Brenda J Kurtz

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Prayer Letter/Ministry Update

Though raised in a Christian home, I did not accept the Lord as my personal Savior until 20 years old. Soon after I heard God speaking very specifically to me, "Brenda, you must go!", but it wasn't until 3 years later that I enrolled in Toccoa Falls College in preparation for missionary service.

While a student at TFC, I participated in a summer missions AYC trip, which gave me the opportunity to see missions firsthand. It was then that God confirmed my calling and placed in my heart a love for the people of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

Nearly 10 years later, I returned to Brazil to begin serving as a CMA missionary. During these years I has been involved in church planting, youth work, discipleship, counseling, mentoring, and leadership training.

Since 2000, I have been involved in a church plant among the upper-middle class people of the city of Porto Alegre. The challenges are great to make inroads into this class of people, but after much prayer and dreaming with the Lord, I knew that He wanted me to use English as a tool for outreach, specifically friendship evangelism. Beginning with a conversational class some 3 years ago, the "Speak with Us" English ministry has now developed into 5 different levels of English teaching to our 40-50 students, half of which are nonchurched. English has become a bridge for several of our students to visit our Petrópolis Alliance Church, and the salvation of 2 of our students. I thank the Lord that He has used English as just one of the means to have His light shine to the lost and needy people of Porto Alegre.

Prayer Requests/Answers to Prayer

1) for this time of transition from Brasil to the States for my 6-month Home Assignment (12/22/06-06/22/07)

2) for my time on Tour in the Mid-Atlantic District starting January 25th:
- that I will be an encouragement to the churches
where I am speaking
- that I will be able to effectively share my
passion for missions with each church and that
we might be able to truly understand what it
means to be "Living the Call Together"
- that at least one person from each church will
sense or reconfirm a call of God upon their
life for missionary service
- that Brazil will come alive with those to whom I
am sharing
- that I will sense God's daily strength as I travel
from church to church speaking and preaching
to various age groups

3) for the Petrópolis Alliance Church as we are growing both spiritually and numerically through a concerted emphasis made during this past year on the importance of individual spiritual disciplines being developed in our lives. It is so exciting to see what a difference this is making in not only the Brazilians' lives, but in my life also. With this new enthusiasm, has also come a desire to give public testimonies in our Celebration Services, as well as a mobilization of our church family in concerted evangelistic efforts to shine for Jesus to those around us.

4) for the "Speak with Us" English ministry which will start up again in March under the leadership of Raquel, my Brazilian team-teacher, and my colleague, Diane Renicks

5) that the doors of witness will continue to remain open as I'm corresponding with some of my English students, as well as my neighbors in the apartment building where I have been living for the past 2 and 1/2 years

Brazil

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