Baptized In Salt Water: Becoming Salt To The World

I visited Sônia and Beta in Areial about a month and a half ago to talk to Beta about questions she had concerning her faith in God. After her sister Simone died leaving a six year old daughter behind Beta doubted God's love. We talked and she seemed relieved but still needed to "work things out" with God.

Sônia told me while I was there that she and her son were planning on coming to João Pessoa in June to spend some time at the beach and relax. I received a call on Wednesday, June 22, that she would arrive on Sunday along with Beta and her daughters. Sônia also informed me that Beatriz, Beta's daughter, wanted to be baptized. What a great surprise! They all arrived on Sunday as planned, and Beatriz was baptized for the forgiveness of her sins and now has God's seal of the Holy Spirit in her.

It seems as if Beta worked through her doubts and is more confident than ever that God is love even though we do not understand everything He does or allows.

Please pray for Beatriz and her new life in Christ in a city of around 10,000 inhabitants and only three Christians. Please pray that God will open up people's hearts in this small town so that God may save them.

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The Planting, the Watering, and the Increase

Emesson started coming to Bible Club over a year ago, when Neil Schultz and Cait Beckloff, our AIM team, were teaching it. For several months, they planted the seed in his and his sister's hearts. Unfortunately Neil and Cait's time in João Pessoa ended. In 2014 Bible Club received a boon when Erick and Jenny Paddy, former AIMers, returned to the field and picked up teaching the Bible Study for English speakers. They watered the sprouting seed in Emesson's life until God's Word became more important for him than just practicing his English. Last Wednesday night, God gave the increase, adding Emesson to the Family of Christ. Sometimes things don't happen when we think they should, but God is in control; His time is best, and we must thank Him for playing a small part in His plan.

"What About Baptism?"

Edda and I went to a nearby city to study the Bible with a family, Genilda (who is already a Christian), Ana, Mariana, Luiza, and Jefferson. While we were reading God's Word, Ana's husband, Silva, came in and sat down, and then blurted out: "What about baptism?" It took me by surprise because he has barely studied with us, but, most certainly, is already thinking about spiritual matters. Our Bible study then took a lot of detours, answering this question or that. Silva said he still has a lot of questions, and we pray that the Lord will use us to answer them, bringing him to understand the Good News!

Samuel McKinney's New Life in Christ

It has been only three days since Samuel gave his life to Christ, but it is so exciting to see my young son exercising his faith, like getting upset when his history teacher at school taught that miracles in the book of Exodus can be explained by natural phenomena: low and high tides in the crossing of the sea, natural disasters for the plagues, etc. The day after his baptism, Samuel went on a trip with his school and received a new nickname: the boy who reads the Bible. He read 1 Samuel, chapters 1 through 6, out loud for the whole bus to hear. His eagerness to take the Lord's Supper for the first time was refreshing. May our Father bless all our families with life changing faith.

McKinney Report

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