January 3, 2006

Dear Friends,

Here in Caraguatatuba, we have had a very busy month and have been very blessed. Barbara and I would like to take this time to THANK each and every one of you who have prayed for us and also who have supported us financially throughout the year. We would also like to wish each and every one a blessed and happy new year.

We had a wonderful New Year's service. We began with praising the Lord in song and continued with the Word. Then we had a baptismal service and baptized eleven new members into our body. When the old year came to an end, we were on our knees praying it out and the new one in. It is AWESOME to be with God's people, praising Him and starting a new year with Him.

As we look back on the old year, we can see the need to work more intently because of the condition of the world. We have many plans to enter into this new year, working harder to see the Gospel spread here in Brazil.

We have been very busy in construction this month. We started the Church building in Olariea and as this letter is being written, we have three walls completed. This is an all masonry construction and the weather has been affecting our work. Even though it has rained almost every evening or night during this construction, the Lord has greatly blessed the progress. We have been using five young men (boys), myself, and two bricklayers in this construction until now. This weekend we are planning a WORKING - with the people of the church participating. With their help, we are planning to move a lot of dirt into the floor and maybe, maybe start putting on the roof. We hope to have lots of volunteers in the following two weeks and this will help speed the progress. Pray for us in this effort. I am having a good time working as I am meeting many people there in the neighborhood and making many friends. It seems that every day someone stops and starts up a conversation. I get to tell them that we are building a church and talk to them about Christ.

We try to start our day around 8 o'clock on the job site. Here our first order of business is to gather in and pray. The timing is great as many mothers and children are passing on their way to school. The school is just about five lots below ours or about a football field away. Here again the Lord took care of location for us when we tell people where our church is, we can use the school as a reference point.

I am trying to keep a day-by-day photo record of this construction. I will try and send some pictures for the next month's Mission Sheet.

We are enjoying our daughter Mary being here with us for the holidays. It will be a tearful trip to the airport next week, but we don't have to think about that until next week.

This new year has begun well here in Caraguatatuba, with the wonderful baptism at church and the construction on the new church building. What we need for this year from you is more of the same: Prayer, Prayer, Prayer. And don't forget that our doors are always open for YOU to come visit and see what God is doing with your mission dollars.

In His service,

AJ and Barb