OCTOBER 2014

  So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers. Acts 16:5

Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,

Greetings from your coworkers to the Portuguese-Speaking World!

As we work with the churches BROLM (Brazil River of Life Ministries) has planted in Brazil and the two new church plants, Fortaleza and Recife, it is tremendous to see the churches being strengthened in faith and growing.

Let us share with you some ministry highlights:

Natalia’s and Orli’s Wedding

July 5th, I (Jeff) was blessed with the opportunity to celebrate Natalia’s and Orli’s wedding. We've known Natalia since 1994 (she was 6 years-old), when her Mom (Sonia) and her older brother (Felipe), who is an elder in training, became members of the Pirituba Church. We met Orli a year ago and we are praying for his conversion. He comes from a family that split because of religion.

New Members – Pirituba Church

July 6 we received the Cardoso Oliveira family as new members at the Pirituba Church. Jefferson and Andrea have 5 boys (Daniel – 16  Bruno – 14, Andre – 12, Estevam – 9 and Calebe – 8 months-old). For about a year this family was without a home church, they started attending Pirituba in March 2014, when Calebe was only one month-old. They were invited by Mauro, one of the elders at Pirituba Church. At this opportunity we also presented Calebe to the Lord. What a blessing!

 Corn Festival – Pirituba Church

Every year in July the Pirituba Church promotes an outreach called Corn Festival. It is corn harvest in Brazil at the end of fall and the beginning of winter. For several days the ladies from the church get together to bake corn breads, cakes, soup, etc. During the festival we receive several people from the Pirituba area; there is live music and Pirituba members handout invitations for people to come to church. It is hard work to put the Corn Festival together; however it is always rewarding to see people come to church because of the festival.

Jessica’s and Lucas’s Wedding

July 19th,  I (Jeff) was honored to celebrate Ruben’s (minister at Jundia Church) daughter Jessica’s wedding. We have known Jessica since 2002 and Lucas since 2011. Lucas is the worship leader at the Jundia church.

New Church Plant in Fortaleza

July 21st-23rd, I (Jeff) went to Fortaleza, to visit Brother Pedro and his family, and to meet the brothers and sisters that are planting the new church in the Montense and Vila União neighborhoods in the city of Fortaleza, State of Ceará.

Monday afternoon I met with two other ministers with whom Pedro has helped plant churches: Amadeu from the Timbó Church and Josemar Quintino from the Cunha Church.

Monday night I spoke to a small group that meets at the Timbó Church and had a meeting with the church leadership.

Tuesday morning we visited several tourist sites in Fortaleza and on Tuesday afternoon we met with a few of the group that is planting the new church at Montense and Vila União with Pedro and his family. The church plant location is a challenge because Montense is a middle-class neighborhood and Vila União is a slum. The church that is meeting at Pedro’s house is right on the division between the two neighborhoods. Pray for this new church!

Tuesday evening I spoke at a home group from the Quintino Cunha Church, Pedro has worked helping Josemar plant this church in the last 3 years and the church is doing very well. All of these churches are planted based on small groups.

New Church Plant in Recife

On Wednesday, July 23rd, I traveled to Recife by plane to meet Brother Bruno, his wife Luciene and the members of the church they are planting in Areias, Recife, capital of the state of Pernambuco. The Areias church was meeting in homes. In March 2014, they rented a small building and started meeting on Sundays and Wednesdays at the rental location. However, they still have home groups during the week.

Wednesday evening I spoke at the church service and met the members of this new church plant. It was a great celebration!

Thursday we had lunch with Starla Azevedo, David Sanders' daughter who works with Brazil Christian Mission. In the afternoon we saw many tourists’ sites in Recife and in the evening I spoke at one of the home groups.

 “Hands On” Bible College

The plans to institute “Hands On” Bible College in Angola, Guinea Bissau, and Portugal have been changed to the first semester of 2015. Also, we plan to institute the “Hands On” Bible College at all BROLM churches in Brazil including the two new church plants in Fortaleza and Recife in 2015. Another exciting opportunity is the possibility of offering the “Hands On” Bible College online in 2015. The budget for BROLM to offer “Hands On” Bible College throughout the Portuguese-Speaking World and online for 2015 is $13,860; we have $3,860 for this purpose, so we still need to raise $10,000 to reach this goal.

Available to Speak

We are available to speak and visit our supporters from October 1 to December 31. Here is our present schedule:

Nov 1-2 – First Christian Church Johnson City, TN

Nov 13-16 – ICOM in Columbus, OH (Exhibit 1105)

Nov 30 – Seymour Heights Christian Church

God is doing great things through BRoLM, and your prayers and support are vital! Please continue to pray so the Lord will use BRoLM more and more for His honor and glory!

