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July 21, 2008 Dear Friends, Soon after our last prayer letter, two more youth, Everton (14) and Andre (13), made professions of faith. They started participating in youth activities and church services just a few months ago. They were brought to church by Leo, one of our faithful young men in the church. Our ministry has been blessed with several young people who have a desire to reach their peers. Please pray for them, as their world is just as difficult here in Brazil as it is with the youth in the USA. The higher numbers in attendance that we highlighted in our June letter have continued on. This past Sunday night, with several members out due to sickness in the family (including our daughter Leila with her mother staying home to take care of her), we had a good attendance of 51. We also had several returning visitors present. There is a common situation that we encounter all too often here in our ministry, which reminds us constantly of how much the devil has blinded the lost through "feel good" religion. The situation can best be illustrated by Renan's testimony, a young man who has begun to attend our services. Renan (17) comes to us from a liberal church in another city. He expressed to John the other day his desire to continue on with a pre-baptism study that he began in his former church. The studies that we give before baptism are about salvation, security of the believer, and about baptism itself. So, not knowing much about him, John started with the basics about salvation. Renan was familiar with the terms, but has never had the new birth explained to him, nor has he received Christ as his Savior. If he continued living in the other city, he would have been baptized a lost sinner. Though there are many "evangelical" churches, they do not teach the truth of the Gospel. People come to us to be baptized or join our church, who are ignorant of how to be truly saved. This brings us to another point. This city in which we minister is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation. It is dominated by the Catholic faith. Since our arrival here in 1997, we have seen the city grow from 240,000 to around 450,000. There is an overwhelming need for true, fundamental Bible preaching and teaching here. Please be in prayer with us that the Lord would raise up more laborers from the congregation, and also to send us more laborers. Our congregation is in need to soon find a Brazilian pastor. Please pray that by the end of the year the Lord would bring our way a qualified Brazilian couple to work with us, working out all the necessary details for it to happen. Our prayer requests:
Once again, we thank you so much for your prayers and support of our ministry here in Southern Brazil. May God bless you with His abundant grace. In His service, Yelle Family John & Neila Mission Office: World Baptist Fellowship / P.O. Box 13459 / Arlington, TX 76094-0459 Phone: (817) 274-7161 Since September 11, 2008 you are
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