Burgess Road Baptist Church

August 2012

Dear Friends,

Thank you for your partnership in the Gospel and for helping us by your prayers. Each week brings new challenges and new opportunities to exercise faith. Along with the spiritual stretching, God also mixes incredible blessings. We marvel at the way God works in mysterious ways. We asked you to pray that a woman named Neusa would be able to go the Annual Rio Women’s Meeting. Despite obstacles, at the last minute she resolved to go! While she was there she noticed the church’s baptistry and commented to Melissa that she was sensing her need to follow the Lord in baptism. We thank the Lord for this very specific answer to the prayer request we sent to you and the way God accomplished it. Please continue to pray for Neusa because she battles several discouraging health problems.

Thanksgiving

• The evangelistic service in the park went well. We’re hoping to continue doing this regularly.

• Melissa’s Aunt and Uncle who are administrators with their mission board and several other administrators were in town and stayed with us this week. We had a great time with them and they gave us good counsel.

• We had the opportunity to meet and talk for several hours with a young couple (Hawkins) who has a burden to plant churches in Rio. This is an answer to prayer for more laborers.

Prayer Requests

• A Brazilian man from a sister church has been helping us with evangelism. He has donated a good sum of money for property for the church and we have begun looking. Please pray for God’s direction as far as purchasing property.

• I’m developing an idea for how local pastors and Christian workers here in Brazil (Rio particularly) can help our friend who lives in the Amazon with theological training and construction. I hope to send a newsletter in September detailing our plans. Please pray for wisdom for this project.

• Please pray for our evangelistic men’s and women’s meetings in September.

• I’ve been invited to speak at a local church in Rio for their 25th anniversary. Pray that God would be honored and that this struggling church would be strengthened.

• I’m thankful for my incredible wife. Please pray for strength for her as she has started school with our two oldest children and is involved in several other aspects of the ministry.

Love in Christ,

Brendan (BJ) for the Holmquists
Melissa, Myla, Ellie, Daniel, Flavia

Holmquists
Rua Corumbiara, 256 fundos
Rocha Miranda
21555-060 Rio de Janeiro, RJ
(517) 580-0704 (rings in Brazil)
holmquist1@gmail.com

Give thanks unto the LORD, call upon his name,
make known his deeds among the people.

This verse in 1 Chronicles 16:8 outlines what we want to accomplish in this letter. We just want to thank God and give Him the glory that is due, ask for your continued prayers in behalf of the people of Rio, and give a report of the wonderful things He has done.

As we pause to look back on the series of “impossible” obstacles that arose while preparing to hold our first public services, a common phrase here in Brazil comes to mind: “Só Deus!” “Only God!” Only through God’s strength did we have the endurance to clear the hurdles of unforeseen problems with the rental building. Only through God’s unlimited provision did we have the financial means to begin. Only through the Spirit’s enabling were we able to have our first preaching services and see the light of the gospel penetrate a dark corner of the city of Rio. Only through God’s answers to your prayers was anything of lasting value accomplished in the start of the church. Only God!

We praise God and we thank you for your encouragement, prayers, and support during the time of the inaugural services for Word of Truth Baptist Church here in Rio. The existing churches in Rio showed us amazing love and have sacrificially helped us time after time. A week before the opening services, two church groups came in the over 100 degree heat to clean the sauna-like building and to distribute invitations in the neighborhood. Many helped serve food on the day of the event as well. Sharon, a short-term missionary who is staying with us has helped out a lot, too.

The services on Saturday and Sunday were well attended. On Saturday, representatives from the five local sister churches came to participate in the historic moment and tested the capacity of our small store-front building. Some of the visitors who came have continued with us through our second week – for which we are very thankful! Several new visitors came to Thursday night prayer meeting this week. Those who were faithful in the Bible study continue to come and are excited to see what God is doing. Though we have seen some victories, we know the battle has just intensified. We need your prayers more than ever as this infant church begins to grow!

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Prayer Requests and Praises

Praise God for a great opening conference.

Praise God for an excellent Summer Youth Camp in February where many hearts were touched.

Please pray for the kid’s protection and salvation/growth- Daniel turned 4 in March!

Please pray for Children’s Club and Youth Group starting March 24.

Please pray for our spiritual walk and God’s wisdom to proceed at the church.

Love in Christ,
Brendan (BJ) Holmquist for the family
Melissa, Myla, Ellie, Daniel and Flavia

See family news and pictures by clicking here.

Email: holmquist1@gmail.com
Vonage phone – dials as if we were in the US: (517) 580-0704
Address: The Holmquists
Rua Corumbiara, 256 fundos
Rocha Miranda 21555-060 Rio de Janeiro, RJ