May the Lord richly bless you in Christ Jesus!

God is good, all the time; and He is acting among us!

In HIS Love and Service,

Thanks for praying for us!

Jeff & Monica Fife

JULY 2014

6 Humble yourselves, therefore, under God's mighty hand, that he may lift you up in due time. 7 Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you. 1 Peter 5:6-7 (NIV)

Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,

Greetings from your coworkers to the Portuguese-Speaking World!

Every time we have to make decisions 1 Peter 5:6-7 is one of the many verses that comes’ to our mind. As we make decisions, we what to humble under God’s mighty hand, because we know that if we are obedient to His will at due time He will lift us up, and we know that we can cast all our anxiety on Him because He cares for us.

During the last few months we been asking for your prayers for the mission trips to Mozambique, Angola, Portugal and Guinea Bissau the purpose of these mission trips to these Portuguese-Speaking countries is to help launch the “Hands-On” Bible College so more and more church leaders can be trained for the Kingdom.

We have received a request from Angola to postpone the travel plans from August to November, so we are considering the possibilities to change the travel plans to November, however we would need to change the travel plans to Mozambique too, since it is less expense to visit two countries in one trip.

Another concern that we have is the travel plans to Guinea Bissau in September, since Guinea Bissau is going through a civil war again. One more concern is that Occidental Africa that includes Angola and Guinea Bissau has an Ebola epidemic and 90% of those that has the Ebola virus dies.

Please, pray so we will make God’s decision about these travel plans.

Let us share with you some ministry highlights:

Fellowship Dinner - Pirituba

 On June 1 the Pirituba Church promoted a Fellowship Dinner for the members, their families and friends. Many visitors came and after the dinner we had a great service. It was a blessing!

 Jonathan’s and Alessandra’s Wedding

 We were very blessed with the opportunity to go to Goiania for Robert’s (Jeff’s older brother, missionary in Portugal) son Jonathan wedding in Goiania on June 8. It was a great opportunity to see many members of the family, many friends and Brothers and Sisters in Christ.

Visit to Valparaiso Church - Goias

 On June 11 I (Jeff) had the opportunity to visit Valparaiso’s

Church, it was a great visit with Bother Edgar (minister at Valparaiso’s Church) and his family. In the evening I had the pleasure of preaching at their Wednesday Service. BROLM helped plant Valparaiso Church in 2005. 

 Visit to Santos Dumont Church – Santa Maria – Destrito Federal

Thursday June 12, I (Jeff) had the opportunity to visit Brother Luis (minister at Santos Dumont Church) and his family. BROLM helped plant Santos Dumont Church in 2003.

 Sao Mateus Church

 On June 26, Sao Mateus Church promoted a meeting for couples. At this meeting I (Jeff) spoke about an Ideal Family That God Loves, focusing who husbands and wives should treat each other.

“Hands-On” Bible College Graduation

In 2009 we started a new curriculum at the “Hands-On” Bible College at Campo Limpo Paulista Church where students from Campo Limpo Paulista and Jundiai Churches study. After 4 years 7 students concluded their studies, and we are very proud of them. The students are Ruben Daniel Oliveira Rodrigues (minister at Jundiai Church), Marcio Ricardo Gut (elder at Jundiai Church), Gabriel Augusto de Paula (elder in training at Jundiai Church), Wagner Sandro Moreira (elder in training at Jundiai Church), Valdecir Antonio (elder in training at Jundiai Church), Jose Aparecido Simonette (minister at Campo Limpo Paulista Church) and Domingos Paulo de Matos (elder at Campo Limpo Paulista Church).

We are very proud of these students that stayed firm until the end and did not give up. Our goal for the next year is to continue with the “Hands-On Bible Colleges in Campo Limpo Paulista and Mozambique and launch the “Hands-On” Bible College at all Brazil River Life Churches in Brazil at Angola, Guinea Bissau and Portugal.

The 2014 class decided to honor my father, Tom Fife, which taught the first class, Hermeneutics. Thus the 2014 and first graduating class of the “Hands-On” Bible College was names “Thomas W Fife”. Dads did a video for the graduation ceremony so he could greed and thank the class for honoring him, it was a great ceremony.

We would like to thank with all our heart to those that has believe on the “Hands-On” Bible College ministry and has invested through prayers and financial gifts so the “Hands-On” Bible College possible.

