I can't seem to keep myself away from Brasil.
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| Many of my church friends and English students. |
This past 6 weeks I spent there over the summer changed my life again in the best way possible. The congregation was in a different city in Brasil, in the Northeast, and it was like a different world. The people were so generous and open-hearted. I taught English for around 30-40 hours a week using the book of Luke in the Bible and I loved it. I learned how much I enjoyed teaching English and I learned Portuguese- quick! The students weren't screened this past year for the program, so I ended up with some who I couldn't speak a word of English to, but hey! We talked about the Bible together, and when it comes down to that, talking about the Bible and God is all that really mattered anyway. So long story short I fell in love with the people and the city of Recife, even with the ridiculous amount of mosquitoes.
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| My precious host family! I love them. |
There is one American missionary couple in the Boa Viagem church. It's a big congregation (around 75) and a seminary also operates out of the building led by some of the same great men who lead the church. They have a beautiful women's ministry, a teenage girl's ministry, a strong children's group, and so many other incredible things going on. While I was there I was invited to and took every opportunity to go to church events outside those of the LST program I was there with (see previous post). It was a blessing to get to participate in the great work this church is doing. While I was there I also witnessed I think around 15 baptisms. God is moving in Boa Viagem. I want to be a part of that, to be used by God to reveal His kingdom to Brasil. I love the people and the culture already and I can't wait to see how God is going to continue to work there.
When I came home from Brasil I interviewed for a job that led me back to Oklahoma City. Long story short, I've prayerfully decided to apply for the Helpers in Missions (HIM) program run by one of the local churches of Christ here in Edmond. I have all but been formally accepted (I have an interview with the whole committee in the next couple of weeks and I have to do some psychological testing). With this program I will return to Recife, Brasil and work as a sort of apprentice missionary for TWO YEARS. I could not be happier for making any decision in my life thus far.
If everything goes well I will begin training in October or November and end it in April, leaving for Recife, Brasil some time after that (the job I have here requires that I stay for a year so I probably won't leave for Recife until the end of June). All of this being said, I'd like to begin to ask for prayers and prayerful consideration. I know whoever is reading this has most likely already supported me in some way in the past, and for that support I'm eternally grateful because you got me to where I am today. Below is a bullet point prayer list:
- I would ask for prayers over gaining financial support (the hard part)
- Pray also over me as I begin to gather needed materials to navigate the paperwork for my Visa (I've heard it's rough).
- Pray over me as I am preparing to do the tasks that the missionary has expressed he would like me to be responsible for while I'm there (which includes continuing to teach English).
- Pray over my continued informal study of the language, or that I could perhaps find a formal learning setting (which is very expensive and hard to find- who knew no one teaches Portuguese in the Midwest? ha!)
- Pray over my supervising missionary team, who is attempting to figure out how my skills and strengths fit best in God's work in Boa Viagem.
- For the people of Brasil, that they would continue to open their hearts to the word of God that the Boa Viagem church is preaching.
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| Sharing our testimonies and translating for the other American, who doesn't speak Portuguese. |
Thanks for your prayers. I appreciate them so much. Details will be coming as soon as I get them. For now I leave you with the verse that is most cognizant to me as I write these things. To God be the glory, great things HE has done!
"Therefore, having this ministry by the mercy of God, we do not lose heart... For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness,' has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us." (2 Corinthians 4:1, 5-7)
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