Linda Esperanca

Days 5 & 6 - Vila Candida, Boa Vista dos Ramos, Itapeacu

2012-03-01T22:28:00.000-08:00

Dave D - What a blessing this week was for so many...Brazilians and Americans! My greatest joy is watching your kids choose to serve God in ways they did...some for the very first time. God is good to show Himself to all of us in simple and amazing ways. Thank you for making it possible for us to be here. The stories of His grace and mercy abound. Here are a few...

Katie Mc - On Tuesday, Grace Colombo, Izabel, and I were grouped to go from door to door. It was amazing. We came to the first house, and an old woman opened the door. She invited us in and to sit down. She said she did not know who Jesus was, and after Grace and I began to talk to this woman, she opened up more. She seemed interested, and after letting her know about the service that night, we let her know that she could talk to the pastor. Later that night, I saw her at the service, and she was singing along with the worship songs. God really perservered through Grace and me as mouthpieces for Him.

Blake B- Mark and Francisco. The (simplified) names of the two men who made an impact on me that will last a lifetime. I was helping out at VBS in Pedra (The Rock in Portuguese). Pedra had never been visited by an Amazon Outreach boat so the day held much opportunity in itself. Earlier in the week, I was feeling like I wasn't too useful (as did many others in the beginning of the trip) and I prayed that God would use me accordingly to what He needed done. Basically I prayed that He would use me and that I would be satisfied immediately seeing fruit or not. So the afternoon after this prayer, I saw Mark in VBS and started asking if he had a kid in VBS and he said no I invited him to play soccer and of course he said yes...He's Brasilian. So I continued and asked him if he wanted to know that story of Noah; the story the kids were learning. So I began to tell him out Noah and tried to fit in the whole gospel as part of the story. We arrived at the soccer field and thankfully the Lord took over. After talking for about 20 minutes with Francisco (he came with us) and Mark, God just did a marvelous work and allowed Mark to have a soft heart to the great grace of God. He accepted Christ as his personal savior and I praise God for that. Unknowingly, he was from another village and I gave him a New Testament and a couple gospel tracts. God used me as a tool to share the gospel to two villages. Wow. I was so humbled at God's intricate creativity in His plans. I was also able to encourage Francisco in his faith: He told me that he had a dream that a large group of people came in a boat to Pedra to spur on his beliefs and he had been praying for reinforcement to instill faith in Pedra. Once again God answered prayers. This has shown me that God is ALWAYS faithful. Whether it's immediate or way later, God comes through and works his will into everything. He is so so good. Brasil has yet again been a fantastic channel which through God has blessed everyone here; from Texas or Brasil. Shout out to Jean Prouvaire. Miss you and love you so much. BRASIL 2012. Lego. Psalm 34:8.

Hannah Pavey- I've never seen a more beautiful smile. Hannati opened my eyes to a new kind of beauty. A few days ago, we traveled to Terra Praeta, and I felt the Lord calling me to serve in the youth girls ministry. We were setting up tables and chairs under a shaded tree and also looking for girls to invite to paint their nails and play with their hair. We had a few customers and then it happened....My eyes locked with a beautiful eleven year old girl standing off in the distance. It took a few minutes for her to accept my invitation to paint her nails and get to know her. She told me her name was Hannati. This precious girl had a cleft lip and two front teeth. Looking at her for the first time, most people in her city would have rejected her because of her appearance. However, her handicapped smile enabled me to see a picture of pure joy: Hannati reminded me that we are made in the Lord's image and PERFECT in his sight. As I painted her little nails, I kept glancing up at her and saw that she was beeming with joy. I kept saying "bonita! bonita!" This only made her smile more. We then went into a classroom with about 15 other pre-teen girls. We shared the gospel and our testamonies. After having a conversation about things girls struggle with, the Lord faithfully opened up and revealed himself to those girls. Hannati was especially blown away with the vastness of the Lord's love for her. I gave her a bible and wrote her a note in the front page: "Precious Hannati, You are Beautiful-never let anyone tell you otherwise. You are a daughter of God and he loves you more than you will ever imagine. I love you and I am praying for you." I had a translator read this out loud to Hannati, and once she heard these words, she leaped into my arms and her whole body shook with tears. I absolutely lost it when I felt her tears run down my back. The Lord brought her to me to reveal that even those with cleft lips and rejected by society are breath-taking in the eyes of the Lord. I am speechless with how the Lord places people in our lives by divine intervention and chooses to use us as vessles to further HIS Kingdom. His name was magnified this week, and all Glory, Honor and Praise go to Him!

Preston Pownell - Two years ago I met two young mentally handicapped boys in a village that made a drastic impact on my life. When we first arrived in Brazil, we were told that we would be going back to the same village that these two boys were from. Last year, we did not get to go back to their village and I honestly gave up the hope of ever getting to see them again. Two days ago we were told that we would not actually be visiting the two boys village, and this was a very discouraging thing for me to here. I felt like God was giving me a false hope of joy, and I was almost mad at God. I realized that I am not on this trip to fulfill my own fleshly desires, but to do the will of God, but, God's plan was not yet finished. Rose Delph approached me and told me that I might have the oppurtunity to take a few friends on a speedboat to their village called, Sao Benedicto. This morning, I woke up and heard the announcement that my mom, my brother, David Jordan, Chloe Robinson, Presley Scott, Bruno, and I would be taking a speedboat to the village for the morning. When we arrived in the village, I vaguely remembered where things where and I told the group to follow me. It was a total God thing and I ended up walking straight to their house. We knocked on the door and the father answered and we asked where the boys were. He had three other children in the house and he said that he had one more somewhere outside. He sent his younger son to go find him and I sat down in their house just praying that it would be one of those two boys. I looked up and saw one of those two boys walking into the house and he immediately recognized me. I was astounded and blown away at God's power and how he works things out. The boys name is Adeyuto (I think... I can't ever really understand) and it turns out that the other boy was actually Adeyuto cousin that lives in another village but to be able to see one of them was just incredible. Our whole group got to spend the morning with them and everyone with me got to see how sweet of a young man he really is. God answers prayers and I would just like to encourage everyone who reads this that God is all powerful and he can even allow someone to travel across the world with a gamble that one boy might be there and provide a way for me to see him again. God has done magnificent things this week and He does not intend to stop just here in Brazil.

Day 4 - Cameta

2012-02-28T20:40:00.000-08:00

Oi from Brazil! Currently we are waiting for the rain to pass here in Cameta so we can go out and serve the village. Last night we were reflecting on our experiences throughout the trip so far and we realized we forgot to tell you about an incredible experience God blessed us with in the airport while we were waiting to receive our visas.For those of you that don't know, 13 people did not know if they would be able to go to Brazil because their visas were denied. Jed Thompson, the director of Amazon Outreach, flew to Houston on Thursday (the day we left) to work out the visas. Because of this, all 13 of us were stuck entertaining ourselves for four hours waiting for the visas to come through. During this span of time, we all got the incredible privilege of meeting David Teran. David was helping us with our
luggage when he started to ask us about our trip. We told him all about Amazon Outreach, and how we were going to spread the love of God to the villages along the river. David had to go to work for a little bit after this and later told us that he had gone up to a Muslim man and used us as a testimony for Christ. He challenged the man, asking him if Muslims pursued love in this way. The man replied no, and simply left. While this doesn't seem like much, David was confident that God had planted a seed in that man through us. David spent about an hour talking with us, sharing his love for Christ and his testimony. He had only been a Christian for about three years, but the Holy Spirit's presence
was so evident in him. Not having our visas was an extremely stressful beginning to the trip, but us meeting David was just yet another example of how everything is just part of God's grand plan. If nothing else but meeting David came out of the stress of retrieving our visas, it was undeniably worth it. His love for Christ was the perfect start to this trip, and we hadn't even left Dallas yet!
Tchau!
Taylor, Tori, and Kathryn

Oi from Grace C.! I am so thankful and grateful to be here in Brazil! The Lord has so graciously allowed me to be here, but for a short time, He completely emptied my hands and made it so that I literally had no control over my situation. On Wednesday morning, my mom and I woke up at 4:45 in the morning and flew to Houston. We had found out previously that my passport picture and visa had been denied, and at this point, I didn't know if I was going to be able to go on the trip. A lot of things were running through my mind, and I was confused. I knew that if it was the Lord's plan for me to go on the trip, then nothing could stop that from happening, but I assumed that it just wasn't the Lord's plan for me to go, and I didn't know why. I was jumping to all these conclusions and trying to figure out why the Lord would have me stay home instead, as if I knew what God had in store.

