Hello friends,
I’m not sure why my last two updates did not post properly online. (arg!) I want you to know that all is well with us here serving in southern Bahia in Brazil!
Our first three months – April – July went very well. We did a lot of relationship building and
getting into the routine of leading the church.
We started a series of messages on Joshua for both Sunday and Wednesday
night. We have enjoyed ladies coffee, birthday
parties, started a ministry with young girls, have sweet worship, prayer
meetings and even a “garage sale” without a garage! Nayara and I have fallen in love with Nova Viçosa
and its peaceful atmosphere. Yes, we
know that when tourist season hits Dec – Feb it gets a little crazy.
During July and here in the first two weeks of August we
have been in Belo Horizonte and in João Monlevade. Nayara has been taking care of some medical
things and is healing nicely. It is so
hard for her to rest! lol Pastor Romeu
our covering Pastor has an apartment in BH, and we have stayed here and in JM
we stay with Nayara’s best friend’s apartment (and upstairs of Pastor Romeu her
father). We are going to take our drive back to Nova Viçosa in
two days (it’s a 10-hr. drive). I don’t
want Nayara to push it and my knees scream and need a break.
Pastor Romeu has been awesome in covering for us personally
and through his network of pastor friends and men from the church in JM. He loves the people there and they love
him. They have stayed in our apartment
which has been a blessing to them. We
are so grateful for a Pastor who pastors us and takes care of us. It was at his urging that we take this time
to deal with medical issues at this time (even though we have been in NV for
only 3 months). God has blessed us.
We are so looking forward to returning back “home.” We have been in contact with people in the church. We even got to see a family from there last
night when Pastor Romeu returned from spending a week in NV. They bought a car in JM and came to get
it. They are special friends of ours and
it was a joy to hug their necks and enjoy a meal together.
Our health is good and getting better by the day. We know we are approaching a busy season and
it will require a lot from us. But we
are determined to keep our priorities in line!
·
keeping our time with and relationship with God
our number 1 priority
·
guarding our prayer time together for the church
·
listening to Him intently as to the direction He
wants to go with the church
· building deeper relationships
·
building a leadership team
I am so grateful for those of you who give so generously. Without you, I could not be here. I know that is has been a challenging time
economically for all of us. Unbelievably
the cost of living is higher than it was in the Amazon. I have noted a drop in our monthly giving,
and it has been a squeeze, but God is faithful.
Please join me in prayer that our financial giving will increase, and
that God would pour out His blessing and provision to all!
I am also grateful for those of you who faithfully pray for
me and Nayara. Where we live is a stronghold
for the devil, but we are moving forward in advancing God’s Kingdom. We are praying for deliverance for those who
have been under the bondage of darkness.
This warfare in the spirit is real.
Both Nayara and I have sensed the strongholds and the devil is not happy
that we are here, BUT God has led us here and He is greater than the
devil! Thank you, thank you for praying
for us! We are praying for you!
Please tell your friends about the work that God is doing
here in Nova Viçosa and let them know how they can join our team. I would love to talk with them! I pray God’s richest blessing upon all of you
faithful servants!
Love you!
Lisa (and Nayara)
