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Key verse: 2Timothy 4:2 – “Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.”

    I thank and praise God for his grace and mercy upon sinners like us who were sitting in the darkness and waiting for eternal condemnation that he sent Jesus Christ as our Savior and Christ. Thank and praise God for raising young students among us as faithful Bible teachers and shepherds for their fellow students in the campuses. 2016 has said farewell and 2017 is dawning with new hope and expectation. It is time to look back and see how great our God is and has been his work in and among us.

    Raising disciples among the young college students in Europe can be considered as one of the toughest nut to crack. But this is our core mission. We serve the students with our hearts, minds and expenses in order to help them to live according to the word of God and be disciples of Jesus. In this mission we don’t have a guarantee of success. Yet I thank and praise God for our missionaries and shepherds who devoted themselves to this glorious work of God. By the labor of their love, by the power of Holy Spirit and the work of God, we could see some wonderful work God in the lives of Nuno Silva and Maria Eugenia. Nuno Silva challenged to complete his degree from University of Lisbon in Translation which had been pending for last several years. Apart from his studies, he also had to work two part-time jobs from 7:00 hrs till 22:00 hrs to support himself in Lisbon. It was a heavy cross for him to bear. Though we could help him humanly but we supported him only through prayers and Bible Study. This really helped him overcome all the hardships. He finally completed his course and next summer he will graduate. This was a great victory of faith for Nuno. He faithfully presided our worship services, visited campuses, invited students to Bible study and gave offerings for world mission faithfully. I thank and praise God for helping Shepherd Nuno to grow as a man of victorious faith. He serves our group Bible study for shepherds and missionaries. We are praying for his house church according to God's will and plan.

    Shepherd Maria Eugenia took a giant leap in her faith. After graduation she could have stayed her home in the Azores Islands, which is paradise on earth. But she decided to come back to Lisbon in order to be the part of God's work. She took a Master degree course at Lisbon University and by faith applied for internship at Portuguese Judicial System. Where there is faith there is victory. She entered into a Master program and the internship as well. This is how God opened the way for her to remain in Lisbon with self-support and serve the students with God's word. She is serving Rute a Law graduate and Francesca an Italian student with God's word. From an insecure and fearful person she was transformed to a woman of faith who could witness to her friends and family alike. She is also serving our group Bible study for shepherds and missionaries taking turns with Shep. Nuno. She never says no to any task given to her. She delivered a very graceful and relevant message based on Luke 2:10,11 at the last Christmas Worship Service. 

    When I meditate on God's work in the lives of these two young Portuguese I am filled with awe and reverence to the work of the Holy Spirit, a work not done by persons. This work is the work of God who creates, operates and transforms our lives. I thank and praise this Living God. He is the God of hope of our generation.

    Missionary Paulo and Sara’s house church was blessed with a beautiful daughter Ana Benedicta. They are preparing to go to Mozambique as pioneering missionaries as and when God allows. They are a solid foundation of our ministry just like that of Abraham and Sarah. Shepherd Paul serves Milton a freshman of Information Technology at Lusofona University. Milton is from Gambia. Since his Portuguese is still not so fluent, Shepherd Paul serves him with Bible study in English and bring him to the Sunday Worship Service every week travelling more than an hour. Shepherdess Sara served Maria Helena as a good shepherdess. God is training them through a material problem. Shepherd Paul lost his job at the Apple Customer Service center because he did not receive his residence permit yet. However, by God’s grace they could register their marriage in the conservatory. We pray that Shepherd Paul may get his residence permit soon so that he can get job to support his family and God’s work. Shepherdess Sara is also praying for a Post Doc position in the Chemical and Biotechnology Institute next year. May God bless their family.

    God also raised Eun Hae a Chemical Engineering 1st year student, Maria Helena, a graduate and Milton as faithful growing students who could be spiritual leaders. Eun Hae is the first daughter of Missionary John and Grace. She is a first year student of Chemical Engineering at Technical University of Lisbon. After participating in Encounter at Germany, she grew a lot in faith and conviction. Despite of heavy school studies she struggles spiritually grow as a Bible teacher and serve with beautiful music on our SWS. Maria Helena is studying Bible with Shepherdess Sara. She finished her degree in African Studies and is now preparing for a master. Despite her mother’s opposition she faithfully attends our Sunday Worship Service by taking a bus, boat and subway for one hour every week. Blessed are the truth-seekers. May God raise each one of them as good bible teachers and shepherds for this generation. 

