Spreading the Good News!

Boa Tarde! (Good Afternoon)

Yesterday was a great day for the team. The sports team was able to share Christ with some of the men after playing soccer, and 5 accepted Christ. Several others also accepted Christ in the evening service. Praise God for those changed hearts!!

This morning (Wednesday), they arrived in a village called Sao Jose. There is another village nearby, and combined, there are about 25 families. The team will have the same schedule as yesterday (see blog below).

The Amazon River is really high right now, so part of this village is flooded. As a result, the medical/dental teams are working directly from the boat rather than up in the village. Tim said there was a line of eager patients waiting to be seen along the front of the boat; this is one of the biggest crowd drawers. Patients may live in the village they are visiting or come from a nearby village by boat. There is an administrator taking names and asking about their condition to keep the process efficient, which is important given the amount of people needing treatment. Typical treatments are for upset stomachs, depression, worms (primarily in kids), minor cuts or non-healing wounds. The dentist spends his time pulling teeth as they don't have equipment to handle much else.

The children's and women's ministries are going well, and the sports team I'm sure will enjoy getting beat at soccer again today if they are able to find a big enough patch of dry land to play. The children's team usually starts VBS at 10:00a so they walk around the village until then letting the kiddos know where to meet. The children's team typically holds two VBS sessions, one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Today, they cancelled school so that the kids could attend the morning VBS activities. There are usually 2-3 Brazilian translators working with our team and one will play guitar while the others teach the words and motions of the songs to the kids. Our team will join in too...either in front of the class or mixed in with the kids. Then they'll tell a bible story and do an associated craft.

The women's team will meet with the women of the village. Usually consists of 7-10 women from the village. A village "woman" could be anywhere from 13 to 70... women grow up a lot quicker than N. Americans due to their responsibility at such an early age. The team will love on these women and share tips for proper hygiene and health maintenance. One or two of the girls from our team will share their testimony and what a personal relationship with Christ has done for them, and hopefully the vulnerability of our team will spur on great discussions with the women of the village.

The team really needs prayers for a handful of folks who are not feeling well (allergies, sinus infections, and a couple stomach issues). Prayers that God will provide them healing and the strength to give of themselves to the villagers, in spite of their ailments.

Other things you can pray for today:
- That the Holy Spirit to do a mighty work through the team
- For boldness
- For open hearts of the villagers to receive the free gift of grace
- For strength and endurance for the team

Thanks for your prayers!

Blessings,
Angela Ardis
(Brazil trip - August 2007)


"He told them, "The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field." Luke 10:2