Michael and Ruth Ann Davis

About Us › Our Family › Locate a Worker

Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

September 2009
Dear Family & Friends,

We are wondering and wandering in the adventure and mystery which God brings into our lives. As Mike and I read the book of Ezekiel which is a mystery in itself, it repeatedly mentions the Sovereign Lord. If we believe God’s title as true we can relax when life seems chaotic and confusing.

Probe Portugal – October 25th -November 1st Mike and I will join a team of Brazilians and Americans who will be probing northern Portugal, somewhat like a doctor making a diagnosis. Will the Alliance (US and Brazil together) have a ministry there, where and how? In June we were asked by the Brazilian church leadership to consider being part of the team not just for the trip but to serve there in the future. The immediate question for us was how were we going to fund this trip since there was no money stipulated for us? We decided we’d be like George Mueller, just praying without saying that we had a need. Not long afterwards we received an offering from a donor, more than they normally give and at midyear instead of at the end of the year. The donation will cover our airfare and stay in country. We calculate that they gave when we started to pray.

Although we feel convinced that this trip is meant to be for us, we are confused and concerned about our future and the future of the church we have started here in Alphaville. We are at the newborn stage of church life, healthy, but young and weak. Pray for the agenda of this trip, where we will go, the people we talk with, and the ministries we see. Pray that God will speak with us personally concerning our future. In the past we have asked for prayer and money but I’d like to ask you to consider something a little different, sometime during the month of October could you go without one meal (fast) and spend that period of time praying for us and the possibility of Portugal?

The Alliance – While the name of our denomination causes embarrassment to some and elicits the idea of a sect in the US, causing leaders to think up more palatable names for churches, it is a name of beauty here in Latin America. The word “alliance” enters the names of language schools, international clubs, churches, the word for a wedding ring, and the word for covenant in the Bible. In September Michael started preaching about Abraham in our church services. Ruth started a Precepts study about the Covenants with the international women. We were musicians for the recent Marriage Encounter weekend, marriage being a covenant relationship. We like our name.

Alphaville Alliance - During the months of August and September our congregation has received visitors every week. We showed Fireproof Your Marriage at the hotel two times with a variety of people present, Christians, seekers, Buddhists, divorced and those who have had multiple marriages. People were deeply touched. Pray for these contacts and that leaders would multiply so that more ministry can take place.

On the first Sunday of October we are planning our second baptismal service. The couple who will be baptized is related to the first couple who was baptized in April. Some of you who receive our newsletter and updates by E-mail read about the man who had two succeeding dreams about a phone number which he later tried calling. It was the phone number of a church. They are a couple who had been seeking for the truth for a long time and God spoke to them. The dream made them receptive to visit their aunt and uncle’s church, Alphaville Alliance. At our recent membership and baptismal course they verbalized a great answer to the question, when did you receive and believe in Christ? At first they said, “We’ve always believed,” but then they added, “Now we believe Jesus is the only means of salvation, not Jesus and other beliefs.” Pray for this special couple, a sunny day and that others, their family, boss, son, and friends will want to follow in baptism as well.

Evangelism in Color – Once again we will be receiving Jo Kiel from southern Brazil to minister in our community and in Sao Paulo giving her seminar on Inner and Outer Beauty. She explains “outer beauty” what colors are best for you to wear. Then she explains “inner beauty” which more importantly tells how Jesus Christ cleans out the trash in your life and gives peace. Please accompany us in prayer; for guests to come, gracious hostesses (some from our church, other churches and some not-churched), for health for Jo, safety on the roads as I drive and ability to find all the places, and clear communication of the Gospel.

Here are the places and times for the Color Seminars:
09/26—Residencial 10, 3:30PM - Alphaville
09/27—Residencial 3, 5:00PM - OUR HOUSE
09/28—São Paulo – Business Women’s Club – 7:00 PM
09/29—Tambore 3 - ENGLISH – 9:30 AM
09/30—Granja Viana – 3:00 PM
10/01 – Governement Building – 2:30 PM
Beauty Salon – 7:30 PM

In Christ,
Mike and Ruth Davis

Addresses:
In the USA
The Christian and Missionary Alliance
P.O. Box 35000
Colorado Springs, CO 80935-35000
Tel: (719) 599-5999

Mailing address In Brazil:
Al. Ubatuba, 521
(Res. 3 Alphaville)
06542-115 Santana de Parnaíba, SP
SP, BRASIL
Our e-mail address: mikeruth@uol.com.br
Tel: 011-55-11-4153-4594

If you would like to receive this publication by E-mail, let us know at the above E-mail address.
WAYS YOU CAN GIVE:
The Great Commission Fund (supports the world-wide work of the C&MA, funds our living allowance)
Designated contributions should be sent to the C&MA address in Colorado Springs. These
contributions are tax-deductible.
Work-of Funds for Michael and Ruth Davis (used especially to fund our ministry)

Try out the homepage of the C&MA for on-line giving! Just go to the homepage: www.cmalliance.org and click on “Give”. Follow the link to “Missions” and the ways you can contribute to our ministry, especially the work-of funds and the approved specials mentioned above.

Prayer Requests/Answers to Prayer

PRAISE ITEMS:
1. We thank the Lord for the way he contintues to bless the new work in Alphaville. We have re-initiated the two weekly Bible Studies, added a woman's Bible study and are looking to begin yet another weekly Bible study before the end of the year. God is doing great things!

2. We praise God for the contacts we continue to make in our neighborhood and in the Alphaville region. Things that only God can do!

3. Praise the Lord - we have been praying specifically for some very dear people God has placed in our path here in Alphaville...and God is answering in some very specific ways.

4. We praise God for Alliance people who pray for us and give so faithfully to the Great Commission Fund. Without you we could not do our ministry here! WE ARE LIVING THE CALL TOGETHER!

PRAYER REQUESTS:
1. Pray for vision and direction as we begin weekly Sunday services in Alphaville come June. We will need faithful support from those attending the services as we invest more heavily in this church plant. Pray for God to raise up leaders for the ministries that will be forming.

2. Pray for our first baptismal service we will hold this coming Sunday (April 26) in Alphaville. Two of our dear friends will enter the waters of baptism signaling their separation from their old life and entry into the life that Jesus has given them. Pray for J e B as they take this important step of obedience in the Christian life.

3. Pray for our colleagues who are now part of the transition process of the mission closing here in Brazil. Pray for the Renicks, the Hashimotos, the Hemmingers and the Whites - all of whom will have left our beloved country within a period of 8 months.

4. Pray for the international women's group Ruth has helped to start. They are doing Beth Moore's study "Believing God". We are scheduling a "Celebration Service" in English on May 17. Pray as these women bring their husbands and families and friends to this service. We want to see people come to faith in Christ.

5. Pray for our daughter Elisa as she finishes up her senior year in college in May. She will graduate in July. Pray for her and her fiancee, Otávio as they anticipate their marriage in December of this year. May God keep them close to His heart.

6. Pray that Alliance people will be challenged as never before to a life of sacrifice. These are difficult times, but Jesus is the same yesterday, today and forever. The Lord is coming back and the time is short. Pray that we (Mike and Ruth) will be able to invest our lives in very meaningful ways in these next coming years here in Brazil.

Brazil

Approved Specials

If you wish to contribute to one of our specials (vehicle funds, building projects, etc.) you may select it from the Approved Specials List.

Share

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
•