The Keller Family

Missions Conference

2011-11-23T13:35:00.004-05:00

With us getting back into the swing of things here, Keith had the honor and priviledge of preaching a 3 day mission conference. Bro. Steve Doolittle, another missionary with our board, invited Keith to preach the annual Faith Promise Mission Conference at their church. We enjoyed seeing the people there once again and had a wonderful time of fellowship.

New Convert's Class

2011-11-23T13:26:00.004-05:00

After our return, the national pastor here at the church asked Keith to begin teaching a New Convert's Class for the individuals that would soon be baptized. This young man is Romelo, the one that was mentioned in our October prayer letter. He has been a blessing in the class and an encouragement to see him grow in the Lord! It was a blessing to us to witness his baptism and to see the tears of joy which flowed down his mother's cheeks!

Substituting

2011-11-23T13:11:00.006-05:00

At the end of October, our song leader had eye surgery and has had to temporarily step down as song leader. He has been told by the doctors that he's not to read for 3 months. With having this need to be filled, Andrew has stepped in to lead the singing and give the meditation verses for each service. He is doing a wonderful job and it is a great experience for him as well.

Children's Day

2011-11-22T16:45:00.014-05:00

In October here in Brazil, they have a day set aside for children. The church had a special time for the children in the area in rememberance of this day. There were around 40 children in attendance. They enjoyed the time with singing as Andrew led one of the choruses, a devotion, and refreshments. As an extra surprise, the church rented a trampoline for the afternoon as well.

Catch'n Up

2011-11-05T22:54:00.036-04:00

We've gotten a bit behind on our blog -- guess it's time to catch up!

A week before leaving Brazil for furlough, our permanent Visas arrived!! After 4 years of going through the "process" - filling out paperwork, paying fees, and visiting the Federal Police every three to six months to check-in and renew our paper ID's - we finally had them in our possession! To our dismay, however, we discovered that Ashlyn's had been printed with the wrong birthdate. So at this point, with already having our tickets purchased for our trip to the States, Keith would have to return at some time to pick up the corrected one.

We left Brazil for our first furlough in May 2010. During this furlough, we stayed busy with traveling, reporting to supporting churches, and getting to fellowship with many friends whom we gained during our 2 1/2 years of deputation. We were blessed and encouraged by many of these churches and individuals.

Keith made the return trip to Brazil to pick up our youngest daughter's visa at the end of October. While there, he was able to see the construction on the church continuing as the one restroom was torn down and two new ones were constructed along with an area for fellowships.

Along with traveling, we were also able to spend time with our immediate families and our home church family. It was an especially joyful time for us to be able to spend the holidays with our families once again!

The experience of the fall and the leaves changing colors on the trees was wonderful!

Our children enjoyed some times of being kids as we were able to visit a couple of the State Parks near our home. It provided a time to get away and have some quality family time.

And with being children, they enjoyed just goofing off from time to time!

After not seeing snow in four years, as the first bit of snow fell, our children were sooooo excited with the sight of it on the ground that they ran outside in their pajamas and started playing in it. As the winter wore on, we were even snowbound in north Georgia for a couple of days as we returned home from one of our meetings.

RETURN TO BRAZIL
Upon our return to Brazil, the fellowship area and two restrooms had been pretty well finished.

Surprises!! We love surprises!! Well, usually!

2010-02-01T18:55:00.004-05:00

As the New Year came 'round, a couple of surprises also "slipped" in!

The 5th of January was Neysa's birthday and the church had a surprise party for her. It was a wonderful blessing to know the people think of you in this manner.

The other surprise that "slipped in" was on a Sunday morning. Even though we've had several of these in our house during the past few months, it was a little different when we came in from church on this Sunday morning. When we entered our bedroom, Keith had a surprise waiting on his pillow! It was hard to get a clear picture, but I think you get the idea! A tarantula!!

Out with the Old Year, In with the New!

2010-02-01T17:49:00.006-05:00

For the people of Brazil, New Year's Eve is celebrated more than Christmas. This is the time when people are all "decked out" in their new clothes. Watch Night services are also a big part of the celebration. At the service this year, the church was packed. Several people had to stand due to the lack of chairs.

Specials were sung by one of the ladies in the church and Andrew.

These specials led the way for the message which Keith had the priviledge of preaching.

Spiritual "Construction"

2010-02-01T17:28:00.003-05:00

In the past few months, not only has the Lord allowed the construction on the physical side of the church to continue, He has also blessed with some spiritual "construction" as well. There have been 6 to trust Christ as their Savior! This makes it all worth the while!!

Construction Update

2010-02-01T17:02:00.009-05:00

As all of the windows and doors have been installed in the back 3 rooms, the auditorium has also been taking shape.

From the drop ceiling, lights, and fans . . .

to the paint on the walls . . .

and the varnish on the windows and doors, the Lord has provided for each step during the construction.

