Greetings from Grover Beach, California.
Brazil
I have returned from my short, but somewhat grueling, trip to Brazil.
It was somewhat grueling because counting times in airports, planes, and vehicles, I traveled about 50 hours in 3 1/2 days and only spent one night in a hotel bed. After thinking about it being a little grueling, I remembered that the airport code for Sao Paulo, Brazil, where I was Tuesday, was GRU–the first three letters of grueling (though the GRU airport was not more grueling than the others I was in this trip (like Los Angeles, California and Lima, Peru).
That said, I was able to meet with, provide additional counseling with, and baptized Adao de Amorim. He was a theology teacher and a former Protestant minister.
Adao de Amorim and Bob Thiel
Those with him sometimes watch our sermons in the Spanish language, even though they speak Portuguese. Here is a photo he sent me earlier this year:
Here is a photo of him in one of the groups in Brazil:
We have designated him as our host for northern Brazil. He believes we will have serious growth in northern Brazil.
We are to go to all the lands we can to be a witness (Matthew 24:14) and to baptize (Matthew 28:19-20).
Burundi
Our leader in Rwanda, Moise Nshimiyimana sent the following photo and report:
Dear Pastor and Overseer Dr Bob ,
Greetings from Rwanda .Dear Pastor I appreciate to inform you that the work of God in Burundi continue to growth because there is a big group from SDA in 2000 years ago and for 25 called Eglise de Dieu et de Vocation du 7eme jour du Burundi but now they want to join CCOG . After long time to conversation through social media with their leader called Augustin Mbonimpa and send to him the book called The gospel of the kingdom of God in our language and others bout CCOG beliefs , today they confirmed to join CCOG and they wish if possible can you visit them please . And I connected them with brother Norbert and they prepare to meet with him . Attacked there is a photo of that group of Burundi .Dear Pastor thank you so much for books and booklets through PO.Box .Sincerely ,Moïse.
Despite severe governmental restrictions in Rwanda and Burundi, we have been having major growth in those nations.
While some day I might be able to visit them, it is much more likely that evangelist Evans Ochieng, who has been to Rwanda a few times, will go to Burundi before I ever may. Plus he has a background with the SDA church and can speak on that based on personal experience.
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