McKinney Report

 I am writing this extremely tired. Yesterday, Geilza's mother died. This family has been hit hard the past months. Her brother discovered that his cancer has metastasized to his bones, paralyzing him and causing great pain (He is 49 years old). Another brother was arrested for robbery. Her daughter, a single mother, is causing problems. And yesterday her 80 year-old mother's heart stopped.  Geilza and her husband, Borges, have faith in Christ, but it has been on a roller coaster. And we spent yesterday afternoon, last night and this morning holding them up.  Dona Lídia was a pillar in the Esplanada neighborhood, always planning activities for people to get together. She was the owner of the neighborhood's soccer team, and never missed a game. And the neighborhood came to pay their respects.  We, disciples of Christ, had the opportunity to sing about God's grace and to preach about the Good News of His Son.   

 Edda and I had a pleasant night sharing our home with a couple of couples: Carlos and Mara, Jonatas and Tais. Two and three years ago we were witnesses in their weddings.  We talked about everything from Covid to missing the Newlins while Edda tried different recipes on them, like avocado brownies. They couldn't guess that they were made from avocado. Carlos and I planned a youth get-together at his house next week. Pray that these young couples will be pillars in the church during their lives! Let the Kingdom come!

During the pandemic most of the bus routes were cancelled on Sundays. This hurt church goers who don't have a car, like sister Sula. She is recuperating from intestinal cancer surgery, but doesn't want to miss a Sunday. Also there's Silvânia, single mother of two kids, who is out of work mainly because the kids' school has been canceled because of Covid. I picked them up in their neighborhoods, and they got to be with God's people. Sula thanked the whole church for the prayers, and she told everybody that her faith was stronger than ever. Silvania confessed that she really needed the spiritual encouragement. Her problems sometimes seem insurmountable.  We all need a reminder that we are not alone on this journey called "life."

 A young couple from the church in Caruaru, PE, are moving to João Pessoa, Lucas and Amanda dos Santos. She got a job here, and he gave a two-week notice at his job in Caruaru. They are staying at the guest room at the church building till they rent a house.  We have invited them for meals; today's was at the house. We invited two more sisters for them to get closer to their family in Christ here. What a blessing from God to be able to move to a strange city and know that in Jesus you have a family already waiting with arms wide open.

   The lesson is God created everything! Today I helped out the Fun Bible School team to film their class at the zoo. Beliza Patricia did the teaching in Portuguese and English. Valeska Picado directed the production. Bel Mendonça and Kauã Lopes were in charge of the cameras. And I was chauffeur, body guard, prop carrier, and English coach.    The zoo in João Pessoa has a lot a forest area, plenty of monkeys running free, and lots of birds chattering in the background, the perfect place to share our Father's creativity in nature. Children all over the Brazil and the world are watching Tia Beliza talking about God on Youtube.  Check out it out: Tia Beliza's Channel (in Portuguese) Fun Bible School (in English)  

 Today I was running around getting signatures for church documents, when I stopped by Solange Leao's apartment for her to sign a receipt. I called her, and she said, "Come on up!" What a pleasant surprise! There in her kitchen were Socorro Coelho and Edilma Costa, two sisters in Christ who live on the other side of town. They were spending the day with Solange. They had lunch together, and were, at that moment, baking a cake.   They invited me to stay for cake, but I couldn't. So I said a prayer for their requests, and I was out of there. But I left with a good feeling: no matter the distance or the obstacles, that is what Christ's family does, spends quality time together.