August, 2005

Dear friends,

Another month has passed and I feel like it has been only several days. I don't know if the fast passing of time has anything to do with age or hard work or maybe a little of both. This month we have been blessed with visitors from Manaus and Garca. We have had various projects started and others completed.

In construction it has been a very busy month. The first week of the month was devoted to getting the wood trusses up and secured. If you have never worked with rough green wood you can't imagine the work and energy to get it all in place. But after a lot of blisters and sore backs we got it in place and ready for the next stage. We also got the covering on and that was a major undertaking (but through it all, what got the results is simply FAITH. We know who is in charge and it is through Him that all things are possible). As we were putting the asbestos roofing on, it rained for 3 days. Here was a small test of faith--thoroughly wet at the end of the week--BUT-- the shop area is under roof.

In ministry we have been trying to accommodate the growth in our Sunday School program. We had 112 children in our breakfast program this Sunday and then add adults into that and you will see the growth. We are having two Sunday School classes in the area where we feed the children and another class had 33 children in it this week. We need more classrooms and there is no more room inside the Church to create them. I am not complaining at all-- just glorifying our Lord and Savior, He gives the increase.

Here is were we need your help: we need to expand, remodel, and add on. These are great problems to have, are they not? Pray to give us insight to solve these problems. One possibility is this: there is a lot beside our Church that is for sale but it is greatly overpriced. This lot would alleviate our problems if we could afford to buy it. All things are possible with God!!! This is the prayer request--that God would provide the means to purchase this property for us to use it for His glory.

Our missions are all doing well. One is outgrowing its meeting place so the Church has bought a piece of property to build a building. This is another need. It will take time for us to be able to build as we wait on the money for this building. Our newest mission is in Salesopolis and it is beginning to have people coming to the meetings. Up until this week the only people in attendance were the pastor and his wife and us. But through perseverance, visitation, and lots of prayer God, is sending the harvest. We were aware that there would be problems in this town as there was not a Baptist Church there and the Catholic Church is very predominant there. But all things are in His timing and we must wait patiently on this.

New work at Salesopolis

As you know, for us to be successful here we are dependent on God first and then on you, your constant prayers, and your help financially. As it has been said, "prayer is not overcoming God's reluctance, but laying hold of God's willingness". PRAY! GOD DELIGHTS TO ANSWER.

As always we want to invite you to come down and see how your mission dollars are being spent. In reality this invitation is just a sly way to get you down here and put you to work but it has been working as various people continue to come. So if you want to be a part of this work just come on down.

In His service,

Aj and Barb