Dear Camel Knees

 

Dear praying friends,

Thank you so much for praying with us through this our third term in Brazil since arrival in 1994.

MINISTRY MATTERS

The evangelism workshop on April 1 was well attended with over 60 participants from five assemblies.  All are currently involved in evangelism yet there is a strong need for training in how to effectively evangelize.  We have suggested to Warren & Linda Brown that they come to stay in Curitiba next year for six months (or longer) to give “hands-on” training.  Pray with us concerning this.

The Preach & Teach class at Quissisana assembly is going well with participants giving devotional messages with written evaluations from class members.  Scary but very effective!

The evangelistic Bible study with our neighbours continues and is now in the Gospel stage.   Alfredo & Andreia will continue studies with them and Celso, a full time worker, will provide support.

More in the assembly are taking up the challenge of giving evangelistic Bible studies and their excitement is encouraging.  Good tools and training make this possible.

Edilson & Adailza’s wedding was a beautiful event here on our back verandah on February 10.  In spite of heavy rain over one hundred folk celebrated God’s goodness in bringing this couple together in holy matrimony.

Santa Helena’s building project is going rather slowly now as we accumulate funds for the next stages.  The walls are up and the roof is on.  The current stage is rendering the walls before we start installation of the windows, doors, electrical, plumbing, tiling and painting.  One more year should see it mostly done.  The assembly is still debt free – Jehovah Jireh!  Pray for Ari, the contractor overseeing the project.  He is not saved.

FAMILY MATTERS

Samuel sat the MCAT (Medical College Aptitude Test) on April 7.  It was quite a challenge.  He thinks he did well but results are not yet out.  In two weeks he finishes his 3^rd year of his science degree – one year to go before Medical School !

Samuel’s back surgery is scheduled for early June in Adelaide .  We would appreciate your prayer for this momentous occasion.

Elliott and Josiah are celebrating birthdays soon.  Josiah turns 14 on April 22 and Elliott 16 on May 6.  They are growing so fast

Once again our wells are dry – please pray for an effective answer to this recurring problem.

FURLOUGH MATTERS

Alfredo & Andreia will be caretakers for our house while we are on furlough.  They have already moved here.

Accommodation and transport arrangements are already complete with handsome provision from the Lord through various loving saints.

We have decided to keep our old car to serve as a second car.  It has served very well and given us 130,000km to date.  We hope to be able to buy a much younger model on our return.

Location plans (flexible)

May 18 - arrive Adelaide .

August 13 - toward Brisbane (Vic & NSW).

September 03- arrive Brisbane

October 08 - arrive Maryborough ( Hervey Bay )

December 03 – arrive Brisbane

December 13 - arrive Adelaide

December 17 – fly out.

 

With love in Christ,

Gavin & Janet

 

 

March 25, April 15, 22 & 29

I have begun a Preach & Teach class at the Quissisana assembly with a group of eight brothers and two sisters.  The assembly will be losing a key brother later this year when Claudio Martinowski heads to Portugal to assist the assemblies there and in São Tomé & Principe in Africa .  His going represents quite a loss but God is raising up others to “stand in the gap”.  Most of these have only a few years in the faith but are keen to serve the Lord.  Several are already leading studies and preaching occasionally.  Pray that I will be able to make these few sessions count.  The first session was a great blessing.

April 1 – João Batista has invited Warren Brown to run a workshop on evangelism this Sunday from 1:30pm to 6pm for people engaged in on-going evangelism.  Around 30 folk have accepted our own invitation and others are expected also.  The aim is help see what concepts and phases are necessary in effective evangelism.  We are excited about the number of folk we know actively engaged in evangelism and are sure this workshop will be a big blessing.  Warren has a lot of experience in this area and is constantly engaged in running and teaching how to run evangelistic home Bible studies.

April 7 – Samuel will sit the MCAT (Medical College Aptitude Test) for US medical schools.  Even though medical school is still 18 months away this test is required now for entrance.  It represents a very serious moment for Samuel and he has been studying heavily for months in preparation.  He would value your prayer very much.  Samuel is currently doing the 3^rd yr of his Science degree.

