Hey! Brazil Mission Partners
From: Ed
It sure was a long trip (We left our house about 12:15 Thursday morning. We arrived in Sao Paulo at about 2:20 am your time on Friday. Then it took about 2 hours to get through customs (several flights arrived within minutes of each other). We went straight out to the camp (that took about an hour). On Saturday, Jody did crafts with the kids and I helped with bible lesson skits. The evening program was followed by the old “find the staff in the dark” game (a few kids were crying during the “festivities”!). We left camp on Sunday early PM. Went to church on Sunday night, a 2-hour service. They are very enthusiastic in their worship and we could learn something about fellowship from them judging by the post-service visiting among the attendees. This whole trip has involved a lot of hugging. The Brazilians appear to be big time huggers. It’s great.
Monday we toured some of the favelas (slums) we will be working in the rest of the week and had a get acquainted meeting with the Restoration Ministries staff. We’ve had one dinner out, so far, at a Brazilian BBQ. Food was very good. Food at the camp and at the church has been simple but very good, so we are not losing any weight. Lots of pictures have been taken and are posted on the blog site. None of the pics I’ve taken are there because I haven’t turned them in for posting yet. Mañna! (Maybe.)
Tuesday we did home visits/prayer with some of the people in Favela Igatami (Outward appearance is similar to “projects” in the US, a multistory building, each apartment appears to be about 800 sq.ft., constructed by the government. Although they were constructed about 6 years ago, they look like they are at least 15+ years old.). The team does Bible lessons including games and skits at 3 PM. Lots of drug use and prostitution issues for children of about 13 on up. VERY few families with a father living in the home. Many (it seems like most to me) of the mothers had their first child at about 15 or 16. The young kids are great, but when you hear about their home/family life…it is heartbreaking. Their reality is just not something most people I know have ANY idea about, except for a report on the TV news.
Wednesday we visited Promorar Favela. These homes are mostly one and two story buildings made from the cheapest, lowest quality, building blocks in existence. Adobe may be stronger. The response from the kids was similar to Tuesday – very enthusiastic. We did have what appeared to be drug dealers observing from a distance. Maybe something of our message will start to germinate there, too. We are definitely learning a lot.
Today we went to Vila Rosa Favela. We are told that this is the worst of the worst here. We made a few home/prayer visits. One in particular is an incredible example of a person's faith. Elena has to go in for dialysis 3X/wk. She has some kind of back injury, and the Docs think she has had a minor stroke sometime in the past. (Ministry staff say this is all true.) Her husband left her years ago with a little boy (now approx 14) to raise. She has not had any other children. She has a home that she maintains as well as she can. It was clean, but needs paint. She lives in this slum, surrounded by drugs, prostitution, and whatever else. She has to make her own way to see doctors. Her sister, who lives nearby, helps some. But this is the really uplifting part: She loves Jesus, and no matter what happens to her, and she is in ALOT of pain, she is going to continue in that faith, looking to the day when she sees Jesus. There was joy and tears in her face when she talked about it. The Ministry staff say that this one person is what gives them the strength to continue in this work. This one person is a Christ Follower in the truest sense of the words. What faith!!
Tonight we had a demonstration of a martial arts exercise form known as capioiar (spelling?). It looks like a combination of Tae Kwon Do and gymnastics. The idea is to do karate moves very fast, like in a fight. The moves are choreographed and you are supposed to get as close to hitting each other as you can, without actually hitting each other. As skill level improves the participants get closer and closer to each other. It is very aerobic! The pastor teaches this class to kids at the RM Day Center. Speaking of the pastor, Antonio, he holds services on Sunday nights at the RM Center and services on Saturday night at the Pomorar Favela as well as teach this class. He does not receive any payment for any of his time. He holds down a full time job to support him and his family.
Tomorrow afternoon, Friday, we will perform the Bible lessons and skits for the last time in the slums, then go back to the camp and do that program again.
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