Thank you for taking the time to read our latest report.  Please let me know if you have any questions or prayer requests.

Dear Praying Friends and Supporting Churches,

Thank you for remaining interested in our family and the progress of the Lord’s work here in Belém, Brasil.  Your prayers for us are greatly appreciated and your financial support is a blessing.  Day by day, we see the Lord at work in our lives and in the work here.  The past month has been filled with Bible studies, hospitality, literature distribution, services in our home, and a visit from my parents.

I am seeing progress in both the English Bible study and the Bible study at our home.  The English Bible study has not been as well- attended, but the man that we began the study for continues to be faithful.  We have been able to have more in-depth conversations about the texts we are studying, and he seems more comfortable asking questions, some related to the study and others pertaining to the circumstances in his life.  I expect that some of the other people who have been coming regularly will return.  One man has been traveling, while others are very busy due to the UN Climate Change Conference (COP 30) that is currently underway here.  Brenda has also had several Bible Studies with a young lady that we met through the English Bible study.  We invited her to our home for a Friday night dinner and Brenda offered to study the Bible with her in a location closer to her home because it was difficult for her to come to the English Bible study at the supermarket.  She has asked several good questions and wants to continue studying with Brenda after the Basic Bible Truths lessons are completed.

Our Friday dinners have given us a place to meet some of the friends and family of the people we have in the Bible studies as well as build and maintain relationships with people who God has put in our way, but who have not up to this point been receptive to our Bible study invitations.  This past month was interesting and fun because my parents came to visit for a couple of weeks.  It was a blessing to spend time with them.  Our guests for our Friday dinner enjoyed visiting with them and telling them all about how things work in Brazil.

The literature distribution continues regularly.  I am thankful for every seed sown.  People continue to stop what they are doing to read a tract.  Recently, I have had more questions about what we are doing and that translates into opportunities to share the gospel or plant more seeds.  Your prayers are greatly needed for saved souls and changed lives.

May the Lord continue to use your lives for His glory.

For the Glory of God,

Chris Bell

Brenda’s Bailiwick

Have I already noted that November is the Thursday of the year?  As in, “Yikes, it’s November already?! Where did 2025 go?” And while I recognize that many of my deadlines are self-imposed, God created us to live in time, and reading through the prophets has reminded me that His Word is actually filled with time-based warnings. Yiketh!
As Chris mentioned, we had the great pleasure of hosting his parents, Mike and Nancy, for 2 weeks in October.  They are the best kind of guests: gracious, flexible, and willing to buy you ice cream at the drop of a hat.  We’re so thankful for  our time with them.
The Bell Academy enjoyed an unprecedented extra ‘Fall Break’ during that visit but has been back at work for 2 weeks now. While the student body is back in the thick of it, the faculty and staff are having a hard time catching up (see paragraph one)…

Elijah is well. I think he’s enjoyed having his Mendoza cousins back in town for the last few weeks and may even have turned Samuel into a fellow pickleball devotee. He plans to spend Thanksgiving with his girlfriend’s family.  Thank you for your continued prayers for him!
Since our last report, Chris earned his black belt in jiu-jitsu, no small feat, and Sarah and Caleb earned an additional stripe.  We have tried inviting the jiu-jitsu group to the Friday cookout, but thus far, only our teacher has taken us up on it.  Two weeks ago, his wife and daughter were also able to come.  I have great respect for his wife, who works full-time, goes to school, and is still faithful to attend her church; sadly, the message there seems to be of the “Grace in the window, works in the warehouse” variety.  (Credit to my former pastor, Ron Thomas, for the pithy quote!) Please pray for their family.

Along the same lines, my Bible study with the English teacher is going fairly well. As I mentioned last time, I believe she knows the Lord, but she, too, has been steeped in a “church” culture that doesn’t teach eternal security or the distinction between God blessing obedience and ‘God giving me what I want because I’ve dotted all the i’s and crossed all the t’s.’  Her sister, a self-described atheist, came with her to the last Friday cookout and seemed to enjoy herself.  Please pray for them both.

Thanks for reading and for praying!

In Christ,
Brenda