The Lord Is Good

O taste and see that the Lord is good.  How blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him. Psalm 34:8

Seems as though it was yesterday that I wrote an update but here we are halfway through 2022 already. Time marches on. The Lord has been good to us and we do appreciate your prayers on our behalf.

Skip has been holding his own and we continue to do exercises with him and he has therapy twice a week and fono twice a week, also. We take him outside for short walks to keep him exercising his legs. This month he had to have a tooth pulled and he had to  have exams for the dentist and Dr. Humberto said he is doing well. We have been witnessing to the dentist. He laughs it off but we are praying he will remember what we have told him. Skip’s speech has improved some but he still has trouble getting out what he would like to say. His mind is sharp and he has memorized a few verses of scripture. His afternoons are spent reading the Word and praying (to himself) and I have to do quiet things so as not to disturb. He remembers everyone’s birthdays.

We have had a number of activities these past months. We are endeavoring to reach our neighbors and includes contacting them.
 
In February we had a going away service for the leaving pastor and a welcome for the one coming in. Pastor Angelo and wife, Adriana, and daughter, Ester, and son, John.  In March we had a ladies’ celebration of Women’s International Day (at least here in Brazil). We had 25 ladies present, a good time of fellowship with each other.  Then at Easter, we had a sunrise service at the lake. We were able to get to the lake with our pickup and Skip was able to go also and stayed in the pickup. It was a beautiful day, and we were blessed. Also, at Easter, I was able to prepare special music with the men in the church. They did so well. I am pleased and looking forward to doing so at Christmas for our program if all goes well.
I was able to council a young girl of 12 who was having trouble with depression because of her mother and father being separated. I witnessed to her and her mother and she seems to be better. They both need to be in church and study God’s Word. They have been in a church that does not study the Bible very much.

Our ladies’ group is now studying the book Virtuosa, A Study for Ladies.  Our Sunday School now has a class for young adults. Our children’s Sunday School is very small and we have ages from one to seven. But some do not come out in morning but come at night. So, we are struggling.

Skip and I have taken all the covid shots and have been safe so far except when I got the one that is more like a bad cold and affects more the throat. But covid is still around and so we are careful to stay put unless we do need to go out.
Brazil has high inflation and things are pretty rough out this way. There is much crime and now they are in an election year and things are not looking good as to the candidates running for president.

We so do appreciate your prayers and financial help.

Praise with us for our health, for new faces in church, for our new pastor and family, and for all our needs being met.

Pray: for our baptism service on July 17 (one person), for our annual business meeting in July, for our children’s Sunday class, for our ladies’ meetings, for men as they study with the pastor, and for our construction as there is much to be done as yet.

Yours for Brazil,

Once again thank you so much for praying for us and our needs. May you all have a very good summer.
Skip and Betty Harkins