First day back - December 2020 - Escola Crista Água Viva
Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - December 2020
Dears Friends,
Christmas Greetings!
The year 2020 must be one of the most unusual.....and it still isn't over!
For our school it has been a very challenging time, many private schools in Ceara already closed as they struggled through the year financially, It's been a very confusing time, even with reopening the school, we hear of schools who did open and then have to close because of cases of Covid….. Now Ceara is with a high number of cases of Covid….and may well go into another lockdown. But at the beginning of December our school opened again. We lost a lot of pupils...but maybe now we are open, things hopefully will gradually return to normal although we still need to observe distancing and masks etc.Thank you to all for your help, support and prayers!
In the month of November we hosted a team from Fire and Fragrance Discipleship Training School. It was a very encouraging time and the team got to visit many needy places here for prayer and outreach.
Recently we have been evangelising with art in the city and locally, and made a small video in portuguese https://youtu.be/qlOE7FrOYQE
To help churches find out about the kind of evangelism ministry and training we do. We also produce flyers to hand out for interested passers by. Part of the text of the flyer in the video is below - English Translation.
Eternity......Eternity, is ringing like a bell....Its chimes and echo enough to make me stop one morning last year and sketch a picture like this.....My prayer is it will make all to hear the ringing bell of Eternity ......its chiming for you and for me ....are we ready? Have we made our peace with God? If we died tonight...where will we spend eternity? Some may recognize the esteemed gentleman who writes "Eternity" on the bell. ...this man is perhaps the greatest Graffiti artist who ever lived and yet he could hardly write his own name.....he spent 35 years writing "Eternity" on the sidewalks and pavements of the city where he lived, and for years know one even knew who the writer was. We are well reminded of the scripture "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:25 -29
The world is changing rapidly before our eyes now, politically and in so many ways. Many things have come to the surface this year we could never have imagined, we are seeing division, intolerance, polarization, extreme ideas - what was before unseen and hidden is now in full view. New names, words and phrases have come into use for a narrative few of us would have understood a year ago. Taking the knee and Cancel Culture, to name but a few. Much of the Press is no longer a neutral public service… but have agendas other than just the news. Listen to the cancel culture talk of Free Speech, then watch them coerce people into taking the knee... Where did this soft version of totalitarianism come from? Much of the free world has enjoyed a period of relative peace unparalleled in previous generations, a hard won peace on the backs of those who fought and died resisting tyranny during WW2, but above all we have to thank the Lord answering prayers of the faithful generation of Christians and Churches. The Salt and Light of their generation. Sadly, it appears, many nations today are turning their backs on God. At the same time, increased persecution of Christians and attempt to silence those who stand for Bible values…..We can perhaps remember one example earlier this year of religious intolerance - Franklin Graham banned from some Stadiums in the UK, he was accused of hate speech. It is interesting to reflect - because strangely enough it wasn't too long afterwards, all stadiums were being closed - to everyone, but for another reason - Pandemic! Before the pandemic really got started. In February, I woke one morning with a dream (The link to the dream) So should we really be surprised the Lord is shaking the nations? Who can blame Him? They say there is a vaccine for Covid, but the vaccine will not work for a virus which has been around much longer and more deadly - Sin. Have the nations looked at the vaccine God has provided for sin? if they continue ignoring His vaccine, what will happen? But we the people of God, if we fulfil the conditions He sets for His people...We shall indeed have hope for our land "if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14.
Bible Museum
Since our last newsletter, with the school being closed made me think about what education means and the challenges education faces. A while ago (Last year) we visited a city further up the coast, where we came across a small permanent museum run by Christians. It was very good and very well presented. They made the most of the local history to make a very interesting and thought provoking exhibition. And with my interest in restoring and collecting old Gospel pictures…….it got me thinking, perhaps we should look at creating a museum - for the Bible. A Bible Museum is much needed and should be a good way to help children and young people learn about God’s Word. So this will be a long term project we can plan. We should have enough space without affecting the school. I have enough interesting artwork to make displays, all we would need is to create a chronological exhibition and hopefully acquire artifacts and old Bibles. Displays can be changed to feature Pilgrim’s Progress and notable historical figures, plus testimonies of Christians today. There are so many different ways to present the Bible and how it has impacted people's lives through history. If it is well done, hopefully many schools and churches may like to visit. Please pray…..Should anyone like to help please contact us.
Restoring and Republishing Gospel Pictures
Earlier this year I was able to restore and republish an old lithograph - Baptist Messenger Memorial Portraits. 75 portraits of well known Baptist preachers, including John Bunyan, Christmas Evans, Dr John Gill, William Carey. The lithograph covering a period of Baptist history. When I have completed researching I expect I shall have a better idea of the date of the lithograph. Also I want to plan another picture based on this, featuring all the preachers surrounding the United Kingdom. with the scripture "The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil." Psalm 125:3 Even though the preachers have gone before us - this is the land where they once lived, walked, preached and prayed for......land allotted to the righteous. ..I bought the old picture because of its significance. We need to encourage the church throughout the UK of God's mercy in previous generations and remind the UK of its inheritance in the saints.
“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3
We give thanks and praise God for the work on construction already completed for the 3 new classrooms. Please pray we might quickly raise the necessary finance to complete Praise the Lord for continued health and strength!
Praise the Lord for His provision. And for all who help and pray for us throughout 2020!.
Please pray for the school Escola Crista Agua VIva and project Crianças do Rei - For provision, the need for safety, health and quarantine
Please pray for the Bible Museum and for partners.
Please pray for more volunteer staff for evangelism.
With our best wishes and prayers for Christmas and the New Year!
With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy
Giving through Stewardship
An update - For those who kindly wish to support us in missions with YWAM Brazil. We are registered with give net - Stewardship Services in the UK. Monthly and one-off donations can be easily processed with Debit and Credit cards - please visit the link below to see our giving page. Give net has made some recent updates which should make this easier - for those who wish to remain anonymous, give net makes this provision. For people outside the UK who wish to give - the payment process allows International donors to opt out of UK Gift Aid system. Stewardship Services are a Christian organisation serving charities and missionaries from the UK.
For those who wish to pay through STEWARDSHIP We have an account at https://www.give.net/20089559 Before confirming any gift on give.net you will be asked whether you wish to remain anonymous. If you choose this option your personal details will be will not be made known. If you have any questions please ask for details Donations may also be sent via Western Union which we are able to receive here.
Peter and Josi Millward, Rua Pintor J. Figueiredo No. 805. Praia Iparana. Caucaia, Ceara. CEP. 61.627-250. Brazil. https://www.facebook.com/