Available to Speak

We are available to speak and visit our supporters from October 1 to December 8. Here is our present schedule:

Oct 23 – Colonial Heights Christian Church, TN

Nov 1-2 – First Christian Church Johnson City, TN

Nov 13-16 – ICOM (International Conference on Missions) in Columbus, OH (Exhibit 1105)

God is doing great things through BRoLM, and your prayers and support are vital! Please continue to pray so the Lord will use BRoLM more and more for His honor and glory!

May the Lord richly bless you in Christ Jesus!

God is good, all the time; and He is acting among us!

In HIS Love and Service,

Thanks for praying for us!

Jeff & Monica Fife

GIFTS TO REMEMBER

Gifts received from April 1to June 30, 2014

IN MEMORY OF                     DONATED FROM

Dorothy Young                            Harry Young

Nancy Knowles Birthday            Jim Knowles

IN HONOR OF                       DONATED FROM

Jeff and Monica's graduation                     Richard and Peggy Ziglar

JUNE 2014

So the church throughout all Judea and Galilee and Samaria had peace and was built up; and walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit it was multiplied. Acts 9:31 (RSV) 

Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,

Greetings from your coworkers to the Portuguese-Speaking World!

After Saul’s conversion the church enjoyed a time of peace (Acts 9:31), however we find in this verse four characteristics of an Ideal Church: (1) It builds up through the Word and love (Rm 15:1-7,13-14); (2) It walks in the fear of the Lord (1 Pe 1:15-17); (3) It is guide by the Holy Spirit (Jo 14:16-17,26); and (4) It multiplies (Ac 8:4). This is our goal as we plant church throughout the Portuguese-Speaking World, churches that it are built firm on God’s Word and love, that walks in the fear of the Lord, that is guide by the Holy Spirit and that will multiplied taking God’s Good News to all Nations in Jesus name.

Let us share with you some ministry highlights:

Mother’s Day

I a Latin America society Mother’s Day is a huge celebration, thus the churches in Brazil had dinners, presentations, special messages, gifts to all the mothers and more. It is always a big highlight and a great opportunity for evangelism, many mothers, especially grandmas and aunts, comes to church on Mother’s Day so they can see the children’s presentation.

 Church at Sao Mateus – Sao Paulo

Brother Giberto, pastor at Sao Mateus church, wife Patricia was blessed with the opportunity to write a book with daily devotionals with other Christian Women from several other churches that was published in May. Patricia is a school teacher; she is responsible for the Woman’s ministries at Sao Mateus church and is Gilberto’s right arm.

 Brother Gilberto finished his chaplaincy degree and was the patron of his class. The graduation was in May. We are very proud of Gilberto’s dedication and growth in the last 9 years that he been part of Brazil River of Life MInistries; he has done a great job at Sao Mateus church. Gilberto owns a Gypsum Company and does many decorations at homes and businesses. 

 Church at Valparaiso - Goias

Brother Edgar, pastor at Valpariso church reported 4 baptisms in May. Valparaiso Church has started this year to work with home groups and these are the first fruits of a youth home group lead by Edgar’s daughter Estefane. What a blessing!

 To Brazil

Monica, Isaac and I (Jeff) left to Brazil on May 22. Our trip was great and we are looking forward to a very productive summer (winter in Brazil). Roger stayed in East Tennessee so he can work during the summer, he will be a senior at Milligan College on the fall and he is already applying for graduate studies so he can start in the fall of 2015. Please, pray that God will open the doors for Roger, that he will be safe and blessed during the summer.

 Leadership Meeting

On May 24 we meet with the ministers from the churches at Campo Limpo Paulista, Jundiai and Sao Mateus and their wives at our home. It was a very productive meeting, we heard their reports, their needs and we made many plans for the near future.

 Church at Bom Retiro

The church in Bom Retiro was planted in August 2010 as a Korean/ Portuguese church, however, in the last 6 months many Brazilians and second and third generations of Koreans in Brazil started to come to the Bom Retiro church. Thus, on May 25 we met to see the possibilities of having a service in Korean and a service in Portuguese on Sundays. In June we are experimenting the possibility of having the Korean Service and a Sunday School in Portuguese at 11 a.m., lunch for all at 12:30 p.m.  and a Portuguese Service and a Korean Sunday School at 2 p.m.. If everyone approves this experience, July on we will establish these new Services and Sunday School hours.

