We have started this week ripping out the old toilets and showers in one section of the Camp site at Green Pastures and building a toilet for the disabled and another regular toilet and shower in the space.
Wednesday 28 February 2018
Drug Free Project training
I have been flat out this week organizing the drug free project training sessions for next week from the 8th to 10th of March. So far we have enrolled:
23 for the training in João Pessoa on the Thursday.
14 for the training in Patos on the Friday.
15 for the training in Patos on the Saturday.
Your prayers are greatly valued for this tremendously needy field of action for the church of Jesus Christ.
23 for the training in João Pessoa on the Thursday.
14 for the training in Patos on the Friday.
15 for the training in Patos on the Saturday.
Your prayers are greatly valued for this tremendously needy field of action for the church of Jesus Christ.
Moringa to the Amazon!
Our Moringa Tree Project has been going since 1994 but never did I imagine that I would supply seeds from our seed bank to the Amazon area. However today I received a visit from university professors and tree workers and one of them is from the Amazon and wants to plant Moringa trees there in the dry season. The mind boggles! I've exported to Africa and Europe and sent seeds to the 4 corners of Brazil and other South American countries, but the Amazon rain forest?! Watch this space! The half has never been told!
Patos now has water for 6 months!
With the good rains thus far the imminent water supply collapse in February was averted at the last minute and we now have enough reserves to last to the end of August. PTL! Of course we obviously need a lot more as in the second half of the year it doesn't rain like you don't get snow in England in the summer. However we have water now and pray for lots more in March, April and May.
The 4 Patos reservoirs are now as follows:
Jatobá - the one you can see from the road in south Patos - now has 10.2% of its capacity.
Farinha - not far from Jatobá but a bit to the east - has 7.24%.
Capoeira - south west of Patos - has 8.2%.
Coremas - from where the pipeline comes and which even the BBC reported on back in 2002 - has reached 6.83%.
Thank you for your prayers. Please don't stop praying. We pray that we will see all 4 reservoirs overflowing by June!
The 4 Patos reservoirs are now as follows:
Jatobá - the one you can see from the road in south Patos - now has 10.2% of its capacity.
Farinha - not far from Jatobá but a bit to the east - has 7.24%.
Capoeira - south west of Patos - has 8.2%.
Coremas - from where the pipeline comes and which even the BBC reported on back in 2002 - has reached 6.83%.
Thank you for your prayers. Please don't stop praying. We pray that we will see all 4 reservoirs overflowing by June!
Tuesday 27 February 2018
Sunday Sermon
The Sunday sermon went extraordinarily well. All praise be to God! I preached on John 9:1-12 focussing especially on Jesus's statement in verse 3: "This happened (i.e. the man's blindness) so that the work of God might be displayed in his life".
Ever since Pastor Michel Rollo was here in 2006 people have been saying at the end of the service if they appreciated the sermon: "Good word brother" as that was what Michael taught and spoke about. However the response to Sunday's sermon was so effusive and strong that Michael's phrase was insufficient and I had people crying at the end and many have spoken to me since telling me how God spoke to them that night. It was a special night. It was very encouraging.
Today we received another School at Green Pastures. It was hard work but a joy to try and set in children's minds the importance of caring for God's creation. One little boy did the entire very long walk on crutches and refused any help from anyone. What an example the lad was to us all. A little girl also came with a lovely phrase in English on her blouse.
Ever since Pastor Michel Rollo was here in 2006 people have been saying at the end of the service if they appreciated the sermon: "Good word brother" as that was what Michael taught and spoke about. However the response to Sunday's sermon was so effusive and strong that Michael's phrase was insufficient and I had people crying at the end and many have spoken to me since telling me how God spoke to them that night. It was a special night. It was very encouraging.
Today we received another School at Green Pastures. It was hard work but a joy to try and set in children's minds the importance of caring for God's creation. One little boy did the entire very long walk on crutches and refused any help from anyone. What an example the lad was to us all. A little girl also came with a lovely phrase in English on her blouse.
Sugar Fast
My sister Jean is doing a sugar fast to raise money for the EAB Desert Flower Project. Please have a look, support if you can with any amount and spread the word to friends.
