Ministry at the Kayapo course

Eleven years after Robert began to minister in practical ways at the men's Bible training course in Sao Felix do Xingu, he was able this to introduce his wife to the staff and to the men who attended this month! The Lord protected us on the overnight bus trip (only 20 hours this year!) - on the section of newly paved road, on the ferry across the full, swift Fresco River, and on the many iron bridges (better than the wooden ones of years gone by!).



36 men from 16 villages gathered in Sao Felix to study God's Word and share in fellowship.

This year the wells produced plenty of water. Praise God! Toninho kept busy filling raised water tanks every day, for the water supply for the houses, the kitchen and the dorms.





We shared in some of the services, led by Brazilian missionaries or by the Kayapo men themselves, and saw Earl Trapp (CrossWorld) at work - teaching, checking translation of some of Isaiah, and producing materials for the students to take back to their village churches.






It was special to meet some people from the village that suffered the loss of their people in the plane crash in 1999. Brazilian missionary Eunice is now living in that village, teaching and discipling. the man on the right was attending the course; his wife later came to the ladies' congress.

We were able to help JARRS pilot, Paul, during the week when the flights were made to return men to their villages. One day there was room in the plane for us to fly with him - a beautiful flight, landing in two villages, and a safe return, landing just before a storm closed in.
We were able to see the mission station, the wooded block in the centre-left, from the air
as we left.










Robert made many trips to the airport, with people and their luggage, fuel cans, etc.




It was hard to find time to do maintenance when the Toyota was not in use.

There were many other opportunities for using the gift of helps, too.




Gladys helped with food shopping but was not used to having the groceries delivered in this style:


Telma was a great cook; Gladys was able to help some with the food prep and with serving meals.




Women's course:
After the men left, we had a few days to clean, do laundry, shop, etc. before 31 ladies arrived. The missionary ladies hired boats to go in two different directions to villages along the rivers, and a group came by bus rom Redencao. We were only there for their first day of the week-long gathering. At the end, seven ladies were baptized, praise the Lord!

Some notable differences:
Mothers' have to bring children with them.


The ladies and children eat sitting on the floor together.



The ladies were introduced in groups, by villages. Each one quoted a verse that they had memorized and then they sang a song - almost always the songs are verses put to their own music.


It was an interesting experience and an opportunity to serve the Brazilian mission and the Kayapo people. This trip was a dream come true for Robert - he could prove to his Kayapo friends that he also has a wife!

What was that?

This week I began again doing some orientation for a new career missionary lady from Germany.
Some of the time we are joined by a young German lady who is visiting here for six months.
Portuguese is our language of communication, but often the one who has done the language course has to ask - "What was that?" or "What does that mean?" We also have to have her translate into German sometimes for the younger lady.

So, I have been sharing about our mission, structure, history and varied ministries. They seem eager to learn, which makes my ministry a pleasure! I am helping them to learn about:

church planting in Castanhal, an hour from Belem,

the ministry of MEIB,(here is a Kayapo Indian village),

the training course for Indian men in Sao Felix do Xingu,

Bron teaching in a Guajajara village,
and the Basic Bible course classroom at the Bible Centre in Abaetetuba.

Bridge over river on the way to Abaetetuba by the road

River boats at the port in Abaetetuba

And what was that? Do you know?






Next week my sister plans to arrive for a visit, and she will be included in our visits!

Memory work challenge, continued

Well, they worked very hard, and in 2,5 weeks the six eager young people memorized 412 verses from the Psalms, including whole Psalms (1, 3, 23, 32, 43, 100, 115, 117, 120, 121, 122, 125, 126, 127, 128, 129, and 130). All of them received a certificate last night, saying how many verses each had memorized and recited to us. The one who scored the highest learned 119 verses (interesting number,eh?)! Yes, one person alone learned that many and she helped all the others, younger than her, work on their verses! This morning Robert went to take their earnings to them, as they leave this afternoon for the retreat.

We visited in the two homes represented, after the prayer meeting last night, and informed the unsaved parents of the results. Now we trust that they will really have the rest of the payment in hand, for the 6 kids to go. We were informed that the money that three girls had gathered by making and selling sweets and pasteis had been spend by the mother! How do we respond when she comes the next time asking for help to send the kids? She somehow thinks that the church ought to pay! also in the conversation, that Mom said that the three kids began to pack their bags for this retreat at the beginning of January! They really are looking forward to it!

