Day 3, Divinio

 

"Paraiso", "Sol Nascente", and now "Divino".  Allow me to translate our journey for you up to this point.  Our first stop was "Paradise" (Paraiso).  We left "Paradise" and traveled to "Rising Sun" (Sol Nascente).  After "Rising Sun", today, we entered "Divine" (Divino).  Maybe it is just the Bible teacher in me but this trip is beginning to read like something out of the Bible.  To recap: Monday we were in Paradise but had to leave (no, we didn't eat the wrong tree).  Having left Paradise, we spent Tuesday (the day that is "full of grace") in the Rising Sun (Son?) which was the next step before we could enter Divine.  (OH, and tomorrow...we go to a new city...) 

 

Divino is so named because of its incredible view.  Though we are always treking "up" from the boat into the villages, this was the steepest climb yet.  The walk up to what I will call Mount Futebool ("foo-chi-ball") was an extra 800 foot ascent to the Holy of Holies (a.k.a. the soccer field) at the highest point of the village, where we tied the Brazilians in "foo-chi-ball.  (It was not quite Dagon falling down before the Ark of the Covenant, but close.)

 

What have I seen as a teacher, parent, and teammember on this trip?  I've witnessed faith and faithfulness, daring and patience, playfulness and earnestness, frivolity and weightiness, love and truth, joy and sorrow, light and life.  In a word, Jesus. 

 

I've seen him in the hundreds of hugs, piggy back rides, high fives, and fist pumps your kids (and mine) have bestowed upon village children.  I've seen him in the heartfelt testmonies our students have shared.  I've seen him in our times together in the evening sharing our day and sharing our reflections on reading together Timothy Keller's, The Prodigal God.  I've seen him as we've hugged each other, carried one another's burdens, laughed at ourselves and each other in the way that people can when they are freed from self-regard and pretence by the awesome presence of redeeming, unconditional love.

 

Why now?  Why here?  Can I suggest something for you to think about as I've suggested to us here.  The Christian God has eternally existed as a Tri-unity of co-equal Persons.  But what does this have to do with seeing Jesus in the Amazon?  Everything, actually!  In The King's Cross, Tim Keller puts it this way, "The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are each centering on the others, adoring and serving them.  And because the Father, Son, and Spirit are giving glorifying love to one another, God is infintely, profoundly happy...The Father, the Son, and the Spirit are pouring love and joy and adoration into the other, eachj one serving the other.  They are infinetly seeking one another's glory, and so God is infinitely happy."  God is, in His essential Being, "other-centered"!  And He is infintely happy being so.  He made us, not to gain from us, but to share with us the ove He's always known.  He made us to spread the joy to us and He made us in His image.  Being made in that image means we will most resemble Him, and therefore share most in His happiness, when we live life centered on Him and others and not ourselves.  When we have a week like this in which we do live to degree greater than "normal" an other-centered existence, we "see" and "share" in what we were always meant to see and share.  

 

In the biblical story, we were kicked out of Paradise because we thought it better to "be" god than to "see God" and to be served rather than serve.  Hasn't life been grand since then?  The rising "SON" came after the dying Son who selflessly laid down his life to redeem us from the wreckage.  The only way to the Divine is by going through the risen Son. Let us trust him and follow Him on the way to the new city!

Tuesday Blog; Sol Nascente

Howdy folks! It's been another day aboard the Amor Esperanca! As always, we are jovial, full of laughter, and very very tired. However, the spirit of God is rampant in our hearts and (hopefully) the hearts of the Brasilians. Today began in the middle of the lake whose name escapes me. To say the least, it was absolutely breathtaking. The lake is a section of water connected to the Amazon itself but much more peaceful and scattered with villages. Today we visited Sol Nascente (the biggest of the five lakeside villages)! Our pastor, Vanderley, and his wife, Erika, are from this village; therefore, today was an important focus in our missions.

 

After climbing the long hill and subsequent path, we reached the community center of the village, where VBS, Dental, and Medical ministries were setting up. As usual, the children were adorable, full of life, and not smelly (opposite of us). Also, several groups visited people house to house. Both writers of this blog were in the house to house ministry, and I can honestly say that the presence of God was ever prevalent in the joy and hearts of the villagers. We (Karaline, Gracie, Taylor L, Austin, Blake B & our translator Rose) came upon many villagers and three houses. We got the blessing of sharing testimonies, hearing their prayer requests, and listening to their stories. We were extremely encouraged by their God-given faithfulness and joy.

