May - June 2026 // Update

May was a month of wrapping things up, while June was filled with exciting new experiences and opportunities to serve.

May

Baptism Service

In May, we finished teaching our English as a Second Language classes. We had been substituting for a missionary family who were back in the United States on furlough, and it was a joy to invest in these students during that time. We also wrapped up our couples’ Bible study before taking a break for the summer. We are looking forward to starting it again in the fall!

June

June brought two especially exciting ministry highlights.

First, we celebrated our annual baptism service. I shared about this last year, but I truly hope I never lose the excitement of seeing people publicly profess their faith in Christ. This year, 13 people were baptized! Baptism is especially meaningful here in Portugal because, for many, it represents a significant public declaration of following Jesus. It is always a powerful reminder that God is still changing lives. If you’d like to see more, our missionary partner, David, has shared several of their stories along with a wonderful video here https://boothsinportugal.wordpress.com. 

Picking up our group at the Airport

The second highlight was hosting our very first missions team. For many years I was on the going side of mission trips, so being on the receiving side was a new experience. I’ll admit I was a little nervous beforehand, but it ended up being even better than we could have imagined! We had the privilege of serving alongside 21 team members from North Carolina. Their enthusiasm and willingness to serve were such an encouragement.

For me personally, it also brought back many wonderful memories. After serving as a youth pastor for over 20 years, spending the week investing in these young people reminded me of how much I loved that season of ministry. Together, we also hosted a three-day Vacation Bible School, and it was a blessing to see God at work in the lives of so many children and families.

Vacation Bible School

Many of you have reached out after seeing the news about Europe’s recent heat waves. We are doing well! The Lord has blessed us with a wonderful breeze where we live, and we are especially thankful our apartment has air conditioning. It has certainly made these hot days much more manageable.

As we look ahead, please continue praying as we seek God’s wisdom and direction for ministry opportunities in our neighborhood and throughout the Lisbon area. We want to faithfully follow wherever He leads.

Thank you, as always, for your faithful prayers, encouragement, and love. We are so grateful to serve the Lord together with each of you.

Together for the Gospel, walking in the Spirit,

Billy & Mary

For a printable version please click here:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1omAtQ2x6POUuIxEpFafPO1eubNoYQE3x/view?usp=sharing