i

VOLUME XVI APRIL-MAY 1997 NUMBER 2

"Another Worker for the Vineyard"

Portugal Christian Mission began this work in Portugal with a definite goal of raising up workers for the Portuguese church. Through the years God has called some for the ministry of
the word. Not all have continued on with their call and have looked "behind them" and are no

longer in the "vineyard." Carlos was set aside as a "worker" who will do a 2-year internship with the missionaries and
church here to see how he does.

After his conversion in January '94, he has been ministering to a large number of people who have sought out the Carcavelos Church for counseling about drugs and alcohol. His contacts range over a wide area and there is not a day goes by that he doesn't make several personal or telephone visits. At his baptism, when asked what he wanted to do, he answered, "I want to help the outcasts of society who do not have the courage to rise up." One must conclude that this iswhat he isdoing.
We have been blessed!

If
V

Drug Rehabilitation
Carlos' ministry has given him inroads into several rehabilitation centers throughout Portugal and this has resulted in his making good friends with many different leaders. Carlos has sent several people for rehabilitation to several places in Portugal and Spain. One such place was "PROJECT ALPHA AND OMEGA," located in the northern city of Braga, 155 miles away. On a recent trip to counsel some of these people, Rui, president of the association, seemed perplexed as Carlos explained about N.T.

baptism. After the teaching, Carlos asked Rui what was the matter. He said, "No one ever told me about being baptized when Iwas converted. Iwant to be baptized as well." Carlos was surprised and began to teach him as well. The result was that Rui and another staff member, Miguel, both wanted to be baptized. Theywanted to come to Carcavelos to be baptized in the Carcavelos baptistry, A date
was set, which was a Friday afternoon, and they were buried with Christ by Carlos (his first baptisms)
before their families and friends and new-found brothers. Since then Carlos has maintained contact

with them and, on his last visit, celebrated the Lord's Supper for about 55+. God is at work and we

are praying that in the city of Cardenals and Bishops, Braga, a N.T. church can be started. To God be the Glory! We have been blessed!

Missionaries Visit Carcavelos Church

Bill Brant and Rob Shoaff, future missionaries to southern

Bill Brant (left) and Robert Fife (right).

Spain among the North Africans, visited Carcavelos and greeted the brethren and shared with the church their new mission to the Muslims who reside in southern Spain. The Brants are planning to settle in Murcia for language learning before settling along the southern Spanish shores. Rob and Cindy (Mitchell) Shoaff will be located in Grayson, Kentucky, raising support and learning Spanish. Cindy had spent a summer with us and endeared herself to the youth and the church in general. We were blessed by

their coming by. Maria Jose Siqueira "Zeza," Portuguese missionary to Guinea-Bissau, came and presented her work to the church and was well received. She and her husband, Rodrigo, have been there for 4 years. The church has been gathering clothing and other materials for their ministryand most of it
has been sent. We have been blessed!

Montijo "Team" is Ready!

Carlos, his daughter, Caria, Edilson Bandeira, Dick and Sarah are ready 'for the new work across the river. Prayer sessions have been had for this new proposed church. The next Pioneer will have more pictures and information about the area. The brethren in the USA are praying about this, the Portuguese brethren are praying about this, and it is a joint effort. We cannot do anything without the head and the body working in A harmony. Please make this a special prayer

effort on your part. By the end ofthe year we

have home Bible studies up and runPray for us as we look for a place to use as a temporary meeting place. God
the

plan

Christian Education Seminar

Seventeen people from the church were present for a one-day seminar on the Sunday school.
Blanche Bialik and Beth Osland,

from Mt. Hope BibleInstitute, were here on a Saturday afternoon to help us and direct us in upgrading
the S.S. in Carcavelos.

Since the seminar, plans are being implemented forthe S.S. To God be the Glory! We have been
blessed!

Before you move, please send the mailing label with a copy of your new address to
MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION. PO Box 2427, Krioxville, TN 37901-2427.

ADDRESSES
Missionaries:
Dick & Sarah Robison

Mission Services Association PO Box 2427

Non Profit Org.

37950-9998

Knoxville, TN 37901-2427

U.S. Postage Paid Knoxville, TN

Permit #374

Rua Pordo Sol, 29

2775Carcavelos

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

Portugal E-Mail CompuServe: 100417.215@Compuserve.com

Forwardin a Aaen ts: Phils Dot Wiltshire
3284 Lancer Dr.

Powder Springs, GA 30073 Telephone: 404-943-4668

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VOLUME XVI

JULY-SEPTEMBER 1997

NUMBER 3

Annual Missinnary
Conference
The Annual Missionary Conference
of the Church of Christ in Carcovelos

was held July 16th - 20th. God show ered multiple blessing upon the church collectively and individually. The

Main Speaker
Oerson

I ll speakers gave us much food for

thought.
,, , ,

Valdecy

Valdecy DaSilva and Mirna, mis

sionaries to Spain, spoke. They are one of the two missionaries we presently support. They were getting ready for a furlough to the USA and shared, challenged, and encouraged us during the
conference.

