June 17, 2010

Dear Praying Friends,

Now that we’re half-way through our time in the US, it is definitely time to share the blessings God has graciously bestowed.   We are grateful to each one of you who has been accompanying us with your prayers during our travels these past weeks.    Also for those of you who have been praying for Lydia who stayed in Brazil holding down the fort and continuing her studies and regular activities.

God has encouraged our hearts in each of the churches where we have reported.  They show evidence of being healthy, growing groups banded together for the edification of the saints and the furtherance of the gospel.  We have been heartily welcomed, enjoyed refreshing fellowship and been generously sent on our way as they have shared their resources with us.  A hearty thank you to Orting Community Baptist Church, First Baptist of Pasco, Christ Fellowship of Everson, and Tabernacle Baptist of Shoreline.

We were treated to a very pleasant surprise at the Pasco church where we were put in contact with a dear Brazilian lady and her pastor husband.  This resulted in an unexpected opportunity to share with their church in Kennewick on a Wednesday evening.  We were excited to start a new friendship with a great ministry couple who are doing a wonderful job in spreading the light of the gospel there.  This dear pastor urged Jerry to attend the Camp Logos training for Libronix software and made it possible for him to experience this long-time dream!  What a blessing those two days last week were for Jerry.  We believe they will continue to produce blessing and more blessings as we both reap the benefit of this training.

Our week long trip to E. Washington and Oregon, May 26 through June 3 over-abounded with blessings. Besides the church visits, we were able to spend time with a good number of family and friends.   It has been great to catch up with so many. It was even more encouraging to spend time talking about God’s goodness and grace in our lives and theirs.  God provided for various equipment needs through special folk dedicated to helping His servants: a new laptop for Jerry, Libronix digital library, portable printer, and over half the funds we’ll need to purchase a new laptop for Lynda.  We look forward to passing on the blessings by taking our old laptops back to others in Brazil.

God has ministered to us in a very special way in recent years through our individual donors and supporters. Various families give faithfully to our ministry and have even increased their contributions as God has blessed them, despite the economic crisis!  Others give special gifts from time to time that have met specific needs like purchasing a washing machine or repairing our car or just keeping our account in the black despite our being under supported for several years.  We have been able to spend special time with 9 of these families during our time in Washington so far, and still hope to see others before heading south.  They are a very special part of our support team and we are immensely grateful to them!

Christian Partnerships to Reach the World

We leave Sunday afternoon for the Salem/Stayton, Oregon area.  We will be sharing in smaller venues our presentation of how God is using Brazilians and partnerships to gather a people, forgiven and following Him, throughout the world.   On Wednesday evening at 7pm we’ll be at Foothills Church, Room 214, and on Friday evening at the home of Randy and Christy Van Heukelem in N. Salem.  If you live in that area and would be interested to see the exciting things God is doing in our part of the world, plan on joining us for an hour or so either of these evenings.  Please RSVP to our cell phone (909-446-9005) if you plan on coming so that we can be sure to have enough refreshmentsJ.  Contact us if you need directions.

Update on Jerry’s thesis:  He has in-hand the second revision, corrected by his prof, and ready to revise againJ with much less to be done this time.  He hopes in just a few weeks to have it done and back to the prof one more time.  Keep praying, please.

Financial update:  We have been encouraged by one family increasing our support and a church being willing to consider an increase.  Please keep our need for $600-700 more support in your prayers. Also our account is pretty depleted after having physicals, purchasing air passages, and other expenses.  Please pray with us that God would supply our every need.

Joining Hands to Reach the World,

Jerry and Lynda Neuman