“For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places…” Eph. 6:12 NKJV
Is your prayer list getting very long? As we look at the mess the world is in, the political unrest in many countries, violence, natural disasters, corruption; and the lack of love causing disunity, sadly, at times, even amongst the Christians it is a comfort to know that our God has equipped us with a very effective weapon, prayer! I am so grateful for your cherished prayers and support, and I know that it is only through them that His work goes on, and we can experience “the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding…” Php. 4:7
I praise the Lord I am back in the public schools teaching “Valores” classes, based on the Bible. I know there are those who oppose what I do, so more than ever I am grateful I am still teaching. The month of August, I gave out Bibles to the fifth graders and the BES booklets (Bible Educational Services) to all grades, one to five. I usually gave out the Bibles at the end of the school year, in December; but some students said they didn’t have one, couldn’t I give them before? There is a public TV channel that shows very well-done soap operas based on the Bible stories, I know many students watch them, so I always encourage them to follow/compare in the Scriptures. Some sisters from the US, kindly sent some book bags they made, (another nice gift to give the children) but they returned to the sender 🙁 . There are also the calendars from the calendar project coming. Can I ask you to pray for them to arrive to me safely as they did in the past?
Thursday evenings the Sousas ladies’ online prayer and Bible study time, via electronic means continues. We wanted to encourage the younger sisters to participate in speaking also, so we decided to have them share their personal testimony. It has been a blessing but also a surprise to hear details of how the Lord worked in their lives. One sister shared how she felt rejected by her mother while growing up. At times her mother was violent with her and once even broke a bottle on her head causing profuse bleeding. She came to know the Lord in her adolescent years. Her husband and three children faithfully follow Him, and she takes care of her mother who is now elderly. She introduced us to her one evening in one of the meetings and hopes that her mother will also trust in the Lord as her Savior. How wonderful to see God’s grace evidenced in her life!
Thank you for praying for the online camp that happened July 26 to 30, in the morning for children and in the afternoon for adolescents. I always enjoy telling the missionary story to the kids; this time it was “No Darkness at All” by Patricia St John who was a missionary nurse in Morocco. I love all of her books! Do your children and grandchildren have them? Did you know that her father Harold St John traveled widely (1915-50) helping to establish Bible schools and planting churches in remote areas? Including Carangola in the state on Minas Gerais where there is also a brethren camp.
The Day camp on Saturday, July 31, was wonderful, the registration for the campers quickly filled. The capacity of participants was 40% but starting in August it can reach 80%. Davi Juliao, the camp director carefully followed all the requirements. He said there was a good number of kids that were turned down, so, the plans are to have one more day camp before the end of the year… or maybe two. Hopefully, in January we can go back to having the weekly camps.
The mayor of the city of Campinas officially determined the return of presential classes in the municipal and state public schools with no limit of students. Some requirements continue like masks and distancing. The number of Covid cases has gone down as the vaccine is being given. One brother Claudemir, who is a commended full-time worker from the Vila Mimosa Chapel here in Campinas contracted the virus despite having the vaccine. He was a camper as a child, then went on to be part of the team of counselors and speakers at camp here in Sousas. He is in a hospital in the state of Paraná where he works, intubated and sedated. He is 58 and has high blood pressure and diabetes. Remember to pray for Claudemir, that if it is the Lord’s will, he’ll recover from the virus to continue his work for the Lord.
I am very grateful for your prayers, I can see clearly how the Lord is answering many of them, including for protection. We serve an awesome God! He is our Rock, our Mighty Fortress.
Every blessing, in our wonderful Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,
Jeanne is a commended worker based in Sousas, Campinas, São Paulo.