As I mentioned, people are the most important part of God's creation. He loves people; so much so that He sent Jesus Christ to die, for people, so that we people could have everlasting life. Now that is what I call a true friend. That is what the bible says, " No great love has any man than this, that he would lay down his life for a friend." God wants all of us to be His friends.

Speaking of friends, we have short friends, tall friends, silly friends, not so silly friends. They come is all shapes, sizes, and colors. We love our friends.

Our ministry in Brazil is about people. Whether it be a counseling session, preaching a message, eating a meal, teaching a class, taking a trip, whatever it may be....God loves people, and we want to teach God's love to people.

Here are some pics of new, and "old" friends......

Charity Maria is growing up so fast. She will be 7 in April, 08. Started first grade this week...wow! I'm fifty...never imagined that at 50 I'd have a 1st grader.... she is so fun.

Charity is going to be our dancer. She loves ballet, and is always going around doing choreography to every song that enters her mind. She makes up music, too. She is the top far right in the pic.

Funny, she is not afraid of animals, bugs, not even roaches nor spyders. She is attent to details and seems to have an animal attraction. Even butterflies and humming-birds will come very close to her.

A few more pics of Diana's b-day gifts. Besides lots of good friends coming to visit, she received a lovely breakfast basket, and orchids.

Diana also enjoyed going out with our friend Yeda, to a country buffet for lunch. We are blessed to live in one of the most abundant, and most beautiful areas of Brazil.

It is not for those reasons we live here, however. I remind myself that I would be willing to return to the Amazon, or other poor areas, if God led that way. Comfort is blessing, but not a necessity. We are not called to a life of luxury and security, but to a life of obedience. As one pastor, Dr C. Sumner Wemp says, "God gives us our needs, and a lot of our greeds. Be careful what you ask for."

You may recall that in October of 07, that I took a trip to Manaus with Yan, our jr-sr high pastor. Well, in 2008 we are teaming up again, except this time to work with the parents of these adolescent youth.

Many parents come to both Diana and me asking for help with their adols, as we call adolescent youth here. I counsel them right away, that it is a crime to kill your jr-higher. They laugh, as to keep from crying.

With God's help, we will begin a series of classes to parents of this age group the beginning of March. The series will run for five weeks. Then, in October, we will offer another series of classes, all designed at how to reach the heart of your teen child.

Pray for Yan, and the EXTREME youth ministry. Pray for the parents of these 125 plus teens, that they will be Godly examples to their kids.

Pray for Diana and me as we have a big task ahead of us, teaching the parents of these kids.

AS FOR ME AND MY HOUSE, WE WILL SERVE THE LORD - written by Tim Sheppard.

After being married to this wonderful lady for 26 years, I still enjoy singing this classic song with her (it is the only song we sing together). I must say that at 50 years of age...not bad....lookin' good!

Thanks, Abasilio, for the great photographs.

Christmas dinner was Italian style, this year. Carolina, a new Christian we are discipling, invited us to her mother's house for the special event. Her mother is an Italian immigrant. Needless to say, the pastas were out of this world good. We had baked chicken, too.

A few days after Christmas, friends from Manaus (Neto, Ivete, Pinha and Ligia) came for a few days to help celebrate Diana's 50th b-day. Other friends came by as well. Since her b-day just happens to be on Dec 31, we also went to some friends to celebrate the New Year, and Lady Di got thrown in the pool. HAPPY 50th BIRTHDAY DIANA!

Wow! 2007 went by in a flash! About the only way I knew it was the end of 2007 was because of Diana's half-century b-day on the 31st. Then, all of a sudden, it was 2008.

I think one of the reasons last year went by so fast is because we were busy. No time for time to stand still. Well, if the beginning of 2008 is any indication, that means we will be posting Christmas 2008 in just a few days, because we have been non-stop.

Tom has been "pastor on call" at the church one day a week. So?, you may ask? Well, that means counseling, helping out where needed, and just hangin' out sometimes. And, January is a good month to generally "hang out" as it is collective vacation for just about all of Brazil. Well, at least that is the way it is supposed to work.

One of my "on-call" days I had 04 counseling sessions. Most were walk-ins, but church members. I guess people had time ot stop and think about how their lives are being lived, and didn't like what they saw. Another reason is that we just opened the counseling center five days a week, with a pastor on call during the day, and by cell fone at night. Our other pastors have reported an increase in counseling as well. Having worked with married couples for the past few years, Diana and I get a lot of the marriage counseling.

Diana has been busy the first month of 2008 as well. She spoke to over 100 ladies at their first ever monthly meeting. She is such a good speaker, for she shares from her heart, but that has a price as she worries and frets over getting ready. Charity and I split the scene for a few afternoons, to give Mama some time to herself. It was a good father-daughter time, so Diana's speaking was good for all of us.

I also had the opportunity to share with about 100 men at their 3nd ever monthly meeting. God is doing some wonderful things among the folk at our church, and they keep looking to us as mentors, too. That is a blessing to us.

The pictures on this post are of the 1st ever monthly couples encounter. About 150 couples ate banana splits, and finger foods, as I used a blender, and the help of two other coulples, to make a very different milk-shake for the message. It was a beautiful evening. More pics to come, including shots of Diana and me singing, as well.