Ready to Serve

Good Evening,

All is well with the team. They travelled all night last night and all day today up the Rio Negro. They finally reached their destination around 6:00pm Dallas time. Tomorrow morning they'll begin serving and lovin' on the people there in the village.

Here's what a typical day looks like:

7:00am breakfast (eggs, fruit, ham, cheese, bread, juice, coffee)

7:30am team devotional

8:00am - 12:00pm in the village loving on and serving the people

12:00pm lunch (rice and beans are a definite! plus chicken, fish or beef)

1:00pm - 2:00pm rest/siesta

2:00pm - 6:00pm back to serving the people (there's also usually a soccer game with the guys from the village and our guys/gals)

6:00pm dinner (more rice and beans, meat, fruit, dessert, and cold Coke or Guarana (my personal favorite!)

7:00pm church service with the villagers

Many times the church service is held outdoors underneath a tree or in an open area, if the village doesn't have a church or other type of structure that could be used for the church service. They'll sing songs together and then the local pastor will introduce our team and typically one of the North American team members will give their testimony, which is then followed by a sermon, more singing and then sometimes they'll hand out donations to the head of each family after church. One of the most beautiful experiences, for me, has been hearing another culture sing the same songs as us in the United States, but in their native language. It is so powerful to see the Lord transcending languages and two cultures singing and praising in different languages and traditions, but to the same Almighty God.

How can you pray for the team tonight/tomorrow?

* Thank the Lord for each team member and their obedience to His calling to go. Most of them are using precious vacation time to serve the Lord and the unreached in a very hot and humid place. Thank him for them stepping out of their comfort zones into the UNcomfortable.

* Thank the Lord for the translators and their hearts to serve our team by helping them communicate.

* Pray for open hearts of the villagers to receive the free gift of salvation that comes only through Jesus Christ and for boldness of the team to share the Good News.

* Pray for unity with the translators. It can be awkward using a translator to speak so pray that they will all work well together. Pray that the Lord would help both the North American and the Brazilian communicate well with each other and with the villagers they will speak with.

* Pray for wisdom and guidance for the medical team to treat their patients.

Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel. Ephesians 6:19.

Thank you for checking in and for your prayers.

Have a blessed day,

Kelli Coblentz