Update from the de Arrudas in Brazil

Dear Loved Ones,

Greetings from Aquidauana!! We are now in the middle of Carnival season and also our rainy season. It rained so much the other day that we got rain in our bedroom! (There must be displaced or broken tiles on our roof!) But it sure feels great to have cool weather for a change.

We started this year with many blessings and new challenges, and we rejoice in the Lord for that. As soon as we returned from Sao Paulo and from our Christmas break with family and friends, Onesimo, Larry and Fay, along with other Terena brothers were off on a two-day trip to visit a village that was started by the Terena Indians in northern Brazil. Onesimo came back very excited about the work there and plans to return to help those brothers in Christ. They need a pastor who will take over and work full time teaching them and doing discipleship. That group has already reached three different tribes and is receiving 40 new students at their school. Please keep them in your prayers.

Almost two weeks ago Onesimo and Larry, along with many Indians and missionaries from this area, participated in a meeting for indigenous leaders and pastors. They planned for a future meeting - the big annual gathering of all the tribes already reached by the gospel of Christ here in Brazil and in South America. This meeting will take place in Manaus, the capital of the Amazon. It will be an opportunity for these leaders to encourage one another and share what the Lord is doing and how they can reach more Indian tribes with the gospel.

This year we will be giving special attention to a Terena church in our town, as it is the neediest church that we observed during this past year. Two of the deacons are taking the Dallas course but their pastor, bless his heart, has no theological training at all. He was chosen simply because he was willing to do God’s work. Please pray for wisdom as we get involved so that we may know what is the most effective way to help this church.

On February 11, I (Marilda) will start teaching English again at the village, and Onesimo will start his teaching in March. We also appreciate your prayers as we go to a nearby village to provide training on how to give Sunday school classes to children.

On the family front, we want to thank you for your prayers on behalf of our daughter. She passed her exams and will be starting university next week. God also provided a place for her to live. It’s not a cheap arrangement by our standards ($400 per month), but we trust the Lord will meet that need as well. She will be living with Dona Terezinha, a very sweet, devoted Catholic lady and we know Ana Irene will have the opportunity to share her faith with her. Her house is very close to the university - just a 15 minute walk - and as a student; she can also take the bus for free. Once again, thank you for your prayers!!

Our son Raphael will be doing his last year of high-school, and now that we are settled here, we pray this year will be a lot better than the last.

At the end of February our family will be going to the American Consulate in Sao Paulo to attempt to get our visas. Again, we greatly appreciate your prayers as this has been a very difficult process lately.

Well, this year will be a very busy one, but we are excited to see what the Lord has in store! We know we won’t be working alone! Thank you for your faithful prayers and gifts, and for participating in God’s work one more year with us. We praise Him for each one of you and always pray that He would bless you and your families.

In Christ’s love,

The Arrudas