[Read and Share] Pereira Portugal – June ’14 Prayer Letter

[See the PDF version of this Letter, click here]

Dear Prayer Partners,

June 2014

I am writing this Prayer Letter at the airport. We are done with our support raising big push. Just yesterday we heard of a new supporting church. In the last 30 days our support went from 63 to 76.6%! We are aware that what we have seen in the last 9 months has been the Lord’s doing, and we are thankful for your prayers. There might still be some people that will ask why are we going back to Portugal not having reached the intended goal. Well, the main reason is the fact that my visa ends tomorrow. We have made the clear decision to obey the “law of the land” and not to over stay our welcome. There is also the fact that we believe some of the churches that we have visited are still in the process of considering us for monthly support. This is where you come in. Please pray that we will hear from these churches. Also, pray that we can schedule some deputation meetings through Skype. I don’t believe these will ever replace the actual missionary visit to churches, but it seems to be a valid option for people in our situation, or missionaries that lose support in the middle of their term on the field. 

This was the month that the church in Albufeira voted to have Bro. Lenildo to be their pastor. This is the church that I pastored for the last 10 years. In the beginning it was a small group a believers and I was working a full time job. The Lord blessed, people have been saved and baptized every year, a new pastor was trained. That church pays all their bills, gives to missions, and pays their pastor a salary. Bro. Lenildo trained under me for three years, got ordained and the church voted unanimously to have him as their new pastor. I am not the pastor anymore. 

Just a few days after the vote, Bro. Lenildo’s brother, Max, who lives in Brazil, had a serious accident. He is in an in-duced coma in the hospital. Please pray for this situation. Bro. Lenildo is now looking into traveling to Brazil in the next few days to see his brother and assist his family. Max has recently come back to the Lord and has a clear testimony of salvation. 

Please pray for the camps that will happen in Portugal in the next few weeks. I will be preaching at both camps. We are praying for salvation decisions and also for the Lord to call young people into full time Christian service. Pray for my in-laws, missionaries Allen and Barb Newton, as they lead the camp ministry. In September they will come back to the US for an 8-month furlough. Please contact us if you would be interested in having them come to your church to speak about their min-istry in Portugal.  

 In His Service, Mark and Aura Pereira

www.reachportugal.com