One of our dear prayer supporters wrote before we traveled that they were “helping us through prayer”. I thought that such a perfect way of expressing what we believe so many of you do for us. We especially sensed God's protection as we traveled a total of 625 miles to Casa Nova, Bahia in search of a house to rent.

It was hot, right around 100 degrees. Now, I know for many of you, that doesn’t seem so bad but when it involves walking around on sidewalks or waiting in a small piece of shade, it feels more like 120. We were grateful to have air conditioning in the hotel room at night. Things get fairly quiet around the little town from noon until 3:00pm. We can understand why.

There are very few houses available to rent in Casa Nova. There are many for sale but we’re not in a position to buy a home presently. We had followed out all leads, talked to many on the street, and were beginning to wonder if we would need to stay over the week-end to find something. Through it all, we trusted the Lord for a house, according to His plan. Finally, Thursday evening, we were able to see the inside of an available home to make rental arrangements with the owner. The house needs some painting and small repairs but the owner has agreed to let us discount the rent for any supplies we might purchase. The three- bedroom home will be more than adequate for our needs for the coming year. It is located just two blocks from the church where we will minister.

One bedroom will have to serve for Bruce’s tool shop. Another will serve to receive any Seminary students or out-of-town guests that might come to help us with our plans to evangelize in the interior towns. There is adequate space in the house for a small office area, too.



So, now we have about six weeks to get all our belongings sorted and packed up, do some shuffling of furniture from the present church location to the proper owners and gathering some of our belongings that are in different locations so that all will be in one place for the moving company. I think this is called forced downsizing and a good experience every few years to remind us that our belongings are not eternal, but people’s souls are. I don't think we'll call this truck to move our things, though!

Thank you again for accompanying us on our trip through your thoughts and prayers, it was great to have you along!

Is there an interest or a hobby that you’ve had for years and never been able to find time for it? Since high school, Bruce has loved to tinker in electronics. For the past month or so, he has had a wonderful opportunity to expand his knowledge in electronics repair.

There is a small shop just a few doors away, and Bruce has become friends with the Christian owner. They are working together a couple of hours each day to get the shop caught up on a backlog of broken TVs and stereos. In the process, Bruce is learning many new tricks. We aren’t sure how the Lord will use his learning in the future but can see it opening doors to ministry on our next assignment. In the mean time, he is encouraging the owner through daily devotions together.

Last week-end, a candidate for the position of Administrative Pastor came to Igreja Batista Luz do Mundo to speak, to meet with the leadership and members, and get to know the church with the idea of being called to assume the bulk of the work. Pr. Mauro has wanted this from the church’s inception as his health does not allow him to be involved to the level needed for a growing church. His desire is to preach and leave the rest of the responsibilities with the other pastor. We are praying for God’s clear direction. This is the third candidate to be considered for the position.

New visitors appear each week and a few are returning several times. So, the members are encouraged. We see our planned exit as being the Lord’s perfect timing to move on and let the members pick up the slack.

We plan to travel 10 hours southwest to Casa Nova, Bahia the week of November 14th to look for a home to rent. We would ask for your prayers for safety in travel, and for wisdom. We should be back by the end of that week.

Like most of you, we read the headlines on a weekly basis and are concerned for the economic situation in the U.S. but far more for the disregard of God and His Word. Though the global economic crisis affects Brazil where we minister, the country is doing remarkably well economically. We have enjoyed comfortable living in the past with a strong exchange of dollars to the national currency. But over the past two years, the exchange has stayed closer to 1,75 or lower, reaching as low as 1,58 in April of this year. That means less buying power, and as with many of you, there has been a “tightening of the belt” to our budget. This past month has brought a fluctuation that has actually been in our favor. Much of the difference is tied to the Euro and the financial woes in Europe, but we are suddenly enjoying a better exchange. So, what does that mean? When we exchanged $500 on August 17, we received R$790 Brazilian currency. Today, that same $500 amount gained us R$940. That’s a difference of R$150 and for us, almost two weeks’ worth of groceries. It’s not a sweepstakes winning but what we consider to be a blessing from the Lord and from our faithful supporters who have continued with us through this difficult economic time. We pray for God’s provision and blessing for your generosity.

