The Hensleys have spent nearly 15 years serving in Brazil. They run a vocational school and orphanage in Caraguatatuba and have also established a church and mission points throughout the city.

Friends,

Well, we had an awesome Christmas here in the States. We spent it with Barb’s mom and our son Bryan and his famil, and our Brasilian daughter and her family. We were anticipating a white Christmas but we got fall-like weather. Oh well, things and times are changing.

We traveled some in December visiting two churches in Virginia Beach. We stayed with dear friends Lonnie and Barbara there in Virginia Beach. We also got to spend some time with Jerry Flug, one of the first youth pastors that visited us in Brasil. He has been a big help for us printing our prayer cards and banners for us to use at some of the conferences we will be attending while here in the States.

We also spent time with Pastor Thomas and the folks at Pleasant Ridge Baptist Church where Barb’s mother is a member. There I had the privilege of preaching the morning and evening services on the first day of the year.

While here, Barbara and I have been getting some exams done. They have found a cyst in my kidney. Pray for me as the Doctors work to decide what action to take in treating my problem.

In our absence the Church is going and growing. As we were leaving Brasil, there was plans for another baptism. And we are praying about starting another mission work on the other side of the city. One of the couples who regularly attend our services has offered us access to a hotel that they own as the building for us to begin the meetings. Pray for this project that God would supply the person to preach there and the persons that need to hear the gospel.

It has been an AWESOME year in ministry in Brasil for us. Lots of construction on the Church and plans being made for the up-coming year. The vocational school has progressed very well and we are hoping this year we will complete the dorm house.

As we have told you in other letters the most pressing need for us there in Brasil is transportation. As we were leaving, we had to put the van back in the garage for more repairs. This time it was the power steering and it took over 3 plus weeks and $1,800 reais to get it back. The Church in western Kentucky had just sent us an offering and it covered the cost. Isn’t God great? He knows your needs and He provides. While we are here in the States, our pick-up is being worked on. Hopefully a lot of maintenance will be done—wheel bearings, minor body repair, oil change, filters, tire alignment and balancing and some suspension repair. This sounds like a lot but with the age of the truck and the mileage, that is not really much work. I told you all this just for you to see that we really do need help with transportation here in our work.

As we enter this New Year we are totally thankful for everyone that has been involved in our mission work both financially and prayerfully. We ask that you continue praying for us in the coming year.

I hope that you are planning to come down to see what your mission dollars are doing in Caraguatatuba, Brasil.

In His service,
Aj and Barbara Hensley
Caixa Postal 1511
11672-300 Caraguatatuba, Sao Paulo, Brasil
ajcaragua[at]gmail.com