As soon as we got to Houston, we drove to meet with the Brazilian consulate, and the man who drove us there happened to be a Christian. We shared with him a little bit of what was going on, and somehow he had a peace that everything was going to work out, even though I didn't. He prayed for us in the car on the way, and when we got inside there we met Jed Thompson, the director of Amazon Outreach. For the majority of the time we were there, we sat in the waiting room, which was in some ways the hardest part, in others it was the most peaceful. I recieved texts from multiple people saying that they were praying for me, and I knew God's hand was at work. The Lord gave me peace that everything was going to work out according to His plan, no matter what that was. I know that the Lord withholds no good thing from those who love Him, and even if I had had to stay home, the Lord would not have withheld good things from me there.

But it was His plan for me to be here in Brazil, and the truth is, He didn't temporarily take this trip out of my hands, but He had it in His hands all along, and never let it go even thought I felt like I had lost everything. God is working and moving in so many hearts here in Brazil, and not just the people who live here. I feel so blessed to be a part of it, to witness this change, and to be a part of God's greater plan.

Tchau!

Grace

Oi from Brooklyn and Annie! Last night Brooklyn shared her testimony for the first time in front of a crowd. Brooklyn has been to Brazil four times, but this was the first time that she had shared in public. You could tell by the crowds reaction that her testimony really hit home while talking about a broken family. So many lives were touched by this beautiful testimony, including those on the boat. She talked about how the absence of her real father made her more aware of how God is out ultimate
father and he'll never leave us and he is always by out side. In the process of giving her testimony there was a sense of peace because she was so nervous before but when she got up there, she knew God's hands were resting on her. She was really happy that she had finally shared her testimony after so many years. Brooklyn really felt that God was calling her to share her testimony with the people of Predas. Amazon Outreach had never been to this village, and it was really neat to be able to be the first ones to make a lasting first impression with them. Many came to Christ and we hope that the foundation that we have laid in this village can continue to grow from here with other trips that have yet to come. We are really excited about what God has in store for those in Predas.
Con Amore
Annie and Brooklyn

The day was amazing despite a late start due to rain. Nearly 200 little ones attended VBS, many came to receive medical and dental care. Two different teams of 6 went into every classroom in the morning and afternoon to share the sin solution illustration to every elementary and high school student attending school today. Many went door-to-door to share the gospel, and we closed with an evening service. Our share time was especially sweet...and one alligator hunting group caught 2 small and one 4 foot gator. Dr. Pablo saw a 92-year-old woman who gave birth to 25 children (yes, you read that correctly...20 of whom are still alive today). She daily rides her bicycle to work her agricultural fields. It's amazing what we see here!

Thanks for praying for us...it's a blessing to serve here. We have a full day tomorrow and a half day on Thursday...then we're headed back to Manaus...a 20 hour return.

Tchau!

Day 3 - Predas

2012-02-27T19:34:00.000-08:00

After surviving a major storm at 3:00 am, we awoke to a small shower, praying the rain would stop so we could serve this community...Amazon Outreach's first to visit Predas, a town of 3,000. Because we were here, the schools closed for the day. We were able to leave the boats at 9:30 and proceeded to use the school classrooms for medical, dental, eyeglasses, hair cutting, nail painting. The president of the town allowed us to announce over the church loudspeaker that we welcome everyone to come take advantage of all we had to offer. An answer to prayer, over 100 children came to VBS in the morning and several teams walked through the town to share the gospel door-to-door and invite the people to afternoon events, soccer game, and evening service.

One of the continuing themes throughout today for all of us was the fact that all the parts of the body of Christ have different functions and gifts. Some are better at holding crying children all day. Others can handle the medical and dental fields that required a strong stomach, but can really comfort those suffering and sick. And some just have a passion and gift for relaying the message of Christ's love to people, whether it's door-to-door ministry or giving a testimony in front of a whole community. All in all, we have been blessed by the fact that every person on this trip has come to find their purpose on this trip. We were blessed to see many come to Christ in this village, and we were able to hand out several Portugeuse Bibles. Here are a couple of cool stories that were shared at our nightly share-time: Blake Barnes was planning to go to VBS today and on his way he met a man with whom he was able to share the story of Christ via a translator. Blake fully intended to play soccer and hang with the kids as his ministry for the day, but God had greater plans as he helped lead a Brazilian man "Mark" to Christ. In the words of Blake: "We now have another brother in Christ that we will one day see in Heaven and I think that deserves a round of applause."

Many people also shared tonight that they have a hard time with the fact that in VBS there does not seem like a lot of time to share the message of Christ with others because you are busy loving the kids. But today I (Grace) shared this story with the group of my experience today in VBS to encourage them of the gateway VBS does provide to talk to others about Christ. Today, I saw some adults in our group using tracts to talk to some of the parents hanging around VBS about Christ, but one young mother was distracted by her one son clinging to her ankles and her young baby in her lap. I decided to try and distract the child around her ankles so she could focus better on the adults teaching them, and she ended up wanting me to hold the 1-month-old baby in her lap. I was shocked that she would trust me, this random American teenage girl, with her tiny baby. But it turned out as we began to talk, that she thought I had children because she started having children at my age. As we continued to talk, I was able to talk to her about her faith and the struggles in her life, as well as my family back home and faith. Who would have thought that all of this could start from me just trying play with her small kid? God has revealed how He is ever-present even in the small things. We are all very thankful for our experiences so far and are excited for the challenges and stories to come as we head to Cometa tomorrow.

Grace Martin and Hannah Pavey

Day 1 and 2

2012-02-26T19:18:00.000-08:00

Oi! Jordan, Hannah, and I (along with a magnitude of what we call "pee bugs") are peacefully sitting in a small, white room attempting to organize our thoughts on the last two days of the trip. The first half of day one was spent frantically searching for pink dolphins and preparing for the week ahead.We were welcomed into Barreirinha by a horrendous rainfall, which left us damp and admittedly, but temporarily, quite discouraged.However, as we soon realized, God had this night in his plan. We stayed in the church for much longer than we had planned, but this allowed us to spend more time with the children. In this way, He was able to take what we assumed to be a negative thing and turn it into something positive, teaching us all a lesson on the importance of flexibility (a quality which came in handy when the horde of "pee bugs" descended upon our unsuspecting boats tonight).

Today we went to the village of Terra Preta to bless the families through VBS, pampering the women, medical work, and other means of ministry. After recieving their first bibles, the women of the village appeared to be resistant. However, we remain confident that God has used the opportunity to plant His seed and enact His will. Many children came to VBS today, and, from our perspective, seemed exceedingly open to the message of God's love. Games were played, names were learned, and children were saved. It was inspiring to demonstrate love to those who have most likely recieved nothing but hardship and neglect. Overall, God has used the opportunity to bless the students and the villagers in countless ways. Now we are off to bed, excited about what He will continue to bring throughout the week. Please keep us in your prayers, that we may be productive, patient, and "pee bug" free. Tomorrow we will be in Pedra.

Tchao,

Duncan, Jordan, and Hannah.

Day 3 - Sol Nascente

2011-12-30T19:06:00.001-08:00

Praise the Lord... finally a rain-less morning!

Another great day in Sol Nascente... such a blessing to be able to have spent a day and a half with the people here and see the ministry that the Lord has created in Sol Nascente using Erika and Vanderley. A highlight this morning was when our friend Becky was able to reconnect with a friend, Junior, who she had met during the time she spent here this summer. Her testimony had a profound effect on him in July and he promised her then that when she returned next, he would be "a Christian like her". When Becky saw Junior again this morning, he made the decision to turn from his old ways and trust Christ in full surrender. Twas such a sweet moment for her and for all of us to be reminded of the freedom that the gospel gives.

VBS was a grand 'ol time as always! There are some pretty sassy kids here... a brother and sister pair, Cida and Yudi, made me almost feel bad for their parents if they hadn't been so dang cute. Once again our boys and Julie acted out the nativity story for the kids, but with a little twist for today... the Dentist's daughter Annabelle as baby Jesus. Really gave the story a validity that the creepy baby doll was unable to provide in past performances. Then more picture coloring, painting t-shirts, and passing out goldfish, fruit snacks and candy. Those kids wear ya out...

