Michael and Ruth Ann Davis

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Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

January 2012

Dear Friends and Family,

“Culture Shock – The Return”. This could be the name of a movie, but it can also describe what we are feeling after nearly four months in Portugal. When we first went to Brazil in 1986, we didn’t speak the language, we were about to receive our second child (Elisa was born just two months after we arrived there), and we didn’t have a telephone or a car. Because of an economic price freeze at the time, we could not find all the appliances we needed to set up a house. I’m sure that we experienced a good dose of culture shock, but time, eventual familiarity with the culture and love for the Brazilian people have a way of erasing some of those early memories and feelings. However, I have found them revived in the short time that we have been here in Portugal. Yes, we speak the language, but vocabulary is quite different and the pronunciation is way different. We have gone back to school, not to learn a language, but to understand a culture. We are living in an apartment for the first time (we climb 42 steps to get there). We were able to set up house in relatively short time, but how to live in Portugal is a different reality than Brazil. We were able to purchase a car (so thankful for that). We have experienced our first robbery (our car was broken into) and are beginning to feel the reality that the euro is much stronger than the dollar. Beside all this we are starting to get a feel for the spiritual reality in Portugal, especially here in the north. As you walk into many historical churches (we’re talking about 800-1000 years old) the dominant figure is not Jesus, but Mary. If Jesus is to be seen anywhere, it is as a baby in Mary’s arms, hung on a cross or lying in a coffin. Culturally the image of a loving Father who is near to listen to his children seems to be a distant concept. Therefore, people hold to long and deep-seated beliefs that they need a “compassionate mother” to intercede to a demanding and harsh Father. Oh, that they would come to know the loving, compassionate, and forgiving God that is our Father “who gave His only begotten Son that whosoever believes in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16)

Before leaving the USA we asked that people pray for a spiritual awakening in Portugal. In December the Billy Graham Association sponsored “My Hope Portugal” where for three consecutive days across the country a message of hope in Christ would be aired on a television station in prime time. There was only one TV station willing to do this and instead of prime time, aired the program from 6 to 6:30pm – the time when most people are leaving their jobs to travel home. In spite of this, many churches were able to secure the DVDs of the program and distribute them to families who invited friends and loved ones to watch the messages by Billy Graham interspersed with testimonies by a variety of Portuguese believers who have found their only source of hope in Jesus Christ. We praise the Lord for over two thousand who indicated a decision for Christ. Please pray for these people to be discipled into a growing relationship with Jesus. Continue to pray for a Spirit-led openness among people here to listen and respond to the Gospel. -- From Michael

Questions – In 2009 we were asking ourselves if we should say yes to the opportunity of leaving Brazil and venturing to Portugal. We kept asking each other, how are we going to know if this is this the right decision? Many women in WPA heard my message that talked about our struggle for the answer. Now it’s 2012 and we have more questions. We need to get from the general to the particular. Where in northern Portugal will we minister? What strategy will we use? Our family and closest friends are bold enough to ask important questions that others are only thinking, “Have you started a church yet? Are you preaching every week? Are you visiting? So, what ARE you doing? You mean, your mission hasn’t told you the location of where you’re going to start a church?” Most of the answers are “no”. We have targeted July 2012 as the limit for the decision making process as to where in northern Portugal we will target. Will you pray with us in this process?

So, WHAT are we doing? We are going to class twice a week at the University of Minho in Braga. We have had modules on Portuguese literature, Portuguese literature from the African colonies and Portuguese culture. We have at least 13 nationalities in our classroom most of whom have no faith or declared religion. We are also meeting weekly with our Alliance team; Danilo & Elaine Lima, and Charlotte Hisle. One week we meet to pray. The next week we pray, plan and strategize. We also attend, participate and help when called upon at The Way church. That has included preaching, music, participating in their prayer meetings, teaching in their Bible academy (Charlotte), and attending services. This semester we are visiting other pastors and churches as well, to learn how churches operate, pitfalls to avoid and strategies that are helpful. Hopefully this will help us in our planning and direction.

Our arms are too short! – Last week our granddaughter, Annabelle, held up her arms in front of the computer screen while we were talking and said, “Poppy, hold ya’?” We were too far away to pick her up. If we ever had a moment when we’d like to jump on a plane and go to Texas it was then. We do miss having our children close to us. We had a wonderful time with Jeremy over his Christmas break. We hope to see him again in May for his college graduation. At that time we also plan to see Annabelle, Blaine and Karin, and, of course, our parents. We’re praying and hoping for the next time we’ll be with Elisa and Otavio. When our parent arms are too short I’m comforted to think; God’s are not! “Surely the arm of the Lord is not too short to save, nor his ear too dull to hear.” Is. 59:1

Prayer Request – Simply pray that each day we will be obedient to what we know, sensitive to understand what we do not know, that we would be content where we are, love a people and culture that are new to us, and that we would be humble to leave our previous identities and simply have the identity of one who is like Christ.

Thank You – We’d like to give a special thank you to those who have started giving regularly to our support. Thanks to others who give and have given faithfully to the Great Commission Fund. Thank you for your generosity.

Living the Call Together,

Michael and Ruth Ann Davis

Addresses:
In Portugal
Praceta Manuel Regado Junior, 64 Segundo Esq.
4425-124 Aguas Santas, MAIA
Portugal
Tel: (351) 912-007-896 (mobile)

The Christian and Missionary Alliance
P.O. Box 35000
Colorado Springs, CO 80935-3500
Tel: (719) 599-5999

E-mail: mikeruth5@gmail.com

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 the living allowance for Alliance International Workers around the globe) Designated contributions for the support of Michael and Ruth Davis can be sent to the C&MA, PO Box 35000, Colorado Springs, CO 80935-35000. 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.

Prayer Requests/Answers to Prayer

Praises -
1. We praise God that we arrived safely and with some semblance of order to our new country - Portugal. It was wonderful to be reunited with our Alliance team here.

2. We praise God that we received our one-year visa extension. We're good now until this coming November!

3. We praise God that we have been able to successfully complete our first semester of classes at the University of Minho where we are studying Portuguese culture with our team and other students from around the world.

4. We praise God for the generosity of Alliance churches and people who are helping us and praying for us as we look forward to our new ministry assignment in Portugal.

5. We praise the Lord for the 2,000 plus decisions that were made for Christ during the "My Hope Portugal" evangelistic campaign held this past December.

Requests -

1. Pray for the follow-up to the "My Hope Portugal" evangelistic outreach by the Billy Graham Association. Pray that people will be grounded in the Word of God.

2. Pray for our team (Mike, Ruth, Charlotte, Danilo and Elaine) in these days as we seek God for His vision as to where and when we will begin a new church plant. Pray that we will be the fragrance of Christ to the Portuguese people.

3. Pray for The Way church in Porto, Portugal, that God will provide for their financial needs in their building program and use them to spread the Gospel in northern Portugal. We are currently attending this church to learn from a very experienced pastor how to do ministry in this country.

4. Continue to pray for the the Alphaville Alliance Church in Sao Paulo, Brazil. They are currently discipling new believer with the "Be An Approved Workman" discipleship course, Basic Truths and Sunday School classes for the children. Pray for the students and the leaders. Pray that Christians will become approved workmen and non-Christians will come to saving faith and be diciples of Jesus Christ. Pray for Pastor Marcos and the first elected board to have wisdom from above in guiding this newly organized church.

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