We're grateful that the Lord has blessed us with Sebastião. He and his wife are the most faithful members of the church and the Lord has given him the ability to "do anything." In all of the work that has been done, Sebastião has been faithful and steady through it all.

We're also grateful that the Lord allowed Keith to gain much needed knowledge in the electrical area, as this has also proven very helpful and beneficial.

Christmas

2010-02-01T16:54:00.003-05:00

Our children sang "No Humilde Presépio" ("Away In A Manger") for a special the Sunday before Christmas. As Andrew played the guitar, Autumn joined in on the mandolin.

Baby Dedication

2010-02-01T16:35:00.002-05:00

In December, Keith had the opportunity to take part in his first dedication service since we arrived here in Brazil. This is the grandson, Daniel, of one of the faithful couples of the church.

Sunday School & Class Time!!!!

2009-10-05T20:55:00.006-04:00

At the end of last month, we were able to have our first Sunday School class in the completed room. We had 5 the first Sunday . . .

. . . and 9 the next!

Beginning this month, We also started classes on Sunday nights and Thursday nights to help train the neighborhood children in better church behavior. This past Sunday night, we didn't have enough tables and chairs for the 13 who were present! A good problem to have, don't you think!

Another Birthday!!!!

2009-10-05T20:46:00.003-04:00

The end of September brought along another birthday in our family. On the 25th, Autumn turned 7 years old! She is becoming quite a helper in various ways, not to mention her very curious nature about how things work.

Construction! Construction!

2009-10-05T20:00:00.008-04:00

Construction is moving along! The sub-floors are now done in all three of the rooms.
The tile is down in one room along with the doors and windows installed.

Even though the electrical work here is comparable to the early 1900's - 1950's (or knob and tubing), Keith's electrical skills have also come in handy. He is doing the wiring for the lights, outlets, switches, etc.

The outside of this section has also been finished off.

The Lord is continually meeting the financial needs for the continuation of the construction! We are very grateful for His grace toward His children!

Special Singing

2009-10-05T19:50:00.007-04:00

Not only has Andrew been taking part in the services with special singing and giving a devotion, Autumn sung her first solo last month. She enjoys singing "Showers of Blessings" and she really belts it out!

Devotion Time!

2009-08-05T19:01:00.004-04:00

During the Sunday morning service, before the main lesson begins, there is usually a 5 minute devotion given. This past Sunday, August 2nd, Andrew begged Keith to allow him to give the devotion. He did so and spoke on "the Love of God." Andrew was a bit nervous but did a good job for his first devotion in Portuguese. It's good to be reminded of how much God loves us - so much that He sent His only Son to die for us. It's also good to be reminded about the fact that no matter where we are, what we've done (or not done), how far away we may stray, that God loves us so much that He would leave the 99 sheep just to find that 1 lost one! What a wonderful God we serve!!!!

Construction Update

2009-08-05T18:14:00.005-04:00

The construction on the church is slow going, but it is steady. We now have the windows and doors for the back three rooms in the process of being made. The walls on the inside have been stuccoed and awaiting on their arrival.

We have the window and door frames, we're now waiting for the actual windows and doors. They should be ready by the end of the week. As soon as we receive them, they'll be ready to be installed. After this, the next step will be the floors, then we'll be pretty much ready to start the Sunday School classes.

Andrew's Birthday

2009-08-05T17:51:00.001-04:00

The next event to come our way was Andrew's birthday. He turned 10 on the 27th of July, and we were able to celebrate with the Doolittle family. Andrew wanted a red velvet cake, except green, with orange cream cheese frosting. It didn't necessarily look appetizing with the color combination, but it was delicious - if I do say so myself! Everyone had a good time. He, as well as our other children, has been a blessing within our family. We thank the Lord for blessing our lives with him!

July 4th celebration

2009-08-05T17:33:00.003-04:00

For the 4th of July, our family had to make some adjustments. Celebrating on a foreign field can sometimes wind up differently, depending on the amount of space you have around your house. With our space being limited, we couldn't make a regular bonfire. The kids were really wanting to roast hotdogs and marshmallows for smores. So...............here's how it went.

They had an excellent time roasting hotdogs over our grill!! And the smores were delicious as well!!!

"You get a line & I'll get a pole, Honey"

2009-06-09T17:41:00.012-04:00

On Memorial Day, our family celebrated by having some family time. We decided to take the kids fishing. Although only one fish was caught (by Keith), everyone still had a great time. The kids were also able to take a ride on a horse owned by the same people.

We even run across some strange looking creatures from time to time. This caterpillar reminded us of snowflakes. It was very pretty, but we were also told that it was dangerous. Laying beside it is a Zebra pen, to give you an idea of its size.

More Construction!

2009-06-09T17:21:00.007-04:00

Before the construction was continued on the Sunday School rooms, the people of the church decided that they would like to "spruce up" the outside a little first. This consisted of building a new brick wall with iron bars and gates and finishing off the entrance area on the inside of the wall. At that point, we were able to tear down the old, rotten wood fence that was along the front by the road.

