Praise God the celebration last night was simple fantastic with 520 seated and about 200 standing. The atmosphere was wonderful and the whole spirit of the thanksgiving service was tremendous. The Mayor came with his wife and stayed right through the three and a half hour service which was electric from start to finish!

The event started bang on time with the formal entrance of the leadership team and visiting preacher. Then followed the Brazilian flag (carried in by a grandson of a founder member of the Patos church - Marcus Vinicius), the Paraíba flag next (carried by the great-grandaughter of EAB's founder - Susan Mundy), the Patos flag (carried by our grandson - Felipe), and the ACEV flag (carried by our grandaughter - Louisa). Everyone then sang the national anthem.

The service itself then took off with great P&W, the laying on of hands of 4 new pastors and a woman minister, the presentation on the big screen of 100 photos with the history of ACEV, and then Pastor Fernando Bochio preached with great annointing. At the end everyone totally surprised Liz and I with a special PowerPoint presentation in our honour. It was very sweet of everyone and quite moving.

It was a great night with a snackbar set up to serve food and drinks for all afterwards and much great fellowship was enjoyed. We got to bed at 2.30am but made it for the 9.30am service this morning which went very well indeed too. We look to God for a great final 70 year celebration service this evening.

Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 12h41 PM
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Celebration was great

Hi everyone! This is Sacha. Dad has gone to the 2nd meeting of the celebration and asked to write a quick note here about yesterday!

It was a great meeting, with 700 people present! We made a surprise presentation for mum and dad to thank them for their love for Brazil and for all the work they're doing here.

As soon as Dad's back, he's going to write more details!

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h49 AM
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2 and a bit hours to deadline

I have just got back from the town hall where all is nearly ready for the start of our 70 year celebration. The place is looking great and the sound equipment and digital projector all tested and working. We have seating for 520 and the rest will have to stand. We look to God for a great night and count on your prayers.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 05h10 PM
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Messages coming in for 70th Celebration

We have received a lovely message of congratulations from Tearfund to be read at the Celebration this evening. We have also received a nice message from EAB's Marian Rashleigh which has been translated and will be read. We have also received a message from JUVEP - a Brazilian evangelical organization. It is encouraging for us all and it will be nice to have Philip read these in the Town Hall this evening.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 10h02 AM
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This is the Day!

"This is the day that the Lord has made. We will be glad and rejoice in it".

Today all the EAB/ACEV churches come together in Patos to celebrate our 70th anniversary in the Town Hall. The event is the talk of the town and we look to the Lord for great blessing tonight, as with the continuing services of celebration tomorrow in the church. The special visiting preacher from São Paulo, Fernando Bochio, arrived yesterday evening and we had a nice time of fellowship with him discussing all sorts of aspects of the work. Now preparations press ahead for the 7.30pm start (11.30pm UK time). The small books with the brief history of EAB/ACEV are safely here from the printers and ready for distribution tonight. The PowerPoint presentation is ready and has been tested on the Town Hall's big screen. Please pray that all will go off smoothly and that the Lord will be glorified by a great weekend of praise and preaching.

Sadly, one of the Patos church founder members, Cesário, who is 80, will not be able to be with us. He was so excited to come from João Pessoa for the event and even had his case packed. However he has been taken ill with gall bladder complications and will have to be operated on.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h26 AM
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Town Hall

I've spent the entire afternoon at the Town Hall sorting things out with the team setting things up for tomorrow night's big celebration. The preacher has landed at Campina Grande airport from São Paulo so should be here shortly in Patos.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 06h45 PM
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Foot "surgery"

Our house is coming apart with parasites steadily destroying our wooden floor so when we can we will have to replace the lot with ceramic tiles. In the meantime we have holes in the floor, in increasing numbers, which makes it very dangerous for 85 year old Ivy to move around without falling. Yesterday I got a big splinter in my right foot with all this and at night had to be "operated on" by Liz with a large needle (which bent in the process) to remove the plank from my sole. Hence we had a family gathering for the surgery at 11.30pm, with Philip sitting on me (anaesthestist), Sacha fanning me, Gylmara holding the operation spot light (a torch) and Liz nearly killing me! The tree was removed in 3 pieces and I am now in convalescence!

The books arrived last night at 10pm from the printers in João Pessoa so that is good and means one thing is ready to roll for tomorrow's celebration.

