It is winter in the Souther hemisphere. Thankfully, Brazilian winters are not horrible but they can be uncomfortable. Most homes don’t have heat or central air so it is a bit of an adjustment for a couple of Americans. If the temperature is 45 or 50 degrees fahrenheit outside, it will be 45 or 50 degrees inside as well. You get used to wearing a couple of layers of clothing.
Things move at a leisurely pace here and we are finally starting to tick some things off of our list. We were able to get the equivalent of a social security number this past week. This number is used for everything in Brazil so getting it will be a huge help. We were also able to purchase a good used car and open a bank account. These are small things but try living without a car or a bank account!
We have moved, for the time being, into a guest house next to Pastors Ronald and Chris. We are still looking for an apartment of our own but the process is slow and we want to find something we will be happy in for a while. Thanks for praying with us about this.
I preached this past weekend at C3 Curitiba. The series for the month of June here is “Full House.” Last week, Pastor Werner preached on being filled with the Holy Spirit, having our own “house” full of Him. Pastor Ronald wanted me to preach on having our house full of God’s provisions.
Of course, the Kingdom key that unlocks and releases God’s blessings is generosity. I preached on the story of Abraham and Melchizedek. Melchizedek, representing God, showed up to bless and refresh Abraham after his fight to rescue his nephew, Lot. After Abraham was refreshed and blessed, he gave a tenth of his spoils to Melchizedek.
Abraham did not give out of compulsion but out of a heart of gratitude. Abraham was blessed so he wanted to be a blessing. This story is held up as an example for us in the New Testament letter to the Hebrews. Preaching and teaching on money can cause some people to feel uncomfortable. In reality, however, money is such a crucial aspect of our lives, we have to have a Biblical understanding of how to use it. Developing a generous spirit will set us free on so many levels!
After the message, I gave an invitation and three people reconnected with Christ. This was a significant night for another reason
as well. After the service, we conducted water baptisms. I assisted my friend Klaus and baptized several people who wanted to publicly declare their faith.
The next few weeks hold some pretty exciting events that I will keep you updated on. Thanks for keeping us in your prayers. Thank you for those who are supporting us financially. Thanks for the comments on the blog, Facebook and Twitter, and email. We love you!
Would you like to help Annie and I as we share the love of Christ in Brazil? Here is the link if you would like to be a part of our team! Obrigado!
https://c3church.wufoo.com/forms/brazil-mission-trip-dave-and-annie-spell/
