August Newsletter

Friends and Family,

Well, here it is a lot like winter. Our temperatures drop into the low 60s at night and I see people out in the mornings with big overcoats. But I must confess as of late I an feeling the chill more. Usually I´m in a short sleeve shirt and others are in winter clothing. We have had an abundance of rain---more than normal, and this contributes a little to the chill. Oh, by the way the rain is helping our roads, the holes are becoming much bigger. Mostly now we have holes with a little asphalt around them. I'm afraid sometimes to enter a watter puddle because you don't know if it has a bottom in it or not.

After our visit to the States in February I replaced the suspension on the pick-up. Well this past week I had to have it replaced again. Our vehicles really get abused here just from regular use. While on the topic of vehicles, the van is now doing triple duty. Wednesday nights route for the church and Sundays are double. Two trips in the morning and two at night. This is a good problem to have. Looks like we are in need of a bus for the new Church. Pray for this need with
us.

We have been visiting with several families with health problems (cancer patients) all men. Although 2 are terminal we are having wonderful visits. We visited yesterday in a small home and there was 4 generations and several neighbors. It was really wonderful to be able
to share the gospel in so many different areas. It is 2:30 at night and we have just gotten home from the home of the second terminal patient he went home to be with Christ this evening. I had the privilege of leading him to the Lord last month so his home going is not so bad for the family because they have the assurance that he is home with the Lord.Here in Brasil there is no embalming so the funeral will be at 9:00 in the morning and we are making arrangements to make the 3 hour trip to another city for the funeral. Pray for this family as they confront the loss of a husband and father.

One of the students in the Vocational School will begin training in as key shop here in the city this month. He will go to regular school for half of the day then go to the key shop for the other half. After he learns the trade of making keys he will trade places with on of the other students and will enter into another aspect of his training. We are able to continue the construction on the dormitory for the school thanks to the generosity of one of our supporters there in the States. So it looks like we will be able to start housing the students but the first of next year if all goes well. You never make concrete plans here as things change daily. This is one of the aspects of a foreign country that is hard to adapt to but I keep working at it.

With this new Church start there are many prayer request,pray for the construction, the visitation, the meetings, the building needs, the need for a bus, for physical strength and just for the work in general. This past Sunday night we had 83 people in attendance. How Awesome is that!!! This month we are able to lay the tile in the auditorium of the Church. We are going slow on the work as we are paying for the material as the money comes in. I preached on tithing this week and the income has picked up so we will be able to do several more things this month.

As you can see there is lots of ministry to be done and because of this we need lots of prayer. So continue to pray for us and ask God what part He would like for you to play in this ministry.

Start planning your trip down to visit us here in Caraguatatuba because you need to see what God is doing with your donations here and we could use your help in all of the areas mentioned above. Let us know and we will turn the bed down and put out clean towels and a mint on your pillow. Come on down!!!

In His service,
Aj and Barbara