It was really important to Erika and Vanderley for some of our team to visit the homes of those who are a part of their church to encourage them to continue to grow in their faith and also to challenge them to become leaders in their community. Erika and Vanderley need for their church to step up and begin serving and helping the people of Sol Nascente. Overall, the team was exhausted after a long morning in the village.. and terribly sunburned.

Rosey and Ross are feeling much better after their little sickness of sorts and were able to rejoin us in the village this afternoon! Erika also asked us girls to talk to the teenagers about their struggles... finding their identity in the Lord, purity, self-confidence... all issues that transcend culture as things we equally battle with. Our American girls were then able to share their testimonies of how the Lord is able to give us freedom from those pressures. The kids enjoyed the playground, the soccer game, and the attention the crazy Americanos showed them.

All day we spread news of the church service we would hold at Erika and Vanderley's house at 5. We began with a skit that depicts the many worldly things that distract us from the Lord, even though He is there through it all. Becca followed with sharing her story of how God has worked in her life and Catherine presented what we call the "sin solution"... an illustration much too confusing to explain in a blog... spoiler: the secret is clorox and iodine. John then spoke and shared the gospel with the people, informing them on how their eternity depends on what they choose to believe. Then praise the Lord, back to the boat for a much needed shower (a baby peed on the both of us) and one of the best dinners I've ever had here. Chicken with some sort of Ramen-ish noodle, beef, beans and rice (duh), and Shannon's fav dessert... key lime pie perhaps? Not really so sure...

And now it's almost 11, playing games on the boat after alligator hunting, snacking on nutella and peanut butter pretzels. All around, life is good. We're happy... and best of all, the boat's still floating.

New Year's Eve tommorrow, yay! Missing you all, but can't say we're dwelling on it... all the same, we are so very thankful for each of you and for what you have done to help us get here. Thank you for your prayers, we are beginning to get tired and need them so!

Boa Noite,

Shannon and Lauren

Day 2 - Paraiso & Sol Nascente

2011-12-30T19:06:00.000-08:00

Oi Oi,

That's two "Oi"s for two days of sweet service. Concerned parents, be at peace! We have only lost three people to anaconda attacks. And better yet, we were in Paradise today. So here's how it all went down.

Woke up to a thunderstorm, so we spent the first few hours of the morning eating breakfast, chillin like villains, and enjoying some prayer and worship led by Erik and our Brazilian Dentist/Musician/Friend, Thiago. After the lengthy rain delay, we finally made our way to Paraiso, going 6 or 7 people at a time in the skiff boat we tow around with us. Paraiso is beautiful. Located on a hill, it enjoys a marvelous view of the mighty Amazon. Everyone was feeling more comfortable with their various roles, and it didn't take long before there was a swarm of kids laughing and playing. They seem to especially like learning how to throw a football.

Soon the men, being the studley studs they are, led a fierce charge to the soccer field, where Will proceeded to continuously sic his pack of devoted children upon the others in the group. Once the children were defeated in combat, we proceeded to have them run around in circles until they were exhausted. Cue the ladies. The chicas took over from there, executing another marvelous VBS with the now throroughly tired kids, the highlight of this undoubtedly being Will and Nancy's groovy dance moves. Dancey Nancy, Rhythm Queen of the Amazon.

After leaving Paraiso we proceeded to Sol Nascente, the town where Erica and Vanderley live. Its a long...long walk to the top. But, the village is very quaint and beautiful, and I can't keep from thinking that this could be a 5 star resort with just a little bit of plumbing. Upon reaching the top, bags in tow, and playing with the kids on their new playground, our team essentially split in two. Half of us stayed at the playground and primed the fence surrounding it with white paint while the other half went to...you guessed it, the soccer field. We played until sunset, after which we collapsed in a heap of bones on the ground. It is exhausting fun, and the smiles on their young faces make every pulled muscle, cramp, scrape, bump and bruise completely worth it. Plus, we got some nicknames out of it. Austin is now known as "La Flama Blanca" (White Flame), I am "La Pared Blanca" (White Wall), Jay from Sao Paolo is "J-WOW," and Will is "Tiny Dancer." Huge success.

When the day was done, we all enjoyed what must have been one of the top 5 showers of our respective lives, and stuffed ourselves with food. Yay rice! The night came to a sweet close with our group devotional, with Lauren, Patrick, Nancy, and a pastor traveling with us from Manaus...sharing their hearts with the team. Can't wait for day three!

You are very loved,

Joe

Day 1: Wednesday

2011-12-28T18:38:00.000-08:00

Oi from the Amazon!

Yesterday, the second gorup arrived in Manaus and loaded the boat around 3 PM. We got settled in and floated through the meeting of the waters on our 15 hour voyage to Sol Nascente to pick up the missionaries, Erika and Vanderley, who oversee four villages on Lake Carara (for all you people who know how to use Google earth, you can see exactly where we have been) just off the Amazon.

We started off the morning going to Bucuzal where we had VBS, medical, dental, women's, men's, and a church service... all before a lunch at 3 PM. 30 minutes later we headed out into Divino village where we did the same ministries plus some worship with the people of the village. Oh and let's not forget soccer, soccer, soccer in both places. And yes we lost in both places. The boys are very good but nothing compared to the Brazilian pros.

A few highlights of the day:

-Erik Nieder has led sweet times of worship on the boat & in the villages with the Americans & Brazilians singing in their native languages.

-Will Shellenberger dancing for all the children in VBS to a Portuguese song. He had everyone laughing.

-Jeff Johnson starred as Gabriel in a play where he held his halo proudly.

-Becca Nail shared her testimony with the women's ministry and spoke with some girls who related to her story.

-Becky Sayman and John Nieder shared their testimonies at church.

-Rose Delph and Shannon Thompson were encouraged to see the joy in a 19 year old girl whose mom was killed during a fight between her husband and her brother.

We are all encouraged to see the Lord working, even beyond the obvious language barrier. The kids have so much fun during VBS with the songs, skits, coloring and laughing. Today we sang a song during VBS in Portuguese, Spanish, English, and Korean because of the many nationalities represented on our trip. It was neat to visit these specific villages because of the relationship that has been built in previous visits and with the two missionaries who are with us.

Tonight we had our first nightly devotional with the group and discussed what we saw today and how we were encouraged. We are reading a C.S. Lewis book of meditations which has been a great book to read on this particular trip.

We are all safe minus the one who was attacked by an alligator when he was thrown into the river after he tried to win over the cute girl in town... we'll let you guess which of the boys that was. :)

Thanks for your prayers and support. Tomorrow we are going to Paraiso (Paradise) and the largest village on the lake, Sol Nascente.

Boa Noite,

Audrey

Prestonwood November 2011 - Villages Day Two

2011-11-21T17:36:00.001-08:00

Greetings from the Amazon! Bags still M.I.A. but spirits are high. We once again split into three teams and journeyed into three different villages, Varre Vento, Saint Sebastian and Saint Antonio.

The Varre Vento team was invited to the school to conduct a VBS in the morning which about 18 children attended. We were encouraged to see how open the teacher of the school was as she allowed us to preach the gospel to the students. We had planned another VBS and an adult Bible study for after lunch, however the Lord had different plans. It proceeded to pour down rain. The villagers do not like to leave their homes when it rains, therefore no one showed up for the afternoon meetings. Two VBS students (sisters) came and invited us into their home. During our visit, we discovered that the parents and sisters were not believers. After sharing with them the Evang-a-cube and personal testimony, all four prayed to receive Christ as their personal Lord and Savior. Praise God!!!

The Saint Antonio team followed up with the villagers we visited with yesterday. The influence of the Catholic church is very strong in this village. One woman, Maria, said that she could not put her faith in Jesus because the church would kick her off her property. She lived with 3 of her 6 children and 5 of her grandchildren, so this decision would effect not only her but her entire family's well-being. Many in the village profess to knowing Jesus, but they believe that it takes good works to get into heaven. This town has an incredible number of children, the majority of which have been coming to VBS. Today we held VBS in the school which is a great blessing since the Catholic church has such a strong hold on the village. Part of the reason this was possible is because the president has been away. We pray that we can continue to use the school for VBS once he returns.