I have just spoken to Socorro, Sandra's sister, who tells me Sandra is fine and goes back to Campina Grande for the next check up this coming Thursday (24/7). Socorro told me how amazed Sandra is that she can see again. She is very happy.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 08h55 AM
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Wild Honey

I have just eaten delicious wild honey sent to me by Pastor Valdemy (Caroá) in a 600 ml guaraná bottle.  Missionary work in the tropics has its compensations!

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 08h14 PM
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In the driving seat

My youngest grandson, Lucas, loves getting hold of the wheel of a car, as can be seen on my photo blog at: http://medcraft.fotoblog.uol.com.br

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 06h40 PM
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Pastor Lindon Carlos given all clear

We are very happy to have just received the news that Pastor Lindon Carlos does not have Chagas Disease. PTL! I believe the end of this saga is going to be overwork and stress is the diagnosis.

The radio interview lasted 40 minutes. It was a very thorough interview with 3 journalists firing questions at me like a machine gun. It was very good and a great opportunity for the Gospel.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 04h07 PM
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Mayor & Radio

I have just had the visit of the Mayor of Patos in my office assuring me he will be present at the ACEV celebration this Saturday. This is excellent and means we will have the Mayor of Patos for the celebration here and the Mayor of Southampton at the celebration in September in the UK!

I am now off to an FM radio interview about the 70th anniversary.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 11h44 AM
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"I can see"!

We have just had a phone call from Campina Grande where Sandra has been examined by the surgeon and can see again! We are all crying with joy here!  Sandra said to her sister when the bandages were removed: "Are you sure I can see"?  "I can't believe it... I can see again"!

Sandra is now coming home to Patos. What a great victory this is. Those of you that have followed this story will know that this saga of Sandra's failing sight, and then total blindness, has been going on for an awful long time and there was nothing we could do as she point blank refused surgery. However all is now changed. Thank you all for praying. And to that Marathon runner let me just say: it was worth every mile! You're a gold medal winner!  PTL!

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 10h09 AM
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2 days to Celebration

The temperature is rising and there is great enthusiasm around the EAB/ACEV churches about the big national celebration of our 70th anniversary on Saturday. The preacher flies up from São Paulo tomorrow and I finished the PowerPoint presentation at 11pm last night.  The short book of ACEV history should be with us from the printers tomorrow so it's all stations go!

There is concern on our part about the Town Hall being able to fit every in but it's better to have that problem than the opposite. We deliberately didn't go for a larger open-air or gymnasium type venue as you get people talking and walking around too much in these places, but we want a true service of praise and worship to God with a good sermon from God's Word! Aren't we old fashioned!  We plan to stay this way anyway!

The church problems in Patos appear to be easing. I think we can see a way out of the smoke. Please keep praying.

We have had no further news on Sandra and are awaiting a call from Campina Grande.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h23 AM
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Sandra's surgery went well

Sandra's sister, Socorro, has just phoned from Campina Grande to say that Sandra's operation went off well and Sandra has come round from the anesthestic and is talking away and quite relaxed. She will be released from hospital at 4pm (8pm UK time) and we have just arranged for someone from the EAB church there to put her up for the night, together with her 2 sisters, who are with her to take care of her. Sandra has to go to the hospital for a check up in the morning.

Thus... so far so good.  Thanks for your prayers and please keep praying.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 01h54 PM
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Surgery

We saw Sandra (Down's syndrome) this morning at 6.30am on her way in an ambulance to a Campina Grande hospital to have cataracts removed from both eyes. The operation is scheduled for just over 2 hours time. 2 of her sisters were with her and she seemed quite calm. They called by at that hour to pick up the cheque to pay the hospital/surgeon as the nearer it was to the payment time the less likely they would be to lose it or have it stolen. We would have preferred to do electronic transfer but the doctor didn't want that.

State-wide press (Jornal da Paraíba) carries a report on the EAB/ACEV Celebration in Patos in 3 days time and a photo of Liz and I to go with it. I press on with the PowerPoint presentation and hope to finish it today ready for Saturday.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 08h31 AM
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PowerPoint

I have been working very hard on the PowerPoint digital presentation of the Mission's history here for Saturday's celebration. I guess I am two-thirds done. We press on.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 07h45 PM
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Sandra to be operated on tomorrow

Sandra (Downs Syndrome) is to have surgery tomorrow morning in a Campina Grande hospital to remove cataracts from both eyes which have left her totally blind. The operation is set for 10.30am our time (2.30pm UK time). Please pray. For those that don't know the story let me tell you that the Care Centre tried to get Sandra to have this surgery a long time ago when she could still see, but she was too scared and always refused. However once she completely lost her sight she changed her mind. Then somebody ran the London marathon to raise the cash for the surgery, so tomorrow is the big day.