 

After these activities, we headed back to the boat for a lighthearted lunch. While eating, Brasilian children in the waters below screamed at us to come and play, while we sang Justin Beiber and then worshipped for a bit. Thus ended free time, and it was back into the village! Huzzah!  Upon reentering the village, we held group sessions for men and women, separately, then together. Dental, Medical, and VBS all continued without any large hiccups, and we continued our fellowship with this wonderful people.

 

I won't run through the entire soccer game, but I will say that the Balancos (Americans) played an incredible game, and our top scorers were Blake Verdoorn (1), Blake Barnes (1), and Preston Pownell (2). A stellar defense (Kyle Cox, Davis Williamson, David Jordan, Austin Chandler, Brooklyn Hill, and GOALIE Katie McTavish) held the Brasilians to only 3 goals (4 on a technicality) that could not best our score of 4! Therefore, America pulled a win today!

 

Afterward, we headed back to the community center and held a water balloon fight with the children. This lasted around a minute and a half, and I'm not sure if one American got to throw a water balloon. After the adults finished up at the mission house, we held a church service for the Brasilian villagers. It began with a short speech by Pastor Vanderley, then a song including both Blakes, Austin, and Kyle. After that, Tara Samuelson gave a beautiful testimony as the sun set, and we performed the "Everything" skit (Look it up on YouTube if you're curious!). Mr. Williamson preached on the "Parable of The Two Lost Sons," better known as the "Prodigal Son". We headed back to the boat for dinner and after that, ALLIGATOR HUNTING!

 

Many folks (all new kiddos) headed out on the boat to catch the beasts (largest being about 20 inches). Better believe it. After that, we discussed our day and our book, "The Prodigal God," by Tim Keller. We prayed over Vandeley and Erika about our thankfulness for their great impact and service to these villages, as well as safe travel to a missions conference in sweet home Alabama.

 

In all seriousness, today held a constant reminder of the glorious joy that God provides for us. Through the children, people, and lives of the Brasilians we witnessed to, we saw a constant outpouring of hope and love. I think most everyone would agree that God was all around us today, helping as we sang, spoke, and moved about. It is a marvelous thing knowing that this joy so constant and so powerful can only come from our Father. Please continue to pray that we will keep our hearts focused and this joy in our hearts that we experienced today.

 

We all love you so much, and are extremely thankful for your love and support!

 

Boa Noite,

Austin J. Chandler and Blake A. Barnes

 

PS Liz, Bill says hi and he loves you!

 

PPS Mrs. Steely, Nicole wants you to know she went alligator hunting tonight!

Day 1 - Paraiso

Monday, February 28, 2011

 

Thank you all for sending us to this amazing place. We have already witnessed the Holy Spirit working through the American team as well as the Brazilians. Today we visited Paraiso ("Paradise"). Poor Kramer Hickok got sick. He's doing much better now, so do not worry!! Kramer will get to experience village work bright and early tomorrow morning. This first day was a grand success. For the people who have been on this trip before, it was a great blessing to see our friends again. The Spirit's work is genuinely evident in this village as we already see a great transformation in the people's attitude and receptiveness of our message.

 

The VBS successfully started off with a small group of children. The children were much more open and joyful than they have been in the past. It was such a joy to see the little "tinies" again, as we affectionately call them. We have already learned so much about selfless love through the children's sacrifice and love for us and one another.

 

Today, I (Gracie McCormack) had the joy of getting to see my friend from last year, Danielle. Last year, Clarissa Pavey and I had the joy of witnessing the Spirit working through Danielle and transform her right in front of our eyes. Today was a true testimony to how the Lord is faithful to finish His work! Although I have not personally seen Danielle in a year, I have a picture of her in my Bible and pray for her daily. It is such an encouragement to see her joy that she has now with her newfound life in Jesus Christ!

