Bits October 2025

ABWE All Brazil conference

Climbing the corporate ladder. A common phrase for most jobs, but what does that mean as a missionary? The most common reaction to this phrase among missionaries is a little laugh. Often, our job is to work ourselves out of a job and then start smaller. But don’t we have bosses and such? Yes! And they are great. They serve us and are a great blessing in our lives. I don’t think it really comes with a raise (if it does, the missionary has to raise support for his raise)! 

Arcoverde service

Why do I bring this up in a prayer letter? Last month, we were able to go to the All Brazil conference in South Brazil and see our colleagues. There is a bit of leadership within our Brazil team, and we were kind of put there by default a few years ago. But with that came some benefits. One being that we stay longer for these conferences and receive more training. This year, we heard from Kyle Farran, a missionary leader in Europe, who gave some great training from the book Lead, Develop, Care. 

Men's activity in Tup

In a couple of months, we will receive another benefit by receiving more training on peacemaking and Biblical Counseling held in Spain. We are excited about the trip, and a benefit is that we get to do some sightseeing as well! But it also costs money… that we need to raise. Actually, we had the money in our accounts, but it used a good chunk of our undesignated funds. As the end of the year draws near, if you are thinking of an end-of-the-year gift, I humbly ask that you consider us! We first need to get our account a little healthier, but we also would like to build an apartment at the Tupanatinga property, as that will help with having a Pastor present there at some point, hopefully in the near future (our goal is by the summer of 2027). The estimate for building the apartment is around 20,000 dollars, but we could get a great chunk of it done for half of that. 

AC painting faces

This month was a whirlwind! We went to South Brazil for the conference, but also spoke in two churches (Stefan’s family’s church and the church where Stefan worked before joining us) and reported about the work in Northeast Brazil. We held a kids’ day before that, which Sarah did an excellent job organizing. Then this last weekend we stayed in Tupanatinga after the service on Friday night and did a men’s study/activity Saturday morning, a kids’ club Saturday afternoon as a church missionary outreach, ate at four different members’ houses, and performed a wedding Sunday afternoon before rushing home for the Arcoverde church service. 

Saturday, we have an outreach in Batalha. A church from Recife is bringing a busload of people on Friday night. Pray that the outreach will encourage the community and that people will be more interested in the gospel! On the 23rd of November, we are planning a baptism for the church in Arcoverde, and we have around 10 on the list to be baptized. Praise the Lord for salvations! 

Pray we finish off the year strong! Thank you all for your consistent support and prayers!

All for HIS glory,
David, Sarah, and our historian, political science, language-loving Evelyn, and our designer, crocheter (this month she finished a blanket and a purse, and a lot more) Anna Claire