Ecola Crista Água Viva Christmas Party
Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - December 2021
Dears Friends,
Christmas greetings! Our latest video update can be found at the link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2st7j6CxdyI
An update on our last communication - 20/11/2021 - Financial challenges/ adventures! They say a burden shared is a burden halved and so happily that's what we found too! Thankyou to all who contacted, shared advice and help ….Shortly afterwards some friends replied who also have projects in Brazil and experienced the same problems... withdrawals in Brazil not showing up in the bank in the UK, even stretching from September!. After having some conversation....we figure that the same bank - Bradesco, they are in the South of Brazil, we use the same bank, Bradesco in the North for withdrawals. We have no idea what was going on, if the bank made some colossal error or If the bank got hacked and hackers were blackmailing. Unfortunately these kind of hacking attacks have been taking place with energy companies in the USA. So its one of those things which makes one wonder.... It doesn't make sense as withdrawals are supposed to show up 24 hrs or a few days after drawing cash in Brazil. We have managed to stabilise financially now, but November you could say was a tumultuous month! - Josi had booked a flight to the south of Brazil. Josi was responsible for organising an education Workshop at a YWAM base Monte das Águias in Curitiba - Called “Teachers for the Nations” 26 -27 November.only to have to cancel the flight because ...a leader who was key in the link bringing the main speaker from Columbia for a school, got covid. and the whole sequence of organising speaker and the conference Josi organised collapsed. So we had to reorganise the conference via zoom, thankfully it went very well, about 40 joined us as participants over the two days of teaching even though we had never hosted one before. But we did have a power cut for about half an hour before the meeting started on the last day - just to keep us on our toes! For the past few weeks nearly every day has had power cuts here - only short ones thankfully.....
I was responsible for organising the Zoom meetings! 62 years of age and I still remember the days of black and white TV. The technology now is so new to learn and understand.... then I had to understand how to save all the recordings and post them to youtube for the participants.... The world is changing so fast with technology..... and now everybody is getting accustomed to online meetings....I can see we must learn quickly!
Anyway, now we will have an opportunity to reflect upon all this before the Lord and review all that has happened!.
“One day you'll just be a memory for some people. Do your best to be a good one!” Anonymous
A few thoughts to reflect on for Christmas. The above anonymous quote caught my attention recently which I thought is quite a good reminder of the brevity of life and what really counts. It's a phrase which is a compass bearing in the midst of life which asks us to take a bearing - where are we going? what memory and legacy will we leave behind? Shall they be good ones or bad ones? It's rather a similar situation with the story of A Christmas Carol - The ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present and the Ghost of Christmas yet to come, all show up to challenge Ebenezer Scrooge about what really matters in life…..and yes, it's just a story, but somehow one which echoes truth….. That God wants all of us to live in the light of what really matters for eternity and what Christmas means and what we can mean to others at Christmas - Will we bring “God with us, Immanuel? Will we be His hands and feet? Will He be our bright morning star to guide us? Will we keep our bearings true to His Word? Shall we leave good memory of our lives for others? It is in fact God’s will for our lives, His will that we should bear much fruit showing us to be His disciples, ensuring good memories wont be left behind in vain.. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give you this testimony for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, and the bright Morning Star.” Revelation 22:16
In the picture we will notice a Christian standing on an open Bible in full armour, armed to the teeth - with the sword of the Spirit - The Word of God, resisting a lion. We will also note the bones of those scattered about who did not make the Lord their strong tower or put their trust in His Word ....not even their staff and mitres could save them! In the distance, sublime cathedrals and a humble country church - a A tranquil scene in contrast to the life and death struggle witnessed in the foreground. What does the scripture tell us about being a Christian and the life of faith? "Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in your faith and in the knowledge that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kinds of suffering. 1 Peter 5:8. And "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can make your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this world’s darkness, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore take up the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you will be able to stand your ground, and having done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness arrayed, and with your feet fitted with the readiness of the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:10-17
Online Gallery Art shop
If anyone is stuck for buying gifts this Christmas, you are quite welcome to visit my online Gallery Shop. Lots of unusual gift ideas with a range of designs for Jigsaw puzzles, clothing, Wall art, cards, cushions, and much more. ….. The photo on the left shows the shopping cart option to send as a gift to family and friends and add a Gift message.
Click link for Gallery Shop
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Prayer and Thanks!
Praise the Lord for continued health, strength and provision!
Pray for the school and project, the need for safety and maintenance etc. Please see video.
Please pray for the Bible Museum and for partners. If anyone has suggestions or thoughts please contact us.
Please continue to pray for more volunteer staff and for evangelism.
Please pray for a new laptop which will be used for graphics and video editing - R$7,000 - about a thousand UK pounds.
Please pray for a return visit to the UK, hopefully we can stay longer next time. Dorothy enjoyed it very much and we feel it particularly important for her when we visited in 2018/19. We don't want to leave it another 11 years to pass by! We know it's a challenge to raise the finance...but ask for prayer and trust in the Lord to make away.
Hope you are all keeping well, safe and warm in spite of the weather and news about a new covid virus.
God bless you all and thank you for all your support and prayers
With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy
*Email: jocumpraia@gmail.com *Please note the email address is the current one I use
For those who would like to help financially
Giving through Stewardship
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/escolacristaaguaviva *Email: jocumpraia@gmail.com *Please note the email address is the current one I use