When we returned to the Light of the World Baptist Church from our three month mini-furlough, many ideas of ways to reach out to the community had been discussed by members of the church and us. Some have been tried, others were set aside. Bruce made it known that he is available to repair small appliances of neighbors. This has had a few responses but not that have returned in the way of visitors at church. What has developed, though, is an outreach at the local town square one block away. We have challenged the members of the church to each give one hour toward this. Many neighborhood families bring their children to the square to play in the late afternoons. Where we could not get into these high rises to invite families, the families are coming down to the square and are usually relaxed and easily engaged in a conversation, especially if church members also have children. The members are enthusiastic and several have distributed invitations and conversed with people there. We are praying for the Lord to use the church in this location to reach out to the lost.

We are gaining valuable experience as we are out each day; Carol, walking and meeting ladies, Bruce, enjoying some coffee and tapioca while reaching out to men. We have learned more about Catholicism than we had known previously. We find many of the same responses that you do as you reach out to your unsaved friends and neighbors who have no time for “religion”. But we continue to share, right? May we all be faithful to shine for the Lord!

August 3rd we returned to Brazil from a three month family furlough in the states. What a blessing to find everyone in good health, following the Lord, and employed. Though we are no longer in the field of Christian education because of the closure of Fortaleza Academy, it was especially gratifying to see our son-in-law awarded a doctorate and to see he has taken a position in the Psychology department at Clearwater Christian College where he begins teaching this month.


Stepping back from the work and environment here for a while often brings a renewed desire to draw closer to the Lord and not let the busyness of “ministry” take over. It also makes us grateful for the small pleasures of life. Upon our arrival in the U.S., we were once again, struck by the organization, helpfulness, and availability of anything we needed. Ah, smooth roads, wide parking lanes, sidewalks! But it is amazing how quickly all those blessings go unnoticed.



Upon our return to Brazil, I am usually impressed by the vast number of people on the streets, the sheer density of population in a city of almost 3 million inhabitants. Such friendly, giving people they are, but so many of them without Christ. We stopped to visit a few of our Brazilian neighbors and I delivered some small gifts purchased at the wonderful dollar stores you all have in the U.S. I caught one neighbor by surprise. She lives in a poor, simple home, 10 ft. x 45 ft., with two adult children and three teen grandsons she is raising. She was fixing herself an afternoon snack and as we chatted, she did not give it a second thought to divide her snack in half with me. Though she is 60, she works hard each day, caring for an elderly Alzheimer’s patient. Oh, the contrast of the ease of life in the U.S. compared with the harshness so many encounter here! And yet, this is all temporal. My friend told me how when she gets the patient in bed, she can sometimes spend a few minutes in the yard alone, talking with the Lord, asking Him to save her grandsons who give her much trouble. I could not help but feel ashamed for the little inconveniences that annoy me. And I thought that one day in heaven, this dear sister in the Lord will live in a mansion and appreciate every blessing from God to a much deeper degree than I will ever know.



So, we are back in Fortaleza for a few months to finish some outreach projects for Light of the World Baptist Church and prepare for our move to Casa Nova, Bahia. We have made several acquaintances with neighbors of the church. Pray as we engage in conversation, invite them over for pizza, and try to share the gospel or invite them to the church.



It was a blessing to see many of you this summer. Thank you for sharing in our lives and ministry.

Wanting to more effectively serve our church’s missionaries, we decided, as teachers, to give a year teaching internationally in an MK school. God used that short-term experience to take us back to Brazil full-time, where we have been serving since 1996. Our sending church is Tri-City Church in north San Diego County, California.

Our three children had the privilege of growing up in a different culture, studying in an international Christian school, and learning, as their parents did, that God desires a willing heart for service, more than great talent and numerous abilities. Our children are adults now, living in the United States, the oldest two are married. We continue serving the Lord in Brazil.

After the closure of the MK school this year, we are in transition to a new type of ministry. Starting in 2012, we will begin a new evangelism outreach ministry in the interior of Bahia.

Birthdays ~ Bruce (January 8) and Carol (June 21)

Contact: carolrdennis@gmail.com


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