 Graduation

Monica graduate from Milligan College on May 10 on Fine Arts with Cum Laud. Monica is a true trooper, never giving up, after the brain tumor in 2008; she decided to continue her education, in 2010 Dr. Don Jeans (deceased and Milligan’s President at that time), blessed her with a full scholarship. In 2012 Monica had a generalized infection and lost the fall semester and as she was recuperating she took 2 classes on the 2013 spring semester, however, she kept going and so she could graduate this spring she took 18.5 credits this semester. We are very proud of her!

Please, pray for our travel plans, here are our current plans:

August 11-18 Mozambique; August 18-25 Angola; September 15-22 Guinea Bissau; September 22-29 Portugal

20/50 Campaign

We've been very blessed with some one-time gifts and some increases from those who currently support us, and we are very thankful. Praise the Lord we are half way on our campaign, however, we still need $500 per month to reach BROLM's 2014 budget. Thus, we still need 10 new or current individuals/churches to start/increase their support with $50 or more a month.  Please pray and consider participating in this challenge. Help us reach this goal!  Thanks!

 Available to Speak

We are available to speak and visit our supporters from October 1 to December 8. Here is our present schedule:

Oct 23 – Colonial Heights Christian Church, TN

Nov 1-2 – First Christian Church Johnson City, TN

Nov 13-16 – ICOM (International Conference on Missions) in Columbus, OH (Exhibit 1105)

God is doing great things through BRoLM, and your prayers and support are vital! Please continue to pray so the Lord will use BRoLM more and more for His honor and glory!

May the Lord richly bless you in Christ Jesus!

God is good, all the time; and He is acting among us!

In HIS Love and Service,

Thanks for praying for us!

 Jeff & Monica Fife

May 22, 2014

Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,

Greetings from your coworkers to the Portuguese-Speaking World!

We leave today (5/22) to Brazil at 5:27 pm and we should be in Sao Paulo at 6:30 am tomorrow.

We have prepared a list of Prayer Requests that we would like to ask you to pray with us for them!

Prayer Requests:

Ø  Travel Mercies:

·            May 22 Jeff, Monica and Isaac Leave to Brazil

·            August 5 Monica and Isaac Back to USA

·            August 11-18 Jeff – Mozambique

·            August 18-25 Jeff – Angola

·            August 28 Jeff Back to USA

·            September 15-22 Jeff and Monica – Guinea Bissau

·            September 22-29 Jeff and Monica – Portugal

·            September 30 Jeff and Monica Back to USA

Ø  “Hands On” Bible College

·            Continuation in Brazil and Mozambique

·            Implementation in Angola, Portugal and Guinea Bissau

Ø  Brazil New Church Plant Resources For

·            Fortaleza (Pedro)

·            Recife (Bruno)

·            Varzea Paulista (Marcio)

Ø    Brazil Churches and Leaders that we will be working directly during this summer

·            Bom Retiro (Choi)

·            Campinas (Vinicius)

·            Campo Limpo Paulista (Jose)

·            Jundiai (Ruben)

·            Pirituba (Jeff)

·            Santos Dumont (Luis)

·            São Mateus (Gilberto)

·            Valparaiso (Edgar)

Ø  Mozambique Kleber and Juracema

·            Hope School (1054 students)

·            Hope Home (28 Boys and 32 Girls)

·            72 Churches and its leaders

Ø  Jeff, Monica and Isaac

·            Health

·            Safety

Ø  Roger

·            Protection – Roger will stay in the USA

Ø  Most Important

·       For all that we do and say will honor the Lord, that He will guide our paths and that His Kingdom will be enrich through our lives and Brazil River of Life Ministries.

Please, don’t forget that we are available to speak and visit our supporters from October 1 to December 8. Here is our present schedule:

·         Oct 23 – Colonial Heights Christian Church, TN

·         Nov 1-2 – First Christian Church Johnson City, TN

·         Nov 13-16 – ICOM (International Conference on Missions) in Columbus, OH (Exhibit 1105)

Please, pick a date for us to visit your congregation as soon as possible and tell us!

If you make purchases on Amazon, please, use Smile Amazon (http://smile.amazon.com/) and chose Brazil River of Life Ministries as your charity organization and Amazon will donate to Brazil River of Life Ministries every time you make a purchase.

Thanks for your prayers and support they are vital for us!

