Here are some pictures we want to send of our family and Hope Ministries along with some recent family news.
The Sunday service that we started in March is growing! We now have about 80 people that we have made contact with and have invited to church. Many have come to us in very difficult circumstances, are looking for hope and wanting to make their lives right with the Lord.
One Sunday night a neighbor came to our service and shared his story with us. He had been unfaithful to his wife and when she decided to leave him, he tried to commit suicide. When he pulled the trigger, amazingly the bullet did not kill him. He came to Hope Ministries rejected and depressed, and found that there was a church family who wanted him and believed that God could still make his life useful.
We see God graciously lifting these new Christians up and giving them a new beginning through their walk with Him.
Besides the Sunday service, we have open house on Saturday night for youth with basket ball, ping pong, sharing and snacks. On Thursday afternoon Michelle has a women's Bible study that is teaching the women that are coming to church as well as is an outreach for our neighbors that don't know the Lord. Scott has a Tuesday night Bible Study to feed the new believers with the Word.
In June we were blessed with a wonderful visit from Michelle's parents, Vic and Elsie Schlatter. They ministered on Sunday about the coming of the Lord. In July we also had a special visit from Scott's brother Juarez, niece Ashley and nephew Josiah. They traveled with us to the Guama River where we took a boat to see two new communities. The people were very receptive and asked us to return and start a church. If those two communities are an indication of what lies further up river, then there are thousands of people, eager to hear the gospel!
A prison ministry is something that has been on our children's hearts for years, especially since the times that they have been held up and robbed or when they have seen thieves being caught and beaten almost to death on the streets. The Lord has now opened a door to minister in the state prison which is about a 20 minute drive from our home. Rachel, Bethany, Christina and Marçal are working to get permits to visit on a regular basis. We are very thankful for this opportunity to bring salvation to prisoners.
Bethany, Christina and Deborah were home with us for the month of July - their school vacation. Christina and Deborah returned to Belem last week to continue their studies until the end of the year (still coming home on weekends). Bethany is checking with different colleges and universities to see where she can finish her nursing degree most efficiently and economically. All 3 girls have their hearts set on some kind of ministry to river people and plan to someday have a medical boat and be involved in church planting on the rivers.
We've attached pictures of the church that is meeting in our carport and of our last trip on the Guama River. Included is a photo of the land that we purchased here in Castanhal for our first church. Thank you so much for your prayers and for your giving to support Hope Ministries - your sharing with us makes it possible for our family to serve the Lord here!
Much love,
Scott and Michelle and Family