We battle on with church problems in Patos. It is energy sapping and stressful and just what we did not need when we have so much more to do.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h00 AM
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Chipping away

We are patiently prayerfully chipping away at the EAB Patos church problem and ask for your intensive prayer this week. We feel we can see a small ray of light at the end of the tunnel. God is able.

We are starting on the second semester ActionChild report/letter/photo packages for all EAB child sponsors this week, as County schools are back at lessons after the mid-year break. Sacha is in gear and has given our school till August 15th to get their reports in. Itaporanga has already sent theirs and the reports and letters are good but not the photos so she is sorting them out. There is a lot of translating and compiling to do so we have set an early date here so as to avoid last minute bottle necks. It would be nice for Liz and I to take a lot of the reports personally to Sally Irish (EAB ActionChild UK Coordinator) when we go to the UK early September so as to save on postage.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 12h41 PM
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Why?

My sermon "Why"? (why I believe in God / why I believe in Jesus / why I am an evangelical Christian / Why I belong to Evangelical Action) went better that I expected last night in an evangelistic service at the Patos church. Pastor Wostenes and his family made us a surprise visit so that was nice.

Today Pr. Lindon Carlos and family move into Green Pastures joining Wostenes and family.

With 5 days to go to the big 70 year celebration here I ask special prayer for us as we prepare. There is a lot to be done. A lot of pressure.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 10h00 AM
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Ready for service

My sermon tonight is entitled "Why". I am ready to roll and just off to church.

Liz has been out visiting and now has gone to the farm to sort out the possible new arrangements as we do need to consult Wostenes before we can allow others to go there.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 06h32 PM
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Pastor Lindon Carlos ill

EAB/ACEV Pastor, Lindon Carlos, up in the mountains at Imaculada, is far from well. He is a member of the national leadership team and coordinator of the wells project so is a very important pastor in the work. We understand that he has an enlarged heart with the suspicion that this is caused by Chagas Disease. He has had tests done on this and the result will be received this Thursday. Once this result has been received we will send him to Campina Grande for a second opinion. Chagas disease, if confirmed, is very serious, and although there is a cure today, it is very unpleasant treatment and does not repair what has been damaged. i.e. heart disease. Please pray for him.

He wants to go with his family to Green Pastures Farm to rest up but we need to check with Pastor Wostenes and family if that is alright with them first, as they are already there on holiday. I am pretty sure it will be OK so they will be moving out there tomorrow. It makes us feel very happy to see how our vision for the farm is being fulfilled and it is being used more and more for courses, camps, leaders' holidays etc. PTL!

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h46 AM
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Members' Meeting

The Patos Church members' meeting went off very well last night. I gently and lovingly layed out the leadership's position on the present tension existent in the fellowship as such an approach can help to "turn away wrath". We leave the problems in the Lord's hands now and ask Him to sort them out. We then went on to discuss and organize who will do what next weekend which is to be an ACEV 70 year celebration over the whole weekend with Saturday night in the Town Hall and Sunday morning and evening in church.

To my surprise, at the end of what was a lovely meeting in a lovely spirit, a deacon and two deaconesses proposed that Philip be made an elder of the Patos church. We had no idea that this proposal was in the offing so it was very nice. We will discuss the proposal at the next leadership meeting.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h35 AM
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Book finished

The short book I have written with the brief history of ACEV/EAB, for the celebration a week today, has just been finished! Phew! The adrenalin is flowing! We now have 5 working days to get it printed!

The book gives an overall view of ACEV's 70 year history with a few photos along the way. It then has an extra set of historical photos and then a list of all the ACEV leaders and leadership teams up to the present day. I think the effort has been worthwhile as it gives us a good historical booklet for the 70th anniversary celebration which will be good for all our church folk etc. to have. I hope to complete the full history of EAB/ACEV later in the year as soon as I can. That will be a big volume of hundreds of pages.