First Ladies Meeting

2009-06-09T17:13:00.005-04:00

We had our first ladies meeting here at the church on May 30th. It first appeared that there were only going to be three of us, but after we had sung a song three others came

in. As I was just getting started with the devotion, another came in. We had a good turn-out and a good time as well!

The S.S. rooms are roofed!

2009-04-17T18:01:00.005-04:00

Praise the Lord! The roof is now finished on the new section for the Sunday School rooms. The next step will be doors, windows, and then the floor. Once again, this will come in the Lord's time. We are looking forward to seeing the construction progress as this means that we're that much closer to being able to start the other S.S. classes!

Family Visit

2009-04-17T16:43:00.017-04:00

At the end of March, we were blessed with a visit from Neysa's parents. They were able to spend a week with us, and our children were over-joyed to say the least!

Ashlyn, our 4 year old (soon to be 5), was 18 months old when we moved here. When we saw our family in 2007, Ashlyn had turned 3 not long before. She was a little unsure when she first saw them. All she could do was jump up and down in one spot and say, "Pappaw, Pappaw!"

Keith had his first experience with translating a message while Neysa's dad, who has pastored for over 20 years, preached the devotion in the Sunday morning service.

They fell in love with the people of the church, and the people of the church fell in love with them. However, on the last Sunday of their visit, the people did find their choice of shoe style a little interesting!

Due to the large amount of rain that we had received and that the shoes that Neysa's parents were wearing were the pair that they had to use for their return trip home, they had to "improvise" a little.

We had a great time together and the Lord blessed them with a safe trip back home! Until next time, Dad & Mom!

A New Direction

2009-03-19T11:40:00.007-04:00

After living here in Rio Branco for around 5 months, our direction of service has changed slightly. While we are still attending Igreja Batista Macedônia with the Doolittle family on Wednesday nights, the Lord has allowed us to fill in for a national pastor in a nearby bairro (neighborhood) while he is down south in Saõ Paulo for surgery. At the beginning of March, we started here at Arial with the Sunday AM & PM services and Thursday night services.

When we visited here last May, the Doolittle family was filling in for this pastor as he was raising support. At that time, they were meeting on the front porch of one couple attending. Shortly after our trip, Bro. Doolittle raised the needed funds for them to be able to put up a building of their own to meet in. The church is now in the process of adding rooms in the back for Sunday School classes. As of now, everyone is together for a combined class time. It is our desire to be able to start a Sunday School program. The Lord is meeting the need for the finances to be able to get the back section covered and we should soon be able to divide into classes! We are in the process of searching for materials and praying for direction in which materials to use.

Carnival Retreat

2009-02-26T11:04:00.013-05:00

Carnival is the BIG Brazilian holiday celebration. Many churches have retreats or camp during this time to simply get away from all of the activities in the city. Since all of the locations suitable for camp were already reserved during this time, the Doolittle family hosted a retreat time at their house on Saturday, Monday, and Tuesday. On Sunday, everyone was at the church as usual. This was held on February 21st-24th.

There was an average of 35 people each day. During the morning hours, the children separated from the adults for a lesson time and games. The adults had a morning devotional time followed by Biblical games. In the afternoon/evening hours, we had times for more games and sports (volleyball, tug-of-war, 3 leg race, sack race, horse shoes, and water balloon volleyball)followed by a closing devotional.

With this being rainy season, the weather was unpredictable. Even though it rained during the nights and in the early morning hours, the Lord held the rain off each day until the last day.

Even with the rain on the last day, the activities still went on and everyone had a blast! Especially our children. It's very rare that we let them play out in the rain!!

During all of the comotion, there were still a few who found time to rest.

VBS

2009-02-26T09:25:00.017-05:00

After the Watch Night service, our next event here at Igreja Batista Macedônia was Escola Dominical de Férias (Vacation Bible School) which was held for 3 days. We had a good turn-out each day with an average of around 40 children. The children enjoyed the singing, Bible lessons, and the games each day.

The lesson for this particular day was about King Josiah.

After the singing and lessons each day, the children enjoyed various games.

The junior age children tossed a ping-pong ball into various sized cans for different point values while the pre-school age attempted to drop clothespins into a jug.

Here the juniors had a little more difficult time of finding marbles with their toes which were buried in flour. The pre-schoolers were a little more active with musical chairs.

Watch-Night Service

2009-02-02T16:48:00.008-05:00

After the Christmas program, our next event was the Watch-Night service. Keith was one of the preachers for the evening.

One of the first things that took place that evening was a baptismal service. There were 5 people baptized, with 2 of them being Andrew and Alyssa. Keith had the privilege of baptizing our 2 oldest children that night!

Bro. Steven Doolittle had the privilege of baptizing the other 3: Walber, Michele (Walber's wife), and Thales.

Christmas Program

2009-01-09T16:34:00.010-05:00

After arriving here in Rio Branco, Acre, we soon got started with the Christmas program. Keith had a part in the adult program, while Neysa headed up the children's portion.