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February 2006 Update


A Very Special Letter from Pai


Dear Family,

Grace and peace to each one of you who has become so dear to me and the ministry of Lar Batista. You have been constantly in my prayers.

We are doing well here, in the forefront of the ministry the Lord has trusted to us. It is hard to believe that on the 11th of this month, it will be the 35th anniversary of our departure from Sao Paulo, to come to this town, which at the time was very different from what it is today. Many things have changed, many have changed for better and we have so much to thank.

Here are some of the things that are different now:

My wife and I left Sao Paulo with 5 children, the youngest then was Grace and she was a 41 day old baby! Our belongings fit comfortably in two suitcases. Our children have grown, my wife then, is with the Lord, the Lord has given me a new wife and I cannot begin to tell you what He has given us to replace those two suitcases. God has provided and abundantly. He has blessed us with more children, with a church, a home for children and also with a farm that is producing. God has given us more than we need and has taught us to share.

I always tell those around me that the Lord brought me here with empty hands and a heart full of faith and hope. That has become a motto for me and one of my favorite things is to have empty hands. Only those with empty hands can receive the blessings the Lord is giving. We are truly blessed and we want to be a true blessing to others.

The little settlement we moved into is now has 26 thousand inhabitants and is a great city, growing in so many areas. We were blessed to get here before it was known what a great place it actually is, so the Lord enlarged our territory and our property is now, on campus 1.1 square kilometer. That is a lot of property, especially when I remember that the first 4 years of our stay here we all lived in the building where our congregation met! I think that may be the reason why my children love to be together and that can also explain that no matter how big the house gets, we all end up in the kitchen!

Our children work for the city and in the city and it is fun for them to tell the story of how their father got there before there was an open street! Today commodities like credit card use, high speed Internet and online banking are so common here. I have to tell you that I think it all so beautiful, but I am not able to use any of these things. I belong to a different time and age, but I make a point that our children would have access to all that. Jefferson and Theresa just got married in a beautiful ceremony in Iowa and we were able to watch everything via Internet, can you imagine? I plan on coming and seeing them in person in their Memphis reception in April.

It blesses me to know that the main thing in our lives remain the same. My Bible has been my map over these years and its directions don’t get old. It continues to be my all times favorite book and it will always be the foundation of all we do. We continue to do God’s work, God’s way.

Speaking of God’s work, the ministry has been a highlight of my life. Not a day goes by without one of my children coming to me and sharing how good the Lord has been to them. I always prefer when they tell me voluntarily, than when I have to remind them of that. I pray for my children more than ever, as the times and the options around them are so enticing. Of the children the Lord has given us we have seen many grow up to be godly moms and dads, teachers, housewives, bank managers, school principals, accountants, builders, managers, administrators and we have a few others in the making which promise a lot. We will soon have a lawyer, language teachers, and in a year’s time a seminary student. Can you see the smile on my face? God has given Joaquim Jr. a passion for His Word and a passion for Lar Batista and is leading him to study the WORD and be a warden of it. We have also been blessed with 89 grandchildren and counting, you should see them! I have heard I spoil them, but… what is a grandfather reminded for?

Another thing that is different is that my body is not 34 years old anymore. It is my joy to know that I have spent more time of my life on the mission field than not. It is my joy to be spent in ministry for the Lord! I continue to work hard, to supervise what is done here at Lar, to teach my boys how to work, to lead them by example, but my body suffers from ailment that are being treated, but never fail to leave a mark in me. For the last 2 years I have been treating the infection on my leg. Some days it looks better than others, today it is beautiful! No pain and no sore! Praise the Lord! Times like this, when I am stricken with physical pain, I get closer to the Lord and I am reminded of all the suffering Christ endured for me.

Last week I had to go to the doctor because my eyesight was not good and we knew something was seriously wrong. We got to the doctor to find out I had had a minor stroke and it had affected my eyesight. Nothing else, but my eyes. I was informed that I have lost 85% of my eyesight, but I am hopeful that God can give me some of my sight back through a laser procedure. I had already been having difficulties reading and for the last year, I have fed my soul with scriptures hidden in my heart. When I told my children that a day might come when we might not be able to read the Word anymore I did not imagine that this would be the case. I was thinking more of man made laws, taking the Word from us.

Anyway I have a great memory and I am blessed by that, it has been so good to fall back on those hidden treasures and to open my mouth and let the Lord speak through me. We do not let this health issue be the focus of our life. This does not diminish in anything the work load or the speed in which things happen here. I know where each thing is in this house, except what Mae misplaces and then doesn’t remember!

Please pray for me as I have a doctor visit and a possible surgery soon. Lord willing I will be able to go to the USA to see you all very soon, in April. Please pray that the visa interview on March 24th would work well and that I would be granted the visa. I long to see you once again. I hope to be in good shape as we prepare to receive our summer teams.

  • Please pray for us. Pray for Mae and the extra load of work she has, now that I am more dependent on her for everything.
  • Pray for the children as they start the school year this week. All equipped with the best school supplies, backpacks and books they need for the year, thanks to the effort of so many of you.
  • Pray for Ingrid’s teacher. Yes, she starts school this week!
  • Pray for Jefferson and Theresa as they start their married lives.
  • Pray for the progress of the construction here. We can already see the end of these projects, but please pray for the funds we need to finish well.
  • Pray for jobs for our older children, and funds for education.
  • Pray that we would grow closer to God and more faithful in our prayers and please pray for godliness for all of us.
  • Pray for success in this procedure I am supposed to have, for funds to pay for it and for God’s glory in everything we do.

Thank you from our hearts, for being such a fragrant aroma of God in our lives. We do appreciate you! God has been really good to us and I believe that He can heal me and I will make sure I share with you the lessons I learn in this valley.

Our prayers and blessings to you,

Your servant,

Pai

Jeremiah 33:3