May update

This month the church went to a local farm with a creek and held a baptism and picnic. We baptized 9 people and afterward celebrated their new birth in Christ by swimming in the creek with refreshing but freezing water and thank God free of snakes. Some people played soccer and others played volleyball in the creek. We ate lunch together and had a great time of fellowship during the rest of the afternoon. It was a great day spent together with our church. By the way, don’t let the picture of me confuse you. I am not balding; it is just the reflection of the sun off the camera. OK - I am in denial.

For Mother’s Day, the church had a special breakfast for the moms of the church. The moms of the church were asked to bring a friend so that they could share in the fun. There was strong turnout with about 200 people in attendance. We like having these events because it is good way to invite people to the church in a non-threatening way. Plus, we wanted to bless the moms who do not have much with something very special. We hope that in the end the love of Christ was expressed.

On a personal note, Camilly is growing up so fast. She just celebrated her 5^th birthday on April 18. We went to her school to surprise her with a cake and some presents. However, she was not that surprised because someone told her our secret. Kids are so resourceful. All in all it was a lot of fun. Below is a picture of Alyssa in her favorite dress. It is her coração (heart) dress. She loves it and will wear it dirty, wet, dry, or, for even two days straight.

Again, we have purchased our tickets to come back to the States and we arrive July 28^th and will be staying until October 28^th. We are all really excited to see our family and friends.

Elba and I will be driving to Brasilia to attend the Brazil National Vineyard conference. Please pray for us for safe travels, good health and no truck problems. Also, please keep Camilly and Alyssa in your prayers. We will be gone for 12 days which is a lot for us. Please pray for their safety, good health and that the Lord would comfort their heart while we are away. Thanks for all your continued thoughts and prayers. We look forward to seeing you soon. Love and blessings, Steve, Elba, Camilly and Alyssa