Gerson Vicente, preacher, and his wife, lolanda, from Goiania,

_ Brazil also came

and Gerson was

the main speaker.

Gerson, Robert, "
and Valdecy all

,- - I
'
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IT

hail from the North Goiania Church of Christ where Tom Fife, veteran mission

ary. sen/ed for several years. Gerson was very sensitive to the needs of the church and in his special way touched
Plates for each participant our hearts and lives. Our heartfelt thanks

for the North Goiania Church for send-

Voldecy and Mirna received a plate

aP9|^l9

the Portuguese and Spanish flags on it.

Church in Carcavelos that had

^Hl Gerson and lolanda received one with

i5 the Portuguese and Brazilian flags on it.

A third plate was given to Tom and

' .r-#' ^jtel Carcavelos and taught our kids using

k much material from Child Evangelism.

H ^

Their plate had the Portuguese and United States' flags on

God really gave us a challenge as to our giving towards missions this coming year. Last year our giving was between $227-$248 US. It was decided to raise the amount and we went to 60,000 Esc. per month ($324 US per month). One of our members. Victora, thought that 60,000 Esc. wasn't enough so she put 70,000 Esc. ($378 US) on the thermometer. When ail of the cards were counted, we had reached 89,250 Esc. ($482 US). PTL! Since then more cards have come in and the total is now 96,250 Esc. ($520 US). May God continue to stretch our faith and trust inJHim!

Jehovah-Jireh
The Carcavelos Church had been anxiously awaiting the arrival of a group of young people from Kentucky this summer to help us out. At the last minute they had to cancel their trip much to the sadness of the group here. About a week after we received this news, Phil Landrum, a preacher and a good friend from the Southwest Christian Church in Austin, Texas, called me. He explained that there was a couple who was going to Spain to present Bible lessons to children there. Their

J 0!%

1 hosts in Spain canceled out and Phil wanted to know could use them. God does provide. We said,
"Yes," and Tom and BeverlyTrunick spent 3 great weeks
church.

H^Kni

kids from the Philadelphia Church that meets in our

nights were spent in teaching the gypsy

lEylHB

^
Tom Trunick and Sarah Robison

were used and all of us enjoyed our brother and sister ministered to all of us. Various interpreters were used during this time, Christionne Fife and Sarah Robison,

building. Quality flannel graph and teaching methods

irJ

Beverly Trunick and Christianne Fife

were two of them.

Gypsy Kids

Thank you, Phil for being an Instrument in God's hands to supply a need for the
Trunicks and for the Carcavelos Church.

Baptism
Another victory for the Lord Jesus! On July 6, 1996, Sarah Johnston Cardoso,
decided to be buried with her Lord in

Christian baptism. Miquelina, one of the oldest members, had a prayer for Sarah
and her future life.

Sarah comes from a very large fam ily, many of whom are members of the Church. We praise God for her and for

the faithfulness of her mother (de

ceased) and sisters and other family
members.

Prayer Requests
-f Pray for Noemia Ruth Santos as she begins her second year at Johnson Bible College. The Church in Carcavelos is very proud of her and the way God has blessed her during her first year at JBC. Continue to pray for God's leading in her life.
-f Edilson another Bible college student here in Portugal, He will be entering his 3rd

and last year. Presently he isin Brazil enjoying a deserved vacation period with hisfamily
and friends. May God supply all his needs. -f David Braz, who dropped out of Bible college and... has left the church as well

and "joined the Dennas group." Pray that God will give him time to repent and the will
to do it.

-f Carlos and Carlo (daughter) Rebelo and their new work in Broga with "Omega Association," a drug rehab facility. He will keep contact with the Carcavelos Church and hopes to begin a new work in the city of Braga in the near future. -f Pray for the missionaries as we go through a period of change.