Thursdays – The evangelistic Bible study with our neighbours has reached the Gospel phase and we ask prayer specifically for Rosicleia.  Pray that she would act soon to receive the Saviour.  Others in the group are Dirce (professing), Aristides (illiterate) & Rosilene.  Janet is teaching Cristian (5yrs).

Sundays have become busier for me lately with most Sundays preaching morning and evening in different assemblies as well as running an evangelistic Bible study at the Santa Helena hall from 6-7pm.  As well as this there is the new Preach & Teach class in the afternoons from 2:30-4:00.  There are quite a few kilometres covered.  For the several evenings that I preach away the Lord has raised up two brothers to fill in.  For one of them, Nei, this is new territory and he is rising to meet the challenge.

Furlough plans – we praise the Lord for His provision of housing and transport during our time out of Brazil .  We also have caretakers for our house here.  Things are falling into place.  We would value your prayer as we still need to sell some things here including our car.  We leave Brazil on May 8 (DV).

A newsletter is soon to follow.

With love in Christ,

Gavin & Janet

 

March 01, 2006

 FRUIT!  Thank you for your prayer.

Rejoice with us in the positive answers to your prayers.

The Carnaval camp went very well in every aspect.  The physical aspects were ideal – weather, food, accommodation, etc.  We had the joy of ministering to 80 young folk over the four days and saw much blessing.

Abel Altare from Argentina brought eleven studies from Ezekiel 47:1-12 which were excellent and very challenging to all.

Four young men and women who were lukewarm in their faith are now restored to the Lord and desiring to serve in earnest.   They are; (guys) Lesli & Marcio, (girls) Marta & Onilda.  Pray that their lives make an impact for Christ.  They are all in their twenties.

Praise the Lord also for Andre’s conversion - he’s 16 yrs old, has no family, works as a labourer and is doing school at night to finish Seventh Grade.  He’d really like to go on to High School.  Andre had been prepared by the Lord beforehand through one of the assemblies and gave himself to Christ during the camp.  Pray for the assembly that brought him that they would take good care of our new brother.

The camp that Elliott and Luis Guilherme went to also saw much spiritual blessing and reason to rejoice in the Lord.  Elliott asked the Lord to show him the best moment to challenge Luis Guilherme about giving his life to the Lord.  The moment came and Elliott had the joy of summarizing all we had shared with Luis in the studies together last year.  After a twenty minutes Luis wanted to know what remained for him to be saved.  That was yesterday and today we rejoice to have a new brother in Christ. 

Pray for Luis Guilherme – he’s 14 yrs old, his father died several years ago and his mother works full-time daytime and studies at night.  Pray that his life be a witness to his unsaved family.

We thank you again for your partnership in the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ.  May these items of good news encourage your hearts in your service to Him.

Gavin & Janet Petersen

 

February 21, 2006

DEAR CAMEL KNEES,

We ask your prayer for the following;

CARNAVAL CAMP

This weekend is Carnaval across Brazil.  The “celebrations” start on Friday and run until Tuesday night.

The assemblies here have a Carnaval Camp for youth and Janet and I will be counselors.  A gifted and godly brother from Argentina will be the speaker.  Please pray for conversions and greater commitment from the believers.  Please also pray for ourselves - we’re not really that young ourselves anymore and a four-day camp with 80 young folk can represent quite a challenge.

YOUTH MINISTRY

This year Janet & I have been asked to take on our assembly’s youth ministry.   We would appreciate your prayer.

ELLIOTT

Today Elliott will be starting a small Bible study (Survey in Basic Christianity) with several of our neighbour’s children.  They are all believers and English speakers.

Please also pray for Elliott and Luis Guilherme as they attend a different Youth Camp that some missionary friends are running at a different campsite.  Luis Guilherme is not yet saved.

JOSIAH

Josiah will be staying with neighbours during camp and will have the responsibility of looking after our homestead (dogs, etc) while we are away.

Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel,

Gavin & Janet Petersen

 

 

November 17, 2005

 

MINISTRY MATTERS

The School of the Prophets group this year was given the task of teaching the assembly a panorama of the main events in the Old Testament.  They have done well and gained much practical experience.  They have only a few weeks to go to finish.  Next year will be an overview of the New Testament including some book summaries.

One of the two founding Prophets’ members, Edilson, heads off to the northeast of Brazil in January for short term mission trip.  He still has it on his heart to serve the Lord in this way.

We currently meet with three separate couples – all from the Prophets group – to do marriage studies.  This is proving rewarding with many issues being addressed.

Apart from Santa Helena, Gavin has monthly preaching commitments at the Quissisana and Sítio Cercado assemblies.  Yet another assembly is asking for help in teaching – please pray.

The outreach at Zilda’s continues with weekly Bible studies for women and children as well as special evangelistic events from time to time.  Janet entertains the children by telling Bible stories while Zilda teaches the women. 

The women’s group that meet at Carmelita’s house has started using material from “Precepts Ministries” and the girls are enjoying the challenge of inductive Bible study techniques.

Children’s Outreaches have been a focus this year giving those doing the Child Evangelism  Fellowship course opportunity to put their new skills into practice.  Last Sunday 14 kids from the community came to Sunday School.    Five of the sisters have done training this year. 

The Santa Helena elders have decided that remodeling the current building will achieve little so have decided to build a larger, new hall in the rear of the property, then demolish the current hall to make way for parking.

We have been doing an evangelistic Bible study with some neighbours.  Dirce shows understanding and fruit but Aristides seems to still not understand.  He doesn’t read at all.

 

FAMILY MATTERS  

We are glad to say that after eight years we have basically finished building our house.  There are now only some minor areas to attend to when time permits.  We believe that the removal of this obstacle will make life easier to manage and more productive – let’s hope so. 

Our “backyard” is also much more domesticated now and looks more like a yard than the jungle we wrested it from.  Yet we still enjoy an abundance and variety of wildlife, including hummingbirds, woodpeckers, toucans, porcupines, possums and suchlike.

In August Elliott and Josiah were baptized with others from our assembly.  The weekend marked eleven years since we left Australia for Brazil.  Several weeks later we celebrated 22 years marriage.  The Lord is so good.  

In spite of very late arrival of school materials for Elliott, both boys are nearing the end of their school year with good results.  Next year both will be using a DVD arrangement.  Elliott also enjoys piano and Josiah the guitar.

Due to wonderful provision from the Lord in the form of grants and scholarships Samuel was able to start into his second year studies at The Master’s College in Santa Clarita.  We are amazed at God’s provision for Samuel and pray that he will be able to continue through all four years of his Science course.

In January we have to renew our Brazil Resident Visas.  Please pray this goes smoothly.  This also means Samuel has to return to Brazil - and visit us for Christmas!  We are so looking forward to that!  He will be with us for four weeks during his winter university break. 

We thank you for your on-going interest in our service here.  Your partnership is much valued and is an encouragement to us.  May you also be encouraged in your service to Him.

Love in Christ,

Gavin, Janet, Elliott, Josiah and Samuel

 

 

August 02, 2005

Dear Praying friends,

The negative

If you receive this email please pray that I can set my email program to run correctly.

I sent prayer requests recently but only a few of the intended recipients received them.  Earlier this year I bought and installed Microsoft Office Student and Teacher Edition so as to have a copy of Powerpoint.  Since then I have had nothing but trouble with email and my address book.  I have spent many hours trying to sort it out but am no closer.  Please pray. 

The positive

We recently had a Holiday Kids’ Club and a Teenagers’ Club.  Both were quite successful and we saw blessing.

Please pray for Eduardo and Dalton who both sought help for conversion.  They have been coming since and we are trying to arrange follow-up for them.  

As a result of the outreach we have an extra 7-10 people at the different assembly meetings.  We praise the Lord.

This Saturday there will be some baptisms including our own Elliott and Josiah.  Others to be baptized are Everson, Giovani and Renato.  This week also marks eleven years since we left Australia for Brazil so it’s a nice way for us to celebrate.  The Lord’s goodness has been so evident.

