An overdue update

Well, it’s time for another update! Maybe past time. We have been preparing for our teams coming in and are almost ready. I have been back for 6 months and am reminded every day how much I love this country. At the same time, God is continually showing me Brasilians who are passionate for their own country to know Jesus, and who are passionate for others to become true disciples, not just nominal Christians.
I had the privilege over the Easter weekend to go to Belo Horizonte for a Youth for Christ (MPC here in Brasil) music festival, which included artists who have influenced Brasilian evangelical music very much over the last 30 years. It is amazing to see that Brasilians here are making the gospel culturally relevant, writing hymns and praise songs in local music styles (including samba!), telling Bible stories even in local dialect, and being part of a movement that is passionate about reaching Brasil on Brasil’s terms, culturally speaking.
A funny note: For those of you who don’t know much about the different regions of Brasil, the southern region of Brasil has much European (LOTS of German) influence, even down to skin, hair, and eye color. Basically, there are lots of tall, very white Brasilians in the south, simply because of their ancestry. I have had more than one taxi driver here in Rio ask me if I’m German, simply because I am tall and white. So while in BH, whenever anyone would ask me where I was from, I would tell them I was from the south and living in Rio. Most people didn’t even blink an eye and asked what state I was from (Brasil has states also). I had one guy thinking for 2 whole days I was Brasilan (before I told him I wasn’t)!
I am doing well with my language but am beginning to realize that I am still thinking very much in English. That gets frustrating when I am trying to translate things in my own mind. Please pray that God would help me to start thinking in Portuguese more often, so that I can communicate even better.
I am beginning to realize that God is using my time here in Brasil as a time of restoration, primarily of my trust in Him. I know that you all know that I spent six months waiting on a visa, and I asked Him every day why I couldn’t be here. I knew that He wanted me here, but I did not walk in an attitude of trust. I must say that I have grieved that much and God has been amazingly kind to me in showing Himself trustworthy. It reminds me of the story of Thomas, standing there looking at the resurrected Christ, yet still needing to touch Him to believe. Aren’t we all like that? How many times has God proven Himself trustworthy, yet we ask for more proof? He has proven Himself time and time again, throughout history, whether He has been believed or not. May we walk with Him in trust, even if we start with baby steps.
We have a few teams coming over the next 6 weeks, and then the craziness starts! Please pray for the following teams:
Vet clinic – Clarksville – April 28-May 4 – Parque das Missões
Volleyball team – Belmont – May 15 – May 23 – various locations
Medical team – Brentwood – May 25 – June 2 – 2nd Baptist Church Vila do João
Pray that God would prepare those who we come into contact with, and that He would prepare the teams to share His good news of His love with everyone we meet.
For He alone is worthy.