February 25, 2011
By Jeff and Jo Kiel, serving in Brazil
The following is an adapted excerpt from Jeff and Jo’s recent prayer letter.
As we reflect upon the past year, we have much for which to be thankful. We would like to highlight a few things that have happened in our lives and ministry, asking you to pray with us, believing in faith for God’s answers, and to rejoice with us for what He has done.
The Lord worked powerfully in a member of our Caxias church on October 6; the Holy Spirit convicted this man of sin, and his life changed 100 percent. He had been addicted to many things, but God empowered him to be a different man. Even his family has noticed. He is on fire for the Lord and has been witnessing and helping other men in our church come into a closer walk with Jesus.
The man’s wife is so happy—this is what she had hoped and prayed for during the last 13 years. The couple will be baptized this year. Please pray that God will continue to use them and that they will grow in the Lord.
Refreshed and Renewed
In November, I (Jeff) spoke at a youth retreat for our two churches in Porto Alegre. About 100 young people were present. After I finished the Sunday morning message, one of our Brazilian pastors gave a heartfelt plea for the kids to seek the fullness of God’s Spirit in their lives. Many of the youth came forward; I would estimate about 60 or more. Some approached the altar; others knelt or even lay prostrate on the bare, concrete floor. Almost all were weeping and intensely seeking the fullness of the Holy Spirit.
The impassioned praying went on for more than an hour before the pastor ended the service. It was already past noon, and lunch was being served. I praised God for the presence and manifestation of His Spirit among us. I have seen a number of manifestations of God’s Spirit in my 24 years in Brazil, but none as powerful as this. We all went home, rejoicing in the refreshing renewal we received from God’s work in our lives.
Thanks to all of you who have prayed and given to our work- we could not be here without your prayers and support! During our last year in Brazil, pray that God will equip the church to be strong and that the Brazilian pastor of His choice will be here in our place when we leave in December.
What You Can Do
Pray that Jo and Jeff will finish well in preparation for the Brazil field’s closing. Also, pray for Jo as she develops a new seminar to be used in evangelistic outreaches this year in Caxias and in Sao Paulo.
Give to Alliance Great Commission Ministries. In doing so, you partner with overseas workers, like Jeff and Jo, to build Christ’s Church worldwide.