On Mission with JEFC

Last week Jeff and I received a team of 5 from Des Moines, Iowa and were blessed to serve with them!

 Taco Dinner at the Mission House

 These five wonderful missionaries never once complained as we traveled throughout this chaotic city of 14 million inhabitants.  

From one end of the city to the other, by car, taxi, bus and subway, we only heard positive comments from them about the work that God had laid out ahead of time for us!  And God kept doing the unexpected!  Let me share the many ways.....

Monday morning when our friend Guilherme, a van driver, picked us up, he shared that his wife had passed away unexpectedly less than 3 weeks ago!  We were shocked and saddened to learn about this and we were able to offer comfort to this dear friend and pray for him and his 17-year-old son and 19-year-old daughter.

Diane, Jeff and Guilherme in June of 2014

Monday we facilitated a children's group in Campinho with 24 children between the ages of 8 and 12.  Nick shared his testimony and the director unexpectedly jumped in and followed up with a passionate heart-felt cry for these children to follow Christ and stay strong in Him!  Jeff and I have never seen her so passionate!

JEFC with Campinho Leaders, Sonia, Jeff and Diane

Monday evening we stopped at a local pizzaria and two small children approached our table and tried to communicate with us.  We ended up meeting their parents and grandparents and discovered that the children's school is on the same street as our local evangelical free church.  They are excited to come and visit, as they are searching for a church home!
 

 Meeting a local family at a pizzaria, gifting their children with bibles and evangecubes

Tuesday we shared in two different groups of children in Mare and visited the home of a small group leader. Again Nick shared his testimony and this different Director jumped in and shared her testimony passionately sharing with the children that we all have a story and we all need to share ours!

Small Group Leaders from Mare

Wednesday on our way to see the Christ statue, we stopped for a photo moment, hopped out of the van and quickly met a fellow Christ follower, Maria, selling water and snacks at the side of the road.  Maria shared that she regularly evangelizes and shares Christ with people on their way to see the statue.  We left her an evangecube, a bible to bless someone with and we prayed for her! 

 

Wednesday evening we stopped for a bite to eat and invited Guilherme (our van driver) to join us.  He never before has accepted an offer with a team to have dinner with us.  He spent time sharing with us the details of his wife's last days and processing through all of it.  Again we were able to comfort, encourage and pray for him!

Thursday we went to Complexo do Alemao, as our Rio City Team is in the beginning process of getting to know a missions network there.  Our team was unexpectedly asked to perform a skit for the drama class.  Within 5 minutes, they had put together an awesome evangelistic skit that the kids loved!  As well, the team gave each child a  letter and photo from Jay's Sunday school class.  They were thrilled to receive these!

 Complexo do Alemao children receiving cards and photos from American children

 Thursday evening, we wanted to go out on the streets and meet the group of transvestite prostitutes that we have been cultivating friendships with.  However, it started to rain.  After we prayed, God stopped the rain so we could continue the evening!

 Meeting new friends on the street near our home

Friday the team traveled 2-1/2 hours to Vila Mimosa where the Rio City Team and TREK7 interns had served during the World Cup alongside many Brazilian churches.  The team and Nelci (a sister-in-Christ that used to work there that now follows Christ and attends the Caju church) met four women and had wonderful conversations.  Two of the women want help leaving the world of prostitution!

Nelci, Diane and Jenna at the Prayer and Worship Room in Vila Mimosa

 Saturday we set out on foot to encourage a few unbelievers in the Terrerao, only a few blocks from our house.  Although it was a busy Saturday in the community, Diane was able to reconnect with four women in the neighborhood that she hadn't seen since she left for ReachGlobal's missionary conference 4 weeks ago in Costa Rica!

 God used this team in so many ways to encourage believers and share the gospel with non-believers!  We look forward to hearing heaven-side the ways that God used them that we don't yet know!

Feeling encouraged and blessed by this team,

Diane and Jeff