September 30, 2024

Dear Brethren,

Hello from Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil. It has now been exactly 3 weeks since I arrived back home after a month in the States. While in the US I had 2 more malignant tumors removed from my head plus a couple of follow-up procedures on both eyes. I am feeling fine and went straight back to my usual work routine. I get up at about 5:00AM every day and turn in at about 11:00PM. I have been able to complete several catch up/maintenance projects and some new ones, too.

I haven’t made any mission trips yet. The river is at a record low level and only canoes are getting around. I have already installed an electric start kit on my 25HP engine and done all the maintenance before the rainy season comes around. I am also getting the new boat project organized. Andrew has finished the drawings and we are almost ready to start building. The engine and aluminum materials have already arrived. Hoping and praying that some of you can help me with this project.

Things are going very well at church even though we have had some major opposition in the last couple of weeks. Yesterday we had baptism and the Lord’s supper. I baptized 31. More people have been saved each week since my return. One of the ones who made a profession of faith was a young deaf woman. This ministry which finally launched a couple of year ago has grown steadily. We now have at least 5 who have been saved and 12 who attend services.

One of the men who I baptized yesterday has a unique story and was especially gratifying to me.

Adriano is from Florianópolis in southern Brazil. He manages a firm that operates here in Cruzeiro do Sul. Before he was transferred here, he had a spiritual shake up. He was Roman Catholic, but feeling empty and desperate. On a rainy day he “randomly” stopped into a Baptist church there in Florianópolis. A pastor talked to him about Christ and told him that as soon as he got to Cruzeiro do Sul to find a church. He came to our Sunday evening service here at First Baptist. He heard me preach the gospel. That was my last time in the pulpit just before my trip to the States. After the invitation and after the service he came and told me his story. I shared the gospel with him. He trusted in Christ that very night. After my one month absence, I was back in the pulpit on Sunday night, September 22. He made his public profession of faith that night. On Thursday night he attended a one-night course for candidates for baptism. Yesterday I was privileged to baptize him and 30 other new believers.

Some of those who were baptized are from our congregations out of town. Some of them came from our congregation in Guajará, state of Amazonas.

Our camp, Salém, has been busy all summer. There were 2 more retreats just since my return. The youth had one with 4 teens getting saved. Pastor Ezi who takes care of our older members also had a retreat for them. The women’s retreat was the weekend that I was headed back home. They always have about 250 ladies even though the camp only has room for about 150! Friday, I laid out the markings of a new 2,600 square foot metal structure. Saturday was the groundbreaking. We hope to have this building under roof in time for the first big youth camp next February.

Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.

In Christ,

Mike Creiglow

CONTACT INFO

Mike & Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
69980 Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre
Brasil, SA
mdcreig@hotmail.com