Bits January

Those baptized this month! 

We are excited for this month for a couple reasons. We are going to have our new boss Randy Richner and his wife Cindy in town for a retreat with our colleagues. Then he is going to teach a module on Biblical counseling at the church. We always like having modules at the church and see them as great growth tools. 

The construction in Tupanatinga is going really well! We are close; not sure we will be using the building before next month’s update but it is possible and should be at least really close. We had a huge gift come in last night to finish off all we need and so we are about to be in a big buying stage for the remaining finishes on the building. 

The girls went to Camp Paradise this month that ABWE started more than 50 years ago and our colleague Dan Cook runs. They had a really fun time with a few others from our church as well as a couple counselors from our church. We are excited that the group that goes has really grown. The girls both got camper of the week for their cabins and won three theme nights with costumes that Sarah made. They were pretty excited about that.

Heading home from camp excited

Egyptian night

While the girls were at camp we missed going to Tupanatinga and then we had Covid! So we missed church in Tupanatinga for a couple of weeks which we really hated missing! But we were pleased that they kept meeting and had a good service even though we were not present. We are going to be gone for a while starting in July and we are working on how they will be cared for in our absence. For now the plan is spread out; a mixture of having services on their own; Chico has preached a couple of times there; then we can send some leaders from the church in Arcoverde as well. 

My brother Phil visiting

This month we have thought more in depth on legalism and faithfulness. Can we be too legalistic requiring or demanding our member’s presence in church activities or do we just say whatever is fine. It comes down to motives that we cannot always see. What we would like to develop is member
s who really want to be present and serve because of their love for Jesus, not out of a sense of obligation for their salvation, or a sense of debt. We consider it a privilege to serve as missionaries of the gospel and we thank you all for allowing us that privilege. 

All for HIS glory,

David, Sarah and our little insects (Their camp rooms were named after insects this year) Esperança (leaf bug) and Juninha (lady bug)