September 1, 2007

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We greet you once again from sunny Brazil. I understand that most of you have had a hot dry summer there also. We are in the midst of our hot dry spell here and it is causing a lot of sickness. I am presently battling a bout of bronchitis, which has almost turned into pneumonia. After two days of strong antibiotics, I am starting to feel a little stronger.

This month we have worked basically in three of the works. We helped out at the Altos do Coxipo Church, where the pastor is battling kidney stones. We spent a four-day trip to Diamantino to help out there. Since we have left there the preacher's wife has been in the hospital with her back. She needs an orthopedic mattress and they do not have the means to purchase it. This we will do with the "As Needed Funds" you so generously give each month. They are doing a good work there and are very faithful. We were exposed to a lot of dust there, which I believe caused my health problems. Ursula got eaten up with mosquitoes there, but is over that.

In the absence of the pastor who went on a short vacation, we have been preaching some at the Boa Esperanca Church this month also. That church loves the truth and it is always a joy to be able to be with them. We are saddened to find out this morning that the precious wife of Pastor Miqueas Santos of the Chacara dos Pinheiros Church has had a recurrence of cancer. Five years ago, she had cancer in the jawbone, which spread up into her head. Through treatments and surgery, she recuperated. Now she has small malignant tumors in both lungs. She is in the cancer hospital in Sao Paulo and they are sending her back up here to Cuiaba without doing surgery. It doesn't look good. Pray for her. Her name is Teresa Santos. Also, Pastor Ernesto Jr. is down with a kidney stone. He has been suffering for three days and has completely stopped urinating. We are doing all we can to get him to treatment. Here it is difficult. Once again, your offerings are helping us to be able to help them.

We are trying to get healthy so we can take off for a five-day trip to Primavera do Leste on the 5th of this month. I am to preach a revival there from Thursday through Sunday. By the time you read this, it will be history. We baptized five at the Boa Esperanca Church this month. We pray that the Lord will bless all of you. Surely He cometh quickly!

In Him,

Harold and Ursula Draper