October 1, 2006

Hello friends and family,

The new mission point is now a reality. Two weeks ago we had the inauguration service and it being the first Baptist Church in the area we consider it an AWESOME success. We had an attendance of 51 people and God blessed with one soul saved. Her name is Fatima and she is the mother of two. Please remember to pray for her. The preacher and his wife have been working in the town for about a month prior to the opening of the work, getting to know the town, the people and the officials there. The mayor has offered his assistance in any way that is needed. This is a grand opportunity to get into the schools and the parks to preach the Gospel. The opening of the work was delayed for the cleaning of the building and the painting also. The women of the Church with Barbara went and cleaned and with the cleaning we saw that it needed some paint. We had five men from Atlantic Shores Baptist Church in Virginia come down and they and I painted the Church and some of the preacher's residence. But the wait was worth it as God sent us Fatima to hear and receive the Lord as Savior.

Fatima, new convert at Natividide da Serrah

If you could gauge the growth of the work on the enthusiasm of the workers you would say that this work would be one of the fastest growing ever because George and Alda are full of excitement about the work. They are visiting and having services in the homes of believers there. Now they have the building and the people know that there will be someone to preach regularly there is no stopping them. Just a little about George: he has been involved in our Church here in Caraguatatuba for four years and has attended six semesters of our seminary. He and his wife Alda have three girls, two of which are working and studying in another city and the youngest is attending school in Sao Paulo.

Our visitors from Virginia did not stop with the painting in Natividade da Serra, they also laid tile and grouted the tile in the Church building in Olaria. Also they spent some days in the Second Chance Vocational School making benches and podiums for the new works. Also they participated in giving food baskets to many needy families in our Church.

In the neighborhood of Olaria we have 5 young people working with the children there. The first week they had 17 children attend their Bible school, the next week there was 23 the third 31 and the fourth 47 and on the fifth week they had 43 kids. Here is living proof that young people have the ability to make a wonderful difference -- an eternal difference. This work they are doing is showing results even in the main Church as the children are coming on Sunday.

Bible school at Olaria

I have been invited to speak in a sister Church this coming weekend in Sao Paulo. The pastor there is a personal friend and we will be spending the weekend with him and his family. His Church is entering into their second year of "Faith Promise giving" and he wants me to preach on this.

We request that you and your Churches pray for us as we are doing His ministry here in Caraguatatuba, Brasil. We now have eight mission points and the Vocational School. Our Seminary is down to only thirteen students but these are faithful. We continue because we feel that this is one way to train the leaders of the future here in Brasil.

As always our door is always open for you and yours to visit. We just ask that you turn off the light and shut the door when you enter.

In His service,

Aj and Barbara