BRAZIL 2011

I wanted to give everyone an update on my most recent Brazil trip. I have to say this was one of the best times I have had in Brazil. God seemed to move in such and incredible way while we were there and many came to know Jesus as Savior and Lord. There were 2 men in particular that I love and care about a lot, and have been waiting 8 years to see them come to faith in Jesus and both of them received Christ on this trip, the same night. It was so overwhelming to watch God break them and draw them to Himself.

This is Washington, the owner of the hotel we have been staying in for 8 years. He is a very loving man but was lost without Jesus. Not anymore. He is now a believer.

This is Carlos. He was another guy we met 8 years ago who followed us around everywhere we went on a bicycle. Carlos loved us and we loved him but he got into alcohol and never came to church even when we were there. This last Sunday Carlos invited Jesus into his life and was saved.

Washington and Carlos's story happened many times over on this trip to Brazil. Many people found Jesus and I believe we brought encouragement to Pastor Renaldo and the people of First Baptist Church of Mathina. Here are some pictures of our time in Brazil. For those on this blog who have been there with me, these will bring back fond memories for you.

This is the hotel Pousada in Mathina where we stay everytime we go to Brazil. It has been painted since some of you have been.

Here is the church we work with in Mathina. It has been expanded since we were there last. There are no air conditioners and no glass in the windows. They open the shutters and let in some fresh air when we worship there. Notice the plastic chairs they sit in as well. Not much for comfort yet the believers here will come together and worship for hours, usually about 3 hours every night. So you guys stop complaining about your pastor preaching too long.

You guys who have been will remember Gabriela.

There is a local meat and vegetable market where the locals come each day to buy meat and things for the day. We would go each day and set up a loudspeaker and preach to the people in the market. It was pretty chaotic at times but we felt like we were right in the New Testament preaching to people out in the markets. Awesome times. Standing by me is Pastor Renaldo and to the right of the speaker is Thiago, our translator. He is such a godly young man with a great servants heart. He has been with us on every trip to the interior of Brazil.

You might want a chicken or duck for dinner so here you go. You get to pick the lucky winner for dinner

This is a picture of one of the booths at the market. The meat is just sitting out there and you pick the one you want. No cover, no refrigeration, just meat hanging around the market.

One morning we had a children's event and the church was full of children. We took some puppets to give to the church at Mathina and some of the ladies put on a puppet show and then I presented the gospel to the children. Many of these kids gave their lives to Jesus that day. Of course the day ended with kids getting Bom-Boms, candy and gifts to take home.

Here are some pictures of some of the baptisms while we were there. It is always a joyful time when you gather on the side of a lake and worship and praise the Lord while we are in the water baptizing people. By the way I always send Pastor Renaldo in first just in case there is an alligator or anaconda in the lake.

I know some of you will remember the church plant Roma. We went there one night to baptize people and have a service. It was so amazing there that night. Several people were saved and the church was just on fire that night. When we got ready to leave, the people of Roma gave us 4 quart sized cans of homemade caramel. We couldn't take them on the plane with us so we gave them to a missionary couple living in Sao Luiz named Mike and Julie Nichols. That is my one regret about this trip. I didn't get to keep those cans of homemade caramel.

This is Rhaysa. She and her brother Hans are very special to us. She was a young kid when we first met her and she helped translate a little for us while we were in Mathina. We are working on getting her and her brother to visit us in the US.

Of course no trip to Sao Luiz would be complete without a trip to the Pavan. This is a Brazilian barbecue place where they continuously bring around spits of meat. There are fillet mignon s, all types and cuts of beef, pork, chicken, lamb, even chicken hearts, which are a specialty in Brazil. Then there are all kinds of sides, desserts, etc. We took the Nichols family with us, 6 in all, Hans, Rhaysa, Thiago and his wife Togara. There were 14 in all. It costs about 50 bucks per person, but it is worth it after you have been in the interior of Brazil eating beans and rice and fruit with some kind of meat every meal.

We had a great time and I can't wait to go back. I love the people and culture of Brazil. God really uses me there in a way that I can't explain. I hope to go back many times to these wonderful people and places. Every trip is life changing.

Mike