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Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Dia de Portugal

Statue of Luís de Camões, Lisbon, Portugal.
Our fourth child is due June 10, which just happens to be an important national holiday in Portugal.  (The holiday celebrates Luís de Camões, who wrote the famous poem Os Lusíadas, a poem which focuses on the great 16th-century Portuguese explorations.  For more information, click here).  We recently toured the hospital where Caryne will have the baby, and we are making the final preparations for the new arrival.  We covet your prayers as another wonderful and challenging change comes our way.

A Citizen

Some very interesting and exciting news came our way this past month!  Through the research of a lawyer friend at our church, we learned that I am in fact Portuguese, and apparently have always been!  As most of you know, I was born here, but of American and Canadian parents.  However, the law in Portugal the year I was born stated that anyone born here was automatically a citizen, regardless of the nationality of the parents.  So, consequently, I received my citizen card just a few days ago!  This also gives the right to Caryne and the girls to have dual citizenship.  We praise the Lord for this news, as it makes living here much easier financially and otherwise.  We never cease to be amazed with how the Lord works!

Mãezinha



Mãezinha
Recently Alicínia da Graça Salgueiro, Pastor Antonio's mother-in-law affectionately called "mãezinha," went home to be with the Lord.  We are saddened by the passing of such a wonderful servant of the Lord, but we rejoice in that she is in a better place!  Thank you for lifting up her family as well as the church in this time of loss.

Church Plant

Praise the Lord the opportunity has opened up to plant a new church about twenty-five minutes from ours here in Porto!  The pastor of this new church will be a man that was raised and trained in our church, and he and his family are ready and willing to begin this new work!  We are joyful in that the Gospel will continue to advance in and around this area, and we appreciate your prayers as this new congregation begins to take shape.

Ministry Opportunities

Please continue to pray for opportunities for us to share the Gospel with those around us. The Lord has given us wonderful occasions to be witnesses of Christ's love, and we pray that the Holy Spirit will touch the hearts of those that we share with.

Thank you for your partnership!