Saturday 7 February 2015

The Thirsty Racer Snake

A thirsty Brown Racer Snake (philodryas nattereri) was filmed drinking at one of our watering holes this week at Green Pastures. The date on the film is incorrect. I find the 30 second film fascinating as I had never seen a snake drink like this before. This snake is fast moving and eats frog, lizards, bats and small birds. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/15840316244/

Liz went to Green Pastures last night with Josinete and only got home at nearly midnight. They took out supplies for the Carnival Camp which starts a week today.

Friday 6 February 2015

The Foxes mating season

It must be the foxes mating season because I saw two pairs late afternoon when it was still very light at Green Pastures and they didn't seem that concerned about me. I watched one catch and eat a Ground Dove. Fabulous!



I also saw and heard some beautiful birds like this Campo Troupial:



Earlier in the afternoon I had a difficult stressful meeting with a young man from the church whom I had to suspend from fellowship after he went nude on TV for a comedy stunt on a TV programme! Lord have mercy!

Amidst everything else I am pressing on with my sermon preparation for Sunday!

Flipping Fleas!

Liz and I have picked up fleas on our travels this week. Liz is especially badly bitten and we have both just been to the doctors and are now medicated. The jeep is having a special interior clean out too. Oh well... these things are sent to try us... or itch us!

On Wednesday night we finally had 20 mm of rain at Green Pastures. In Patos more rain fell too with 37.4 mm. We really need a lot more at Green Pastures now so that we can get planting our tree seedlings.

Last night's "Praise, Prayer & Bible" went very well again. Another well balanced diet of the 3 ingredients. PTL! Especially good in the prayer time was a "hug-prayer" with me praying for and hugging an ex-convict who has come back to God and is trying hard to walk straight with God. He really was broken in the presence of God. The Bible study on the Parable of the Seed (Mark 4:26-29) went well too. 

Now to preparing my sermon for Sunday in Patos. I value your prayers.

The Patos EAB/ACEV School has started the 2015 school year with 182 children enrolled. PTL!

The EAB magazine (long overdue) edition 84 should be at the printers next week and hopefully in the post to one and all later in February.

Wednesday 4 February 2015

Baptism at Ibiara

Liz and I travelled to Ibiara today which is a 2 hour trip each way to be present at a baptism of 6 from the EAB/ACEV church there in the local lake. A good group from the church went on a Wednesday morning! Local leader Ben Price baptized 6 including his own teenage son. It all went off very nicely and after the baptisms we had a time of praise and worship followed  by a session of questions and answers with the people asking Liz and I a wide range of questions. We then had a nice fellowship meal together.



Whilst I was waiting for the baptisms to start I scoured the area and thought I could see a different sort of duck in the distance as the orange beak was unmistakable and I knew I hadn't see this bird previously. However I had to concentrate on the baptism and everything that followed. Nevertheless after lunch I took off to see if I could find the orange-billed ducks. They had moved, but I managed to get near enough for a reasonable photo and back in Patos my field guide shows me that I made a first time register on the wiki-aves bird site of the Black-bellied Whistling Duck (Dendrocygna autumnalis).

Tuesday 3 February 2015

Torrential rain

We have more torrential rain tonight in Patos - even heavier than last night. However we have no word from Green Pastures.

What a fantastic video we have from yesterday at Green Pastures via the infra-red camera. Wow! The date and time are wrong on the video as I changed the batteries and forgot to re-adjust. https://www.flickr.com/photos/johnmedcraft/16253295507/

So Harry has resigned as manager of QPR. He probably made the right decision as it was not working. Let's see if his replacement can do any better, whoever that will be.

Inches of Rain

The Met. Office's official rainfall total in Patos last night was 82.8 mm (3.45 inches). PTL! I am now going out to Green Pastures to see the situation there.

Monday 2 February 2015

Rain glorious rain!

We have had quite a good amount of rain in Patos tonight. PTL! We sure need it. I don't know if it has rained at Green Pastures but the fact that Tarcísio's phone isn't working points in the right direction!

I have sent all the photos today to Dave Flowers in the UK who is producing the next edition of the EAB magazine 'InTouch' - so I'm looking forward to proof reading a PDF version soon. Thanks a lot Dave!

Birthday Surprise!

Last night in church the folk had prepared this little photo show video about my ministry in commemoration of my birthday. I know it's in Portuguese, but there are lots of photos which I am sure will give you the gist. It was very sweet of the church. https://onedrive.live.com/?cid=4CFADD9F2E10EDA5&authkey=%21AD-h5xerIsTCDk4

2 Babies Born!

2 Patos church babies have been born overnight! Jordan & Jordanya now have Miguel as a brother to João Pedro - born not long before midnight! Denis & Andréa now have Ayrla as a sister to Ayrton - born early this morning! Andréa was in church last night and we prayed for her! That's the way I like mothers to be!

We are getting so much positive feedback from last night's service in Patos. Wonderful! It was a great night in God's presence.

Sunday 1 February 2015

Wonderful Communion Service

I am home after a great communion service - church packed out - lots of visitors - some decisions at the end and 5 others asked for baptism at Easter. PTL! Sermon flowed like a river. It was a really encouraging night.

Liz is still not home as she's trying to sort some medicine out for Arthur who has some sort of itchy allergy problem driving him crazy and no doctor available as far as I know.

Top of the League!

I have just received the news that I remain top of the QPR prediction League! No doubt I will be inundated by requests for tips from a variety of Premiership managers and owners with the transfer window closing tomorrow night. These are problems that come with fame I guess! This coming Saturday we face Southampton at home so what should I forecast? I'll have to give this some careful thought!

I concluded the preparation of my sermon for tonight's communion service in the Patos church during the morning. I started the preparation on my birthday yesterday. I am ready to roll on the subject of the 'edification or building up' of the church as part of my review of our church's vision.

EAB UK Board Meeting


This is how the EAB Board of trustees saw me yesterday during the meeting. I could only hear the log fire crackling but I couldn't see it!


This is the EAB Board having a meal together after the meeting. On the left starting nearest the camera are: Beryl (treasurer), empty chair belongs to Marian taking the photo, Roy (chairman), Jean. On the right: Neil, Mary, Lisa and David. 

Praise God for EAB's faithful Board of Trustees and pray for them as they seek to maintain and expand interest in God's work in NE Brazil with EAB. Pray too for our magazine editor and producer Dave Flowers who will soon be releasing a new edition of EAB's magazine 'InTouch'. Also pray for Pauline and Adrian Pennels taking up the reins of the EAB Action Child programme after many years being led by Sallie Irish. We are very grateful to Sallie for her long years of faithful service.