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jean-north
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/jean-north
Saturday 24 February 2018
Street Meeting
The youth led an afternoon of door-to-door evangelism today in Patos's borough of Jatobá, having been very well trained for it. Then Liz and I joined them for a street meeting outside our school there this evening and it was excellent. A short play was performed, plus song and dance to praise the Lord and then Philip preached the Gospel. How lovely it was to see a young man at the street service who had committed his life to Christ during the door-to-door evangelism earlier. He says he'll be in church tomorrow. PTL! Please pray for him and this new effort to plant a church in Jatobá borough.
Church plant... here we go again
Tonight sees yet another start at planting a church in the Jatobá borough of Patos which I have been trying for about 20 years! It's in south Patos, as opposed to north Patos where the church is, and it's where we have our EAB Pastor Frank Dyer School. Hence we have a building... we have one young man converted in the borough over the years... and now the youth have taken up the gauntlet to do door-to-door evangelism and hold evangelistic services there. Please pray for continued persistance, blessing and many commitments to Christ this year!
Terrific storm
The thunder, lightning and 4 inches of rain this Friday night at Green Pastures was fabulous. This takes us up to 18.5 inches since January 1st, the dam is overflowing and the lake took in a lot more water to at least 45% capacity. PTL! Thanks for praying and please don't stop. The target till May is 40 inches.
Thursday 22 February 2018
More rain!
Tonight we have received the blessing of another just over half an inch of rain at Green Pastures, taking us up to the total of 14.3 inches in 2018 with 40 inches being our final goal by the end of the rainy season in May/June. We have to fill up lakes and reservoirs and plant now as the second half of the year is always drought.
I've worked a lot on the 'Drug Free' Project today and on the 4 Legs Goat Project with 4 more EAB goats going to Belém Community in Tavares County and to Macambira Community in Princesa Isabel County. I have also has other discussions with pastors and leaders.
I had meetings with the Desert Flower Project leader also. The project at the moment is being a real blessing to 22 desperately needy mums and their kids. Some are starting to ask for prayer for their lives and two actually asked prayer for "deliverance" last week! God is working in their sin torn sad lives. Please continue to pray and support.
I've worked a lot on the 'Drug Free' Project today and on the 4 Legs Goat Project with 4 more EAB goats going to Belém Community in Tavares County and to Macambira Community in Princesa Isabel County. I have also has other discussions with pastors and leaders.
I had meetings with the Desert Flower Project leader also. The project at the moment is being a real blessing to 22 desperately needy mums and their kids. Some are starting to ask for prayer for their lives and two actually asked prayer for "deliverance" last week! God is working in their sin torn sad lives. Please continue to pray and support.
Wednesday 21 February 2018
Our Euro Tour 2018 Schedule
Our tour of European churches, family, friends and supporters is now set up and here are the details in case you haven't already seen them:
August 23: Arrive Heathrow / Aug. 26: LCC Hardley am + West Wellow pm
August 23: Arrive Heathrow / Aug. 26: LCC Hardley am + West Wellow pm
September 1: Weston Super Mare / Sep. 2 Bristol
Ivy am + Bristol PHC pm / Sep. 3-8: Switzerland / Sep. 9 Verwood am / Sep. 16
BCLC Wales / Sep. 20 Hylton Castle, Sunderland pm / Sep. 23 Great Lumley am +
Bishop Auckland pm / Sep. 25 Horden pm / Sep. 29 EAB 80th Annual
Celebration pm / Sep. 30 Cadnam am + Winterslow pm /
October 7 Scotland / Oct. 14
Thamesmead / Oct. 21 Danbury / Oct. 28 Devizes. / Oct. 31: Return to Brazil.
Contributions
to the flight costs to and from Brazil would be very much appreciated. Your prayers are valued too. We look forward to seeing you.
Decisions, Rain & Wheelchairs
Sunday's service in Patos was very good and there were 4 decisions for Christ at the end. PTL! When we say decisions we of course do not mean conversions as only time will tell that. They were people who raised their hands at the end of the service asking prayer in commitment to the Lord. Please pray for them.
