Friday morning was my second relax and walk morning of the week. The doctor says I should do it three times a week but two is not bad! Along the way I came across two of these gigantic Chameleons in different places high up in trees. One whack of the tail would knock anyone for six. It was like a trip back to pre-historic times!

In the afternoon back in Patos I did some more work on one of the Patos Bible College student's dissertations. I think he is grasping where I am trying to help him to get to!

I also have been preparing to preach at the EAB/ACEV second Campina Grande church tomorrow.

On top of this I continue to wade through the documentation needed to register at State level, our NGO, "ACEV Social", which is now the projects wing of ACEV. Being such a large country there are always three processes to go through - local then state then nationwide (federal). ACEV Social was recognised as a local charity + registered with the Social Action and Child and Adolescent Councils. We then had to wait two years before being able to start the whole process off at State level. Thus ACEV Social has now been recognised as a State charity but we need to register the organization with the other Councils at State level before moving to the national Capital and Federal registration. It is a massive amount of work but we believe it will eventually be worth it as we are nationally recognized and permit us to be partners in State and Federal Government projects and not just local ones. Please pray that the Lord will give us patience and wisdom with all this.

Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h50 AM
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THE GUITARIST

Liz and I went to Deborah's house this evening and I was amazed how quickly Felipe, our 11 year old eldest grandson, is learning to play the guitar. He really is doing well and is coping with quite complex chords and solos. Wow!

Good news from the Soledade church is that somebody got converted there at a wedding! Surely that must be some sort of world record!

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 08h57 PM
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NUTSHELLS & DISSERTATIONS

We are bracing ourselves for the annual "St. John's Festival" in Patos which brings tens of thousands of people to Patos for all night parties nine days on the trot! It starts tomorrow night and only ends a week on Saturday night! The noise is always unbearable.

I have produced and sent out the EAB bi-monthly Nutshell Update and have been working today on one of two student's dissertation I am tutor for at the Patos Bible College. I have waded through what he has written about "Music in the History of the Church" and Robério (Baptist Church) has a lot of improving to do and a long way to go. The other student I am tutoring has even farther to go. He is Alex who is the leader of the EAB/ACEV church up the mountain at Teixeira.

I have been doing a variety of types of work linked to EAB's ActionChild Project and have produced the bulk of this week's ACEV Brazilian Update. I am just waiting now to see if anymore news comes in before sending out tomorrow night or Saturday. I in fact already have enough material to go.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 06h43 PM
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THE SINGING NUN

Tuesday morning was long walk morning at Green Pastures where I got this nice shot of a White-headed Marsh-Tyrant (Arundinicola leucocephala) which locally is known as the little Nun! Anyone who can remember Nuns in the old days can see why. My Nun was singing so it made it even better.

I went through a lot of very dense undergrowth and bushland yesterday and managed to lose my reading glasses in the process. I always carried them in my top pocket (rather stupidly) and at some point bending very low to get under thorny bushes they obviously slipped out and despite intensive search parties they are gone. Perhaps the Nun is now wearing my glasses!

Yesterday I had a superb meeting with our Social Worker, Marah Danielle, who leads our new HIV/AIDS project. We evaluated the first nearly 6 months of the project and are thrilled that a partnership has been agreed with the Patos Town Council for ACEV Social to work hand in hand with the Public Health department. The Council is very pleased as nobody else works in this field in Patos or anywhere in the interior. The Care Centre's dentist is also going to attend people who are HIV positive which alone says an awful lot. Obviously all necessary precautions will be taken. The HIV/AIDS project also now has a psychologist on the team which is so important.

I have also been working on EAB's Patos School building re-structure project which is nearing completion and on some things needed fixing and doing at the Patos Bible College in the mid-year holidays.

Please pray for Sacha who is far from well.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 09h13 AM
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KOMBI FIXED

I have just picked up the Kombi from the garage with a new petrol pump. It is just as well that it is fixed as we have a project field day out in the wilds on Thursday which depends on it.

Ben Price has been through again to see the doctor and looks a lot better, though still not 100%.

I have had a Patos Bible College meeting today. The end of the first semester for 2009 is upon us and there are always lots of things to sort out.

This week EAB is sending out the Mission's DVD to everyone on the list to receive one. This contains a series of videos of varying lengths and contents so as to be suitable for different church situations, home groups etc. There is a 3 minute overview of EAB's work, there is another video of the Christmas hamper distributions which lasts about 5 minutes, there is the Sky TV broadcast which lasts about 11 minutes and gives details of the climate and conditions EAB works in, and there is a Genesis TV interview which I did last October about a wide range of aspects of the work. If you don't receive a copy of the EAB DVD 2009 and would like one then please contact out home office and request one. We are distributing these totally free of charge. We trust the videos will be a blessing to many many people.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 04h44 PM
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CHURCH

The service last night went well and Pastor Schoeps gave a very good exposition of 1 Corinthians 6. We missed Philip badly with the P&W. The church was confortably full. One very encouraging development was the presence of Altemar, a blind young man, and his mother. I have known him for some time, as has Schoeps, as we have battled for the rights of the blind together. At some point he became a Christian (I don't know the details yet) and now they have come to our church and come to stay they say. He will be singing next Sunday in the Patos church. My mind is already working fast thinking about possible openings for work with the blind through Altemar. Please pray.

The Kombi has gone into the garage to be fixed this morning. This coming Sunday I will be preaching at EAB/ACEV's 2nd Church in Campina Grande.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 10h00 AM
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VISITATION

Liz and I have just got in from an afternoon visiting the sick. It was especially good to see Evangelist Zacarias's widow much improved in health. She's 83. Also good to see a young woman with a complicated pregnancy much better also.

I have sent the ACEV Brazilian Update out and will be off to church shortly.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 06h01 PM
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METHUSALAH 80 TODAY!

Pastor Rosemary (Methusalah) Tivey (née Dyer) is 80 today! This is Liz's aunty and sister of Liz's father. I lovingly call her Methusalah as they told her she would be dead with cancer in 5 years and that was decades ago! PTL!  Since then she has written some wonderful books of Christian poetry and done a fantastic job pastoring the Verwood Chapel in Dorset. She is a great example to us all. Happy birthday Aunt!

Philip is drinking tea already at my sister Joy's house in England. He had good flights and managed to sleep between 4 and 5 hours which he badly needed.

I wrote and produced the ACEV weekly Brazilian Update yesterday so will just put the finishing touches now and dispatch. I will be leading this evenings service in Patos and Pastor Schoeps will be preaching.

The Kombi minibus broke down yet again last night so it's quite a nuisance being without it, especially on a Sunday, because we need it for taking the more distant members home from church, the aged etc.

 Escrito por John Philip Medcraft às 10h09 AM
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