Dear Praying Friends and Supporting Churches,

Thank you for participating in the Lord’s work here in Belém.  Your faithful prayers and regular support are a blessing to us.

The last couple of months have gone by quickly.  We have continued sowing gospel seed and teaching the Word of God to those we find who are interested.  Patience is needed as we depend on the Lord for the results of our work.

February was Brenda appreciation month.  She traveled to the US for a couple of weeks to assist some of our family.  The children and I carried on somewhere between surviving and thriving.  Her absence was felt by us all. The children were more than ready for a break from my minimalist/ utilitarian philosophy of cooking.  The cats spent two weeks looking for her and barely even gave her the cold shoulder when she returned.  Of course I was the most pleased to have her safely home.

I ask that you continue to remember the regular Bible studies in prayer.  Sometimes it feels like two steps forward and one step back when it comes to progress in the lives of the students.  Please pray with me for obedient responses to the Word of God.  On the bright side last week, the man that had been traveling so much was in town for the English Bible study I teach on Saturday afternoons.  It was good to see him, and it was encouraging to see that he was eager to get into the Bible.  

Please also remember a young man that I train Jiu-Jitsu with in prayer. He asked if I could give him a ride home after class, and as we were driving, he began asking questions about observing Lent.  He could not understand the reason for it though he listened to a priest explain it.  He is very skeptical about the Catholic church.  After very briefly talking about the difference between Biblical Christianity and Catholicism, I invited him to study the Bible with me.  He seemed somewhat interested but wanted to discuss it with his girlfriend, who is Catholic.  So far, he has not gotten back to me.  I plan to follow up with him soon.

Thank you for praying with us.  May the Lord continue to guide and direct your lives for His glory and honor.

For the Glory of God,

Chris Bell

 

Brenda’s Bailiwick

Greetings from the Amazonian Rain…City. Our daily downpour came a bit early this morning, precipitating a school-wide dash for the clotheslines (which I’m definitely counting as my morning exercise). Damp clothes notwithstanding, I love the sight and sound of a tropical shower and am currently feeling just a bit sorry for anyone who doesn’t get to experience it.

 I ended the last Bailiwick requesting prayer for my brother-in-law, who had been hospitalized with significant infections and altered cognition. Subsequently, I flew to Dallas for 2 weeks to help during his hospitalization and transfer back to long-term care. He made a remarkable recovery but still faces many challenges. Thank you for praying for him.

 Although it was hectic, I thoroughly enjoyed spending time with my Texas family and even got to see Elijah twice—he came for the weekend and then for lunch en route to Houston the following Friday. It’s always a pleasure to spend time with him, and I really appreciated his making the effort.

I also thoroughly enjoyed returning to my Belém family! Thanks to Chris, the Bell Academy had not missed a beat. Sarah is in the “faint but pursuing” stage of her senior year.  On the fun side, she and Chris started driving lessons on Sunday afternoons. (If she can learn to park like a Belenense, she’ll be set—they can park on a dime and have a penny in change.)  Caleb is doing well; he finished his science experiment and is still speaking to me—praise God and thanks for praying!

Thank you  as well for praying for the ABC’s of Christian Growth study; my student “Stella,” recently got a part-time job, but so far remains committed to our study. However, the doctrine of eternal security highlighted the reality that despite her genuine interest in and sincere desire to obey the Bible, embracing Biblical truths that are contrary to what she’s been taught her entire life is very difficult. Please pray for me to be clear and concise and leave the convincing to the Lord—because there are more points of conflict ahead.  We’re looking forward to having her and her mom over tonight, along with a handful of others, as we resume our Friday night gathering.

Thanks for reading, and for praying!

In Christ,

Brenda

Prayer Requests

• Preparation of hearts in Belém to receive the Gospel
• Following up with Contacts
• Language Acquisition
• Outreach Efforts
• Bell Academy