Dear Friends and Family,
Don’t you just love Christmas? We do. It is a time of thanksgiving as we look back to the wonderful gift of God’s Son, Jesus, who was sent to earth to save us from our sin. Christmas is also a time to express God’s love to those both close and far away. We love the music, the family traditions, the food and the giggles of children as they open their presents. Being from Alaska, I do dream of a white Christmas, but our reality here in Portugal is far from the cold of my childhood. But we do have the smell of chestnuts roasting on an open fire. Most of all, Christmas is family. This year we will have over those who live here, as well as Ruth Schultz, who is working as a ballerina in Germany.
This year we were able to get all our children and grandchildren together here in Portugal to celebrate our 50th wedding anniversary. That was a miracle, seeing that we are 35 in total. In the photo all but three are present. (Covid kept Joana Veiga, Ainslie Reimer, and Tiago Veiga in lockdown at the guest house.) We were all together for two weeks; the first week in the Lisbon area and the second week in the Alentejo, near Spain. What a wonderful time we had together. It was a God-time where the cousins connected and the siblings reconnected. We even were blessed to celebrated five of our grands as they were baptised in water. As we look back over the years of God’s faithfulness and provision, we just overflow with thankfulness.
We received a clear Word from the Lord to visit once again the places we have impacted over the years to encourage the churches and sow once again. This has taken us around Europe in the last couple of months and we plan to go to five African nations in this coming year. Our church here in Lisbon has been really taken up the “Antioch” calling of sending out missionaries. Seth and Sílvia have developed in the church a culture of reaching out to those close and far. In September, we sent out a couple from the leadership team to the islands of São Tomé and Príncipe. While writing this letter, Seth is ministering in Angola, and last month Sílvia took a team of women to Cape Verde for 10 days of intense ministry. So, as you see, we are serious about the Great Commission. The prophecy, we received in the mid ‘90s, of ships going from Lisbon to the nations with precious supplies and returning to be filled again, is coming to pass.
Lately, I have ministered on how to be child-like rather than childish. Helen got inspired and wrote a poem. Here it is:
Like a Child
Don’t you just love how children stare,
Seeing things of which you’re not aware?
Not bound by fear nor time,
So be careful, for it’s YOU they mime!
Jesus cuddled, healed and played.
Children swarmed, but He stayed,
Seeing their quick forgiveness and trust,
Happy to eat just a mere crust!
Is it really a surprise
If He reveals your demise,
By comparing your love to that of a child;
Sweet, vulnerable, humble and mild?
Keeping the Heavenly Father in view,
Open hearts to Jesus makes worries few,
Holy Spirit filled with peace and joy
For every woman, man, girl or boy!
Helen is not only an artist, but also a poet. You can read more of her poems at www.poetrysoup.com.
2022 was a year to complete a number of writing projects. I finished the seventh devotional book in Portuguese and my latest book in English: The Holy Spirit, my Friend. Now, I will be concentrating on making some video seminars in both Portuguese and English as well as preparing workbooks for students for use in Bible schools. Next year we will be traveling to the States in May and June, the rest of the year we will concentrate on Europe and Africa. Keep us in your prayers. We depend on them. Your gifts help us go out even more. Thank you for participating with us in reaching the nations.
We love you so much,
Jim and Helen