    In 2016, God blessed us with his words from Matthew gospel. Shepherd Nuno and Shepherdess Maria served our group Bible study on every Sunday after the worship service. Shepherdess Paul and I took turns to deliver the messages. 

    God blessed our Spring Bible Conference in April 23-24 at Monte Esperança Seminary. The title of our conference was “You will be a Blessing” based on Genesis 12:2. Shepherd Paul opened the conference with a message on Genesis 1. Shepherdess Maria delivered the main message on Genesis 12, “You will be a Blessing”. She decided to live by faith by leaving her comfortable and secure father’s house and be a source of blessing for Lisbon University students. Shepherd Nuno deliver the closing message based on Genesis 17 and heard the call to be a father of many nations. 

    God bless our Autumn Bible Conference at the same place on Oct 22-23 with the theme of “Salvation by Faith in Christ Jesus” based on 2 Timothy 3:15. This conference was unique. Portuguese shepherds prepared all the programs, preparations, Bible studies and messages. It was a distinct mark that our ministry is coming under Portuguese leadership. The opening message was delivered by Shep Maria based Luke 15:11-32. She emphasized on God’s forgiving love for the rebellious children like our generation. Shep. Nuno shared his life testimony. Maria Helena prepared a beautiful drama visualizing the love of God for us. Eun hae and Maria prepared worship night which experience at Encounter. It was full of grace and Holy Spirit. Everybody shared tears of repentance and some of joy. Shep. Paul delivered the main message “Salvation by Faith in Christ Jesus” based on 2Timothy 3:10-4:5. Only faith in Jesus can give us salvation. Tradition, knowledge or science cannot give us salvation. So he urged us to live only by faith in Christ Jesus and celebrate the salvation of our souls in Christ. I thank and praise God for his wonderful work through these two conferences. These events helped our students to solidify their faith and conviction in Christ. They became more clear and steadfast toward campus mission and become shepherds for wandering students.

    I thank and Praise God for our wonderful Christmas worship service on December 18. Shepherdess Maria delivered a very graceful and relevant message to young people. She testified that only Jesus is our Savior who saved us from guilt and shame. God send Bruno and Rute to our worship service as new comers. Bruno is studying Bible with Missionary John and Rute is studying with Shepherdess Maria. I thank God for these two young people. I pray that through continuous Bible study they may meet Jesus personally and be future spiritual leaders.

    Missionary John and Grace poured out their hearts in visiting the campus, inviting students to Bible study and serving them with God’s word. After long prayers finally God sent Bruno to study the Bible with Shepherd John. After a few Bible studies he came to our Christmas Worship Service. Missionary Grace teaches Korean at Lisbon University. She invited several students to Bible study from her course. Maria Loureiro, Rosa, Joaquim were some of them. She also helps Eun Hae and Ji Hye with God’s word to maintain their spiritual identity and face the spiritually hostile environment by faith.

    Missionary Rebecca visited the campus and invited students. She helped Shepherdess Maria to grow spiritually investing many hours in counseling and praying with her. She also helps Debora and Lidia with God’s word.

    Our second gens grew a lot spiritually. Eun Hae became a good example for all other three. They studied well at school and served conferences and other events with cheerful music. During the worship services and group Bible studiesd they took care of little Ana Benedicta so that we could concentrate on God’s word. I really thank God for protecting and helping our second gens from the corrupt and rebellious generation. May God raise them as the light and salt of the world for their generation. 

Personally, I thank God for helping to participate in the world mission report in Korea and received new spirit to serve Portuguese campus mission. At work God protected me. Inspite of the downsizing of operations at Samsung in Portugal, I was promoted to Senior Manager and my responsibility was extended to three departments. I thank and praise God for his wonderful grace and mercy on me. I pray that I may serve his work with an absolute attitude all the more instead of worrying for my future. May God raise Portugal as a holy nation and a royal priesthood. 

Our prayer topics are:

• God’s word from Matthew's gospel.
• Establish 12 houses churches in Portugal.
• Portugal to be a missionary sending nation.

Matéus Singh