McKinney Report

The churches in the desert region of Paraíba had their trimester PORmissões meeting.  PORmissões (Organic Missions Plan) is a three phase plan to take the Gospel to the entire state of Paraíba.              The first phase is to establish a congregation in each of the four major cities.  The second phase is to mature these four congregations, and the third phase is to reach out to the surrounding cities within a 90 mile radius of these four major cities.              Phase one is complete but still needs a little work in the last of the four cities, Campina Grande.  The mission team arrived there going on two years now.  It is still a very slow process.  Please pray that the team in this city may have wisdom, courage, and determination while taking God's message to this city.  Please pray that the hearts of the people in Campina Grande may be open to the Gospel.             Phase two has begun in the desert region around the city of Patos.  Belem, Emas, Catingueira, P

As I travel through the interior of the state visiting different congregations, I am usually the one that speaks and teaches.   The reasons being, one, the local evangelist is usually needing a break and to receive some spiritual food, two, the congregation wants to hear someone different.   That is all fine and dandy, but I very rarely get to hear the evangelist speak, and it makes it hard for me to know how he teaches and where he needs help.             This last course I taught in Patos was Discipleship with Evangelism .   It's one person training two others how to study the Bible with others, then if converted, maturing the convert and teaching him to start the process again.   There were four Christians (two supported as evangelists) taking this course.   I got to hear them give Bible studies and hopefully help them improve on how to teach others.   This is what I really like doing.             We spent Thursday through Sunday teaching, reviewing and helping each othe

Frank and Louise Cutler from Milan, TN, lifelong supporters of our family in the mission field.   The Cutler's farm was our home away from home. When we visited Milan, we usually stayed with them. Louise would get up early make breakfast: eggs, country ham and bacon, mouthwatering corn bread with honey culled from the bees right there on their property. Our rambunctious kids never fazed them, as they banged melodies on the piano or just making a mess. Yes, when I think of the Cutlers, I think of cozy hospitality. I called Louise about a month ago and couldn't believe how happy and energetic she sounded - same as ever, even in the face of terminal leukemia. I can't call her now, but I know with thankful certainty that she is just as happy or more, energetic, alive, excited about her new home. I thank God for His great hospitality in welcoming her - I'm glad she is feeling now how she would make us feel at her home

On our last visit to Esperança, Michel and I visited Naldo's family, and even picked jabuticabas on his mother's farm. His sister Leda returned to Esperança a few years back to take care of her mother in her old age, a sweet lady, who loaded us down with produce from their little farm. Last Tuesday, a pouring down rainy night, Michel and I were visiting one of Naldo's neighbors here in João Pessoa. Michel got a call; there had been an accident between Campina Grande and Esperança, carload of people hit head on a truckload of people, six dead, seven wounded, Leda was one of the dead. We went down a couple of houses to Naldo's and got there just as he got the news. There is not much to say, nothing that counteracts the unreality of suddenly losing someone so close to you. We hugged him, and prayed with him, and were just there. He rushed off to Esperança in the middle of that rainy night. The family is worried about his mother - weak heart, had to be admitted to the

         Linaura is the lastest conversion of the Chaves family. Sometimes we come across a family that seems to be just waiting for Christ to come into their lives. First Severina, then her sister, Dalva, then one of Dalva’s daughter, then brother-in-law, his wife, another daughter and son-in-law, then another sister, Vera Lúcia in Sapé (another city) – I think I lost count. Anyway, Linaura is Dalva’s other daughter, who lives in the Cristo neighborhood, and now she really lives in Christ.        It’s like the Chaves family has given Christ the keys ( chaves in Portuguese) and the door is opening wide for Him.       “Behold, I stand at the door and knock; if anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and will dine with him, and he with Me. ” Revelation 3:20 (Severina, Linaura, and Dalva)

            A couple of weeks ago, I traveled to Cajazeiras, Areial and stopped to visit in Campina Grande.   The whole trip took less than 48 hours.   Nicholas, my oldest son, traveled with me during the 14 hours in the car.             On the way to Cajazeiras, we stopped in Pombal and visited Ezequiel and Jessica, the two Christians in the city.   From there we went on to Cajazeiras where the soccer program, The Right Step, is having a good effect for Christ. Here I taught a couples' class.   There were fifteen different couples at the meeting, thirteen Christian couples and two visiting.   That is great news!   All but two of the thirteen couples were baptized into Christ through the contact made with their sons and/or daughters in the soccer program.               We left early the next morning to go to Areial where we encouraged the three Christian ladies, and I spoke on the radio, as well as, worshipped with them.   We left from there, went to Campina Grande, visited

            I was invited to teach a youth class in Recife, a city about 2 hours south of João Pessoa.   I have been focusing my time and attention on teaching and training Christians in Paraíba.   This would take one of my weekends away from Paraíba.   Besides the time away and focus off the state, the subject I was asked to teach on also brought some discomfort: "Masturbation: A Sin Against Holiness."   This is not a subject you just bring up in a casual conversation with young people who you do not know.               I decided to accept the invitation so that I could better prepare myself to help other young men deal with this problem, and I do confess, I had already been thinking about how to talk to my own sons about this subject.   Thankfully, they is not ready yet, but unfortunately, I'm sure it will not be too far off.             The men were separated from the women to discuss this same subject.   Lori Hagewood taught the women.   There were some 40 you