 

Another touching reunion today took place for Shannon Thompson. Shannon got to see a young girl, Rafael, from a neighboring village (Sol Nascente). Pastor Vanderleigh and his wife, Erica, are currently looking after Rafael, so she came with them to be with our American team today. Shannon spent the entire day, never leaving Rafael's side. Although they do not speak the same language, they both love each other dearly and are a great blessing in each other's lives. It was touching to see the connection the Lord had made between these two girls from two completely different parts of the world. It is a beautiful reminder that we are truly not very different from these people here. We are all lost, and we all need saving.

 

Our team's new best friend is our pal Leroy. Leroy lives in the sink upstairs next to Mr. Welwood's hammock. Leroy provides us with constant laughs and entertainment as we tried to feed him crickets we find, which he surprisingly doesn't want. We aren't sure if he eats, but we know he lives in the sink!!

 

Another blessing today came during door-to-door. Karaline Coats, Taylor Landry and I (Gracie) had the pleasure of visiting with various villagers with a translator, Rosie. We came across a 16-year-old girl who happened to be home alone, Vivianne. Vivianne was very welcoming and open to us as she immediately welcomed us into her home. We asked Vivianne if she knows who Jesus is, and upon her negative answer, we got to share our personal testimonies and experiences with our Lord. Vivianne was clearly interested and thirsty for more knowledge about this God we all love. We talked with Vivianne about having a personal relationship with our God and how He is such a great hope for us in our day-to-day lives. We asked Vivianne if she wanted to accept this Lord and Savior, and she was excited to do so. Karaline Coats prayed our commonly known "prayer of salvation" as Rosie translated and Vivianne happily repeated. It was such a blessing to witness the Spirit's work through Vivianne's thirsty heart to get to know her Lord and Savior. It was humbling for us to remember how much we have at our feet that we take advantage of. The Lord taught us through Vivianne how much we need Him and how we will never know Him fully. We are now encouraged to pursue the Lord with renewed strength and passion!

 

Overall, day one was a great success. We thank you for your prayers and support throughout the rest of this week!

P.S.- Kyle failed as my (Karaline Coats) protector today. Enough said..... but don't worry everyone is fine! :)...Mom- say hi to Bozzly!

Sunday, February 27, 2011

Dear All,

 

The TCA team arrived safely in Manaus at 1:40 pm, Amazon time. The only glitch was that 2 bags didn't make it to Brasilia from Miami, so we hope to get those in the next few days by speed boat.  We were on the Amor Esperanca (our boat) in less than 1-1/2 hours after landing, and we were headed down the Rio Negro about 4:00...with American hamburgers and french fries awaiting us. The meeting of the waters (Rio Negro and Amazon River) was once again spectacular.

 

We will travel through the night to Sol Nacentie, a village we visited the past two years. This is where Erika and Vanderley (missionaries) live.  Our day will consist of medical, dental, VBS, women's, men's ministries as well as the usual 4:00 pm soccer game providing a significant dose of humility for the Americans.

 

Everyone is tired but excited...no health concerns, full bellies, and the sway of the hammock as the breeze envelopes our boat.  It's a long-sleeve night...yep, that cool on the water, but tomorrow we will have our fill of heat and humidity.

 

Thanks for your prayers and support.  We're on our "mission" to love and serve as Jesus would.

 

Blessings to you!

Amazon Team Impact Crusade Update

Tuesday, August 24, 2010

Let's just get down to business. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!

One of our team's went to a school in a poverty-stricken area known to be frequented by drug dealers. We saw some of the students and teachers wearing shirts that promote the Festival of the Bull. Our entire team could feel the presence of evil there. It reminds us that we must persevere. After Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, the Bible tells us that he departed for a time. Jesus knew he would return, and we know he will return to these schools if we aren't persistent in our efforts to win these students for Christ.

This afternoon, one of our team members gave his testimony. It centered around choices. Choices that we make when we are younger effect us for the rest of our lives. They shape how we will react to situation as adults. Choices are like roads that lead us to specific destinations. If we make bad choices as teenagers, we are likely to make the same mistakes as adults. He shared with the students that he a tough guy when he was young. He took drugs and alcohol, and hung out with the wrong friends. He quit all those things when he had the opportunity to become an athlete. Years later, he lost his wife, and the mother of his small children, to cancer. That loss caused a huge hole in his heart. In an effort to fill that hole, he returned to drugs and alcohol for a time. He later realized that the only thing that could fill that hole was and is his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. After his testimony, another team member noticed a teenaged girl that was totally focused on what was being shared. She asked the teenaged girl, named Johanna, what she thought of the presentation. Johanna said that it was the example about the road that caught her attention because that was the exact situation she had been in recently. She told us that the night before she prayed on her own to accept Christ and give her life to Him. We asked her what brought her to that point. She had been going through a rough time with her family because her parents had just divorced and her father moved to Germany. She realized that her life was going down the wrong road, and she realized she needed to give her life to Christ. Today, as she heard us talk about Jesus and what He provides for us, she was amazed that God had really listened to her prayers. She had been going to a Mormon church but has now registerd to attend a small group Bible study at First Baptist Church of Parintins.

