April 2016
I will not violate my covenant, or alter the
word that went forth from my lips. Psalm 89:34 (NRSV)
Dear Friends and Prayer Warriors,
Greetings from your coworkers
to the Portuguese-speaking world!
It is great to serve a God that
keeps His covenant and does not alter the word that He has spoken. Our task is
to be faithful to Him as He is to us; thus in 2016 we continue to try our best
to fulfill His call on our lives, being faithful to Him and His Kingdom, believing
in all His promises--because He is faithful to fulfill them!
Here are some ministry highlights since our last report:
Pirituba’s Youth Gathering
The Pirituba Church Youth Group
gathered at our home at the end of the year for a day of lots of fellowship and
worship. When we bought the home back in 2008, when Monica had the brain tumor
surgery and she needed to stay away from the big city noise, one of our dreams
was to use the place to gather God’s people. Through the years the youth,
adolescents, children, ladies, men, and worship ministries from the churches
have all come and spent a day at our home. However, our
dream is to have a place that is bigger,
that belongs to the ministry, where people can stay overnight and even for a
few days--a retreat or camp facility.
God has started to provide the funds for this purpose and we believe soon we
will be able to purchase the land. To purchase the land and start building we
need at least $120,000. God has provided $63,500 for this purpose, thus the cup
is past half full! God is good! Pray with us for the funds for the retreat!
Thanks!
Birthday Celebration
The Pirituba church did a
surprise birthday party for my (Jeff) 50th birthday. Since Monica
and I took 10 days vacation, Dec 21 to 31, the party was on Sunday Dec 20, my
birthday is Dec 23.
12 Days of Purpose
Since 2006, in January of each
year, the churches in alliance with River of Life, have 12 services focusing on
the year’s theme. The 2016 theme is #MultiplyingTalents (Mathew 25:21). The
HOBC (Hands On Bible College) students were the speakers for this year. I
(Jeff) spoke for the first and the last day in Pirituba, and I spoke once at
Jundiai, once at Campo Limpo Paulista and once at Sao Mateus churches and I
spoke the 12 days at Bom Retiro (Bom Retiro is the only church that we do not
have the HOBC.) At the churches in the Centro-West and Northeast of Brazil, the
local minister with their elders and HOBC students spoke. During the 12 days in
Pirituba, Monica drew a picture of Jesus!
Visit from Cornerstone
Brother Ron Key, senior
minister at Cornerstone Christian Church visited us from Jan 23 to Feb 1. On
Sunday Jan 24, Ron preached in the morning service at Campo Limpo Paulista
Church, in the afternoon at Bom Retiro Church, and in the evening at Sao Mateus
Church. Monday Jan 25 was a holiday--the city of Sao Paulo’s 462 birthday--and
we took the day to see several sites in the city. On Tuesday Jan 26, we left
early in the morning to Rio de Janeiro and visited several tour sites. On
Wednesday Jan 27, Ron preached at Pirituba's mid-week service; on Thursday Jan
28, at Jundiai; and Friday and Saturday Jan 29-30, Ron spoke at the Annual
Brazil River of Life Leadership Summit. On Saturday evening Ron preached at
Campo Limpo Paulista's 11th Anniversary. On Sunday Jan 31, he
preached in the morning service at Jundiai Church, in the afternoon at Bom
Retiro Church and in the evening at Pirituba Church. On Monday Feb 1st,
he went back to Dallas, TX. We guess he was ready to go home, after speaking 15
times in 10 days! We were tremendously blessed and encouraged with Ron’s
visit--his messages spoke deeply to all that heard him.
Baptism
After the service at Bom Retiro
Church, Sunday Jan 24, we all went to Pirituba’s Church to use their
baptistery. Three were baptized. Daniela
was raised Presbyterian and is engaged to Samuel Park, the son of the head
elder, Pedro Park, of Bom Retiro Church. She has been coming to church since last
August and when she heard that we were going to have a baptism, she said she
wanted to be baptized. Brother Park baptized her. I’ll be celebrating Samuel
and Daniela’s wedding on June 25.
Leadership Summit
Every
year BROLM (Brazil River of Life Ministries) promotes the Leadership Summit to
provide an opportunity for all the leaders from the churches to get together to
refresh, to share with each other, and fellowship. This year it was on Jan 29
and 30. Brothers Bruno from Recife, PE, Luiz from Santos Dumont, DF, and Edgar
from Valparaiso, GO, came from other states. There were several leaders from
the Bom Retiro, Campo Limpo Paulista, Jundiai, Pirituba and Sao Mateus
Churches. Brother Ron Key spoke 6 times and the leaders were very encouraged.
Each local church was responsible for a meal or a snack; it was a great time.
The summit was at Campo Limpo Paulista Church. Our dream is to have the
retreat/camp for next summit, so we can have everyone stay at one location the
whole time and have more time to know each other and share experiences.
Campo Limpo Paulista 11th Anniversary
It is
great to see a church that God used you to plant continue to grow for His honor
and glory. Jose Simonette, one of the first graduates of Hands On Bible
College, is the senior minister. He and the elders Edgar, Michel and Domingos
are doing a great job. Michel and Domingos are also graduates of the HOBC and
Michel is the professor at the HOBC in Campo Limpo Paulista. We have seen 2 Timothy
2:2 become a reality at Campo Limpo Paulista Church. Two were baptized during
the anniversary celebration; this was also a great highlight.
Brazil Ministry Transportation
A big highlight was to reach
the goal to purchase the much- needed van for the ministry in Brazil. Once
again God was faithful and we had the van paid off in January! The van is a
great blessing for the ministry.
Hands On Bible College in
Portugal and Mozambique
Monica, Isaac and I will leave
Brazil to fly to Portugal on April 26. We will be participating in the regular
services at the churches in Carcavelos, and Lisbon, and I will be teaching at
the Hands On Bible College. We will leave Portugal on May 3 to fly to
Mozambique. During the time we will be in Mozambique, I will be teaching the
leaders from the 72 churches and see how the HOBC is doing in Nampula. We are
trying to get permission from the Mozambican government to bring the HOBC
material from Brazil (40 books). Monica will be working at the grade school and
with the women's ministry. Isaac will work with the youth and will conduct a
soccer workshop at the school. We should be back in Brazil on May 14.
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
