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An Awesomely Exciting Trip

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       On April 4th, I traveled to Cajazeiras with two of the students from our Brazilian AIM program called - AME. We went to teach the 120 or so kids on the theme: "How Good It Is To Be At God's Side - In the Storms of Life." Adeliton, Ayane, and I each divided up the boys into two groups and one group of girls. The ages ranged from 10 to 50-ish in my class. The classes had a lot of discussion, and I believe at least one person in each of our groups became pensive about his or her relationship with God.
       The time we spent with Café and Leila, the only supported couple working in the city for the church and who also organize all of the church, as well as, the activities for the boys and girls, was very encouraging. We spent time talking about the church and some of the difficulties. We spent time dreaming about different members of the church who came up through the soccer program and who can begin helping, if motivated. We talked about the possibility of beginning a class to help the church mature and the importance of involving other couples and men of the congregation in the teaching and training up of the younger men and women. And, we just had fun together, which I think they also needed.
          On the way back to João Pessoa, we stopped off in Pombal and talked, visited, counseled and worshipped with the only two Christians in the city of around 50,000 inhabitants. We talked about their difficulties and tried to help the dream of ways to spread God's Word in their city. We stopped off in Patos and visited with a couple from the church. We stopped off in Campina Grande and visited and celebrated the Lord's Supper with Café and Leila's two daughters who are in the university, but have not been participating in the church meetings because of the dangers they have come up against: they have been robbed five times, while going to school, on the way to the dentist, on the way to church services, and one time chased by a man with a knife - men from a bar stopped him. I don't guess I need to tell you that they live in one of the more dangerous parts of the city. They really enjoyed our visit and were overjoyed to celebrate the Lord's Supper with us. It was a wonderful trip back home - 6 hour trip nonstop, taking us 14 hours on this day. I almost wrote that it could not have been better. I really don't know if it could have or not, but I do know that I felt good about it.

Please pray:

  • that God will raise up men and women in Cajazeiras to serve Him by maturing the Christians that are a part of His body.
  • Ezequiel and Jessica in Pombal will be strengthened in their faith and that God may open the hearts of others to the Gospel in this city;
  • that Raiane and Rayssa, Café's daughters, will continue to remain strong in their faith and live in such a way as to influence their classmates and friends to follow Christ.


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