We also had the privilege of a visitor from Australia !  Michelle Polley from the Maryborough assembly was with us for a month.  It was so good to have her.  Maryborough ( Queensland ) is Gavin’s home town and the assembly is the first church he was a part of so this made Michelle’s visit very special apart from the fact that Michelle herself is a very special person.  She helped much in the outreaches in spite of the fact she did not speak more than a few words of Portuguese.  Michelle fitted in so well and was such a blessing that it was with much reluctance that we let her return to Australia on July 27^th.  We miss her.

In general the work goes well and there is more than we can do.

Your prayer gives our labour hope.  

Gavin & Janet

 

 

April 29, 2005

Dear Praying friends,

Gavin reckons it’s time I gave you an update on what’s happening with the ladies’ ministry. 

Thank you for praying for the work amongst the women.  God is working and it is a joy to see the interest many have in studying God’s word.  The study at Zilda’s has changed to Tuesday afternoon which clashes with the study in Santa Helena so I alternate – one week at Zilda’s the other at Carmelita’s.  Pray for Joelma (Zilda’s group).  In a matter of weeks she has memorized 26 verses (explaining the gospel) and is really interested in studying the Bible in spite of warnings from Roman Catholic neighbours and relatives.  Last week’s lesson on the holiness of God helped her understand why we can’t be in His presence.  Gavin preached the gospel at a young people’s event at Zilda’s last Thursday and used some of the verses that Joelma has been memorizing.  We are praying that “the eyes of her understanding will be enlightened”.

While Gavin is leading the prophets group on Saturdays, I am meeting with their wives.  We are taking turns in leading the group and we’re going through “A Women after God’s own Heart” by Elizabeth George.  Last week the shyest member of the group led the study and did a great job.  This was a big step for her – 4 weeks ago she was supposed to lead the Tuesday study and decided not to turn up.  It’s also a time for us to pray for our husbands and for our role as helpers.  The girls are enjoying the time together.

Our neighbours, Aristides and Dirce, continue to study the Bible with us each week.  We are using Survey in Basic Christianity.  Aristides can’t read but sits through the lesson each week.  During the week he gets his wife to write in his homework answers.  Although Dirce can read her comprehension is poor, so we are not rushing through the material – it takes 2 or 3 weeks to get through one lesson.  We were looking at the references referred to in the questions and Dirce asked us what the numbers meant so Gavin explained how to find the chapter and verse.  The next week she was really pleased as she had answered all the questions.  However, they didn’t seem to make much sense.  We realized that if the reference said Chapter 5 verse 29 she was reading the whole chapter up to but not including verse 29.  Pray that this couple and their daughter, Rosilene, will find the Saviour and we will present the gospel in a clear way.   

On the 7^th of May we are having a Ladies outreach.  I asked one of the girls I’m discipling if she would like to organize this day and she took up the challenge with great gusto.  The program has been organized – a play about women of the Bible, the Sunday school kids presenting an item, a gospel message and afternoon tea.  Pray for Marli as she puts this program together and that the Lord will be glorified as we reach out to the community.  Pray that many of the women from the area will come. 

Thanks for praying for Leide (soon to be 18).  We are studying “Basic Christian Training” and she continues to be FAT – faithful, available, teachable.  She helps with the children during the study at Zilda’s giving opportunity to put into practice the things she is learning at the Child Evangelism Course.  This course isn’t easy and there is much homework so pray for her endurance.  The course ends in November.

Continue to pray for Ivanilda.  Last year, at 13years, she chose to mix with the wrong crowd and made many wrong choices.  When I returned to Brazil , she appeared to be repentant and asked if we could study the Bible together.  However, she is not willing to take wise counsel and wants to go her own way without realizing that she is on the downward spiral of self-destruction.  Although she has been brought up in the assembly she hasn’t had good examples of Spirit- filled living expressed in the home.  Pray for a work of the Holy Spirit in her life.   