Tonight, we heard Natalie's story. Natalie raised her hand to accept Christ before we finished extending the invitation. She heard the same testimony about choices from us and told one of us that she is now in the same situation as our team member. She is married and now has a young daughter. She is surrounded by friends who constantly getting her in situations where drinking and drugs are present. It opened her eyes because her current life is so similar to the past life our team member shared. She had heard of Jesus before, but tonight she realized that because of Him her life needed to change. She has been part of the Catholic church. She enjoys that church because when she's there she feels like Jesus is there. Because of the decision she made tonight, she now realized that Jesus is inside of her and that she can be with him wherever she is. She doesn't have to be in a church to be in God's presence. She also registered to attend a small group Bible study. The Lord has taken a testimony of one of our members who went through a difficult time of mourning and pain and is using it to bring redemption and joy to others.

At another high school, the gym was packed with 18-26 year old students. They were extremely receptive to everyone we did. One of our team members shared that he had been on drugs and alcohol and was thrown in jail. While in jail, he accepted Christ. People were totally drawn into his testimony. It was obvious that the hand of God was everywhere in that gym. At the end of the program, the principal came up to talk to the students. She told the students that she believed that God had sent this message to them and that we were His messengers. She quoted scripture saying, "Beautiful are the feet that carry the Word of God." Then, she encouraged her students to take advantage of the small group Bible studies being offered to them. Many of the students raised their hands to accept Christ. After the program ended, the principal told us that even before she knew we would be coming to her school, she had been praying and fasting for seven days that the gospel would come to the school in a different way.

At the same school, one of our team members noticed a girl crying. She wanted to talk with her, but she felt strongly that one of our other team members needed to talk to her instead. Thankfully, she followed the Holy Spirit;s prompting and had our other member speak to her. This young girl was going through was exactly what our team member had experienced earlier in her life. God led her to ask very direct questions. Every question she asked was a topic that the girl wanted to discuss but didn't want to bring up herself. She shared with this teenaged girl the verses she had read herself to get through these issues and encouraged her to read them as well. The girl shared that she had a good friend who is a Christian. This friend has been encouraging her to accept Christ. She did accept Christ tonight! She was super excited about getting into a small group. She told her Christian friend that she now realizes that God had brought this specific team member to her because they had experienced the same issues.

We can't make this stuff up folks!  Tomorrow is the first night of the Crusade in the stadium.  Please keep praying for us.

Happy birthday, Ellis Hernandez!     

Tuesday, August 25 - An unbelievable day

Tuesday, August 24,        2010

Let's just get down to business. Praise God! Praise God! Praise God!

One of our team's went to a school in a poverty-stricken area known to be frequented by drug dealers. We saw some of the students and teachers wearing shirts that promote the Festival of the Bulls. Our entire team could feel the presence of evil there. It reminds us that we must persevere. After Satan tempted Jesus in the desert, the Bible tells us that he departed for a time. Jesus knew he would return, and we know he will return to these schools if we aren't persistent in our efforts to win these students for Christ.

