1966 - Walter and Elizabeth Alexander

Portugal and Brazil
1966 to present day

We are celebrating 50 years in the Lord’s service: eleven years in Portugal and forty-one in Brazil. Over the years we have appreciated visits by some of the trustees to us in Portugal and here in Brazil. Their sacrifice and the spiritual uplift they brought will always remain in our memories.

As we look back, we could write about many experiences: people led to Christ, assemblies established, conferences, assembly Bible schools, various projects in both countries, camps, halls, support of national workers, etc. The matter that causes us most to rejoice, you see in the accompanying photograph; to see God at work in our family.

When we left for Brazil, Stephen was nine and Mark seven. We were so excited about this new opportunity to serve the Lord we did not fully realise just how traumatic the experience was for both boys. Only when they grew up, did they share the trauma of those initial days. How grateful we are to the Lord for the way He worked in their lives. Academically, they have done well, Stephen is a surgeon and Mark a physiotherapist. The greater joy is in knowing they both belong to the Lord, love to serve Him in preaching and ministry and are elders in their respective assemblies. Both married good Christian girls who have been a tremendous support to them. We have four grandchildren, all boys, who have given evidence of new life in Christ and are heavily involved in their local churches. Stephen’s boys have followed their father into medicine, and Mark’s boys chose engineering.

The greater joy is in knowing they both belong to the Lord

To see God at work in the lives of others, and other families in other towns and in Brazil and Portugal is amazing, but to see His hand moving in our family is wonderful. God’s goodness to us and to our family must be the highlight of our years of service.