August Newsletter

October 24, 2024

Painting

In July and August, we worked on painting the entryway, reception area, and children's room of the church. I really got nostalgic thinking back on how painting has been a staple in ministry and service. In just about every country and ministry I have been a part of, we have painted churches, homes, rooms, furniture, just about everything. And often because we are restoring something for new use. Our current church building used to be a school, and little by little it is becoming more beautiful, welcoming, and useful for ministry.

Ana

While we were painting at the church, I was checking the mail slot everyday because I am the church treasurer and we hadn't received the electricity bill yet for the month. I never found the electricity bill (I figured out a way to pay it online), but instead one day there was a handwritten note from a woman named Ana. She had recently moved to the neighborhood and her husband was unexpectedly unemployed. She was asking if we had any food pantry type food essentials to donate to her family. I got in touch with her through text and explained that we didn't have anything on hand at the moment but we'd like to take some groceries to her house the following week. We got to talking and I invited her to the women's event we were having the next day. She said she'd love to participate, but she didn't have a nice enough dress to wear. I explained that we don't require dresses at our church and she could wear whatever she was comfortable in.

Ana has since confessed that she planned on attending that one event, getting some groceries, and never stepping in the church again. Instead, she ended up going home after the event and telling her husband that she found the most amazing church for their family. She felt so loved and welcomed, and then learned so much from God during the event she couldn't wait to go back the next day for Sunday service. In the following weeks, we were able to take their family groceries, a Bible, and clothes from our rummage sale. They started participating in our discipleship program. It's been challenging, but the good kind of challenging that has helped them grow as a couple and as parents. In a couple short months, God has transformed their hearts and family.

Thyroid Health

As always, thank you for your continued prayers for me and my health. A couple years ago, I was diagnosed with Hashimoto's disease, an auto-immune condition that attacks the thyroid. A common symptom of Hashimoto's is thyroid nodules that are almost never cancerous. We've been keeping an eye on mine over the last couple years, and one was growing at a rate where the doctor thought it would be prudent to do a biopsy just to double check. There were some difficulties with my health insurance, but everything worked out eventually and the results came back as benign, no cancer. I told my mom it was just one more for Brazil health bingo. She politely asked me to burn my Brazil health bingo cards, which is honestly fair.

We are still in the process of finding the right dosage for my thyroid medicine, but it's just small adjustments. Overall everything is going well. I am so grateful for my doctors and health care here in Brazil.

My post-biopsy bruise

Prayer Requests

Please pray for Ana, her husband Pedro, and their family as they continue to grow in their relationships with God.

Pray for our pastoral and leadership teams that we would make meaningful connections in our community with people who need God's transformative love.

Praise God for my health and thyroid treatment.

Photo Dump

I got to preach at the women's event about the importance of God's word in our lives

Heliene crocheted the cutest Bible keychains for the women

The most popular snack at the women's event was this canjica.
It's a sweet corn pudding with peanuts and white hominy.
Perfect comfort food for a cold evening!