Skip to main content

Missions Trip


We returned to Brazil on July 4th to fireworks and celebrations of Liberty! Well, not exactly. There were celebrations and fireworks but it was because Brazil was in the finals of South America's soccer championship. The contest is called Libertadores. 


Arriving on Wednesday morning we were tired and almost stayed home that evening. However, we decided to watch the game at Cido and Zita's home. They are Faith’s newest converts. Brazil won the game against Argentina’s best and we had fun in the celebration with several of our church folks.

On Friday I came down with my yearly attack of pneumonia. I was in bed until Tuesday and then on Thursday we left for a four day mission trip to Praia Grande. Our team of eleven traveled four hours to minister with pastor Felipe and his wife Wiarla.

The church is 17 years old but has struggled with dwindling membership and a former pastor who still wants to control the congregation. Our small team was very encouraged by pastor Felipe and his family’s dedication to the work. They live over 7 kilometers from the church, don’t own a car and ride bicycles to each service. Rain or shine, cold or hot they are on the bikes. Wiarla is pregnant with their second child and their little girl Yasha is just three.

We were privileged to be an encouragement to this precious family. We saw 56 kids and 25 teens in two day of VBS. And also saw several decisions for Christ. At the end of this week we will take a group of our kids to Hopi Hari a nearby amusement park and on Saturday we'll take part in a youth activity with a group of American here to help in the construction of Victory Baptist Church. Next week we'll host our second annual Music Conference with an arriving team of 13.


Never a dull moment! Pray for us!

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Daughter and dog...

About six months ago we discovered that Ann was pregnant and were very excited for she and Jackson. We will have babies on this side and that of the Atlantic. We weren't prepared for that news and we we were even less prepared for the news that our little dog is pregnant. To date we have spent more on the dog than on Annie (don't tell her... Ann that is). Ann has yet to discover whether her baby is a boy or girl. Both ultrasound images were inconclusive. Though I did some further investigation of my own and was startled with what I found. to me it looks as if the baby is definitely a boy and has some resemblance from both sides of the family. Take a look for yourself and let me know what you think.
3 comments
Read more

God’s Orchestration

I love to see the Lord work His Salvation miracles. His works are Master Pieces of sweet music. They are arrangements that only He can make happen. Two weeks ago I began my second attempt at cello lessons. I had tried the instrument about five years ago and found my fingers so rusty and decrepit that I had given up after just a few months. So, why my second go? Here’s one short and sweet story. There is a youg man that works with Alexandre at school. He teaches music and is a musical genius. At sixteen he began a city wide music program to train young musicians in Sorocaba. Recently he has worked with two deaf children and has been able to teach them to play violin using a method that he developed. There doesn’t seem to be an instrument that he cannot play. His seventeen year old wife also plays the flute and is studying nursing. They are a very young but very sharp couple. In a conversation after the recent Recital Junior convinced me that it would be a good idea for me to take up...
Post a Comment
Read more

Abs of Steel with Glasses

Have you ever wondered why Clark Kent always took his glasses off before he turned into Superman? I hadn’t ever thought about it either until this last Saturday when I almost got sucker-punched. Wellington, one of my spunky Juniors, wanted to wrestle. He feigned a punch to my gut and I said, “Go ahead. I have abs of steel!” I think that my gym visits might be going to my head because my abs of steel are buried under a healthy layer of blubber. I have improved my six-pack but it is far from chiseled. It looks more like a quarter of a keg. Anyway, quick as a wink and with near lightening speed Wellington said, “Yeah but up here is made of glass!” as his poke went within a hair’s breadth of my glasses! I belly-laughed. His rapid reflexes and wit had caught me by surprise. And what he said was so true and funny. It was an excellent though brief lesson. I often prepare for an oncoming fray. I get ready, set and then “BLAM”! The proverbial punch comes from a totally different direction. ...
Post a Comment
Read more