Ann and Bruce serve as missionaries in Belo Horizonte, Brazil in partnership with JAMI, the international mission agency of the National Baptist Convention of Brazil. They equip Brazilian missionaries to spread the Good News of Jesus Christ in countries around the world, including unreached people groups in Brazil.

They write: In our last ministry update, we shared with you our joys and struggles as we said “good-by for now” to dear friends, valued colleagues and fruitful ministries in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. We have started our home assignment, and will be in the U.S. until we return to Brazil next May to develop two brand new ministries for the National Baptist Convention of Brazil. We are living what we teach in the “Missionary Life” module for JAMI’s new missionaries in training: that saying hello and good-by with excellence is the rhythm of the missionary life, and that hidden in every good-by there is a new hello.

Traveling is a big part of the rhythm of our lives during this year in the US. Just after we arrived from Brazil, Bruce left for Thailand and Vietnam to visit missionary colleagues and partners and teach workshops. What an inspiration to see what God is doing in and through these dedicated servants, and see how the Lord may be able to use us on a short-term basis in this region in the future. A few days after Bruce got home Ann was off to the Philadelphia area to begin her Doctor of Ministry program at Palmer Seminary. The focus of the program is “leadership of missional church renewal,” which is her passion and the new focus for our work when we return to Brazil.

Next May 2012 we plan to head back to Brazil to serve in an expanded ministry. The National Baptist

Convention of Brazil (CBN: the Convenção Batista Nacional do Brasil) has invited us to develop two new national-level ministries: the Secretariat for the Development of Leadership and Ministries, and the Secretariat for Social Responsibility. We will also continue to serve as professors and pastoral counselors at JAMI, equipping Brazilian missionaries for cross-cultural ministry around the world.

This is an extraordinary invitation, and it will allow us to make a major contribution to the CBN in our areas of expertise and passion: mobilizing the local church for integral mission, and leadership training and capacity building in churches and institutions. The CBN leadership told us that it has come in recognition of our investment during the last seven years in developing relationships, learning the Portuguese language and Brazilian culture, and creating significant programs in these very areas.

Please pray with us for:

• Traveling mercies as we traverse the U.S.
• Our son Asa as he begins college.
• Pr. Marcelo and Igreja Batista Reviver, our church in Belo Horizonte.
• Our colleagues and students at JAMI, the missionary training center.