Today's meeting about our possible project funded by the European Union was outstanding. If this project gets approval it will be the biggest single project we have ever run and would open up the doors, in terms of know-how, contacts and credibility, to many other such projects I am sure. It would be the means of blessing north-east Brazil in great ways together with other countries too. I will give here a brief outline of the project, timetable etc. asking for prayer from one and all.

The project is a food security project (which inevitably includes water security in north-east Brazil) which is part of the EU's committment to irradicating extreme poverty and hunger in the world. There are over 16 million people in the extreme poverty bracket in Brazil (i.e. income of up to £25 per month) and 10 million of these are in our area: the north-east. The project will aim to do three things:

1. Influence and check government actions combatting hunger and the lack of food security in Paraíba State, and fighting for the poor's voice to be heard in these processes.

2. Carry out practical food security projects in Paraíba State, especially focusing on the building of a new tecnology, to EAB/ACEV, called underground dams. In strategic places these dams store rainwater underground making food production possible in the droughts and keeping drinking water available. This would be a new arm for EAB in combatting hunger and thirst in the drought areas of NE Brazil, to add to wells and rainharvesters.

3. The EU requires that out project reaches out to two other needy countries through sharing know-how acquired and helping start pilot projects there. We will probably be proposing action in Haiti and Mozambique.

The project, if approved, will probably run for three years from 2013 to 2015. The project will be proposed to the EU via Tearfund and carried out by EAB/ACEV in Paraíba State and by another Tearfund partner called Diaconia (NGO) in our neighbouring States of Pernambuco and Rio Grande do Norte. We have until February 7th to submit the united proposal. We greatly value everyone's prayers. We have just three weeks to put a massive project project proposal together and submit it.

Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 05h26 PM
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EAB HISTORY PROJECT

Over the weekend I managed to finally get back into the EAB history book project.  At the moment I am going through all I had written previously, correcting and updating here and there. This is getting my mind into the groove to enable me to move forward. To date I have written 28 chapters (40,620 words), covering the first 40 years of EAB, on 93 sheets of A4 using font 14. As you can see it is going to be a big book, but covering 75 years (next year) was always going to be a thick book.

My question is whether I should produce this book in two volumes or not? Does anyone have any thoughts? I mean that I could revise what is already written, get that checked and proof read by I hope the same people who did my book (Notting Hill to Brazil) who were Marian Rashleigh and Eunice Payne, and then publish 'EAB - the First 40 years' (or something along these lines) this year. I would then write on and aim to complete volume two in 2013 for the 75th anniversary of EAB.

Please remember that I will have the task of producing two versions of EAB/ACEV history in English and Portuguese. I say versions because they will not simply be straight translations because our Brazilian readership will have different interests to overseas readers. The bulk will be the same of course but some angles on stories and details will vary according to potential readership. What I have written so far is the EAB English version of the first 40 years. The churches here are crying out for this in Portuguese (i.e. the History of ACEV) more than supporters in the UK, so if we decided to go for two volumes I would publish the English version as soon as possible and then produce the Portuguese version prior to going into the last 35 years (i.e. the history up to the completion of EAB's 75th year).

I await people's thought on this matter.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 11h49 AM
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10-DAY OUTREACH: DAY 4

Reports in this morning tell of 25 entire streets already evangelized door to door in the borough of Maia in Princesa Isabel where the Outreach is taking place. The core-team has more than expected with 64 in it, so that's good. Last night there was one decision for Christ in the service there and one life was rededicated to God. PTL! Please keep praying for the Outreach.

Last night's service in Patos saw an unexpectedly large number for January's holiday month. The P&W went well and Pastor Schoeps also preached well. PTL!

This morning I have already had two good meetings with non-EAB pastors concerning the Patos Bible College and I am expecting Pastor Schoeps shortly to work further on the timetable issues still to be sorted.

Tomorrow we will be having a meeting with a representative linked to the European Union Project proposal so I need to read some documents in preparation for this meeting. Our NGO 'ACEV Social' had a meeting last year which approved this possible project in principal, but now we need to work on the nitty-gritty of details, viability etc. Please pray for us on this tomorrow that God will show us the way and give us a clear green or red light on this project.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 11h10 AM
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10-DAY OUTREACH: DAY 3

Yesterday the Outreach team + the church from Princesa Isabel marched for Jesus from our church to the distant borough where the Outreach is focused singing, using banners and loudspeaker equipment. It was an announcement of Jesus loud and clear for most of the town to hear and see. PTL! Pastor Gersé reports that the spirit of the team is very good and there is great expectancy.

The meeting itself last night had to be cut short as there was thunder, lightening and high winds, although in the end it didn't rain. However with what looked like an impending storm there was nobody left to attend the service! Please continue to pray for the on-going Outreach today on day 3. The school, where the 60-strong team is based, has plenty of water this morning I am happy to report!

Today Pastor Schoeps will be preaching in Patos and I will be leading the service. Many of our people are away either at the Outreach or on holiday but this happens every January. Sacha will be leading the P&W with João Fera on acoustic guitar. It will be different and a nice change I reckon.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h35 AM
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BIA IS TWO TODAY

Happy birthday to our youngest granddaughter Beatriz (Bia) who is two today!    She had her birthday party yesterday afternoon/evening. Other photos are on facebook.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h17 AM
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WE HAVE WATER!

Much rejoicing on Day 2 of the EAB/ACEV 10-day Outreach in Princesa Isabel because mains water has finally reached the school where our team is staying during the event. You have no idea what a difference this makes in the high temperatures of the interior of northeast Brazil!

This morning, as all mornings in our outreaches, was focused on prayer, meditation in God's Word and evangelistic training workshops. A good number joined the 60-strong team from our local church. In the afternoons everyone goes out on personal and door-to-door evangelism and in the evenings the big public evangelistic services take place in the open-air.

I have been working with Pastor Schoeps on the timetable for the next semester at the Patos Bible College. It is always a headache to fit everyone and every subject in, but we have made progress this morning. We value your prayers.

The original paper cutting of the newspaper article shown in this blog on 12/01/2012 has arrived via Linda Matthews. Many thanks Linda.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 01h00 PM
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