Relocation in Preparation for Olympic Games

Saturday we ventured into a community none of us had ever been in before, alongside our Brazilian partners. We've been in prayer with our partners as they seek to start a Life Group and possibly a 3rd church plant there. We entered this community not knowing how we would be received or what we would find there.

This community will be relocated because of the upcoming Olympic Games in 2016. It is located across a lake from the upcoming Olympic Village. These 3,000 or so residents will lose their simple homes, gardens, trees and be moved to very small apartments. Many will lose their simple businesses such as corner grocery stores or small shops. As they are moved from the location where many of them have grown up, they will also lose their church buildings and everything that is familiar to them.

CLICK HERE to see a short video clip.

We went in to pray, to see how many residents live there, and to find an open door to begin this Life Group. We sought a man or woman of peace who could be instrumental in the formation of a Life Group. It is our partner's desire to walk alongside this community through this difficult transition and afterwards with the church's presence.

A door was opened through a Brazilian woman who seemed open to have some support through this transition and she invited us into her home to pray with her and her granddaughter.

We were able to share Christ with several people and felt there are great possibilities to begin this Life Group in this location.

Upon leaving, we met a man named Adam who is the leader of a "religion" in that community as well. When he discovered that three of us in our group were North Americans he delighted in showing us his "folk lore" and the ugly things he uses in his work of deception and lies.

We continue to pray for Adam and ask you to pray with us for him. Pray that the Holy Spirit softens his heart to receive Christ and he doesn't believe the lies that the enemy is using to hold him captive any longer!

Pray for God's kingdom to be advanced in this community and for fruit that remains!

Appreciating you all today and coveting your prayers!

With God's love,


Jeff and Diane

...there are some foods in Brazil I refuse to eat---just sayin'!

When we receive short-term teams and visitors here in Rio, people always want to try a Brazilian steakhouse! These steakhouses are called, "Churrascarias", (pronounced Shoo-hoss-kahr-ee-ahhs). And why not try them here? The price is a 4th of what you pay in the States and the food is fabulous! Well...most of it!

While they serve many delicious cuts of meat and all different kinds of delicious Brazilian food....there is one thing that I personally detest and refuse to eat! To see what it is, take a look HERE. In my honest opinion...it's just wrong!

During these past days we experienced Carnival for the first time in this, the beginning of our 7th year here in Rio and invited people to "taste and see that the Lord is good!"

Although Carnival (Carnaval in Portuguese) is celebrated in towns and villages throughout Brazil and other Catholic countries, Rio de Janeiro has long been regarded as the Carnival Capital of the World. The Rio Carnaval is not only the biggest Carnival, it has also a benchmark against which every other carnival is compared and one of the most interesting artistic events on the Globe. Almost everyone has heard of the Rio Carnaval. Foreign visitors to it alone number around 500,000 every year!

Amidst all the noise and commotion, we simply went out to invite people to follow Jesus. To let them know that He loves them. We gave them a warm invitation to "try this; we know you'll like it."

When we take that first step of obedience in following God, we can't help but discover that He is good and kind. When we first begin following Christ, we know so little of God and our knowledge of Him is partial and incomplete. But, as we trust him daily, we experience how good he is!

Upon feeling the warmth of a hug, or the look of concern inside one's eyes....many hug recipients reacted with tears and it reminded us once again that God is love...God created man for loving relationships! And everyone wants to be genuinely loved!

Who are you showing love to today? A simple hug, a warm smile or a minute to chat just to say you care about them?

Jeff and I....we're on a mission to hug more! And maybe some day....I'll try grilled squid :)

Hugs,

Diane and Jeff

Psalm 34:8 Provem, e vejam como o Senhor é bom. Como é feliz o homem que nele se refugia!

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature' " (Mark 16:15).

Photo taken by Atuação Voluntaria on 2011 Mission Trip

One of our Brazilian partners, Atuação Voluntaria, is preparing a team of Christian educators for a mission trip to Angola this July. The Republic of Angola is a country located in Southern Africa and the language spoken there is Portuguese. This is the second trip they will make in this 5-year partnership.

The focus of the trip is to train-up Angolan teachers to teach the children of Angola. It is a creative way to bring the true gospel message of Jesus Christ. Also, it is an awesome way to help where there exists great need. 60% of Angolans are children. 1 out of every 4 children die before the age of 5 and 50% of children do not attend school!

Jeff and I have seen the impact that Atuação Voluntaria is making here in Brazil. We have worked closely with them for the past 3 years in several locations, including Cesar Maia where we taught conversational English for the good part of a year.