Blessings,

God is good, all the time; and He is acting among us!
In HIS Love and Service,
Jeff & Monica Fife
Missionaries/Executive Directors
BRAZIL RIVER OF LIFE MINISTRIES
Reaching the Portuguese-Speaking World for Christ!
Evangelism - Dicipleship - New Church Plant
P.O. Box 8262 - Gray - TN 37615

E-Mail: fife@BroLm.org or rlm_fifes@hotmail.com Mobile: 423-433-8390 In Brazil: 011-9-9511-2436
Skype jeff.fife  Facebook: Jeff E Monica Fife
Blog: http://brazilriveroflifeministries.blogspot.com/

MAY 2014

Click on the pictures to enlarge them

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness”. Colossians 2:6-7

Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,

Greetings from your coworkers to the Portuguese-Speaking World!

Colossians 2:6-7 urges us to live our lives fully in Christ Jesus being thankful in all situations. This is our primary goal to live in Christ and allowed Christ to live in us as we seek to fulfill His call for our lives, and because He is so graciously to use people like us our hearts are overflowing with thankfulness. 

Let us share with you some ministry highlights:

 Kleber and Juracema

The Brazilian missionaries to the Makua People in Mozambique were in Brazil on furlough and visit the BRoLM (Brazil River of Life Ministries) churches in Sao Paulo on the first week in April. Kleber and Juracema arrived on Tuesday April 1^st. They spoke at one of the home groups in Campo Limpo Paulista on Tuesday, Thursday at Jundiai church, Friday at Campo Limpo Church, Saturday at Sao Mateus church, Sunday 9:30am at Jundiai church, 2pm at Bom Retiro church, at 6pm at Pirituba and at 8pm at Campo Limpo Paulista church. After a busy week speaking in Sao Paulo they went back to Mozambique on Tuesday April 8^th. 

BRoLM Annual Board Meeting 

On April 10 BRoLM board meet. It was a great meeting with a lot of casting vision for the future especially concerning the doors God has open for the “Hands On” Bible College. Tim Shields continues as Chairman, LeAnne Blackmore as Secretary, Jim Knowles as Trustee, Jeff Fife as Executive Director, Monica Fife as Director of Ministries and we welcome Amy Crawford as Treasure. Amy is merry to Tim Crawford, she is a member at First Christian Church in Johnson City, TN, and she is a CPA. We are very thankful for Roger Fife for the time he served helping Elena Coelho in 2012 and for his service in 2013. 

 Resurrection Celebration

 Every year since 2006 BRoLM promotes a big Resurrection Celebration for all the churches in Sao Paulo. On April 20 all the BRoLM churches gathered at a ranch rented by BRoLM for this occasion and had a blessed celebration. The churches lead the worship, Brother Simonette from the Campo Limpo Paulista church preach, Brother Vinicius from the Campinas church did Communion Mediation and Brother Gilberto from Sao Mateus church baptized Fabio Costa and Larissa. After the morning service the churches shared a great lunch with lots of Brazilian steaks and sausages and an afternoon of fellowship. This is a highlight for the churches every year!

 

 

 

 

 

 “Hands On” Bible College

Please continue to pray for the “Hands On” Bible College. On June 28, we will have eight students graduating in Campo Limpo Paulista, Brazil! In August we will teach in Mozambique and launch the “Hands On” Bible College in Angola, in September in Portugal and Guinea Bissau!

Graduation

I (Jeff) was honor to graduate from Johnson University - Intercultural Studies (MA) – on April 25. Monica will graduate from Milligan College – Fine Arts (BA) – on May 10. 

Please, pray for our travel plans, here are our current plans:

May 22 Leave to Brazil

August 11-18 Mozambique

August 18-25 Angola

September 15-22 Guinea Bissau

September 22-29 Portugal

20/50 Campaign

We've been very blessed with some one time gifts and some increase from those who support us, and we are very thankful. Praise the Lord we are half way on our campaign, however, we still need $500 per month to reach BROLM's 2014 budget. Thus, we still need 10 new or current individuals/churches to start/increase their support with $50 or more a month.  Please pray and consider participating in this challenge. Help us reach this goal!  Thanks!

Available to Speak

We are available to speak and visit our supporters from October 1 to December 8. Here is our present schedule:

Oct 23 – Colonial Heights Christian Church, TN

Nov 1-2 – First Christian Church Johnson City, TN

Nov 13-16 – ICOM (International Conference on Missions) in Columbus, OH (Exhibit 1105)

God is doing great things through BRoLM, and your prayers and support are vital! Please, continue to pray so the Lord will use BRoLM more and more for His honor and glory!

May the Lord richly bless you in Christ Jesus!

God is good, all the time; and He is acting among us!

In HIS Love and Service,

Thanks for praying for us!

Jeff & Monica Fife