From Brazil & Beyond!

Sunday, July 29, 2012

Living Love...

People ask why... Why do missions? Why bother? Aren't there plenty of things to do where we live?

Yes, there are! In saying that, do you do anything where you are?

All that can be said with any certainty is that whatever your belief, once you do try the "new and strange" idea of stepping out to a foreign land it will change you forever! Meet some changed lives and hear it from their own mouths how missions abroad has changed others and also themselves along the way!

We speak in meetings and need translators and give testimonies and feel helpless but full of love for those whom we don't know in hopes to encourage and build up for the sake of Jesus...

They learn from us... We learn from them... In the exchange we see and experience something that can only be known by those who have made the choice to step out into a living love...

What thanks will you get? Look into their eyes... Then look in them once more after you have love given love to them...

The smiles begin to show and friendships begin to take place, and when that happens, you become changed forever!

Here Brazilian young people have requested prayer for courage to step out in love for other nations in Jesus' name...

Poor little lamb frustrated and rejected by his mother... One man has adopted him and this little lamb follows him everywhere so loving and trusting.

Teaching and pouring out...

Praying and blessing....

Making friendships...

The children from the farming community village, "Waterfall of Souls" play games and warm up to our group. We offer cotton candy, games and face painting and then invite the children to come to an evening service in the city square where we offer everyone an opportunity to respond to the call of giving their lives to Jesus.

When we can simply offer a loving smile, well you don't need a translator for that...

This simple mans pleasure was to love his animals! If you could have seen him laugh and talking to them, enjoying their company, he seemed to need nothing else to make his life complete.

We left him with prayer and a Bible. This man had once worked for a hospital in the city but chose a life of solitude in raising cattle and crops.

There is little doubt that all our efforts for Jesus are worth wild when you see the fruits of joy and build relationships that continue to grow year after year.

Presenting the Gospel and loving people... How can you loose? You can't! There are no wasted efforts, and the people that you love are people that Jesus loves!

Friday, July 20, 2012

Mission to Brazil July 2012

At the Refuge Drug and Alcohol Recuperation Center the interns learn to make brooms out of 2 Liter bottles to sell to make money to sustain the program.

Crossroads Mission Team 2012

All of us looking rather snazzy for Samuel's Wedding!

Samuel with my children before the Wedding

At the Refuge, Theodore lifting weights showing us how strong he is!

My Family

Raquel translation for Michael

The Youth from the 1st Baptist church of Florestal performing a Drama about how sin makes people prisoners to their sin...

Regina, an amazing servant cutting peoples hair for free before while the rest of the team was visiting and ministering door to door...

Giving the plan of Salvation to APAI a home for children and adults with special needs.

just hanging out between commitments

Kevin teaching at a service at a church in Itauna M.G.

The wonderful host and leaders of the Brazilian Team: Dr. Carlos and Luziane, his wife.

Bruce the clown has an amazing effect on children and young people where ever he goes and his heart belongs to Jesus what a great guy!

Jesus is the mans name to my right... He was to be baptized by John who was a Baptist... Just seemed a little ironic... Jesus was the man who owned a store in the middle of the city of "Waterfall of Souls" and he helped us when the whole community shun us. Now he has given his life to Jesus in Heaven to live in his heart and he is evangelizing and giving Bibles and blessing lives where ever he goes.