Alisson and Desideria

You Can’t Go It Alone!

Hebrew 3:13

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today…

Before I arrived in Rio over 6+ years ago God knew that I would need a lot of encouragement, and so many of you have provided that to me!  Thank you!

I want to share about a man that God brought forth to bring me encouragement as I continue the work that God has for me here in Rio.  His name is Alisson.  He is a Brazilian young man in his mid-thirties who is one of the leaders for Surfers for Christ.  He is married to Desideria, a beautiful young and godly woman.  Diane and I are very close to this couple.  When we get together we can talk all night and pray all night too.  It’s pretty amazing the closeness we have because of our unity in Jesus Christ!

The week we arrived in Rio we attended the local E-Free church and we had a chance to share for a few minutes what we felt that God had in store for us here.  After the service my dear partner, Craig, told me that somebody wanted to meet me.  It was Alisson.  We looked at each other and the Holy Spirit said to me, “ This is going to be a dear friend for you to help you through the good and bad times ahead.”

Alisson has walked with me through both good and bad times.  When Diane, Hannah and I had a serious car accident here in Rio in 2006, Alisson played a big part in finding ambulances, hospitals and even caring for me by sleeping in my hospital room overnight.  We have ministered together, celebrated the pending arrival of our granddaughter, Marissa, and so much more!

God knew what I needed and so he provided Alisson.  Thank you, Lord, for Alisson!!

Click on the link below to see a video we took last week when we were visiting a favela and Alisson had the chance to join our Rio City Team.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_6rPfLdAN-0&feature=plcp

The Warrior Church. . .

Some of you may remember our stories from last February and our experiences during 4 days and nights of Carnival here in Rio and how we went out into the streets of Rio with the Caju Life Church and the many ways we saw the Lord work through that.  You can look in our blog archives from February to read those.

Each of those four days and nights we walked many kilometers.  On one of those nights we went into a neighborhood near Caju called Arara.  What is interesting about this is that the Caju church is located in an area of the city that is controlled by a drug gang and Arara is controlled by another drug gang.  These are 2 rival gangs and there is extreme hatred and violence between them.  For us to enter into Arara was no small feat.

Yesterday I had a chance to go back to Arara with my partner Craig. He recently had a very intense, but amazing experience there.  Our EFCA web site will be coming out with a story on this experience and we will connect you to that when it happens.  So Craig and I both had some history in this area.

We parked our car outside of Arara and were joined by 2 young leaders (men in their early 20’s).  We entered Arara on foot, walking through the narrow streets, full of hurting people (drug addicts, etc.) and of course all the gang members and their weapons of destruction.  On top of it all, it was over 100 degrees and the smells are terrible.  What a dangerous and violent part of the city to be heading back into!

Two men (Eliel and Diego) started a small bible study group of young men that started there a month ago and felt compelled to visit with us.  Last year when we came through this area during Carnival God spoke to Eliel and told him, “I want you to start a small group here”.   This was a challenge for these 2 young men.  The risk that they took of being recognized as somebody from Caju and what the gang would do to them was high.  It was incredible to attend and watch the 6 young men of this group praising God together, applying the Word of God to their lives, and loving each other.

As Craig and I left Arara yesterday I was amazed at the fact that Pastor Fabio (Caju’s Pastor) could take nearly his entire Church, approximately 500 people, into this dangerous area during Carnival and then also send two of his finest young men there to lead a Life Group.  His faith is SO STRONG!

Caju Life Church is a “Warriors for Jesus Church”.  They empower, develop and then release their people as warriors for Jesus.  They started with 4 people about 6 years ago and have grown to 500!  They have planted another church that has grown to 100, and they have about 20 Life Groups across the city that they pray will lead to new church plants. 

GOD CONTINUES TO DO AMAZING THINGS IN RIO DE JANEIRO!

It's All About Relationships!

My time is quickly dwindling down here in Minnesota and I have been so blessed to have this precious time with our first grandchild---and I a praise God for it!  He worked things out so that I could be here at such a time as this and I love how He has orchestrated all the details!  Marissa and I have spent many precious hours together and I look forward to her life!

 

As I spent time in prayer last evening, I asked the Lord for at least one form of encouragement for me to return to Rio.  It will be hard to leave.  As only He can do, He answered this prayer by sending me not 1, but 2, forms of encouragement for me to return! Click on each video below to see how He encouraged me!
 

 

 I am so blessed to have both a family of God and a biological family that are so special to me and God is teaching me how to live in two worlds!  This Sunday I will have the opportunity to meet a new niece and a new nephew here in Minnesota---and one more niece on the way!!!

I am anxious to return to the work He has for me in Rio, also.  I look forward to the opportunities that lay before me to encourage the saints and share the gospel of the One with whom we can thank for creating family!

Blessings,

Diane

Walking Where Jesus Would Walk....

Today my colleague Craig and I had another chance to visit a very difficult area of Rio de Janeiro and to witness God at work in the lives of little children. 

The area of the city we visited is called “Mare” (ma ray) and it’s one of the areas of the city that is still controlled by the trafficantes (drug lords).  This is amazing to me in light of the fact that this area of the city is only a couple blocks from the 3 main roads that serve the city of Rio.  How can this be happening when the whole world drives by every day?

We heard about this work through our fellow servant of the Lord, Juliana, who is working there.  Upon our arrival to Mare we parked our car at the bottom of a hill.    We were taken up the hill in another car for safety, due to the fact that they did not know our car. 

Near the top of the hill was a small building where a local church has started a program to reach out to the children of this dangerous area.  The program is designed to reach and minister to children between the ages 8 to 12 who are not part of the local church.  One of the young boys I met is the son of a trafficante, which I found out after dealing with his very poor behavior.  We prayed for him intensely.

Today they were sharing about parents.  Since most didn’t have a dad, at least not at home, they focused on their moms.  They asked me about my mom and they were amazed to find out that my mom is 80 years old, and also that I am a grandpa!

This program is not doing anything new, just loving the kids, teaching them about Jesus and His ways.  We hope to return in the future to encourage these courageous and loving workers  and, of course, to also show the love of Jesus Christ to these beautiful children!

As we departed the front door of this little building, we saw in a doorway 15 feet away, 2 young men of a gang guarding the street.  One was holding what appeared to be shiny new AK47, it almost didn’t look real. 

As you may have read recently, things have become tense in the city.  This is due to the fact that the military is invading many areas  to regain control from the trafficantes.  We felt this tension during this visit---but there can be no doubt that the light shines brightest in the darkness!!!

Leaving Footprints of Christ in Rio,

Jeff