The Eisenmann Initiative: November Update

Happy Thanksgiving from Brazil!

Most of you are enjoying a day of relaxation, worship, family, and food. Here in Brazil, this is just any other day, but I was blessed with a surprise Thanksgiving meal at lunch today! I come out of my office to find my father-in-law, mother-in-law, sister-in-law, and wife had prepared a nice little meal, complete with pumpkin pie for dessert! I look forward to celebrating with all of the PAZ missionaries next week (right now there is a team of Americans here to work on a church, so no time to take a holiday!)

This month we were able to realize in a physical sense how blessed this ministry has been from the start! We returned from the states to a partially completed apartment remodeling project. We relieved Silvia's mother from the position of "general contractor" and took over the remaining tasks. Now, five weeks later, we are almost all settled in, just waiting for the last of our furniture to show up! We are anxiously awaiting the opportunity to open up our small home for HIS glory and purposes. so pray with us that our dining table, chairs, and sofa set arrive soon! We have already started to have our disciples over! And we are steadily catching the hang of married life! Please pray with us for a strong marriage relationship, grounded in the example of love by Christ and His church, unshakable and protected from intrusion by the enemy!

As this phase of setting up house nears completion, we are gaining steam in our focus for cell group ministry and discipleship. This is our main request for prayer right now, that our cell groups (one that we currently have and another that we would like to start soon) would see the movement of the Spirit in raising up committed leaders and disciples of Jesus Christ!

I just recently returned from the Amazon River village of Auerana. This village is rather unique in that it has never even seen a Catholic church in it's area. This area is known for it's resistance to "religion." But the good thing is, we're not bringing religion, but rather riding the wave of the Holy Spirit, alive and powerful, breaking down barriers of darkness and evil! During the short time I was there, I had a chance to work along side of several of the locals, some saved, others not, and was able to encourage the local PAZ church worker. Due to the extreme dry season this year, and resulting low water, we had to walk 25 minutes just to arrive at the village from where the boat docked along the river! Then our boat got stuck on the bank of the river and we had to dig it out of the mud, allowing us to arrive home a day late. I was reminded again of the challenges of transport in this part of the world.

We are still praying about our car and the expenses that it is causing. We believe the Lord is asking us to wait on upgrading, and in light of our recent expenses in our home and traveling, as well as not quite having reached our support budget, this would seem to be the wise decision. So lately I have been visiting mechanics to get some estimates, and the repair bill should come in at just under US$850. We are blessed with this car and strive to be good stewards of our resources from the Lord. Please email me if you would like to help us with this expense! Or go here to join our team financially!

Please send us your Christmas Cards or Letters! If there is one thing we like to see on the field, it's how our friends and family back in the States are doing! My address is at the bottom of this post. Also, if you did not receive our last mailing, please email me or contact me through the PAZ website.

Praises
- Safe and prosperous river trip to Auerana
- We are living in our apartment and have Internet again
- A car and apartment to use for His Glory
- A God who lives within us, and continues to demonstrate His Power through grace and saving faith in a Savior

Prayer Requests
- Growth in our cell group - members who are excited to share their knowledge and grow in their personal relationship with the Lord
- Our furniture to show up quickly
- Our marriage relationship, for strength and protection of the enemy, that we could model and lead as examples
- Better Portuguese language skills

In the name of our almighty God,
John & Silvia

In Auerana with fellow missionary and the local worker and his wife. We took a break from the roof of the church to eat lunch. We are a typical river village meal of grilled fish, manioc flour, and cucumber salad.