BRAZIL Foz du Iguacu

This year started with the wondrous blessing of having a special children’s Bible outreach, when a small number of children came. Work amongst children these days is not easy, but please pray with us that further doors will open.

Jeff has suffered from various health problems, and for this reason has had to ease up on his workload, which has not pleased him. He loves to be involved; however old age is also a challenge!

Our prayer is that the Lord in His time will send a younger couple to work in this locality. Our numbers have dropped after the pandemic, and the local saints are either not able or sometimes even willing to take on further responsibilities.

Recently, a good number were present when Leandro and Sueli took their baby daughter Raquel to the assembly for the first time. Many unsaved family and friends attended, and Leandro preached a challenging gospel message. Please pray for all who listened, especially his father, who came along and is not yet saved.

Recently, Zedir brought his brother and brother’s wife to the assembly for the first time. They are both believers but have not been going anywhere for some time. They enjoyed the time of fellowship together and are now thinking about joining us. Please pray about this matter.

Please pray for Denise’s parents, as her mother has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Her father also has had heart problems during 2022. Being so far from them in Vitoria is difficult for Denise. Please remember her also.

God willing, we plan to come to the UK at the end of July 2023 and stay until the end of January 2024. We hope to get some additional medical attention for Jeff while on furlough.

N IRELAND Newtownards

In 2021, Clifford & Sarah Law, and Andy & Gillian Shanks, for different reasons moved to live in Newtownards. We had a burden before the Lord as how we could reach out to our new neighbourhoods, at a time when we were emerging from the global pandemic. Our intention wasn’t to start another church but rather have a place where everyone can feel at home, feel welcome and be able to share their burdens with others. We approached the trustees of a building right in the heart of our community, formerly called Movilla Gospel Hall, which had to close at the start of the pandemic. We shared our vision with the trustees who immediately supported our plans for the building, which has been renamed as ‘The Beacon’. Our motto is ‘Bringing HOPE to our community’. Alwyn and Glynis Thompson and Gordon McFarland have joined The Beacon team, helping in all the various activities. Others are greatly appreciated who support The Beacon work in different ways.

We commenced by having a coffee morning on the first Saturday in March 2022 when over 60 came and we now have a coffee morning the first Saturday of each month, with an encouraging number of neighbours coming. We also have up to 40 at the drop in coffee morning each Tuesday.

Since March, every Tuesday evening we have a walking group called ‘March into Spring’, where we ‘walk and talk’, followed by a cuppa together in The Beacon! Over the last few months, we have had interesting conversations, sharing the Gospel as we walk.

For our late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, we had a ‘Fun Day’ at The Beacon when 300 attended. We enjoyed meeting new neighbours and chatting over a cup of tea and desserts.

Our aim at The Beacon is to build relationships and show practical care and love in a hurting world, which has led to opportunities to share the Gospel with the local people. We commenced ‘The Men’s Cave’ on 16th September for men to meet each Friday morning, have a chat and coffee, do some activities and finish with a short devotional. Between 20 and 30 attend each week. A monthly ladies evening called ‘Ladies Connect’ commenced in September. Last month 37 ladies were present. The evening begins with doing a craft, followed by a Gospel talk and then coffee and chat.

Every Monday evening in the month of October we had ‘Glow Kids’ when around 20 children from the area were brought along by their parents. We decided to have a Carol Service on Tuesday 13th December, inviting all who have come to The Beacon to the various activities. We had a wonderful evening, with 111 enjoying the occasion.

As a team we continue to look to the Lord for guidance in 2023 as to how we can continue to reach out to our community, by bringing hope in a hopeless world and love in a loveless world, that all might be done for His glory alone.