This afternoon, one of our team members gave his testimony. It centered around choices. Choices that we make when we are younger effect us for the rest of our lives. They shape how we will react to situation as adults. Choices are like roads that lead us to specific destinations. If we make bad choices as teenagers, we are likely to make the same mistakes as adults. He shared with the students that he a tough guy when he was young. He took drugs and alcohol, and hung out with the wrong friends. He quite all those things when he had the opportunity to become an athlete. Years later, he lost his wife, and the mother of his small children, to cancer. That loss caused a huge hole in his heart. In an effort to fill that hole, he returned to drugs and alcohol for a time. He later realized that the only thing that could fill that hole was and is his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. After his testimony, another team member noticed a teenaged girl that was totally focused on what was being shared. She asked the teenaged girl, named Johanna, what she thought of the presentation. Johanna said that it was the example about the road that caught her attention because that was the exact situation she had been in recently. She told us that the night before she prayed on her own to accept Christ and give her life to Him. We asked her what brought her to that point. She had been going through a rough time with her family because her parents had just divorced and her father moved to Germany. She realized that her life was going down the wrong road, and she realized she needed to give her life to Christ. Today, as she heard us talk about Jesus and what He provides for us, she was amazed that God had really listened to her prayers. She had been going to a Mormon church but has now registerd to attend a small group Bible study at First Baptist Church of Parintins.

Tonight, we heard Natalie's story. Natalie raised her hand to accept Christ before we finished extending the invitation. She heard the same testimony about choices from us and told one of us that she is now in the same situation as our team member. She is married and now has a young daughter. She is surrounded by friends who constantly getting her in situations where drinking and drugs are present. It opened her eyes because her current life is so similar to the past life our team member shared. She had heard of Jesus before, but tonight she realized that because of Him her life needed to change. She has been part of the Catholic church. She enjoys that church because when she's there she feels like Jesus is there. Because of the decision she made tonight, she now realized that Jesus is inside of her and that she can be with him wherever she is. She doesn't have to be in a church to be in God's presence. She also registered to attend a small group Bible study. The Lord has taken a testimony of one of our members who went through a difficult time of mourning and pain and is using it to bring redemption and joy to others.

At another high school, the gym was packed with 18-26 year old students. They were extremely receptive to everyone we did. One of our team members shared that he had been on drugs and alcohol and was thrown in jail. While in jail, he accepted Christ. People were totally drawn into his testimony. It was obvious that the hand of God was everywhere in that gym. At the end of the program, the principal came up to talk to the students. She told the students that she believed that God had sent this message to them and that we were His messengers. She quoted scripture saying, "Beautiful are the feet that carry the Word of God." Then, she encouraged her students to take advantage of the small group Bible studies being offered to them. Many of the students raised their hands to accept Christ. After the program ended, the principal told us that even before she knew we would be coming to her school, she had been praying and fasting for seven days that the gospel would come to the school in a different way.

At the same school, one of our team members noticed a girl crying. She wanted to talk with her, but she felt strongly that one of our other team members needed to talk to her instead. Thankfully, she followed the Holy Spirit;s prompting and had our other member speak to her. This young girl was going through was exactly what our team member had experienced earlier in her life. God led her to ask very direct questions. Every question she asked was a topic that the girl wanted to discuss but didn't want to bring up herself. She shared with this teenaged girl the verses she had read herself to get through these issues and encouraged her to read them as well. The girl shared that she had a good friend who is a Christian. This friend has been encouraging her to accept Christ. She did accept Christ tonight! She was super excited about getting into a small group. She told her Christian friend that she now realizes that God had brought this specific team member to her because they had experienced the same issues.

We can't make this stuff up folks!

Happy birthday, Ellis!

Monday, August 23 - The Rest of the Story

Monday, August 23, 2010 - The Rest of the Story

Our focus this week in on the kids of Parintins. We forget that the teachers, principals, and other support staff of the schools all come out to see and hear us. The schools operate year-round in Brasil and get time off from just before Christmas through January. The kids go to school for half a day rather than a full day. Because of this schedule, the principals work 10-12 hours a day for six days a week. At one of the assemblies today, after the gospel presentation and after the kids returned to their rooms, the principal of the school expressed that she was burdened about the school. She asked us to pray for the school, for the kids, and for her. A group of us gathered around her to pray, and as we started praying she fell to her knees with her hands raised. Even though the principals see these kids and their living circumstances daily, they can become overwhelmed with the hopelessness that surrounds them and overwhelmed with the needs of these kids.

Tonight, a principal at another school came to us and also asked for prayer. After we finished praying for her, she was sobbing because she was overwhelmed with the needs of these kids.

Please pray for these principals and teachers who answer a call that goes far beyond making sure these kids get a good education. For most of these kids, the teachers and principals are the only role models they have. These teachers love the children in their schools, and it becomes a huge burden to know that they can't help every child out of their circumstances.