Getting ready for the Jungle

In a few short days we will be on a boat headed down the Amazon River through the thick of the Amazon Jungle. For several months now, we’ve been praying for the people of the Amazon. My prayer has been that The Lord would be working in their hearts, and whatever work He would have us do there, has already begun before we ever leave Dallas. In Manaus, we will jump on a boat and go from village to village down the Amazon River. We will be carrying medical supplies, doctors, dentists, medicine, clothes, everyday items, etc… The most important thing we will have, however, is the gospel (good news) of Jesus Christ.

If someone knows of Jesus in the Amazon, they typically have a misunderstanding of Who He is, His grace, and the salvation that He offers. Our teams have trained hard to be as effective as we can on this trip, while maintaining an attitude of flexibility knowing only our Creator knows what is in store. We will have our bibles, testimonies, ‘evangecubes’ and the love of Christ so that we can articulate the gospel as clearly as we can. It continues to amaze me that a sovereign God would use us to impact the eternity of others. I hope that one day we will be with the people of the Amazon Jungle in heaven.

Too often I have gone on these trips with much anticipation of how God is going to use me to impact the lives of others. Every single time, it seems that I am the one who comes back changed. I pray that our team would be effective in sharing, but also effective in receiving whatever life lessons God has for us around the corner. I pray we would grow spiritually and that God would use this trip to conform us to the character of His Son, Jesus Christ. I pray that we would also grow as a team and comeback here to do effective ministry in Dallas. I hope we will apply everyday what we’ve learned in preparation for the Amazon Jungle.

By Jonathan Pokluda

How has our team prepared for this trip?

· Meetings, meetings, & more meetings

· Raise $$ from friends & family (thanks to all of you who give to make this possible)

· Immunizations (yellow fever, tetanus, typhoid, Hep A, Hep B)

· Team building as a group

· Training to effectively & clearly share our testimony & the Gospel message

How can you pray?

· God will be glorified by our team & time in Amazon Jungle

· Unity with the Brazilian partner church

· Brazilian hearts open to Jesus Christ

· Safety, protection & good health

This experience will refocus our hearts for those in Dallas who don’t know Christ’s love