Newsletter December

Dear friends,

I don't know about y'all but for me the time is absolutely flying. Now don't say it is only because of age(but in my case it may be). It's totally amazing to me how AWESOME and gracious is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. He gives to us these many and abundant blessings, our health, home, happiness. and family. And on top of that He permits us to be a part of His AWESOME work, not needing us at all, but using us just the same. AWESOME!!!! Thanks Father.

Here in our city, Caraguatatuba the weather is constantly changing and in some cases at the same time. As I was driving into town this week at our home it was clear, one click down the road it was raining, the edge of town the sun was shinning and in town it was completely fogged in and I could hardly see. Needless to say our climate is really changing in relationship to past history and it has been doing so for the past 2 months. It rains almost daily and it is not the rainy season. However, life goes on and so does the ministry here.

The school is progressing or should I say the dorm at this time is under construction and progressing well considering the very wet weather. We have been working on the front of the dorm on the porch area. We are almost ready to pour the concrete floor. While we are in this slow mode we are cleaning some of the machines and doing maintenance. Our block making machine is getting a work out and requires a lot of lubrication and rust prevention, so we constantly do this so we can get the best results when making the blocks.

Our Sunday School ministry is really suffering at this time as we are without a bus to transport the children. We are using the van but with the limited space we can only transport a limited number. However the other Wednesday night as we were coming home from pray service I counted 29 adults and children ( this in a van with the capacity of 16) and I am sure that I missed a few small heads. As our ministry here involves several different neighborhoods the bus plays an essential part. As we are saving, shopping and praying for a new bus we ask for your participation in this project, whether you can be a giver or a prayer warrior because both are needed. The search for a good buss is showing us that the project will be an expensive one but our Lord solves small problems like that all the time. As I said the lack of the bus is hurting the Sunday School and I feel that the future of the Church is our children it is critical for us to have a bus. So watch and pray with us and together we will see what a great God we serve.

Our Mission Points are doing well and the Seminary here will complete this semester in two more weeks and will inter into our Summer break. This is the time for the Brasilian people to take vacations as in our summer there in the States. As a result our attendance suffers greatly but as a compensation we have many visitors in attendance.

I have had the privilege to preach in the city of São Paulo this month. One of our sister Churches had it's 42nd anniversary and I was invited to preach. The only down side to this is that driving in the heart of São Paulo is terrible. It is like being in a go-cart race with one wheel missing from your go-cart. Every car wants to be in the same spot at the same time. I took the van and 15 teenagers from our Church and we made the trip just fine.

Sometimes we forget just how effective our prayers really are. This past week Barbara and I finally got our permanent visa cards for here in Brasil. We have been in this process for 11 years and it is supposed to be a 2 year process. Now we can minister here without the cloud over our head that at any minute we could be sent back to the States. Thanks to all for the prayers and support over the years in this matter.

Well as December is beginning and the new year is near we want to wish Gods blessings on all and would like to thank everyone personally for your financial help and assistance this year. It is because of your generosity that we can remain on the field. As the following year promises to be even more challenging financially for you there we want to thank you in advance for continuing to support Baptist Faith Missions as it is through them that we do what we do here.

Again we can only say thanks and God bless you all and Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.

As we will be coming home in February we can talk face to face about your trip down to Caraguatatuba this year.I am sure that you will love our second home, Brasil and you need to see what God is doing here with your mission dollars.

In His service,
Aj and Barb
C.P.1151
Caraguatatuba, São Paulo
11672-300
e-mail: ajcaragua@gmail.com
phone:011-5512-3888-4189

Newsletter November

Dear friends and family,

We have finally gotten into our new home but there are lots of boxes and things spread all over the place. The worst thing is that we are without a phone and e-mail, so we at]re a little bit cut off from the outside world. We are having to do this letter at a LAN house.

But in all this we serve an AWESOME Good. Our second grand daughter has arrived even though it was a little early all is well. Mary's blood pressure went up pretty high and the Doctor decided to do a cesarean. So Chelsea Isabell Hensley Quaresma arrived on the 30th of October weighing 9 pounds and 1 ounce. Mother and dad and baby are doing fine and back at home at this writing.She is our second grand daughter as Bryan and Jill gave us Briley Alaine in January and you know what everyone says is true, being a grandpa is wonderful!!!

This month we have continued the work on the dorm at the School property. Progress is a little slow as we are making the block for the building. We had some block that the Heritage Church group made but those are all used so we are making more as we need them. This helps in the out lay for the building and also teaches another profession. The walls are up to shoulder height and now we must take a week off the construction to make the next batch or block.

With the School and the tools and equipment we have on site it has make the construction possible. Without those resources this building would have cost prohibitive.It's AWESOME how the Lord provides and sustains.

The family that is living with us waiting their visa to go to the States are in the second step of the progress. They are waiting for the interview in Rio for them to receive their approval. Pay with us and them that all goes well.

Yes we have moved into the new house but there is still lots to be done. The inside is about 85% done and the outside is about 40% done. But here in Brasil the biggest part or homes are not finished on the outside so we just blend right in. .

The rain has been a factor, but not a stopping factor, we simply work around it. And with a mention of the weather this is not really our rainy season but the the past 6 weeks we have had lots of rain.But in spite of it all we are going forward with the two projects.

We have been having workings on Saturdays for one of the widows of our Church. She was evicted from her home and is now trying to build. The house is about 1/3 complete and the members are helping with labor and some supplies. Here we are completing on of our Biblical duties, helping the widows and orphans. Yes I did not say that she has 6 children from the age of 4 years to 16 years of age.She also has some medical issues so this would be one of our great request for prayer"Gloria and her children and the construction of their home.

We made another our of town evangelical trip this month to the mission point in Natividade da Serra. The van was full of our church members and they had a hot day of door to door evangelism. It is always good to see God working in our members as well as those folks there in another town. The pastor there is George and his wife is Alda. Remember them and their work in your prayers also.

We are planning to come to the States in Feb for a couple of months to do some visiting and see our family there. So if you would like to hear about the work here face to face please contact us and we will try to get to your Church to give you a report about how God is using your faithful giving. We solicite your help and prayers as always and want to thank everyone for their support for B.F.M. and us personally. This work( our ministry) is here because of YOU.

As always our door is open and we would like to show you our beautiful Brasil. So when are you coming?!!?

In His service,

Aj and Barb