The Saint Sebastian team had the opportunity to visit with Vanderlay and Tiani, who are new believers and have suffered much persecution for their faith. We were very encouraged by their story and will be praying for their influence in the village of Saint Sebastian. We went to visit a man named Junior, who we met yesterday, but he wasn't home. Instead, we had the opportunity to speak with his brother, sister and niece. All three came to know Christ!! Also, this village is receiving a water well. The digging of the well is progressing very smoothly and should be up and flowing tomorrow!

The medical team has been serving Saint Antonio the past two days. Dr. Pablo, a local missionary doctor, was able to share the Gospel with many children as they waited to see Dr. Tom. He walked the kids from Genesis through Christ's ressurection. 7 out of the 12 kids raised their hands to receive Christ. Dr. Pablo did a great job following up with each child to make sure they understood their decision. God is really using our doctors to serve and minister to these people.

God is visibly moving in the lives and hearts of many Amazonian people. Please continue to pray that walls and traditions will be broken as people profess Jesus Christ as their Savior. Also pray for the health and wellness of our team since a couple of us have been sick. We are truly learning that we have been blessed to be a blessing. It's a great lesson to learn!

Boa noite! (Good night)

Varre Vento Team:
The Symes Family (Jeff, Kim, Sydney, Zach and Avery)
Traci Townsend
Lauren Davis

Saint Antonio Team:
Aaron and Jen Lill
Amy Dearmon
Jenny Clemmons
Faith
Cathleen Moffit
Megan Elmore
Marshall Hunter

Saint Sebastian Team:
Josh Rolf
Kate Brewer
David Snedecor
Amber Lee
Corrienne Bottom
Leslie McAninch

The Medical Team:
The Johnson Family (Tom and Nancy)
Bo Patterson
Roy and Jessica Reis

Prestonwood November 2011 - Villages Day One

2011-11-20T16:49:00.001-08:00

We made it! Oi from the Amazon!

Today is Sunday and our first day in the villages. After several days of travel we are really excited to finally be with the people of the Amazon.

The week started off great and we all shared amazing stories tonight after dinner! Between all three villages we had a little over 100 kids in VBS. We also started the medical side of our trip in Saint Antonio, the largest of the three villages with two doctors and one dentist. The dentist pulled over 30 teeth - ouch! Dr. Tom and Dr. Pablo treated about 150 people in the village and are preparing for another very busy day tomorrow.

The rest of the team started door to door evangelism in the villages and had great success. Success for us is defined as finding a person of peace. These people allow us into their homes and are our best avenue in spreading the gospel.

We never realized how much we love peanut butter, body wash and hair gel. Please pray God brings us our much needed checked bags for VBS supplies, protection against the sun and bugs as well as a good old American PB&J. Not to mention that some people are beginning to stink...praise the Lord for the three people who packed body wash in their carry-on bags! "They're on their way" is all we know after TAM left all of our bags in Miami.

We end the day saying Muito Obrigado Senhor (Thank You Very Much Lord)!

Prestonwood - November 2011 Team

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=2+49.195+S,56+43.668+W+(Amor+e+Esperana)

Prestonwood & 1st Baptist Terrell

2011-08-11T06:18:00.000-07:00

DAY 5 (Monday, Aug. 08)

As I write this, it is Wednesday morning, approx. 99 degrees, with a slight breeze. We briefly had rain this past Friday night and last night for about an hour. We are in the dry season, so it will rain less frequently until later in the year. There are only two seasons on the Amazon, dry & wet. The river level fluctuates approximately 30 to 45 feet between these two seasons. Just 150 feet from shore, the river along our journey can be 75 feet deep and drop to around 200 feet in the middle. So it is easy to see how the river remains navigable in the dry season.

Just to recap our Sunday activities, we had a morning Worship Service at Igreja Presbiteriana de Barreirinha (pronounced ge Bahadinya), then after lunch went to the second Church in Nova Con Quista. This second Church is where the water well is being drilled. We received a report that water was reached on Tuesday and they are in the process of cleaning out the well. The residents are very excited about having clean, fresh water. Until now, their water supply has been from an abandoned business near the town and it is has limited availability. The first Church is about a 20 minute walk from the boat and the Church in Nova Con Quista is about a 40 minute walk from the boat. After the first walk though, one of the leaders on our team got smart and contracted with one of the locals to transport the team and supplies each morning, afternoon, and evening. The truck wasn't big enough though, so some still got their exercise. Our trip sponsor, Ron Kelley, has labeled this trip a "Cooper Fitness friendly" trip. We spent about 3 hours Sunday afternoon in Nova Con Quista dedicating the Church and conducting medical & dental, and VBS for the children.

DAY 6 (Tuesday, Aug. 09)

The key word for our team has been flexibility, as plans often need to change with each new day…or hour, in response to the needs of four villages we have scheduled to visit. We mentioned in our Day Three blog entry that enough money was raised for two Churches and a water well, but the actual number is 5 Churches and a water well.

Church 1 Igreja Presbiteriana de Barreirinha

Church 2 Igreja Presbiteriana de Nova Con Quista and water well

Church 3 Igreja Presbiteriana de Terra Preta

Church 4 Igreja Batista de Barreira To Agira' (pronounced ge Badayda Tu Ahjir-ah')

Church 5 Igreja Batista de Castanho (pronounced ge Castanyo)

We spent Tuesday in Terra Preta (a little further from Manaus{pronounced Manows'} than Barreirinha), where a third Church (Igreja Presbiteriana de Terra Preta) is being built. Both the second and third Church have walls and a roof, but need the walls finished with stucco, painted, and the electrical wiring installed. As with most mission trips, there is more to be done than is physically possible. Since much of the construction work on these five Churches is done, our team has been able to minister directly to the people. Four groups of three people visited homes in Terra Preta to witness and tell people about the new Church. Other ministry activities included medical and dental, Vacation Bible School, pharmacy, and fitting people with eye glasses. All of these are standard ministry activities on any Amazon Outreach mission trip. This past Saturday, all clothes and toys were divided and placed into 230 plastic bags, which were then given out in Terra Preta at the conclusion of a Church Service. In Barreirinha, about 50 people were fitted for new reading glasses and in Terra Preta, 42 people were fitted with new reading glasses. Our prayer is that this makes it easier for them to read God's word. Also, on this day, several team members took a small boat to the fourth Church to check on its progress, but our team was not able to conduct mission activities at this Church. Only the walls are up.

As of the end of Tuesday's ministry activities, approximately 100 people have made decisions for Christ through personal witnessing and Church Service invitations. Pastor Mario and his ministry team plan to follow up on all people making decisions in the coming weeks.

DAY 7 (Wednesday, Aug. 10)

We began our journey to the fifth Church site last night and expect to arrive in Castanho on Thursday night which gives our team time to catch up on the blog. With our first three Church sites, we traveled east from Manaus, to arrive in Terra Preta (about a 12 hour boat ride). Castanho is about 6 hours by boat west of Manaus. Before anchoring just east of Manaus we enjoyed a time of fellowship and devotion. We assessed our trip to this point and Pastor John reminded us all that this mission trips may begin far beyond the US boarders, but the purpose is to take these experiences with us and back to America and be a better witness day to day and not just trip to trip.

DAY 8 (Thursday, Aug. 11)

Travel from Manaus to Castanho

DAY 9 (Friday, Aug. 12)

Planned is a full day of ministry and conclude the day with a Church Service.

Travel through out the night and arrive in Manaus on Saturday morning.

DAY 10 & 11 (Saturday & Sunday, Aug. 13 & 14)

Leave Manaus at 3:10 pm, Saturday for Estados Unido; Arrive in Miami around 8:30 pm

Brief overnight stay in Miami

Leave Miami at 6:20 am, Sunday; Arrive Charlotte, NC around 8:25 am

Leave Charlotte around 9:30 am, Sunday; Arrive DFW around 11:06 am, Central Time

Prestonwood & 1st Baptist Terrell

2011-08-08T11:56:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the delay in blogging post. Believe it or not, it's not easy as we thought to get signals and send out information via the world wide web from a river in the middle of the Amazon. This may be our only post, but we are grateful to be able to send this out and let our friends and family know we are doing well, and creating waves here on the Amazon. Who knows, maybe we will be up and running from each village from here on out. Regardless of our future posting activities, be assured we are taking lots of pictures and collecting many stories to share when we return. In the meantime, here are a few stories to tide us over until our return…

DAY 1 and 2 :The journey to the Amazon began long before August 4^{th. This trip involves more than the 30+ people on this boat. We've spent months preparing. Friends and family have spent time, money, and above all, prayer to make this mission possible. It's hard to describe in detail the impact each of those contribution have made in this mission, but it's a living breathing gift here on the Amazon making changes far before we arrived, and with God's will, remaining years after we leave.}

Our group met at DFW August 4th, this is where our ministry would begin as we attempted to make our way through airport check in and convince the agents our shots were accurate, our luggage was acceptable, and our body parts all pass inspection. This is also where we made some of our first friends. TSA Agents. There are pictures involved. Perhaps we can sell some of the evidence to raise funds for our next Amazon trip.