God has placed it on our hearts to travel with them and use the gifting that He has given us to evangelize, encourage, walk alongside, teach English, and use every opportunity to share the life-transformational message of Jesus Christ!

Please join us in prayer for the growth of His Kingdom in Angola. Pray, also for this Brazilian-led team as we seek to take the gospel to those in need in Angola!

Reaching the lost together with you,

Diane and Jeff

Short-Term Mission Trip? YES or NO?!!!

Don and Birdie Harms Minister in Rio de Janeiro - 2011

Have you ever felt that tug at your heart when hearing about an up-coming short-term mission trip? Or maybe, for you, it was that little voice inside your head that said, "what's THAT all about"? Or maybe it's that trip you "coincidentally" keep hearing about that, if you really were being honest with yourself....intrigues you?

Over and over again in God's Word, we see normal, ordinary people...sometimes lacking in certain areas, but nonetheless, being sent by God to bring the good news of his son, Jesus Christ! Our God is a "sending God". And everyone is called!

The above picture is of our dear brother- and sister-in-Christ, Don and Birdie, saved from out of a cult, who came to serve with us last August here in Rio.

CLICK HERE to read their amazing testimony, written by Birdie, of how this short-term trip has changed their lives! You won't be disappointed as you read how God called them to Rio and how He is calling them now...possibly into full-time missions!

Serving an Extraordinary God in ordinary ways,

Diane and Jeff

Gently and Boldly Proclaiming Christ at Carnival!

Using an Evange Cube
CLICK HERE to see the Church Jumping for Jesus!!!

Yesterday we spent 5 hours in worship, prayer and preparation to hit the streets in downtown Rio during Carnival with the church from Caju. A group of 120 of us then took buses downtown to use every opportunity to share the love of Christ.

CLICK HERE to see a short video clip showing some of the chaos of Carnival.

I'm amazed that people spend money just to come to Brazil during Carnival! Brazil has so much natural beauty that God has created and wonderful places to see. Carnival is not one of these. It was extremely noisy, crowded and the smells were horrific! The thought came to my mind that this would be what hell is like.

Many times as we shared with individuals of the hope that they could have as followers of Jesus Christ, they were moved to tears. It was beautiful to see the presence of the Church in the midst of the darkness! Caju Church shone for Christ!

Battling together,

Diane

Into the Darkness....Shining His Light!

As I write this, I can hear strange screaming and laughing coming from the other side of the wall that surrounds our home here in Rio. And so....the noise and confusion begins and will continue for the better part of a week here in Rio. Today began Carnival, a world famous festival held before Lent every year and considered the biggest Carnival in the world with two million people per day on the streets. The first festivals of Rio date back to 1723.

This is the first time in our 6+ years here that we will actually go downtown to Carnival. The majority of churches here in Rio leave the city at this time of year for retreats to escape the partying, drinking, sex in the streets and all the chaos that Carnival brings with it. We have decided, this year, to walk alongside one of our Brazilian churches and take the message of the gospel of Jesus Christ to the streets.

Our Rio City Team spent time yesterday and today discussing, preparing and praying about the next few upcoming days. Our Brazilian brothers- and sisters-in-Christ who have experienced Carnival in the city each year are excited and have butterflies in their stomachs! They have seen the enemy manifested in ugly ways in the past, but, better yet, have seen the enemy flee from the power of our mighty God!

Please pray for our safety. Pray for boldness. Pray we are not afraid. Most importantly, pray for clear gospel presentations and for souls won for Christ!

Juggling Together for the Kingdom of Christ!

Recently, while driving in the city we came upon this young man in the videos below. There are days that I wish I could juggle like this! Oh how I'd love to be able to keep so many balls in the air at one time!

Click on the links below to see some amazing juggling!

Rio Juggler (Part 1)
Rio Juggler (Part 2)

I must admit....at times I get a bit overwhelmed living here in Brazil! Living in a second language and culture in a congested city of 14 million people while endeavoring to make an impact for the Kingdom of God, can be exhausting! Extremely satisfying----but exhausting!

At times I measure my worth by the amount of things I can get done in a day or I focus on knowing more and more---about culture, about the city, about missions, about Portuguese and the million verb conjugations!

We all have times that we get so busy and we start trusting in ourselves instead of Him, don't we?


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God recently brought me to the verses in 1 Corinthians 2:1-5

¹ And so it was with me, brothers and sisters. When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. ² For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. ³ I came to you in weakness with great fear and trembling. ⁴ My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, ⁵ so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.

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How wonderful it was to be reminded (once again) that I cannot rest in my wisdom, but in God's power alone!

Juggling together,

Diane