More rain has fallen at Green Pastures this week bringing the current total for January and February to 13.6 inches. The lake is about one third full. PTL! 40 inches is our need and target.
Now that the Carnival Camp is over we will be revamping some toilets and showers at Green Pastures including the necessary construction of one toilet for wheelchair users which we do not have and definitely need.
The church at Princesa Isabel is EAB's oldest church (1943) and is to be expanded. EAB will be helping towards this project too.
I am now preparing my sermon for Sunday on part of John 9. I have also had a lot of discussions and meetings with some of our church and project leaders today.
More rain has fallen at Green Pastures this week bringing the current total for January and February to 13.6 inches. The lake is about one third full. PTL! 40 inches is our need and target.
Now that the Carnival Camp is over we will be revamping some toilets and showers at Green Pastures including the necessary construction of one toilet for wheelchair users which we do not have and definitely need.
The church at Princesa Isabel is EAB's oldest church (1943) and is to be expanded. EAB will be helping towards this project too.
I am now preparing my sermon for Sunday on part of John 9. I have also had a lot of discussions and meetings with some of our church and project leaders today.
Monday 19 February 2018
Great Camp
The Carnival Camp was a real blessing with 250 present. The theme this year for the messages was: EAB/ACEV 80 years - our commitment to integral mission carries on. "Here I am, send me"! (Isaiah 6:8)
The opening message on the Saturday night was brought by Pastor Wostenes (Campina Grande) on"what integral mission is and what it is not". On the Sunday morning his wife Gleydice spoke on the place of art and culture in the integral mission of the church. On the Sunday night Pastor Gersé (Princesa Isabel) spoke about integral mission in rural areas drilling wells etc. On Monday morning Pastor Lindon Carlos (Imaculada) laid out the Biblical Basis for Integral Mission and at night I spoke about how environmental care is part of the integral mission of the church. On Tuesday morning our Social Worker Marah Danielle (Patos) spoke about the place of the woman in the integral mission of the church and the closing service that evening heard Pastor Rafael (Teixeira) speaking about church planting and evangelism as part of integral mission.
As well as this Bible teaching there was much great praise and worship plus leisure times, walks, sport etc. There was a parallel programme for the children which also went well.
Thanks to one and all for your support and prayers.
The opening message on the Saturday night was brought by Pastor Wostenes (Campina Grande) on"what integral mission is and what it is not". On the Sunday morning his wife Gleydice spoke on the place of art and culture in the integral mission of the church. On the Sunday night Pastor Gersé (Princesa Isabel) spoke about integral mission in rural areas drilling wells etc. On Monday morning Pastor Lindon Carlos (Imaculada) laid out the Biblical Basis for Integral Mission and at night I spoke about how environmental care is part of the integral mission of the church. On Tuesday morning our Social Worker Marah Danielle (Patos) spoke about the place of the woman in the integral mission of the church and the closing service that evening heard Pastor Rafael (Teixeira) speaking about church planting and evangelism as part of integral mission.
As well as this Bible teaching there was much great praise and worship plus leisure times, walks, sport etc. There was a parallel programme for the children which also went well.
Thanks to one and all for your support and prayers.
More rain!
I have just filmed this on this Monday morning after 4 inches of rain fell last night. This now takes us up to 9 inches this year. PTL! Thank you for praying. Our aim and need is 40 inches. Let it rain!
Saturday 10 February 2018
Camp starting wonderfully wet!
On Friday night it rained two and a half inches at Green Pastures so this is wonderful. The best rain of the year so far! We have now nearly reached the five inch mark this year. PTL! We value your prayers for the Camp which runs until Wednesday.
Thursday 8 February 2018
Federal Job Agency
This morning I had a meeting with the Federal Job Agency in Patos with a view to setting up a partnership with our Projects and Care Centre. I had a very profitable discussion with the director explaining our wide-ranging scope of projects and how one way to help people out of the poverty rut was to get them a job. This is especially difficult when someone has a drugs track record as does one man in our church, now off Crack for 20 months. PTL! We agreed a partnership in which we will send them CVs of folk from our projects needing work and I am thrilled to say that the man I mentioned got a job interview this afternoon already! PTL!