Memory work challenge

"Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against Thee."

The school holidays are long; classes in many Brazilian school start again only in February. In one family, Dad takes one of the boys at a time to his bicycle repair shop to work with him. However, the young people to whom we minister in Icui do not have very much to do, to keep them out of mischief and trouble. Early in February our mother church is planning a retreat - to take people away from the city during the terrible Carnival activities. The church leaders want to take the young people again this year, and their nonChristian parents have agreed to let them go, it seems. However, to get enough money together is a problem. Saving? What is that?
We had the young people come to our mission property a week ago Saturday; they love to come to the spacious green area to play. However, I also taught the girls to make Calzones (which we ate for lunch). As I was urging them to consider making such a thing to sell, I discovered that the girls had already made several different kinds of food and sold it, saving up the money for the retreat!
The same day Robert had the boys each help a little with the construction of a cupboard for the classroom at Sunday School.

Another idea that Robert had, to give these kids something profitable to do during vacation, and to help in a small way to send them to the retreat, was to challenge them to memorize Scripture verses. Last Wednesday he presented his idea. He would pay them 25 centavos for every perfectly-quoted verse. By Sunday six people had learned Psalm one! Our star student, by Sunday evening, had said three Pslams (1, 127, 128)!! Praise the Lord!

A wet Wednesday

Yesterday a heavy rain came in the late afternoon, after a very sunny afternoon. The flat campus where we live flooded - again! Our team leader said this week, "There's a small river nearby where the run off seems to go!" referring to the Amazon!
When we finally got safely to church at Icui, driving through rain in poor visibility, I led in the reading of Ps. 8 and one of the songs we sang was "How Great Thou Art" (only in Portuguese, of course).

A psalm of David... Psalm 8

1 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!
You have set your glory
above the heavens.

2 From the lips of children and infants
you have ordained praise
because of your enemies,
to silence the foe and the avenger.

3 When I consider your heavens,
the work of your fingers,
the moon and the stars,
which you have set in place,

4 what is man that you are mindful of him,
the son of man that you care for him?

5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings
and crowned him with glory and honor.

6 You made him ruler over the works of your hands;
you put everything under his feet:

7 all flocks and herds,
and the beasts of the field,

8 the birds of the air,
and the fish of the sea,
all that swim the paths of the seas.

9 O LORD, our Lord,
how majestic is your name in all the earth!

How great is our Creator and how marvelous are His works! This reminded me of a poem I wrote years ago, while meditating at the side of the river sea, on the island of Mosqueiro:

Lord,

I marvel at

the immensity,

the power

and the vengeance

of the sea,

at the obscurity,

the weakness

and insignificance

of me! (Gladys Noble, 1976)

Gratitude

The lesson that I am preparing for tomorrow is about being grateful; expressions of thankfulness do not always come easily. Many people here do not teach their children to say the simple, ear-pleasing words, "Thank you."

I have read again the story of Hannah and her song of gratitude to God.

I reread Ps. 118:17, "To Thee I shall offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and call upon the name of the Lord."

Also Philippians 4:6, "Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God."

One of the many reasons that I have to be thankful is that God has given us many friends. We have entertained a number of friends over the holiday season and been invited to join others.

Friends of friends who live in Regina, working here short term with Samaritan's Purse.

Friends from Alberta, one of whom used to work with us here in Brazil.

Our ample home became a meeting place for many of her acquaintances and former colleagues.

The lady who has been our hired helper over many years -
she helped Michael take his first steps by his first birthday.

We had a visit from a former student at AVA, a grad of 1982. He is from a Church of Christ missionary family. He and his wife, with their two youngest children are preparing to go to Mozambique as missionaries.

On Dec. 25th, this friend and team mate hosted our team for brunch. Yummy!A big family of friends we got to know when we went to church in Terra Firme district for 4 years. We were invited to the wedding of the youngest daughter - she is a friend of our girls. In fact our daughter who visited this summer took pictures for them and designed their invitation.

Their son-in-law on the left was the pastor at the church when we began to attend there.
How his family has grown up!

Praise God for friends!