I had better go and see how my son and daughter-in-law's birthdays barbecue is going and then must get back to prepare for the Patos members meeting tonight and get on with the PowerPoint presentation for next Saturday which is far from ready.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 12h26 PM
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Toad in the Hole

Liz and I have just got back from Green Pastures Farm where we visited Pastor Wostenes and his family. We were able to free them from a very obnoxious smell in one of the loos caused by 2 dead toads in a hole!

Prior to this we called in to the Action School pizza party to congratulate all the team personally.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h44 PM
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Hair cut

How do I look? Hair cut and moustache trimmed this morning!

I press on with the "History of ACEV" PowerPoint presentation. 28 slides done to date.

Finance incredibly tight. I can see that with the constant collapse of the £ against the Brazilian currency + rising inflation here we are in for quite a month!

We have a church members meeting tomorrow night for which we value your prayers. I will be preaching an evangelistic sermon this Sunday in the Patos church so have to prepare this too.

News from the the Action School "Pastor Frank Dyer" in Patos is quite amazing because as a result of us winning the Federal Government's "second place" out of all schools in Patos, our school is already under siege from Mums wanting places for their kids in 2009! Our school is in the poorest area whereas the 1st place school is miles away in a much more upbeat area. Hence our 2nd place is worth stacks more in the sense that our kids are far poorer and from far more unstable home backgrounds.

We are treating all the school staff to a pizza restaurant celebration tonight and the top class at the school is to be given a day outing to the beach at João Pessoa!  

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h56 AM
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9 Days to the Celebration

With 9 days to the big celebration of ACEV/EAB's 70th anniversary in the Patos Town Hall it is clear we are going to have a bursting at the seams building for the event as more and more of our churches confirm large numbers coming. On top of this there are other people like Salvador, who is a Presbyterian pastor, and the son of the late EAB evangelist Zacarias, and Cesário, who is in his 80s and was a founder member of the EAB Patos church and now lives in João Pessoa. So we are looking to God for a great weekend on the 19th and 20th.

I am working non-stop on preparing the PowerPoint presentation for the event of the history of the Mission. It is a massive job but I plod on. I also am trying to finish off the "Short History" book and get it printed in time for the event! The writing is finished and it has been proof read, but the layout people are the next bottle neck before getting it to the printers. Please pray!

I have just received news that Sandra's surgery (Down's Syndrome) has been set for next Wednesday (16th) in Campina Grande so that is excellent. Please pray for Sandra who is completely blind and we trust will soon be seeing again.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 05h46 PM
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Beans!

I have just sent out the fortnightly "Diary" Update (with Marian Rashleigh's help who kindly puts it in the correct order for me). This in fact is a copy of this blog for people who presumably don't read the blog or else are gluttons for punishment!  I had a great idea the other day using the word "beans" to give a new name to the long-winded update... but I can't remember the idea!! I call the shorter version the "nutshell" update and I thought how beans is very Brazilian too! I thought of this excellent phrase but it has gone! The "Full of Beans" Update... no ... the "Bag of Beans" Update... no either. Oh how infuriating!

I am working on a historical PowerPoint presentation for the 70th anniversary Celebration here on the 19th. I am not very good with PowerPoint so it is a matter of sticking at it, but so far so good. I have also had meetings with graphics people and printers as I have gone mad an decided to print a short book of ACEV's history by next week!

I forgot to mention that we saw Peter Grant (Tearfund's International Director) on BBC World at breakfast yesterday. It was quite a shock to see him being interviewed connected to the G8 conference. Excellent stuff. Well done Tearfund!

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 08h14 PM
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11 days to go!

With 11 days to go on the countdown to the big EAB 70 years celebration here we are beginning to wonder where we are going to fit everyone in at the Town Hall as 3 coaches are confirmed from Campina Grande and a mini-bus from João Pessoa!

I am trying to do the impossible and have decided at the last minute to print a short booklet of the abbreviated history of ACEV/EAB for Saturday week's celebration.

I have just produced and sent out the weekly ACEV Brazilian Update so that means tomorrow I will hopefully be able to work on the powerpoint presentation for the celebration.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 08h48 PM
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Update on John & Liz's travel funds from the EAB UK Board

"Car:  A loan car has now been provided for John & Liz's rapidly approaching visit (thank you supporters). 

