This letter from Eliézer and Kelly Steffens provides updates on their time serving with New Tribes Mission in Brazil over the past year and a half. They report on graduating from Bible school, witnessing to a man named Sebastião and his family, spending the holidays with Eliézer's parents, attending a missionary conference, and their plans to help at the mission headquarters in Anápolis until July when they hope to continue their training in the USA. They also ask for prayers regarding finding an apartment and doctor as Kelly is due to give birth in April.

1. Anápolis, January 12, 2009.
“But none of these things move me, neither count I my life dear unto
myself, so that I might finish my course with joy, and the ministry, which I
have received of the Lord Jesus, to testify the gospel of the grace of God.”
Acts 20:24
Dearest Friends and Family,
We praise God for your prayers and support
during the year and a half that we have been in Peniel.
We had many happy and fun moments there and
we will always cherish those memories. We also praise
the Lord for the difficult times we had there. When our
trust in God is tested, we know that His mercies and
faithfulness last forever.
Our graduation was on the 6th of December.
Many people were there to help us celebrate it, but one family that filled our
hearts with joy with their presence was Sr. Sebastião, his wife and
daughter-in-law.
For that year and a half, we had been having Bible studies with
Sr. Sebastião and his family, along with another couple from the Bible School. By
the end of our time there we were certain, by his own testimony, that
Sr. Sebastião had heard and accepted God’s plan of salvation. We are not sure if
his wife accepted, but she definitely heard the truth so we trust that in God’s
timing she will. Luciene (the daughter-in-law) for some time had already testified
of her faith and the day we left she came crying and asked for us to continue to
pray for her husband, that he too would hear and accept. I assured her that we
would and encouraged her to pass everything that she had learned on to her kids
so that they too could be saved. We agree with Marciano, the one who did
evangelism with us, when he said, “Even if it was just so that these people could
hear God’s word, that God brought us here, then our time in Peniel was more than
worth it”. But God gave us so much more than that; he gave us new friends,
growth and experiences that will be with us for all our lives.
We spent Christmas and New Years with Eliézer’s parents down south.
Then on the 2nd we made a 32 hour bus trip up north to Anápolis and participated
in the Conference that took place from the 4 th to the 9th for the missionaries of
New Tribes Mission of Brazil. We had a very nice week.
This next semester we will be living here in Anápolis. We will be helping
out at the mission’s headquarters during that time. We are not sure exactly what
we will be doing yet, but are glad to help out in any way that we can.
We are excitedly anticipating our little daughter’s (Leah) arrival. My due
date is somewhere around the 23rd of April. We are so thankful that I have had a
really good pregnancy, with no complications. Pray with us that we can find a
good doctor that we will feel comfortable with.
Another prayer request is that we will find a small apartment to rent during
our stay in Anápolis. Until then we will be staying with my parents.
Continue to pray for our future plans after July. Our desire would be to do
the next phase of our mission’s training in the USA. For that to happen there are
many details to work out. We are trusting the Lord for each one of them.
We appreciate your letters and e-mails.
In Christ,
Eliézer and Kelly Steffens