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sT,

VOLUME XVI

OCTOBER - DECEMBER 1997

NUMBER 4

Omega 1887'
Some of you may recall that in the beginning of this year, our first Pioneer was "Alpha 1997." Itisonly fitting that we call this last Pioneer of the year "Omega," the end of it. Much has happened during these 12 months. One of the goals expressed in the "Alpha" Pioneer was to have Biblestudies begun in the Montijo. Two Biblestudies have begun, however, on this side of the Tagus River. Both have something to do with the new church project. On Wednesday evenings, Sarah and Imeet with Monoel and Maria Fragoso and some family members for prayer, praise, and Bible study. She was raised in the Montijo area and has family members there. Manoel was recently baptized and is growing in the Lord. Their grandson, Tiago, and Maria's sister, Gloria, meets with us as well. God's hand and His timing are inthisand we lookforward to His leading inthisnew area. Sarah has been helping Maria improve her reading and writing skills on Wednesday afternoons before the Bible study. The other Biblestudy held on alternate Saturday mornings meets inthe house of a family whose daughter is indrug rehab. All of those who meet with us there are concerned family members of those who have had or presently have someone who has had a drug problem. Carlos Rebelo, within his ministry at "Omega Project," has been ministering to those who have gone for rehabilitation. Our study is within the book of James. Carlos has helped
families from the Montijo area. Pray with us that God will give us 3 families to serve as a nucleus for this work. The new bridge across the Tagus River to the Montijo will be completely finished four months. The span has been connected, but not open to generoi
traffic as yet. EXPO '98, which will be held in Lisbon coming May and onward, willbring thousands

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'

people to the Lisbon area. Pray that God will

minister to some of our visitors.

wisdom as to how we should try and

you

Have a blessed holiday season is our wish to the close

Panorama of Latter 1887

How about a 4th of July picnic right now? This year we celebrated this event with Tom and Bev Trunick from the USA and Ginny Loft from Spain. The American Embassy has a very well planned out celebration. Thisyear they rented a place along side the Tagus River. It was chilly in July. Tis a good thing to be reminded of our roots and our heritage.

"A Cool ARornoon in the Summor"

Gilberto Costa, a young man in our Carcavelos Church, organized and executed this event for the last two years. One of the purposes is to give the young people a place to go and have fellowship and clean fun.
I II A soc-

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lete for Christ" was present and gave his testi mony to the whole group. Robert Fife pre sented a short challenge to the group as well. Water games, water balloons, etc., were en joyed by all. Multi-flavored, rich creamy ice cream was served to all. Seventy-five plus young people were present.

It's Good to Visit Homo

Edilson Bandeira, in his final year at a local Bible college, went to Manaus, Brazil to visit his family whom he hadn't seen for 3 years. The Carcavelos congregation raised up the passage money and sent him on his way. "Project 600" funds helped him during his stay there and is supporting him since his return. Thank you, George Long and the First Christian Church of Crossville, Tennessee. Edilson plans to finish this year's school term and work with the new church in Montijo. Keep him in your prayers.

A Worid Witliout tiio Bibio!

It was a privilege to have Dr. Augusto de Almeida Esperanca and his wife with us during this year. He is General Secretary of the Portuguese Bible Society who has retired after many fruitful years of service to the preparing and

distributing of the Word of God in the Portuguese Language. The church here supports the
work of the Bible Society on a monthly basis and considers it to be one of the most Important missions that we help. Our prayers go with him and his family at this time. Give thanks for the Word of God In your own language.

House Warming -- House Blessing

Twice recently some of our members have been blessed by the Lord in that He has helped them obtain new houses. One such family is the Vasconcelos. Cristina and Armando Vasconcelos, as well as Ines and Sofia are pictured here. They requested that the preachers and others go to their new house and pray God's blessing upon It and its use. They wanted their new home to begin with the blessing of God
and be dedicated to His service. Not a bad custom.

Baptisms, Aiways a Biossing

Recently we were privileged to have witnessed four more people be burled with Christ in Christian baptism. This is the work of God's Holy Spirit and the power of His Gospel. The difference in the ages is significant. Inacia is 77 years old and very happy with her decision. She is a joy for the Lord and His church. Edite, Maria and Rosa, three precious teenagers, rejoiced as well as they also took this step of faith and put their complete trust In Jesus. For the acceptance of the Gospel, age makes no
difference. Praise the Lord for this celebration.

Carcavoios CUurcii Coiebratos Her IZtii Anniversary

Kids and a cake are just two of the visuals during the recent anniversary celebration of the Carcavelos Church. The church

recount all of the happenings during this

presentfacility" It would beImpossible to

IB

time. Workers have come and workers

have gone. Some former members ore

Before you move, please send the mailing label with a copy of your new oddress fo
MISSION SERVICES ASSOCIATION. PO Box 13111, Knoxville, TN 37920-01 \ 1.

Mission Services Association

PO Box 13111

Non Profit Org.

37950-9998

M/ss/onones:

Knoxville, TN 37920-0111

U.S. Postage Paid

Knoxville. TN
Permit #374

Dick & Sarah Robison Rua Per do Sol, 29 2775 Carcavelos

ADDRESS CORRECTION REQUESTED

Portugal

E-Mail CompuServe: 100417.2156@Compuserve.com

Forwarding Aaents:

Phil & Dot Wiltshire

4824 Westboume Dr.

Powder Springs, GA 30127

Telephone: 770-943-4668

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