MARCH 2015
(To enlarge the pictures click on them)
And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others. 2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV)
Dear Friends and Prayer
Warriors,
Greetings
from your coworkers to the Portuguese-Speaking World!
When
I (Jeff) was 12 years-old I knew God had called me for ministry. Not long after,
I knew what God wanted me to do for His Kingdom. When I was 14 I traveled with
my father (Tom Fife) on one of his many TTE (Teaching Theology by Extension)
trips. We went to Morro Agudo de Goiás, about 130 miles from Goiânia. At that
time the roads where dirt roads and we traveled by bus. The bus made constant
stops to pick up and let people off on the side of the road-- anywhere someone
raised their hands or asked the bus to stop. Thus the trip could last 5 to 10
hours. This time it took longer since the bus broke down.
We left
Goiania Saturday about 5 a.m. and when we arrived it was dark at night. At
Morro Agudo de Goiás there was electricity for only a few hours each day, no running water or sewer, and the toilet was
an outhouse. I can recall that during the night it was so dark and so silent
that we could hear the ants cutting and carrying tree leaves.
Finally
that long night was over and Sunday looked like a bright new day. I was
expecting a class full of students like we had in Goiânia. When it came time
for my father to teach, however, there was only one student, Brother Conceição,
the owner of the house where we were staying. My father taught him for hours.
In the evening they told us we were going to have service, so I expected going
to a church building. Around 6 p.m. some people arrived at Conceição’s house--some
came by horse, most came by foot--but there were less than 20 present, and we
had service right there at the house.
That
night when it was so dark again and I could hear the ants moving outside, I
prayed. Laying in my bed I said, “Father, if my father is willing to come this
far to teach one student and preach to a few in the dark, using kerosene lamps,
I am willing to do the same for your Kingdom.” My heart was burning with love
for the Kingdom!
You may
ask where Brother Coiceição is today. He is the minister of a large Christian
Church in Morro Agudo de Goiás, and I’m blessed to see him at the national
conventions. Brother Conceição has trained many new ministers and church
planters through the years using the material my father used to train him. It
was worth all the long trips on the dirt roads, for Brother Conceição was a reliable
man who was also qualified to teach others.
I've
always been involved in teaching and training new leaders for the local
churches that God has given me to pastor.
And since 2001, we've been extending this teaching to the
Portuguese-Speaking World. After so many years of practice and preparation,
lots of hours studying, being blessed with the opportunity to finish the MA in
Intercultural Studies, we are now seeing the results of the dream/desire from
when I was 14 years-old.
This
year BROLM (Brazil River of Life Ministries) is launching “Hands On” Bible
Colleges in almost every Portuguese-Speaking Country, with many locations in
Brazil. We are also offering the Associate Degree in Bible online. BROLM is
committed to training Portuguese-Speaking people at any place around the globe.
Please pray that God will continue to open the doors so BROLM will be able to
train reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others!
Some Ministry Highlights:
BROLM
Leadership Summit
BROLM promoted the 2nd National Leadership
Summit Jan 30-31 at the Campo Limpo Paulista Church. Leaders from the churches
in Recife, Fortaleza, Santos Dumont, Valparaiso, Sao Mateus, Pirituba, Jundiai,
and Campo Limpo Paulista met at Campo Limpo Paulista on Friday afternoon and all
day Saturday. The theme this year was How to Be a Leader of High Impact.
Church Anniversary
Campo
Limpo Paulista Church celebrated its 10th Anniversary Jan 31. The
leaders that came from other states for National Leadership Summit stayed for
the celebration. In addition, the Bom Retiro, Jundiai, Pirituba, and Sao Mateus
churches came with their worship teams. This church was planted by Jeff and
Monica in 2005. In 2010 they passed the leadership on to the elders. Brother
Jose Simonette, a member of the church since 2005, became an elder in 2008. He was
ordained in 2013 and then became minister at the Campo Limpo Paulista Church.
He is doing a great job with the elders in leading this congregation.
Youth Camp
The Christian Churches/ Churches of Christ from
Southeast Brazil promoted a Youth Camp Feb 6-8. There were over 90 campers.
Over 50% of the campers were from the BROLM Churches. The BROLM Churches in
Jundiai, Pirituba, and Sao Mateus led
worship and the speakers were from the youth groups present. It is a joy to see
the youth leading worship and preaching. What a blessing to see the new
generation involved in God’s Kingdom! 
2015 New Church Plant Goals
Through
your generosity BROLM was able to raise the extra $12,000 needed for new church
plants in 2015. Thank you very much! Praise the Lord!
Mozambique
It rained so much in Mozambique in the last 3 months that the
middle of the country flooded. Because of that the northern region, where Hope
Mission is located, was without electricity for over 40 days. The only way to
communicate was through cell phones.
In Dec 2014 the Hope School received its final registration
with the Mozambican government and now is totally legal. This process took over
10 years. The reason it took so long was because the Macua people are 98%
Muslim and their leaders did not want the Christian School to be legal. About
98% of the students at the school are sons and daughters of Muslims. Every week
in class they learn about Jesus as Savior. The school resumed classes in the
end of January with over 1000 students.
Currently, the school’s biggest need is a water well-- for
the Hope Home that now has over 70 boys and girls, and for the teachers and
their families who live at the Hope Mission. Will you please consider helping
us reach the $10,000 needed for the well? BROLM has received $1,500 for this
purpose. We only need $8,500 to reach this goal. Please help them have safe drinking
water!
In 2015 Kleber and his team are planting churches in 5 new
frontiers among the Macua people. These new churches will add to the 72 already
planted--which have seen almost 2,000 Muslims
who have been baptized into Christ.
God is doing great things through BROLM among the Portuguese-Speaking
World, 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!
Monica and I (Jeff) are writing this report from Portugal were they
will start the “Hands On” Bible College in September. I’ll be leaving for Guinea Bissau on Mar 12 to launch the “Hands
On” Bible College over there. Monica will stay in Portugal during the time I’ll
be in Guinea Bissau.
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