After some of us (fill in the blank if you have a friend on this trip) tried asking the TSA Agents to a dinner and movie after close encounters, we took a flight to Miami, stayed overnight in MIA airport, and journeyed 5 hours to Manaus, Brazil.

Minus one bottle of hot sauce, everything and everyone arrived safely.

We set sail up the river, eating, trying out hammocks, meeting up with are a Brazilian translator…or on a few occasions babysitters (it all depends on who they tag along with on any given day), but most importantly-new friends. Around 7, we were treated to a friendly pirate invasion via our sister boat from Amazon Outreach. More translators hopped aboard.

The Village Church sponsored a trip that was returning, and the boats allowed us the opportunity to float side by side, hop over railings and greet new friends. It was a sweet reminder that each journey is a part of a bigger story here on the Amazon River as we seek to reach the villages up and down this amazing place and bring them the truth of the Gospel and the promises God's love can provide in our lives, regardless of where we are living those lives.

DAY 3

After a small storm and a swinging sleep we woke up early to the sunrise, and…more food. We passed small villages, small huts with people coming out to see what our boat was doing as we passed by, and many…many heads of cows. We spent the morning unpacking the clothes, shoes, hats, glasses, and goodies we brought with us and shuffling them into family size bags to give out later at the villages. We also launched balloons filled with information about our visit, and candy to some of the villages we passed that we are planning on heading back towards as our mission continues. The local children swam up to grab up these goodies, and we hope to see these faces in a few days.

The first village we arrived in is actually a large city by the Amazon's standards. Enough money was raised (Most of this a la Bill Blythe) to build two churches and a well in this village. We left the boat and made the first of many…many…many long and hot walks to the church. It's another reminder of how different life is for so many people on this earth, and we are reminded of just how grateful we are for a breeze, much more the luxuries of air conditioning that so many who came on this trip get to enjoy daily. Seeing the church, and meeting the people make this all worth it. It's important to stop and pause for a minute and just say, there is a lesson to be learned in giving and receiving that is so very visible in a place like the Amazon. We've taken many pictures of these churches, and they are true jewels in these villages. Amazon Outreach is run through donations, donations are raised by people brave enough to ask, bother, stalk….whatever the term is, but after seeing the impact, and the difference those dollars, clothing, and candy make, be warned, many of us will be banging on your door, asking for your support with future endeavors.

We spent the afternoon walking through the village and meeting the members in the community. Each group traveled with a member of the team who can speak Portuguese. Americans are a rare site, and half of the battle to launch conversations is conquered in citizenship alone.

It goes without saying it could not be done without so many willing to join this boat who can speak Portuguese. Their passion for the people of the Amazon is humbling, and learning is being accomplished through our visits, but also the friends we are making who are going on this journey with us.

We spent the evening at the first of three evening services the church held, this was the launch to open the church.

The church asked the Americans to come and sing a few songs, and we managed to stumble through a few songs. Translations were made on both sides as various groups got up to speak, preach, and preach some more. We discovered there is a universal beat we can keep without translation while singing, and regardless of the words being said, you can feel a pastor's passion for the word through his tone. This village is very alive. There was a special guest singer who attended the service who had written a song for Bill Blythe. He was able to gather support from many people back home to not only build the church, but provide musical instruments for worship. One of the church members called Bill Pastor Papa, many who know and love Bill call him Papa, he assured us he has been called many things in his life, but this is the first time he's been called "Pastor." As his friends, somehow Papa merged into PooPoo via translations and accents, and Pastor PooPoo was born. We promise to bring Bill back from the village, but his honorary title is reserved only for his trips below the equator, one can only imagine where this could take him if we let it continue much further. After much laughing, and singing, we came back to rest and do it all again on Sunday.

DAY 4

We spent the entire day serving two villages in the same docking site on Sunday. We attended the morning service at the same church from our first day, and provided Vacation Bible School activities for the students during worship. After a long walk and a quick lunch we visited another village whose church walls have risen, and the first water well is being drilled as we blog. While some members stayed to bless the church, many of us also went outside and conducted our second Vacation Bible School of the day. Our best count is around 300 children attended, listened to stories, created crafts, and then were fed hot dogs and juice. The children were very engaged and well behaved. Many of the mothers attended the event with their children, and a group provided hair cuts to these parents. A dentist and a doctor also travel with the Amazon mission trips, and free services were offered to this village to try to better their lives in some way. We went back to the first church for evening service, and the process began again on Day 5. In many ways the routines have been the same the first few days in this village, but each person has new stories, and new chapters to add to their testimonies. Some of us even have a few new trade skills-nail painting, face painting, hair cutting….

Tomorrow we will be heading on to the second of four stops we are planning on making on this trip. We are each looking forward to sharing our travels on an even more personal and individual basis. Please keep us, and most importantly those we visit, in your prayers as we are given the opportunity to meet, greet, and grow in Christ with each other and the villages of the Amazon.

Christmas trip

2010-12-07T03:33:00.001-08:00

Hello to our long lost and probably frustrated family members and friends from the Amor e Esperanca! Please forgive us, but we have been very busy with our AMAZING AMAZON Adventure. The Lord put all the right people together, and has continued to amaze us and show us His Loving Hand in all that we are doing and all that we have experienced! Supplies seem to multiply like the fishes and loaves! We arrived very late, and spent the next day regaining our strength, organizing and packing bags. Friday we visited three villages, Saturday two, and then went back for an evening service. Sunday, it was anchors up and six hours further up the Amazon in time for a Sunday evening service in town. This morning back to share the good news and deliver our gifts! Serving with such pro's is such an honor, we have newbees dubbed "princesses" who have exceeded their own expectations! And then there are the multi trip people! All of us have definitely been learning and growing in many ways. We have had laughs and tears! Mostly we are learning to give it over and completely TRUST IN HIM! This is the first trip that Amazon Outreach has actually gotten the churches in Brazil that they are partnered with to have some of their group on the boat! We have an amazing team of young Brazillians, who have enlightened this trip even more, as you can see such a raw, honest, and true love for the Lord in all that they say and Do! To go into the villages and be welcomed with smiles and hugs and worship with people that also show the same raw and honest love of the Lord, words just can't describe. There are definitely no language barriers when it comes to Jesus! This has got to be the best Christmas EVER,and goes back to the true meaning of what we are celebrating! Without the lights, trees, pretty wrapped packages and caroling! Which has been replaced with PRAISES TO HIS BLESSED AND HOLY NAME!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WE LOVE AND MISS YOU!

2nd Baptist Houston - Day 5 on the River

2010-11-10T14:21:00.000-08:00

We have spent the entire trip on the Solimoes Tributary of the Amazon. We are approximately 15 hours upstream from Manaus. The trip has been an exciting experience for the team. The river is at the lowest point it has been in over 50 years. The river being low makes for a difficult trek to the villages. It is definitely a workout to carry the supplies to the village. Today we are in Cuia, this village has approximately 100 families. The ministries were extremly busy today. VBS had over 80 kids, that was an exhausting experience. Angela has done an excellent job leading VBS, especially with her revolving team including Chad Baze, Christine, Philip, Shawn, Michelle, Chad Butler, and Katie. The eye glass ministry has been popular at each village. Brian, Gary, and Mari have been busy sifting through the different prescriptions. Medical has been popular as usual among the villagers; Rich, Christine, and Rebekah along with Dr. Pablo have made an excellent team diagnosing the Brazilians. Elbert, Kathy, and Dr. Louis have have been performing skillful tooth extraction or as Christine says "yanking" teeth out. The door-to-door ministry has been more of a blessing to us than the Brazilians. The Brazilians have such a sweet heart and always insist on providing a place to sit, even if it is their only chair. Jason, Philip, Chad Butler, Shawn, and Michelle have been fortunate to experience the blessing of door-to-door. Mari and Chad Butler have been performing the women's and men's ministries. Michelle has prepared the giveaways, and she has been working extremely hard to fill the bags with goodies for the ladies and teachers in the villages. It is truly exciting to see the expression on peoples faces as they receive these donations including; tooth brushes, flip flops, tolitries, hats, fishing line, clothes, toys, and much more that people donated.

