As we settle back into the place, there is some work to be done. My office is down for a few days as we work on the elect systems. Wayne brought some equipment down from the States to help with our poor electricity. One of the problems with the remote location is that our power is not consistent.

At night our LED lights will flash like a disco-tech, only not in sync. It is difficult to live in a home where the electricity is up and down all day long. Somedays it is fine while others we turn the lights off and have it dimly lit. My office will be out of commission for a few days while we wire things up.

It is inspiring to return to the field this time and have all of the ministries still active as we spent time in the States for our USA ministries. There is a dynamic Bible Study of one type or another Monday through Friday and active kids clubs on the weekends. During our absence, we lost two of our kid’s club leaders, and some of the people in our small groups have drifted or moved off the island, but for the most part, the ministry has held. We are praising God for such a blessing. At the moment most of this ministry is a pause and will start up again in the second week of August. Pray that as we integrate back into these ministries they will grow with God’s blessings.

Ellen did not stay in Brazil long but has a conference to attend, The Network of Biblical Story Tellers Conference in Dayton, Ohio. The visit is all part of certification training she is participating in and requires her to teach a workshop at this convention. Nothing to do with the dog in the picture. The dog is just a new friend Ellen found in Alaska

As a side note, before we returned to Brazil, we took some vacation time and visited a few friends in Alaska. It was a nice vacation and an opportunity to meet some new friends that put us up while we took in some Alaskan Wild Life.
Ellen will fly back August 14, and she will not be returning alone. There is a young lady who is the daughter of one of our long-time supporters who has a desire to go on a mission trip. While we were making our USA ministry visits, she asked if she could participate in a team to visit us in Brazil. Now we do not have any groups planned for this year, but there is no reason she could not be a team of one person. A plan was conceived, and after many hours of planning and work, she will be returning with Ellen to spend two weeks working with Ellen in the women’s ministry on our island. Pray for this endeavor.

Ellen and I flew back to Brazil on the last days of June. It was just in time to attend our small group that meets Friday nights as they were closing out their semester for July vacation time.
The country closed down for July as everyone goes on vacation. By law employees are granted four weeks of vacation, they all take it in July. This means two things; the ministry here is on pause, and our island has been invaded by vacationers who are looking to get out of the city. It is this month of July cell phones, Internet and electricity all have problems.
All this means computers do not work, we can not send or receive phone calls or Internet chats and a few candlelight dinners. After being gone for six months, there is a lot of work to be done in unpacking the house and cleaning up things that have sat for a long time. Much of my electronic gear has failed as it sat in the humid climate without use. Wayne turned it on, and it just goes puff. That magic white smoke is let out.
No problem because there is a World Cup Soccer Competition to watch with our Brazilian friends. The World Cup Games are important here and give us the opportunity to rekindle relationships that have waned over time. It is an opportunity to sit with our new believers and visit with them for the two-hour event. Pray as we re-integrate into our life here.

Please pray for Jeremias this weekend as he serves the Lord as our Kid’s Club leader. He is also our boat driver who moves teams and kids around the different islands. He is one of the many volunteers that make the river ministry we have developed work.  He has a family of his own and brings his kids along to participate in the ministry. It is common that he will have his son tell the Biblle story to kids at story time.   It is exciting to us that our Lord has brought men like Jeremias for us to work with.

Stephine is leading our women’s group on Thursday Morning. Please pray for her ministry that Ellen and her share. It is a small group of women that meet to make crafts and to hear the word of God told a story. The ministry continues to grow as you lift it to the Lord in prayer. Stephine is a new believer who has a desire to reach her neighbors at the Farol Beach on the island of Cotijbua.

Mario is our Possum island kids club leader. The kids club is located in a remote part of the river 11 miles from where we live on the island of Cotijuba. They will meet Saturday and tell the kids stories, sing and teach them about Jesus. The work is a small but growing slowly. It is in a remote part of the river, so it is difficult to travel too. Pray that we will see fruit in this ministry on Saturday.

Please pray for Mario from Wayne Patton on Vimeo.

Ester is leading our women’s group this afternoon. Please pray for her ministry that Ellen and her share. It is a small group of women that meet to make crafts and to hear the word of God told as a story.  The ministry continues to grow as you lift it to the Lord in prayer. Ester is Pastor Jeu’s wife and a teammate our ministry on the island of Cotijbua.

The kids club at Farol Beach on our island of Cotijuba is vital to our ministry.Claudio is a key leader for this kids club. There are anywhere from a dozen kids to a crowded fifty on any Saturday. Claudio and his wife help start this kids club and have work this soil for the past two years.  It is his perseverance that has kept the kids club moving forward when things got tough. Please pray that there will be fruit in this ministry as they take the gospel message back to the family of these kids.