Building Blocks
Thank you again for your prayers and faithful support! In January and February, we have worked diligently on the building project, and brick by brick, we have seen some slow progress. At the same time, we continue to have heavy rains and unreliable workers, which has set us back. I open the door early and have to keep a close eye on the work, run out frequently to buy supplies on a daily basis, and help with the major cleanup at the end of the day. The roof will be a great help to keep the heavy rains from causing more damage. Please pray for the urgently needed funds to complete this $40,000 project! We thank the Lord for 7 percent of this need promised.
Soul-Winning Statistics
During Saturday visitation our family splits up into groups. Eliana is a new convert who walks with a cane. The older children make visits with her near her home and have seen several saved as a result of their weekly visits. Esther led Sergio, Alexandro, and Thais to the Lord; and they are interested in coming to church. I thank the Lord for the discipleship time I have had with several families. I have prayed for the Lord to open the hearts of the construction workers, and by God’s grace all of them have listened and trusted Christ as their Saviour. One of the tough men has asked me many questions about the Bible, and we have ongoing conversations as time allows. One evening while out soul winning at a park with my family and Eliana, we were blessed to see 8 souls come to Christ! Our family had the joy of leading over 26 souls to Jesus Christ in January and February.
Three Birthday Blessings
We thank the Lord for another year with our now 13-year-old Esther and our now 4-year-old twins Caleb and Chloe! What a joy they are to us!!
Prayer Petitions
New Church Plant! We have some exciting news! The Lord has given us a burden for an area outside the city where there are no Bible-teaching churches. With tears in her eyes, Isabella invited us in and begged us to pray for her family. Terezinha asked us to come in and pray for her and was so happy to hear we would be starting a church across the street! A neighbor man will be giving us a few guard dogs for the property and said he would like to join us. Sergio, another neighbor, said there is a great need for a Drug-Rehabilitation Ministry. Pablo listened as I explained salvation by grace in front of the new church plant and asked the Lord to save him.
By God’s grace amid all that is going on here, we held our first service in Cotia, Brazil, in the open air under the trees! During this service in the Igreja Batista O Caminho, 5 people raised their hands for salvation. We were able to give them the Gospel and lead them to trust in Christ alone for their salvation. The foundation for this new church is taking place right now!
The needs are great; and, of course, with the resources we will be able to do much more for the cause of Christ and lost souls. There is a very great need for the Gospel to reach out farther. During Carnaval, a very wicked celebration here in Brazil, we were blessed to hold our first Family Camp for our church in Sao Paulo on this campsite. There is such a need for this type of ministry! As you can see, the needs far exceed the income! Thank you again for taking part in our ministry! There will be more details to come in our next prayer letter.
Our Family’s Health: Please continue to pray for Amy’s sinusitis, tracheal bronchitis, pending vein surgery, and chronic neck and back pain from degenerative and herniated discs. Please pray for my health and strength as I manage all the construction, ministerial, and family needs. My wife would like you to know that I also manage our family’s laundry, which is another major task! (We save our rainwater and carry heavy buckets to fill the washer each cycle!) Please continue to pray for our family’s safety and the children’s schooling.
Not only are funds important to run the ministry, we also ask you to pray for laborers. We are one family striving to reach as many as we can with the Gospel. We are able to host groups for construction work, a single young lady or man to help with the family and church ministries, and a family or couple willing to help on a short- or long-term basis. Thank you and may God bless you.
In His service,
The Vallejo Family