Last night we had service on Vila Nova. About 30 villagers come to hear a powerful message delivered by Dr./Pastor Pablo. Mari and Rebekah led us in two beautiful worship songs. Tonight we are having a service in Cuia. We are excited to worship with this village. Thank you for all of your prayers. The team members can truly feel each of you lifting them up in prayer as the team continues to minister along the Amazon river. Everybody on the boat misses their families and friends, but this has been an exciting journey that has been life changing for each trip member.

2nd Baptist Houston - Day 2 on the Amazon

2010-11-09T09:51:00.000-08:00

Docked outside Vila Nova in the Amazons during lunch break, the crew on the boat showed some of the team members how to fish. Nothing terrribly fancy, just a simple hook, a small fish as bait on a long fishing line. They rely on their senses to feel the bite of the fish and pull at the appropriate time. No overly complex equipment that comes with a instructional manual that requires an overnight reading to understand, no going on at the "right" time, and definitely no rules. Cast, wait, and pull. Worked everytime.

How reflective is this of the Gospel? We tend to think that the Gospel needs to be given at the "right" time, "right" place, and "right" method. But the truth is, when Jesus said: "Follow Me, and I will lmake you fishers of men," (Matt 4:19), He never said: "I will make you fishers of men under ________ condition," or "I will make you fisher men only if you did ____________."

Here in the Amazon Bend, we didn't have nice facilities to work with. Doctors worked out of the little corner of the pavillion, the pharmacy was nothing more a long line of plastic bins filled with medication, and VBS was the dirt field at the center of the village. Yet we feel His strong presence here. From every breeze carrying the scent of the river to the giggles of the children, we felt Him. And it was good. (Gen 1:37).

As the villagers waited for the doctors, we shared the Gospel with them. As the women got their nails painted, we prayed for them. As the children watched magic tricks, we loved on them. Unconditionally, unlimited, and unhibited love. We wanted nothing from them, no materials, no goods, no favors, but only to rejoice in the LORD as we have all been so priviledge to do so.

This is what doing God's work meant. This is truly the Great Commission at work. The supplies we brought here is laughable in its adequacy, but thankfully, God came along with us. Actually, God was here already. He has already gone before us to deliver the land to us.

"Because everywhere I sent you, you shall go... For I am with you to deliver you, declared the LORD." (Jer 1:7-8)

Day 1 on the Amazon

2010-11-07T10:06:00.000-08:00

A simple dinner, a quick change of clothing, lots and lots of bug spray later, we were groupred from our boat home Linda Espranca unto a small get boat to carry us to shore. Complete darkness immediatley surrounds us. No sound but the crashing waves of the river hitting the shore bank.

Guided only by small flashlights, we bravely cross the thin metal bar bridge, stairs that definitely have seen better days, and fields of unknown construction. We cross this sleepy dark town, passing empty houses and dimly lit local hangouts. It is Saturday night here, and it does not seem to carry the same glamour United States has. Here, a few people gather at outdoor patios, with music softly playing in the background.

"Scorpion." Someone from our group said.

This caused another in the group to jump up and scream. It is the Amazon River afterall. The jumper fantically waved the flashlight at the ground while leaping from leg to leg to avoid the dreaded insect.

Nearly everyone in the group chuckled. It wasn't the insect, But rather the band Scorpion that was playing on the television at the local hangout.

A 10 minute quick walk later, we see the only brightly lit building from the darkness. There was a crowd outside, The pastor was of small stature but big spirit was standing by the door, greeting everyone in his congregation by name.

Our team was rushed into the brightly lit church. A few rows of plastic chairs followed by another few rows of wooden benches. Little to no decoration except a few colorful drapes at the center of the altar and hung at the ceiling. Small fans along the wall circle the air in this small place.

The pastor opened the service with Psalm 24:
"The earth is the Lord's, and all it contrains,
the world and those who dwell in it."

The congregation loudly replied to the pastor. We understood little to nothing. Stood when the congregation stood, and sat when they sat. Familiar tunes begin to play, some of us began to mutter the lyrics in English, doing our best to fit in.

But God had better plans than just letting us fit in.

The pastor grabbed the guitar and began singing a tune obviously familiar to his congregation, but not to our foreign ears. Unable to pretend we knew any further, we shut our lips, closed our eyes, and was suddently hit by God's presence.

In this small church of no air conditioning, no songbooks, no fancy artwork/equipments, God is present. His Spirit was filling this place wall to wall. Only with our eyes closed and hearts aligned, we understood that nothing mattered by God now.

We look at the faces of everyone here. This is what worshipping is. In a town so far away from it all, In this town of unpaved roads and limited supplies, these people worshipped the Lord. This small town possibly forgotten by most, has not been forgotten by God.

As our sister Rebehak shared tonight, she leaned on Jesus through Proverbs 3:5-6
"Trust the LORD with all your hearts,
and lean not on your own understanding,
In all your ways acknowledge Him,
and He will set your paths straight."

This small town has little understanding of the world. It leans not on science, reason, philosophy, nor anything else us from the U.S. are so easily distracted by. Instead, this simple life town trusts in the LORD. With glowing faces, they shouted their acknowledgements to the LORD proudly.

And God is here.
He is here indeed.

Day 3 of Clinic: Perpetuo Socorro

2010-11-03T18:03:00.000-07:00

From Tuesday, 2 November

Today we moved to a new community on the Amazon called Perpetuo Socorro. This little village is the home to approximately 65 families whose wooden, open-air houses are connected by trampled paths through the high rainforest grass and fruit trees. It was evident during our afternoon walk through the village that it is an area of rich natural agriculture. Growing wild on the plateau were bananas, mangoes, papayas, grapes, passion fruit, acai, cacao, and cashew (the acidic yellow-red fruit that accompanies the raw nut we know as "cashew"). The locals showed us a dozen recently-born piglets who frantically squealed when our mischevious young tour guide picked them up. Marco, one of the staff members of Amazon Outreach, also taught us the traditional process of harvesting and preparing manioc root, one of the customary foods of the villagers.

We set up clinic in a dilapidated, wooden open-air barn overlooking the Amazon. Approximately 104 patients congregated at the site to receive medical and dental care, some of whom had walked over 1.5 hours throiugh the humid, 100-degree heat to arrive. The primary health issues we encountered were worms and lower back pain, both of which stem from the villagers' dependence on unpurified river water. The lack of water purification made the spread of worms inevitable, and the steep trek up the rocky, mud bank carrying drinking water, fishing equipment, and laundry from the river to their homes was certainly a major cause of the presistent back pain. During the morning, Molly and a partnering physician from Bolivia treated a young boy who had been bitten by a piranha four days earlier on his hand. The wound site was severely swollen, and countless tiny teeth were still embedded in his finger.

The clinic became an event in the village, and many of the patients and their families stayed throughout the day to participate in community education classes on water sanitation, CPR and first aid, sexually transmitted diseases, and nutrition. Molly even sponsored a Baseball 101 workshop to introduce the All-American sport to Brazil. Although baseball didn't seem to inspire quite the same enthusiasm as soccer, all went well until Paige commented, "Sometimes in America, we like to heckle the batter.... Hey Batter, Batter!" The batter was understandably baffled, as you might imagine, but the game continued!

As we all hit the hammocks after nightfall, we made one rather disconcerting new discovery: dozens of bats circling the waters around our boat in search of insects for dinner (which, for the record, are not in low supply). Dr. Ray even woke to one hanging from the rafters of the boat. Perhaps that rabies vaccine wasn't such a bad idea after all...

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org.

Day 2 of Clinic: Back to Novo Remanso

2010-11-03T05:19:00.001-07:00

From Monday, 1 November

Today was our second day in Novo Remanso... and word of the clinic spread like wildfire within the community. Over 175 new patients came to the medical clinic, and the doctors diagnosed many conditions similar to the day before, including a large number of worms, urinary tract infections, and some fungal rashes. The most endearing patient landed in the caring hands of Dr. Ray: Daniel, a little boy of just seven years had undergone surgery three years prior to remove a lung tumor. The operation had left Daniel with scars stretching literally around his torso and a tracheotomy tube--but nonetheless, Daniel sported the most genuine grin of any little one who walked in the doors of the clinic.

