4/20/2016

April 2016

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. 
 Sergio, youth leader, baptized Michel and Gustavo also!


 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