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“But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.” (1 Peter 2:9)

thank and praise God for Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior who came to this world to save us from the power of sin and to give us a new life full of peace, joy and hope. I thank God for his great hope and vision for young Portuguese students whom he wants to call as a royal priesthood and a holy nation for all Portuguese speaking nations in the world. To accomplish this mission God has been working diligently with his unseen hands among us in Lisbon. In 2014 God blessed us in so many ways that I cannot but thank and praise God.

First, the work of God’s word. In 2014, we studied the books of Romans, Daniel and John. God blessed us with his powerful words. Missionary John and Missionary Mateus led the leaders’ group Bible study after Sunday worship service. Shepherdess Sara, Missionary Grace and Missionary Rebeca participated in the group Bible study. After the summer Bible Conference Nuno also joined the group, and it kept growing. God’s word worked mightily in the hearts of young students through one to one Bible study. Nuno, Maria, Melissa, Ana and Rosa received the word through one to one Bible study continually and grew in their faith. Shepherdess Sara and Missionary Mateus delivered the message for Sunday Worship Service in turn every week. Through God’s word Nuno grew in faith and became spiritually more stable. With God’s word Maria could overcame many inner struggles and grow in faith.

Second, one to one ministry. In 2014 God blessed our one to one ministry abundantly. Missionary Grace served Nuno, Rosa, Fernando, Ismail, Jaferson, Eunhye and Ji Hye. Missionary Rebeca served Maria, Ana Paula and Andrea. Missionary John served Arnildo. Shep. Sara served Clara and Melissa. Nuno also began to serve Beatriz. God sent all these young men and women with great hope and vision. Our co-workers served them only by faith and broken shepherd heart. God blessed their faith and helped Nuno, Maria, Melissa, Rosa and Ana Paula to grow in faith and conviction.

Third, disciple-making ministry. God raised Shepherdess Sara as the spiritual leader and source of blessing. She is an example for many other Portuguese students. She loves God and God’s mission. She served Clara and Melissa with God’s word while doing her busy Ph.D. work. She even helped Melissa to work in the lab to prepare her future Ph.D. program. Serving Clara is not an easy task. She suffered from acute depression. But as a good shepherdess Sara took care of her and served her with the life-giving word of God whenever she came to study the Bible. Every other Sunday she delivered the message. It was a spiritual struggle for her but she overcame and delivered the soul-refreshing word on Sundays. This year God blessed her to visit Canada for one month for her research work where she had fellowship with Toronto UBF. She is praying to establish her family by faith.

God is raising brother Nuno as a disciple of Jesus Christ. Before participating in the European summer Bible Conference, he was not so clear about his faith and calling. He avoided talking about his faith to others. But during the conference he received much grace of God. While sharing his life testimony he witnessed the work of the Holy Spirit in him liberating him from the power of sin. He realized all on his own with the hope of God in his life and decided to be a shepherd for wandering souls in our campuses. Now he is praying to serve them with God’s word. He is also praying to finish his undergraduate studies next year by faith.

Maria and Melissa are two other hopeful disciple candidates who are growing slowly and steadily. Maria is in her final year of Law and Melissa just completed her Master’s in Biology. They are serving as prayer servants in our Sunday Worship Services. Maria is from Azores Island. She is struggling to make a decision of faith to remain in Lisbon to live as a prayer mother for the Portuguese and for world campus mission. By faith she terminated her worldly relationship with her boyfriend because she wants to live before God. She confessed that she wanted to live with Christ and for Christ. May God bless her with clear direction for her future. Melissa is growing in faith. She was deeply moved by God’s word during the Summer Bible Conference and after that she became very regular and stable in faith. She is praying to get a scholarship to do her Ph.D. next year. Rosa and Ana Paula are two hopeful disciple candidates. They are growing slowly but steadily. We pray that they may become more stable in Bible study and SWS participation.

Fourth, European Summer Bible Conference. The 2014 European Summer Bible Conference was an historic event in Portuguese campus ministry. For the first time 13 participants came to the conference. Two missionary families, four second gens and five Portuguese students came to the conference. Shepherdess Sara delivered a very graceful and powerful message. Brother Nuno shared a very graceful life testimony. Melissa, Rosa and Ana Paula were deeply moved by God’s word and life testimonies of other European students. They could put their trust in God and trust our ministry. After the conference we rented two vans and travelled to Cologne, Dusseldorf and Frankfurt with our students. They received much grace and love from our German co-workers. I thank and praise God for such great work. For so many years I had been participating all alone. But now the season of Christ has come to Portugal. I hope and pray it may grow more and more from now on.

Fifth, Christmas worship service. On December 12th we celebrated our Christmas. Brother Nuno delivered the message, “Glory to God, Peace to Man” only by faith. Melissa presided for the service. Maria prayed. Rosa, Melissa, Maria, Nuno, Eun Hye, Ji Hye, Debora and Lidia prepared a very graceful video drama. Our Christmas worship service was fully prepared and served by Portuguese students. It was a great encouragement and visionary for us that the day is not far when Portuguese students will take responsibility and become Bible teachers and missionaries to many Portuguese speaking lands. We pray that Portugal may once again be a missionary sending nation.

Sixth, second gen ministry. God blessed our second gens with his words and protected them. Eun Hye took care of Ji Hye, Debora and Lidia and served them with God’s word. Every Sunday after worship service they studied the Bible in group and shared their testimony.

I personally thank God for using me as his servant despite my weaknesses and business. So far God has used an unworthy sinner to lay down a firm foundation of campus ministry in Portugal. Two lines of Portuguese leadership have started growing. Though I did not do much, God used me in his own way. God helped me to deliver the message every other Sunday and serve the group Bible study. It was my act of faith and my devotion to God. I thank and praise God for his grace and mercy. May God guide us in 2015 as he did in 2014.