The dental clinic was in tremendously high demand today. Dr. Mulvany and Mary saw 49 patients and completed 20 extractions, half of which were difficult surgical extractions. During the past two days, we have seen a great deal of tooth decay in patients as young as 4 or 5 years old. We discovered that the villagers have a problematic candy habit, and the constant consumption of inexpensive hard, sugary candies has inevitably impacted their dental health. For one patient, the problem had converted into a medical issue, and we couldn't help but smile at the diagnosis:

"Major complaint -

No appetite, only wants to eat candy, feels like she needs to throw up after she eats, but can't. x 1 mo. When she eats candy, it gets worse.

Diagnosis -

Tooth decay

Prescription/Treatment -

Need to see dentist"

And that is precisely why Dr. Mulvany's services were in such high demand!

A report of the day's events would be incomplete without mention of Wendal. Early in the day, a charming, loquacious little 7-year old came into clinic and, for both our fun and his, Wendal faithfully stayed with the traige nurses all day long to help treat and care for patients. With little Wendal, there was never a dull moment. During lunch, he exclaimed, " You are all so white you look like angels!" -- which was our first indicator that even the constant Amazon sun hasn't given us a tan that can rival the beautifully, dark mocha skin of the Amazonian villagers we've met. Perhaps best of all was Wendal's attempt to woo and charm our very own Bryn Mayfield. At the end of the day, he gave her a blue plastic bracelet and ... a metal ring. So, for any of Bryn's relatives reading, please be aware that she has been promised to a Brazilian fiance right here in the Amazon.

Tomorrow we are moving east on the Amazon to set up clinic in three small villages in the region Costa da Conceicao. We will keep you posted!

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org.

Day 1 of Clinic: Novo Remanso

2010-11-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

From Sunday, October 31

The sun rose this morning at 5:30am, and the bright light pouring into our hammocks woke us up literally at the crack of dawn. Today was our first day of clinic, and after we boated to shore and walked through the dustry roads into town, we landed ourselves in Novo Remanso--the home of 6000 Brazilians. The town received us with enthusiasm and warm smiles, and when we began setting up in their local clinic, a few little curious children were peering in through the doorway.

During our 8-hour day in Novo Remanso, there was a constant stream of families and patients. The team doctors examined over 150 patients whose chief complaints ranged from work-related arthritis to yeast infections to a soon-to-be mother in labor. The most common diagnoses included worms, urinary tract infections, and upper respiratory infections. One family was treated for scabies, and Alex, our resident burn ICU nurse, even treated secondary burns on a young boy's shins from a motorcycle accident. The dental clinic was swamped all day, as well, and treated over 30 patients. Dr. Mulvany and his team extracted 17 teeth, 2 of which were surgical cases.

Since Novo Remanso is the largest community we'll be visiting this week, we will be returning to the town tomorrow. After the sun set, we all gathered on the upper deck of the boat to organize the medication and count pills in anticipation of another flood of patients tomorrow. With Bob Marley playing in the background and bugs dive-bombing us in the dim lighting, there couldn't be a better way to end our first day of clinic in the Amazon.

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org.

International Medical Relief has arrived!

2010-11-01T18:13:00.001-07:00

From Saturday, October 30

After a full day of traveling, we are thrilled to say that the IMR team to the Amazon has arrived in Manaus, Brazil! We spent our first day adjusting to "river life" on our boat, the "Linda Esperanca" ("Beautiful Hope" in Portuguese): from the thickness of the hot, humid air to the colorful hammocks strung from the rafters, every detail of our surroundings is a reminder of the amazing week we have ahead.

After getting settled on the boat at 3am last night, this morning was a much-needed opportunity to rest and relax. Despite airline delays, we were so glad that Andrea finally arrived in Manaus, and soon after her arrival, we began our journey east on the Rio Negro. About 1.5 hours downstream, we crossed the " meeting of the rivers": an amazing place where two waterways--the dark, muddy waters of the Rio Negro and the lighter Amazon--converge. For hundreds of yards, the waters remain separate like water and oil... a phenomenon so unique that it is only found one other place in the world. Today was also our first opportunity to drink in the deep oranges and rusty reds of the Amazon sunset. All in all, it's been an amazing introduction to life on the river.

The major success of the day, though, has been getting to know the rest of the team--dare I say it, team bonding! Conversation and laughter are never lacking, and even though we have spent just under a day together, it already feels like we've developed a real sense of comraderie and friendship. Jed, the Executive Director of Amazon Outreach, promised that we'll be like family by the end of the trip--and I suppose that given our overlapping hammocks and the cozy quarters of the boat, it's only to be expected.

For more information on International Medical Relief, visit www.internationalmedicalrelief.org

BAPTISM on the Amazon, July 2, 2010

2010-07-02T05:17:00.000-07:00

What a glorious morning on the Amazon! Shortly after sunrise at exactly 6:15 A.M. the Linda Esperanca came to a gradual stop. On a secluded beach surrounded by red rocky cliffs our youngest member of the mission team was baptised in the Amazon River. Nine-year-old Megan Nicole Hudson was immersed in the water in Christian baptism by her father, Dr. Kevin Hudson. Megan gave her heart to Jesus when she was six years old, but she chose this special time and place to show the world the picture of her decision to follow her Savior. Megan has been one of the hardest workers on this trip. She did not come to play. She came to serve. She has the sweetest spirit and the most willing heart. Cecil Jackson prayed for Megan following the baptism. Members of the mission team clapped and cheered as they looked on. We all look forward to watching Megan grow and to see how God will use her for His glory.

We will spend the rest of this day moving toward Manaus. We will have a blast shooting balloons filled with candy (bonbons), little toys, and Portuguese Scriptures to the people who live along the river. We use a giant sling shot to send them great distances.

The CWBC Amazon Mission Trip is coming to a close. God bless you all for caring enough to read our blog! Ciao!

Monday Continued and Tuesday - Thursday, June 29 - July 1, 2010

2010-07-01T16:47:00.000-07:00

...CONTINUED FROM MONDAY NIGHT, June 28, 2010

What is a mission trip without a little suspense and a little adventure? Late Monday afternoon the Linda Esperanca got STUCK on a sandbar! The crew used the small motor boats to transport all the passengers to a large pier where we sat for about an hour watching the skilled sailors try and try again until finally they were successful. One of our young ladies was in the shower while all of this was happening, so she was a little surprised to find that she was the only one on the boat. After dinner we went alligator hunting. There is nothing more thrilling than launching out into the wide Amazon in the night in a small boat with only the stars and the moon to guide us. Each boat that went out came back with a gator. One group brought back a giant jacare and the other boat caught a beauty that was a bit smaller. The post hunt festivities went on into the night with laughter and photo sessions until we finally released the gators back into the river.

TUESDAY IN SAO BENEDITO, June 29, 2010,

The unique village of Sao Benedito brought many surprises. The entry to the eighty-family village has been nicknamed "The Thigh Master" and "The Stairway to Heaven". We had to walk across a long, rustic plank bridge and then straight up the steepest set of stairs yet. There were 65 double-side stairs that shot straight up to the sky. Our calves and thighs certainly got a workout! Many of us discovered our divine appointments in this village. We had the great privilege of seeing sorrow turn to joy right before our very eyes. Listening and obeying the voice of God was a great lesson learned. After five encounters with one extremely sad woman, we realized that we were in the midst of some serious spiritual warfare. The day ended with this precious woman accepting Christ as her Lord and Savior. The clinics, VBS, and the men's and women's ministries were very busy and fruitful all day long. The father of one of our translators previously established a sports ministry in Sao Benedito. It reaches out to 85 kids ranging from ages 7 - 20. Our team enjoyed playing soccer with these young people. 120 photographs were taken of the families in the village and presented to them in homemade fun-foam frames that were made before the trip. We fell in love with these warm and loving people. Many found this village very difficult to leave.

