Boa tarde! That’s “good afternoon” in Portuguese. We at First Baptist Mt Pleasant and The Church at Sewee Bay are sending a team of three to Atibaia, Brazil (near Sao Paulo) from July 6th until July 11th. This will be a quick turnaround trip, but promises to be so very rewarding!
The three of us, Julie Thompson, Katie Watson and myself will be joining Kevin and Jan Johnson from Texas for a three-day intensive VBS for the children (Third Culture Kids or TCKs) of one cluster of missionaries (Ms) in Brazil. While the parents are in their own intensive training, we will be working with about 25 children, ages 8 months to 16. Joining us will be Rebecca Edney. She and her husband, Jonathan, are also missionaries on the ground in Brazil and will be attending. Becca will be assisting us with the VBS. The Edneys are missions partners with both First Baptist and Sewee Bay.
We took a team down 2 1/2 years ago for the same type of event, and many of the children we met then are coming back. I am excited to see them again and to meet the new ones. These children are so precious, with hearts already primed by their dedicated parents to know, love and follow Jesus. It is such an honor and a privilege to be able to spend time with them, helping them to delve deeper into His Word and strengthen their relationships with Him.
This cluster meeting is also a time of fellowship and refreshment for the missionaries. Most of them work in remote parts of Brazil and this is a once a year opportunity to be together, share stories, love on each other, and just relax and learn.
We ask for your prayers for the following:
- God’s Spirit to saturate our time together
- Safe travels for all as we gather
- Unity (and flexibility) for our team
- Our team will serve the Ms and TCKs well
- We all recognize and rebuke any spiritual warfare meant to sew discord or disrupt God’s purpose for this meeting
- Opportunities throughout to share His story with others
- The locals we meet see Christ in us, His words be ours, our eyes see as His, and our hearts love as His
- The Ms and TCKs will leave feeling refreshed and renewed, ready to continue their work for His Glory in Brazil
All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations will bow down before him, for dominion belongs to the Lord and he rules over the nations. Psalms 22: 27-28
The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest fields. Matthew 9:37
Ser Saus Maos e Pes (“Be His Hands and Feet” in Portuguese)! Jo Gafford
E3 Global Teams 