The Boys: - Samuel is continuing to enjoy college life and is coming to the end of his first year at The Master’s College.  Please pray for him as he studies for exams after next week.  He has a job lined up for the summer holidays.   

Elliott is slowly getting into the swing of watching his school lessons on DVD although he would prefer to play than do school.  He accompanies Gavin each week to the prophet’s class and seems to be keen to do the homework and participate in the group.  Pray that he would have a good attitude toward schoolwork.

Josiah turned 12 last week and had a few friends sleep over to celebrate.  He enjoyed the time immensely and so did his mates.  Although I’m not cut out to be a mum to 6 boys, I was touched to see them all sitting around the kitchen table listening to the morning devotion.  Pray that he will obey with gladness.  Both boys are doing Baptism classes although they have only had one so far – that’s the way it is in Brazil – you have to learn to be flexible. 

According to one of the ‘statistics’ we heard recently, Brazil is the third most violent country in the world, behind Colombia and Russia (don’t tell my mum).  At times the stories I hear are enough to keep me awake at night but I am reminded that my times are in His hands and there is no safer place to be.  We are grateful for your prayers and the privilege to be His hands, feet and mouthpiece here in Brazil .  

In Christ,

Gavin & Janet Petersen

 

March 22, 2005

Dear Praying friends,

How are the knees going?  Your calluses mean that our labours are so much more effective.  Thank you.

Medical Outreach @ Santa Helena – The outreach went well and many people from the neighbourhood passed through the hall on Saturday.  The assembly continues to try and establish credibility in the neighbourhood.  The free haircuts remain the most popular but the medical and legal services were also well attended.  On the Sunday evening a young man from around the corner came to the meeting so we were encouraged by that.

TUESDAY (today)         Janet is at the ladies’ group right now (Tuesday afternoon) but first she spent an hour with Ivanilda (13yrs) for discipleship.  She is also discipling Marli (27) AND Leide (17).

Tonight I have a discipleship class with five lads; Bruno, Eleomar, Renato, Everson and our own Elliott.  We are beginning at ground level with the Survey in Basic Christianity study, scripture memorization and the development of a meaningful Quiet Time with the Lord.  These have all expressed desire to move on to the School of the Prophets training so I am calling them the Prophets II group.  Their ages are 13-18 yrs.

WEDNESDAY    We are doing evangelistic studies with a neighbour family on Wednesday afternoons.  There are three there, Aristides, Dirce and Rosilene their daughter.  Janet and I go and Edilson comes also for training.  We are in our fourth week.  Please pray for spiritual

SATURDAY       The Prophets I group goes well and they are responsible for the Sunday night preaching.  We meet on Saturdays for study and training.  They are Edilson, Sidnei, Ercio and Sidnei.  We have gained three new members in this group; Anderson , Edir and Reis.  While we have our meeting Janet is doing discipleship studies with the wives of several of these men; Juliana, Eliane & Deise.

Elliott and Josiah start Baptism studies with one of our elders in April in this same timeslot.

THURSDAY       This Thursday I will accompany Janet on her visit to Itamiro and Zilda’s place out in the “sticks”.  There are currently between 5 – 10 women attending each Thursday bringing with them some of their children.  Itamiro wants to work with the men folk but they aren’t available during the week.  However they have asked about Sundays.   So we are praying about the feasibility of having Sunday meetings there once a month.  This would give good training for some of the younger men.

OTHER ASSEMBLIES   Several other assemblies are asking for help - but it is difficult to allot them time – please pray. 

SAMUEL           Samuel is currently on Easter break from college and is in San Leandro (San Francisco Bay Area) with friends.  We have chatted on the phone and he seems fine.  He is praying about meaningful work for the summer break starting in a few months.  He is greatly enjoying being back with the saints at Fairhaven Bible Chapel during this time.

ELLIOTT’S BOOKS       The other half of Elliott’s school books finally arrived last week (five weeks late).  He is very happy to have them and has thrown himself into his work.  Josiah has already completed one month of study.

In His yoke together with you.

Gavin & Janet Petersen