WEDNESDAY IN AMANDIO, June 30, 2010

The village of Amandio was extremely picturesque . Fifty-seven families work hard to keep their colorful village clean and tidy. There were houses painted in shades of pink, blue, purple, and green. Exotic flowers were in bloom everywhere. Pet parrots and monkeys entertained us as we walked the paths visiting with the people. There were 112 precious children in VBS. They showed their respect by removing their shoes before entering the small wooden church building. 43 women had a meaningful afternoon in the Women's Ministry. They studied the Bible, heard testimonies, and made name bracelets. It was heartwarming to watch the single-file trail of proud women toting pink bags on their way to their homes. Each woman received a pink bag full of useful things such cup towels, hot pads, and sewing kits. The Men's Ministry was especially powerful in Amandio. A large group of men gathered to talk about Challenges Facing Our Families. It was good to find these men willing to talk about their concerns. They received much needed pocket knives, fishing line, fish hooks, and ball caps. The Evangelism Team spent the day meeting new friends and talking to them about their lives. They were shown alligator meat hanging on outdoor poles to dry. They heard one very sad tale about a little boy who had been carried away by an alligator while his mother washed clothes in the river. The alligator was so fast that there was no chance of saving the child. At one house a little boy was in a lot of trouble because he had accidentally spilled his chocolate milk into the only generator shared with several families. The child was distraught, but the story ended well due to the patience of the adults. Everyone on the mission team agreed that this was the hottest day so far. The people of Amandio were receptive at the outdoor worship service. We all returned to the boat very tired but with full hearts.

THURSDAY IN PARI, July 1 2010

Thursday began well before dawn for some of our more adventurous people! The word was out that the village of Pari is home to the ancient and very rare Strangler Fig (Apuiceiro) tree. We dressed in the dark, gathered rain gear, and set out in the misting rain in search of this natural phenomenon. After several disappointments, one was spotted. It was impressive to touch and photograph this tree that we had only read about in books about the Amazon Rainforest. We spent the morning in the calm and peaceful village of Pari. Two toucans delighted us as they flew overhead! Cows ambled throughout the village. At one point it looked like they were going to try to get on the boat to come home with us. The people were gracious. The children were very well behaved and appreciative. In VBS the children were adorable as they donned elaborate costumes and put on the play of the Birth of Christ. They made their own jeweled crowns and wore them the rest of the day. Even the adults were wearing these bright and glitzy crowns around the village. One woman in the village was trying to matchmake her grandson with one of our beautiful American princesses. It seems that we connected wholeheartedly with these charming friends. We had our usual ministries, and many say this was their very favorite village of the entire trip. Back on the boat, Cecil washed the feet of all the people on the mission. This is a very humbling and touching experience.

HOMEWARD BOUND

As this blog is being written, we are having a relaxing cruise down the Amazon heading toward Manaus. A school of pink river dolphins are very near the boat at this moment. The sun is setting, and it will be our last time to see this splendid sight until next summer. It will be a very long trip (twenty-four hours from the time we began). All the supplies have been sorted, and the things we did not use were given to the full-time missionaries who live and minister to the people along the river. We are having a dinner party tonight honoring the very fine crew and translators on the boat. The music is setting the mood and our teenagers are decorating the tables with palm trees and flamingo blow-ups. Without our Brazilian partners we could not do what we set out to do. Our plans are to stop early Friday afternoon at "Stuckeys on the Amazon", the floating outdoor market where we will purchase some souvenirs. We have some rooms reserved at the Tropical Hotel in Manaus where we will take hot showers and change from our river rat clothes into traveling clothes. We will not spend the night this year due to our flight times. We have heard that Erika, Vanderley, and little Emmanuelle (missionaries from previous trips) are already in Manaus and will meet us for a short visit. Everyone is anticipating a dinner at Galucho's, the original Brazilian steakhouse where they serve meat on swords. We will go straight to the airport for the long flight home. It will be sad to leave, but we leave with a great sense of accomplishment, renewed faith, and a deeper relationship with our Lord.

Monday Continued and Tuesday - Thursday, June 29 - July 1, 2010

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...CONTINUED FROM MONDAY NIGHT, June 28, 2010

TUESDAY IN SAO BENEDITO, June 29, 2010,

WEDNESDAY IN AMANDIO, June 30, 2010

THURSDAY IN PARI, July 1 2010

HOMEWARD BOUND

Monday in Vila Candida June 28, 2010

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Oi! Today was such a productive day for everyone as we visited the gorgeous village of Vila Candida. Due to the fact that it was the very first time that this village has been visited by one of the boats, we completely changed our schedule for the day. Early in the morning we gathered together with the whole village and had a time of introductions of the American team, a powerful personal testimony, and preaching by Dr. Pablo. He spoke on Revelation 3:20 and spoke of Jesus being our gift from God and how we need to accept it. The people graciously accepted us and our message. The history of this village is quite interesting. It is predominantly Catholic and has not been open to outsiders for fear that a new religion would be introduced into the village. When the AO boats would come to this area of the Amazon, the Vila Candida people would go the nearby villages to receive services. This time the Linda Esperanca was invited by the village president to come. The blonde haired, blue eyed Catholic priest from England also gave his approval for an AO visit after meeting some of the Brazilian team at an earlier date. The village saw that it was simply the love of God that we are offering.

Entry into the village was unique to say the least. We had to walk across a primitive wooden bridge that stretched around a quarter of a mile over the water. From there it was an uphill climb that left some of us breathless. This village is a microcosm of exquisite flora and fauna. The pink dolphins and water buffalo have entertained us. We feel like we have been in paradise all day long.

In the morning the lines for each ministry were extremely long. The doctors saw 120, the dentist pulled about 7 teeth, 80 pairs of eyeglasses were given out, VBS had 120 children, and Ladies Ministry was well received. Because of the big World Cup game between Brazil and Chile, the afternoon was flexible. Part of the team watched Brazil win 3-0 with villagers who had televisions. The rest of the team took the most awesome rainforest hike led by one of our Brazilian interpreters. He is a high school English teacher in Manaus who has written a book entitled Growing Up on the Amazon. He told us about many of the trees, plants, fruits, birds, and animals in this area. Some local children accompanied us. At one point we thought we heard the sound of monkeys in the trees. We were so excited, but we discovered that it was the little boys who had crafted whistles from a plant stem that sounded just like monkeys. Many natural artifacts were collected and brought back to the boat to examine.

Stay tuned for the next blog. Tonight is the night of the alligator hunt!

Monday in Vila Candida June 28, 2010

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Stay tuned for the next blog. Tonight is the night of the alligator hunt!

Sunday in Cameta June 27, 2010

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Huge yellow full moon over the Amazon - millions of stars in the night sky, the Southern Cross - all these things make us ever so aware of how great is our God. The night air is cool in comparison to the scorching heat from the day. We have had two magnificent days and nights here on the Amazon. Our hearts are so full. There is no peace like the peace that comes as we serve! This year's trip is quite different from the trips we have taken over the past eight years. The villages we are visiting are very large. Barreirinha is actually a small city.

On Saturday we visited Terra Preta Village and served approximately 313 families. Terra Preta was at one time a very violent village, but now it is full of gracious, loving people. Many of the ministries such as eyeglasses served 85 people. There were 80 in the medical clinic. The Women's Ministry brought truth to the women in some highly creative ways. The 45 Brazilian ladies were very responsive to the message about gifts that are ours from God. The VBS had around 200 children! The VBS featured our youth who presented The Fruits of the Spirit in a lively skit that involved the children.

Sunday we moved on the village Cameta'. We took a deep breath as we saw the steep stone steps leading to the hilltop village. We found that there were 66 steps, but we were going up and down them with ease by the end of the day. We were thankful that no one fell. We certainly appreciate the awesome Brazilian interpreters who carried our big boxes of supplies on their heads. This village has 5000 people! The lines were long for the morning and afternoon ministries. The fine doctors worked with 99 patients. Our darling Brazilian dentist, Danielle, has wowed us all with her calm and gentle ways, not to mention her youth. VBS has done an amazing job considering the large numbers of children. Today they had 157! The morning lesson was on The Good Samaritan, and the afternoon lesson was on The Lost Sheep. The evangelism team has gone into private homes of the people and spent hours visiting with the people and hearing their stories. It has been very productive. The Women's Ministry passed out a total of 32 gift bags that were greatly appreciated.

We all have countless stories to tell about how this trip has already impacted our lives! The testimonies that have been shared on the boat, the testimonies given in the evening worship services, and the mircles we have heard about and have seen with our own eyes are changing us from the inside out. It is so wonderful to be a part of a team that is working together with a single-minded purpose. Stay tuned for the next blog. Monday will be unique, because it will be the very first time that the Amazon Outreach boat is going to be allowed into this village. SR Blogger