We are thankful for your partnership with us through your prayers, love, and support. As fellow partners in Christ, we pray that this report will let you know a little of what God is doing through your partnership. We pray that you have a blessed day and are encouraged. Keep fired up! We are so excited to present to you our new sister in Christ, Elena, she was baptized at the church in Teresopolis and is fired up for the Lord. We had the opportunity to meet her a couple of months ago when Meri, from Teresopolis, said she had met a lady that was wanting to study the Bible. You may remember the picture of Meri when she was baptized at her house in a past report. Josue, Meri, and Kaka began studying with her on Sunday nights and they were amazed out how much she had a thirst for the Word of God. When Josue finished the first study, after one hour and a half, she said is that all. So they studied another hour. They have been studying for about two hours and a half every Sunday night and praise God Elena made the decision to give her life to the Lord. She has a gift for hospitality. Continue praying for her and the rest of her family, Gracie (daughter), Carol (daughter) and Leonard (son-in-law). They have been accompanying the studies as well and have been attending the studies at church. Be praying though for the rest of her family, they are all into spiritism (cultic) and are trying to influence her children not to follow Christ.
Since we are talking about Teresopolis, continue praying for them as they to find a new location to worship since the land where they have is being appropriated by the city for World Cup in 2014. I had the opportunity to preach a couple of weeks ago in Teresopolis and praise God that they are having many visitors coming and they are animated by the two couples that will be joining them in the work at a new location. Cleoni, mother of Josue, has also been able to attend every Sunday for the past six weeks; this is great knowing what she passes with her sickness. Continue praying that her health can be fully restored. We are having a number of visitors as well at the church in Agronomia. We are having visitors on every Sunday and Tuesday night, as well as visitors to the youth, couples, and other meetings that we have. God has opened the door for me to study with three students from the University across the street. They are Joaquim and Abraham who are from Bolivia and Jairo from Urugaina in the state. We have been meeting weekly and are studying in their dorm rooms. We have had others who have visited as well and participated in the study. Pray for this open door that God is giving to us that we can make the most of every opportunity. We had a great couple s meeting this past month including two couples that was their first time to have interaction with the church. They all enjoyed the meeting and one couple is already studying the Bible. They are Marcelo and Cristina. Be praying for the other couple as well, Adilson and Elisangela, she is four months pregnant and is already on bed rest. God gave me the opportunity to speak about what to do when and after an argument occurs between couples.
God has blessed us with a great couple of partners in the couples ministry, Daniel and Luzia, and Flavio and Andreia. They helped us to plan the time, the subject, dynamic, and the decorations for the meeting. Ju and I thank the Lord that He has raised these couple up to help in this ministry. We are also thankful for those who are involved with the youth, such as Renato and Branda, Flavio, Valeria, and Valquiria. The youth had a vigilia (lock-in of prayer and study of the Word) at the house of Renato and Branda and we also spent a Saturday together at their house because rain did not allow us to go where we wanted, but the Lord always knows what is better and he blessed the time tremendously. Continue praying for the youth that those who have been baptized into Christ will continue to mature and that the others who have not yet given their lives to the Lord will do soon to the glory of God.
We have had opportunities to meet new people as well through birthdays that the members of the church here have. Generally a birthday here does not exist with just a couple of people, but with many people. No better reason than to use this opportunity to talk about Jesus with people. We are having some couples that have shown interest in knowing more about the Word of God. Pray that these opportunities can be used to reach people. We also had this month an opportunity to meet people from Geimison s family. He is a roommate with Filipe and Leonardo, who was baptized in December. Geimison s mother and sister came to visit and loved the warm welcome of the church. Geimison is another Cornelio (biblically speaking) who we pray soon also will be baptized into Christ. Ju also had the pleasure of having all the people from her home state over for a Northeastern meal where everything was made out of corn. Geimisons mother knew how to cook all the types of food typical from there and Ju jumped right in as well. Ju was able to speak with Geice, sister of Gemison, for a good time about the will of God. Geice is taking a test to see if she gets a scholarship to move here, pray for her.
I can t say it enough how much my wife has been a blessing principally for me, our children, and for so many others as well. We generally have people staying in our house and she always demonstrates great hospitality. She also has made many meals here for us to get to know our church members here and to get to know new people that God has brought our way. Praise God! Leonel will be visiting us from Campo Grande on Saturday night. He will be here with us for two weeks. Be praying for him as he is in the process of selling his house here to buy a house in Campo Grande. You may remember that Vanete was here in January with us. We have a couple from Brasilia here with us right now until Saturday morning. They are Miqueias and Rubia; they have been friends with Ju since 1997 when she lived in Brasilia. In one way, they have known her longer than I. Continue praying for us that the Lord helps us to make the most opportunity to reach others with the Good News of the gospel. I have been studying on Tuesday nights with the church the letter to the Romans and I am reminded that it really is good news. Praise God! Barbara was sick
this past week with a fever and cough, but now has almost fully recovered. She still has a little bit of a cough. Deborah is studying hard in school. She is in the fifth grade now and has lots of different teachers and subjects, so pray that she, as well as us, are not too overwhelmed by all the work she has to do. The weather here has started cooling off, which for me, is a good thing. We also ask your prayers for the schools here since the school shooting that occurred in Rio de Janeiro. Luzia, a teacher, said that her school where she works had been alerted before the shooting because of possible gang members wanting to attack some of the students because of drug activity at her school. Luzia also was in a recent car accident and asks for prayers as well. Ju will be speaking at the Women s meeting of Rio Grande do Sul in two weeks as well, please be praying for this retreat. We hope and pray for those we are studying with to want to give their lives to the Lord and obey the gospel. We thank you for continued prayers, love, and support for us over the years and ask that you continue to do some fervently for us. We are strengthened by your prayers and thankful for the partnership we have in reaching souls for Christ here in the Southern part of Brazil. God bless! Thank you from the heart. Mark, Juaneylla, Deborah and Barbara White Sponsoring Congregation: Daingerfield Church of Christ PO Box 779 Hwy 11 West Daingerfield, TX 75638 c/o Missions/Duane McGough dfieldcoc779@aol.com 903-645-2896 Mark,Ju,Deborah & Barbara White Rua Doutor Pereira da Cunha, 40 Bairro: Intercap Porto Alegre/RS Brasil Cep. 91530-290 Email:juaneylla@juno.com Magic Jack: 903-960-5799