January 15, 2008

2007 Work Report

The following is the work report we submitted to the regional field council of Baptist Mid Missions of Brazil for the year 2007.

Our second full year in the Northeast Region of BMMB has been full of unique opportunities and exciting challenges.

Seminary

The ministry internship program at the Cariri Baptist Seminary continues to be our main focus. This year saw 65 students working in 37 churches and congregations—as well as two seminary ministry teams—exercising functions ranging from Sunday School teacher to titular pastor. Our students reported several decisions for Christ through their ministries this year.

2007 also saw the rebirth of the SBC puppet team. It was made up of five students and put on about ten presentations in all, including a trip to Fortaleza and participation in this year’s Romaria. During the Romaria one little boy accepted Christ after one of the presentations.

This coming year we will be making some changes in the reporting system currently used by our students. We intend to increase input on the part of the pastor or responsible party in the churches where students work. We are also working with two area churches to set up a door-to-door evangelism program which will involve our freshman students.

Besides ministry internship program, Andrew and Itacyara both had the opportunity to teach this year. Itacyara filled in for one of the English teachers for three weeks, and Andrew taught English IV for the second semester, as well as substituting for a few weeks in the Panorama of Doctrine and New Testament Survey classes.

Next semester Itacyara will be teaching English I, and Andrew will be assuming the Panorama of Doctrine class.

Camp

Perhaps the biggest challenge for us this year has been our experience as director of the Iguatu camp. One of the most important lessons we have learned is not to bite off more than we can chew. Though more details will be given in the Camp Report, here is a basic rundown of the camp events we were involved with in 2007:

• 1 ladies retreat
• 2 retreats from outside groups
• 1 children’s week
• 1 teen week
• Various retreats of churches in our fellowship

Visits

Every year we try to host at least one group from the US. Not only does this give us a chance to “give back” to churches that faithfully minister to us, we feel it is also a valuable recruiting tool for future missionaries to this region. This year we co-hosted with Jon Reiner an outstanding group of young people from Faith Baptist Church in Winter Haven, FL. They spent a week with us ministering in local churches, giving Gospel presentations in a local English school, and then hosting an English camp on the weekend. They were able to touch the lives of many unsaved people, and continue to have contact with the students they met.

This coming year we will be hosting two back-to-back mission trips in late June and early July.

A special highlight this year was the visit from Dr. Richard C. Piatt, pastor of Fellowship Baptist Church in Lakeland, FL—our sending church. He came down to be the speaker for the seminary retreat, and left with a great impression of the seminary, and of our field and its missionaries.

Church

We have continued our participation at the Igreja Batista da Paz. We enjoy sitting under the ministry of Pastor Paulo Alves, and opportunities for ministry are plentiful. Both Andrew and Itacyara have had numerous opportunities to teach, and Andrew has been able to preach about once a month. Andrew is currently teaching the youth group during vacation—bringing a series on the “Heroes of the Faith”. He is also working through the book of Philippians in his preaching.

One of our favorite aspects of ministry at the Igreja da Paz has been the rapport we have been able to establish with the young people. It is a rare week when we do not receive a visit from one or more members of the youth group, and on special occasions (Christmas, New Years, etc.) we have hosted the entire group. We have been able to do some one-on-one counseling with several young people, and are excited by the growth and maturity we are seeing in the group as a whole.

Preaching

Besides preaching at the Igreja da Paz, Andrew has had other opportunities to speak. This year he spoke at the teen retreat at João Pessoa, a youth conference in Belem, a youth event in Juazeiro, and once filling in for the pastor at the Igreja Batista Maranata.

Puppets

The puppet ministry we are developing continued to progress this year. As the couple that works with us—Cícero and Nice—are members of the Igreja Batista de Novo Juazeiro, the ministry was adopted as an official ministry of that church. This was a huge step forward, providing as it did much needed structure and cash-flow. We administered three schools of puppetry this year—two in the Cariri and one in Currais Novos, Rio Grande do Norte. The students who participate in this course not only learn how to use puppets in ministry, they also get hands-on experience in making them. They then take the puppets they make home with them for use in their ministries.

We have also developed a line of quality puppets that are available to churches and other ministries at very reasonable prices.

We are continuing to work on our filming project. Progress has been slow due to scheduling conflicts and lack of resources. We are on track, however, to begin filming again in February.

Family

In 2007 the size of our family increased by 50%. Nathanael Kenneth Comings was born on July 6th. Our family is now made up of one New Yorker, one Maranhense, one Floridian, and one Cearense.

Our family also experienced one “new birth”, as Mikey made a profession of faith this year. Mikey has continued his studies at the Colégio Batista, and is making progress academically and socially.

Itacyara’s studies at URCA have been interrupted twice this year—first by the arrival of Nathanael, and currently by a teacher’s strike.

One of the biggest challenges faced by our family in 2007 has been the housing situation. The house we were renting was sold out from under us in May, and from that point on we lived in John and Jean Peterson’s house while they were on furlough. Currently we live at the seminary in Bloco A.

The Comings family counts it a privilege to serve as part of the Northeastern Region of BMMB. We are thankful for God’s blessings throughout 2007, and look forward to new challenges and adventures in 2008.

Respectfully submitted,

Andrew Comings

Posted by Andrew on January 15, 2008 8:48 PM.

Comments

Posted by: Haik at January 16, 2008 1:59 PM

Posted by: Haik at January 16, 2008 2:06 PM