Newsletter Christmas 2007
 Duncan and Jan Weir
address: 21 Green Lane, Farnham, GU9 8PY
tel: 01252 713790 (home) 07989 211 445 (mobile)
First of all - a VERY HAPPY CHRISTMAS to you all and thank you for the seasonal greetings you have sent us.
EMMANUEL – “God with us” such an amazing message
We are back again after some serious travelling in Brasil between 23rd Oct and 6th Dec. Seven different homes and six different cities combining a mixture of flights, coach and car journeys. We are very familiar with the inside of our suitcases and can calculate the weight of a case to 23kg quite accurately!
We were travelling again as part of the Brasil and Beyond Kairos project, liaising with Linda Harding and Ron Viner here in the UK. This was our third visit to Brasil this year and we were able to build on the other visits and our 2 years residency.
We will be based in Farnham for the first 8 months of next year, as we have taken part-time teaching posts. However, we expect to travel back to Brasil with CursoKairos at Easter to follow up some important contacts.
Becky, our eldest daughter, continues her work at Christian Aid, London and travels regularly to Africa. Robert is an administrator for Bridge2Aid. ( www.bridge2aid.org). His third visit to Tanzania is planned for February when he will be leading a team of British dentists who will be working there as volunteers. Heather enjoyed her graduation and is now a junior doctor in Sheffield. Kathryn is busy completing her Final Year in Sports and Exercise Science at Bath Uni.
There is a short report on our latest visit to Brasil below if you have time/inclination in the midst of your Christmas preparations.
Thank you for all your prayer and encouragement - we really appreciate you all.
Much love ,
Duncan and Jan
24- 29 Oct - Rio de Janeiro- congress with Martin Scott at Igreja Apascentar. Martin gave us platform time to share re Kairos and prayed with us before we left on our own itinerary.
29 Oct – 1st Nov, spent few days in Goiania with our friends Julio and Elizete at CMA. We spoke at their mid week meeting.
- Collected resources for CursoKairos (CK) from a base in Goiania and met with Paulo Jnr and Marcao Sal da Terra/ planned CK Uberlandia with Daniel.
- Attended Pastors breakfast and renewed contact with Pr Robson(graduate of 1st CK in Goiania). He promised to help us open a bank account on our next visit.
1st -12th Nov (course 3rd - 10th) Uberlandia. Facilitator training on Friday 2nd. Nov. Course ran for 2 whole Saturdays+ 5 evenings.
5 participants: Clayton, Paulo Rogeiro, Paulo Maluf, Juliet Rogers and Claudia. +Visit from 4 Pastors from Chile who expressed interest in course in Spanish Paulo Rogeiro showed great interest in course and we invited him to Rio to train as facilitator but he was unable to travel. He is now working on a design for an email newsletter for us in Portuguese.
- Clayton also arranged for us to do separate CK presentations with 5 other influential contacts in Uberlandia. All of whom expressed strong interest in course for next year.
Brasilia 12 – 16th November Hosted by Pastora Lindelma,(graduate from 2nd Goiania course – friend of Levy, one of our Brazilian facilitators). Ig de Cristo
Attended mid week meeting.
- Spoke at IdeC Youth event in Brasilia
- Met with a Mission Pr and missionary to discuss a course to be used as a pre-course to their own mission training
- Met with Pr JB Carvalho, of MCCB, a contact of Martin Scott who is well known in Brasil has a TV programme. He was very interested in the course and suggested a course next year.
16th- 22nd November- Petropolis, RJ. Hosted by our friends Romis and Patricia, ICO- Rio and Adora Brasil.
- Met Noel Quilan, a missionary statesman of 35 years experience in Brazil. Father of David, a national worship leader. Offered help, assistance and much encouragement.
22nd Nov – 3rd Dec, Apascentar, Rio de Janeiro .Stayed in home of Pr Cesar and Pra Nubia. Facilitator training on Saturday 24th. (Course 26-30Nov)- 5 day intensive with 15 participants. The course was excellent with a 100% committed group. The whole dynamic was amazing and so encouraging.
Pr Dante and Pra Maria, a gifted young couple, have expressed strong interest to train and an availability to travel with us as facilitators. They still have connections with Lagoinha Baptist church in Belo Horizonte, MG where they trained at seminary and they want to make introductions for us there. Please pray for them as we feel they could be important facilitators and even regional co-ordinators for CK in the future. Our friend Pr Manoel of Povo Santoalso did the course in Rio.
The graduation for the APASCENTAR graduates was very exciting with 3 of them speaking and this really alerted Cesar to the significance and strength of the course. He would like another course in April 2008 for his pastors and others with influence. There would be places for Manoel’s contacts too.
3rd -5th Dec Sao Paulo- visiting and talking with Paulo and Leni Oliveira – Go to the Nations friends of many years.
Bye for now – we will update you in early 2008.
Meanwhile please pray, *for us as we juggle teaching jobs with CursoKairos responsibilities, *for the development of the course in Brasil, *for national facilitators who will catch the vision for Brasil to reach the unreached nations with the gospel.
Happy Christmas and a blessed New Year to you all,
Duncan and Jan
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