The big event this month was the 26th annunal CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE OF THE NORTHEAST. This four day event was started all those years ago to help brothers and sisters in Christ keep in touch with one another as the church began to spread out across Northeast Brazil. Today there are 135 congregations spread out over an area of half a million square miles.

This year’s event was held in beautiful Taquaritinga do Norte. This small city sits on top of a mountain 100 mile inland from Recife. Due to the elevation, its cooler temperatures offer a pleasant break for the tropical heat.

The theme this year was on the two greatest commandments of all – Loving God with Our All and Loving Our Neighbor as Our Self. It was held in a small hotel which is owned by the brother of a church member. The hotel doesn’t have a large auditorium but the mayor allowed us to use an old cinema as an auditorium (God always provides!).

The hotel only had 80 beds but 120 fit into the rooms with the use of mattresses on the floor. Another 40 of us guys slept on the floor of a large game room. The rest stayed in members’ homes nearby. All told about 200 brethren came from representing thirty congregations. Many drove hundreds of miles, a few drove thousands, to share this moment with their Spiritual Family. It wasn’t “Heaven on Earth” (yet), as many got sick (we’re not sure what it was), but even that couldn’t diminish the joy of being with those who live for Jesus and of whom this world is not worthy.

See more photos here.