Update – November 09

 

This month must start with a huge praise report as I received word a little over a week ago that my religious visa application had been approved!  Please praise God with me for His faithfulness and mercy in this process of moving onto the field!  I realize more and more each day my inadequacies and utter dependence on Him in all aspects of my life.  This visa was no exception.

So I write this update on Monday night from the seat of a 757 between Miami and Chicago on my way back home to get the visa.  I’ll be staying with my parents for three weeks while the Brazilian Consulate in Chicago processes the paperwork.  I’m looking forward to Thanksgiving with my family, time to visit family and friends, and of course receipt of my visa.  Plus my time will be busy with the final preparations of moving.  My official move date will now be December 13th.

I ask you all to join me in my prayer for transportation wisdom.  In the coming months, I will be searching for my own method of transportation around town.  I want to make a wise decision and be sure that whatever I purchase is also a blessing to my ministry and the mission.  In addition some type of wheels, I will also be considering my next place of residence after I leave my host family.  This will most likely be an apartment of some sort, but choosing a good locations may prove difficult.  Plus there is also a balance of price and quality.  I will also be furnishing the place, which will be many extra expenses.  Most apartments in town do not come furnished.  If you would like to support either of these financial challenges, please let me know!  I’m trusting in the Lord to cover these one-time expenses!

This past month I also had the chance to travel twice, once to a village  on the Tapajós River and once to a village on the Amazon River.  The first trip was a return trip to Piquiatuba to help with some construction.  This was the village where I visited with my friends Logan & Ashley.  On that trip we hauled materials and built and raised the trusses for the roof.  Now on my second visit, I went with a small team of men from the community of Alter Do Chão.  We were there with the sole purpose of finishing the roof and getting the concrete floor poured.  And after three days of hard labor, we accomplished those goals!  (We had to stay one extra day to do it, but we did it none the less!)

The second trip was to the village of Piracãoera with the water filter team.  This was a great experience for me since I had never worked with water filters.  The main purposes of this trip were to deliver materials to do maintenance and repair existing filters.  We spent the time going house-to-house to check on the filters.  We were also training new men from the village on how to do the maintenance so that after we left, they could continue the work.  A trip like this really makes me think of how when in the states, I took for granted all the clean water that was available.  Just turn on the faucet and there it was!  No need to go the river, dip it out, carry it home, let the dirt settle, and then pour it through a biological filter…

With the Thanksgiving holiday just around the corner, lets all take some time to really contemplate what we are thankful for in our lives.  Be sure to take it beyond the token answers of family, friends, and health. This always takes me back to the life saving work of Jesus Christ on the Cross of Calvary and God’s mercy and extension of grace in my life!  Now that’s something to be thankful for, both in Brazil and in the States!

Praises
- My religious visa has been approved!
- Chance to visit friends and family in the US.
- Excellent progress in language learning.
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Increased dependency on God in all aspects of my life!  He is Sovereign!

Prayer Requests
- For the ability to continue to study Portuguese while back in the US.  It is important that I don’t slip too much in these three weeks!

- Blessed time with family before I leave again.
- Wisdom in making decisions about methods of transportation around the city and it’s impact on my ministry.

Thanks again to all of you for your support and love for me in this mission.  I am extremely grateful for this band of supporters back home in the States!  You are the backbone of my existence in Brazil!  I praise God for you all!

Grace and Peace to You!
JAE