 

Expenses: Contributions towards petrol and living expenses are a practical way in which you can still contribute directly to the work of EAB, as we would like John and Liz to be able to visit supporting Churches and individuals throughout the length and breadth of the UK (and they do need to eat too!).

 

Flights:  Flights to the UK have now been booked using EAB funds.  Whilst this is a necessary and proper expenditure, we'd love to be able to spend this money directly spreading the Gospel in Brazil - so please do consider donating to the flight fund.

 

Thank you all so much for your continued prayers, financial and practical support over the years".

 

Roy Dyer (Chairman) 

 

 

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h03 AM
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Leadership meeting

We had a further 2 hour Patos leadership meeting last night which went well. The problems in the Patos church have improved a little tiny bit. We also discussed preparation for the big 70 year celebration weekend the weekend after next.

Liz and I were very happy to receive news from the EAB Chairman of the Board, Roy Dyer, that a car has been lined up to be loaned to us when we are in the UK from September to November. His news flash has been circulated via email but I will put it in this blog in case anyone missed it.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h01 AM
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2,000 miles for Moringa!

This is hard to believe but it's true. 3 ladies turned up here this afternoon having travelled 2,056 miles from Altamira in the Amazon jungle just to visit our Moringa tree plantation and obtain seeds. The 3 ladies work with indian communities and read about our work through our website. I was stagerred after lunch when I was told these ladies had arrived from the Amazon jungle to see us! They had not let us know they were coming and we could easily have been away as we were over the weekend. Anyway Liz took them out to Green Pastures and they absolutely loved it (as everyone does) and we kitted them out with seeds so they have just left thrilled and are going to use Moringa leaves for nutrional programmes with the indians and for water purification.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 06h09 PM
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3 weddings and 24 baptisms!

EAB's Campina Grande churches got together yesterday and married 3 couples and baptized 24 new converts! The church was full to capacity. See the wedding photo at: http://medcraft.fotoblog.uol.com.br 

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 04h38 PM
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56 days to lift off!

The Communion service in Patos last night went off well. The P&W group did particularly well with Philip having restructured it following the bass player having left, with even some reserves coming in for one of the songs. The result was a better P&W group than before the rumpus so PTL! We actually could worship last night and not just get our ear drums blown up!

With 56 days to our Eurotour of churches, friends and supporters we continue to ask prayer for our fares and a vehicle to get us around.

This week and next we are all flat out preparing for the national celebration of ACEV/EAB's 70th anniversary in Patos to take place on July 19th with the preacher, from São Paulo, staying with us for Sunday, July 20th too.

My new reading glasses are driving me crazy. I hope they are correct as I have been using them since last Friday and adjustment just doesn't seem to be coming.  

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h35 AM
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Back from João Pessoa

We got to João Pessoa yesterday at about 3pm as planned and found a packed little branch church awaiting for us at that time of the day! It was quite beautiful.  It was just great to see how God is blessing at the Valentina church and how many have come to Christ there as a direct result of the EAB ActionChild school. The first meeting at João Pessoa yesterday was definitely a tear jerker.

The service in the central church at night went very well too. There is a good spirit in the place and Pastor Umbirajara is doing a good job. The leadership, however, is a bit frustrated as they can't get on with building the manse on the church land because of a legal dispute with neighbours which the Council insists has to be sorted before any building can be done. The foundations have been completed for the manse but that is all that's allowed.

Philip & the youth's trip to Maturéia yesterday also went very well.

We are now preparing for the Communion service in Patos this evening. We drove back from João Pessoa this morning.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 05h07 PM
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Just off

Liz and I are just about to leave for João Pessoa. Gyl, Louisa and Lucas are going too to see Gyl's parents. We will have a meeting this afternoon at the Valentina branch church and preach tonight in the main church. We will travel back the 200 miles to Patos in the morning so as to be back for the communion service tomorrow evening in Patos.

Philip goes up the mountain to preach at Maturéia this afternoon for the evening service. A coach load is going but maybe the Kombi will have to go too as it would seem more want to go than the coach can cope with. They drew lots to decide who would drive the Kombi as nobody wants to as it's more fun in the coach! João Batista, our deacon/policeman "won" the draw!

I have just learnt that Pr. Lindon Carlos is unwell and has been to the cardiologist and will do tests next week. Please pray.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h52 AM
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