Scouting the Way…
Besides a visit from our pastor and his wife (see blog “We’re thankful for Teams”) we have had two other teams visit this year from Metro East Christian Fellowship ( MECF), our home church in the states. A link to MECF’s website can be found to the right of this page if you are interested in visiting it.
The team drinking cold coconut water
The first team came in April 2008 and was a “scouting” team of four people. They came to see all the ministries we are involved with here in Castanhal. They visited PAZ churches on the ocean and on the Moju River, and then prayed and asked God which ministry MECF should partner with and build strategic relationships with over time. Before they arrived they told us their goals were to:
- Explore – Spy out the land to see, to feel, to taste, to smell everything they could in Brazil!
Boy, they did not know what they were getting into when they told us that! When we were on the river visiting churches they got to eat pan-roasted monkey and river turtle soup! They were real troopers and tried everything we gave them to eat. We also walked through the jungle at night with only a few small flashlights and they got hear all the sounds of the jungle at night. It was so neat and they loved it. They got to experience a cell group at a home way out in the jungle. They slept in hammocks, traveled on two different rivers in two different boats, met many wonderful Brazilian people, swam and more!!!
- Inquire – Ask as many questions as possible. They met with pastors and leaders of our churches and many workers and members as well, asking about their visions and dreams, what they saw God doing, where the greatest needs were.
- Engage – Determine ministries that MECF would be able to engage with.
Through seeing our churches and ministries first-hand, observing the needs for themselves and interviewing pastors and leaders, and through prayer they sought to discern opportunities for strategic partnerships between MECF and the local Brazilian churches.
- Inspire – Return to MECF and share with the church what we’ve seen and learned.
- Opportunities – Provide opportunities for the church body at MECF to become involved.
After visiting at our Marudá church and getting to know the pastor Hélio and and his wife Marcela they were moved by their passion for the lost and zeal for winning their city for Christ. They chose to partner with the church in Marudá by investing with them in their work through ongoing projects and ministry.
We praise God for our church MECF! They not only provide us as a family with unbelievable support and encouragement but they are also building relationships with the Brazilians and partnering with them in winning the lost to Jesus.
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- Ronald eating Roasted Monkey!
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- The team with Micah’s children’s cell group.
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- A group of Brazilians they made friends with quickly.
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- We ate fish grilled on an open fire at this house.
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- Taking a trek through the jungle.
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- PAZ church on the Moju River
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- Cell group by candel light out in a jungle home.
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- another home on the river.
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- I guess it was the day all the guys wore red?!
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- Connie got to introduce the team to two of her favorite friends of that live on the river.
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- Connie and Kerri
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- Brent demostrates that the filters do such a wonderful job of cleaning the water that he can drink it!!!
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- A boat trip visit the churches in the salt water area.
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- The meeting to decide who they deveople a long term partnership.
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- Pastor Heilo and Marcela at the church in Maruda
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- The team drinking cold coconut water