Last night's "drug-free" project meeting was excellent. The meetings are for for people who have stopped using drugs and are fighting to stay off them, or the same for excessive alcoholism. The meetings are also to support the families of people affected by a family member on drugs or alcoholism. Last night we had people pouring their hearts out with all the stress of seeing family members under the grips of drugs or drink. It was wonderful to be able to really minister into these families.
Liz and I continue flat out for the Carnival Camp which starts this Saturday. We expecting about 200 there and count on your prayers as we look to God for rich blessing.
The rain situation continues precarious. No rain this month yet at Green Pastures.
Last night's "drug-free" project meeting was excellent. The meetings are for for people who have stopped using drugs and are fighting to stay off them, or the same for excessive alcoholism. The meetings are also to support the families of people affected by a family member on drugs or alcoholism. Last night we had people pouring their hearts out with all the stress of seeing family members under the grips of drugs or drink. It was wonderful to be able to really minister into these families.
Liz and I continue flat out for the Carnival Camp which starts this Saturday. We expecting about 200 there and count on your prayers as we look to God for rich blessing.
The rain situation continues precarious. No rain this month yet at Green Pastures.
Tuesday 6 February 2018
Leadership Training Seminar
After a very good Sunday with excellent services which were really blessed, plus good activities over the weekend with the youth, young at heart, deaf and married couples, I travelled yesterday 70 km north-west of Patos to Paulista to teach at a Leaders Training Seminar.
This Leaders Training Seminar was organized by Baptist churches in that region plus one Presyterian. I was invited to teach on Integral Mission and it went very well. In fact I was surprised to discover how appreciated and respected is the work of EAB/ACEV in that region amongst churches. I had no idea they were following us and I was honoured by the unexpected high esteem which they hold me in. It really took me aback. I won't tell you who I sort of felt like!
Nevertheless I do praise God that EAB/ACEV is being a light and a hope for different denominations in a way I had no idea. It just goes to show how we can be an example without knowing it to help churches get more community involved.
Friday 2 February 2018
Dormitory Revamp completed
Today our B Block dormitory revamp was completed at Green Pastures a week ahead of the Carnival Camp. We are grateful to God for making this possible. Surely it will be a real blessing in many lives. There are just parts of the new showers and toilets to be completed next week as well as the finishing off of the Car Park area. All is well under control for the camp start on the 10th. Please pray.
Thursday 1 February 2018
Run Up to the Carnival Camp
Last Sunday's service in Patos was good with 3 people recommitting their lives to Christ at the end. On the Monday Liz spent a long time with a woman who is a spiritist and wants to become a Christian. Please pray. On the Saturday evening I sent a great time with the youth. It was a real blessing.
The month of January ended yesterday, as it always seems to do, on my birthday! I had a nice walk at Green Pastures in the morning and we had a pizza together as a family in the evening, which was good (see below).
The rainfall for the month at Green Pastures was 2.4 inches so that's got the ball rolling nicely and greened things up well for the Camp starting on the 10th. In the Itaporanga area it rained really hard at the weekend and this lifted our pipeline reservoir off the bottom to reach 4% capacity. I know that means there are 96% to go, but the 4% does give us a bit of a breathing space for some weeks so is a real answer to prayer. In other words it has avoided for now a total water supply collapse this month in Patos and region. It is what is known as saved by the bell or like scoring a goal in the last minute of extra time! Thank you Lord.
The month of January ended yesterday, as it always seems to do, on my birthday! I had a nice walk at Green Pastures in the morning and we had a pizza together as a family in the evening, which was good (see below).
The rainfall for the month at Green Pastures was 2.4 inches so that's got the ball rolling nicely and greened things up well for the Camp starting on the 10th. In the Itaporanga area it rained really hard at the weekend and this lifted our pipeline reservoir off the bottom to reach 4% capacity. I know that means there are 96% to go, but the 4% does give us a bit of a breathing space for some weeks so is a real answer to prayer. In other words it has avoided for now a total water supply collapse this month in Patos and region. It is what is known as saved by the bell or like scoring a goal in the last minute of extra time! Thank you Lord.
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