Are you doing this "good thing" for his or her benefit or are you doing it to feel good about yourself?  This is an important question for any missionary and continually comes up in day to day interactions.  One must, of course, take into account a quote by C.S. Lewis, "I've never had an unselfish thought."  But what is our primary motivation?  So many people work hard, doing good things, for the end result of feeling good about their contribution.  This is religion and this is NOT the Kingdom of God.  Jesus addressed this concept frequently, especially with the religious leaders of the region.  These were upright people, model citizens, those whose lives were characterized by good works.  But their motive was self.  It is so fascinating that the same work, however significant, can be done with selfless or selfish motives.  As a missionary, I can serve all day.  I can serve with care and concern for the other person or I can serve to feel good about the fact that I am serving. 

The difference is love.  The word often used to describe Jesus' motivation was compassion.  Am I focused on their benefit?  Am I submitted to what the King desires or simply to what I want to do in a particular situation.  The difference between religion and the Kingdom is this submission to the King, this listening to what He desires, yielding one's  desires to His, and obeying His command or request.  The emphasis in the Kingdom is submitting, listening, yielding, and THEN doing.  Religion will get it wrong in one of several ways.  The emphasis will be on 1) learning rather than listening (Bible studies, conferences, books, etc), 2) hearing and learning without doing, and 3) doing without listening.  I'm quite familiar with all of these, as I'm sure you are, as well.  The issue is dependence (the Kingdom) vs independence (religion).  When Jesus speaks to those who highlight all that they did for the Kingdom, what will be His response?  "I never knew you."  All was done independently of the Father.  Religion. 

Living in South America is a striking example of how the broad road will be full of who we consider very "good" and very "nice" people.  There are so many beautiful people here (both in the towns and out on the rivers) who see no need to live in submission to God.  They believe in His existence and believe that being a good, kind person is important.  But many in that day will point to all their "goodness", and He will simply point out that there was no relationship, no submission, no humility before God.  There will be presidents, kings, doctors, river people from the Amazon, untouchables from India, lawyers, priests, missionaries, pastors, teachers, social workers, etc.  There will be those who won Nobel prizes for their contribution to humanity, environmentalists, liberals, and conservatives, all very "good" people.  But who saw relationship with God as unnecessary, a crutch, too difficult.  They will be given their heart's desire - an eternity of independence without the presence of God (and without all things good, since all good things come from Him).  The Bible is clear that there will be an eternal place with God's presence and a place without God's presence, each place chosen by the respective inhabitants by their choice of living in submission to God or independently of Him. 

We can learn much about God and do many good works, both without relationship with a God who cherishes us deeply and made us for one purpose - relationship with Him.  How is your relationship with this loving God today? 

Isolated thoughts:

1) Maturity is measured not in years but in wisdom.

2) Wisdom is demonstrated in the making of sound decisions.

3) Because we all so often err, perhaps the most valuable genuine words of any relationship are, "I'm sorry".

4) Decisions made for short-term benefit will increase long-term liability.  Decisions made for long-term benefit will  require short-term cost.

5) Spiritual and emotional wounds often contribute to physical ailments.

6) How you say something communicates more than your words.

7) Success is more about how you journey than about the destination.

8) Balance your time and effort between your tasks and relationships.

9) To hear truth and not apply it is to carry water in a cracked bucket.

10) You are injured and must travel for medical help through a dangerous swamp that contains many pockets of quicksand as well as insects, reptiles, and other creatures that can further harm you. You may choose a guide. Your choices are as follows: a) one newly arrived and well studied who has had many classes in swamp survival, b) one young, beautiful, well-spoken, and fun to be around, c) one who has led many to the other side safely, d) one without experience but enthusiastic and confident in his ability to lead and who guarantees your safe passage, e) one who is quite convincing that the dangers are exaggerated and that the crossing requires little thought or preparation, and f) none; you are confident in your knowledge and abilities and do not need a guide. Which are you choosing in this, your life's journey?

About a year ago, "Eduardo" sought help from Elba, our Vineyard pastor in Altamira.  Eduardo was thirty years old, he was pastoring a small home church and he had worked for years in remote areas of the rain forest with New Tribes Ministry.  I sat down with Eduardo, his wife, and Elba and listened to his story.

Over the past several years, he had experienced extreme bouts of debilitating anxiety which begin suddenly, last from minutes to hours, occur almost daily and are completely unpredictable as to possible triggers.  Often, he is awakened at night with the same.  He also experienced general anxiety about the possible occurrence of these "attacks".  He couldn't understand these attacks and didn't know what was happening to him.  He understood completely that these "crises" were irrational as he could easily reason within himself that there was absolutely nothing to be upset about.  With the attacks of anxiety, he would experience chest pain, difficulty breathing, sweating, and an overwhelming need to flee the situation.  He expressed embarrassment over his symptoms because he believed that as a Christian he shouldn't experience anxiety, especially as a pastor.

As Eduardo shared, it was easy to see his brokenness, his humility, and his desire to be well.  I was able to share with him my own past experience with battling something very similar for many years.  I was able to share with him my Christian world-view, knowing that it is a bit different than the world view of many Christians.  I explained to Eduardo that, in my opinion, our walk with Jesus is a battle, and facing strange circumstances and various enemies are a normal part of war, as is frustration, confusion, fear, and being pressed to your limit.  I shared with him that God allows those who are His to be broken and stripped of those things that interfere with simple trust in Him.  The stripping hurts but He strips us of those things that push us away from Life.  God knows that our appreciating His love for us is more important than any earthly thing and our affection for earthly comfort, security, and esteem needs to be torn from us, in order that we would hear and see His expressions of love, without all the distraction that these earthly things provide.

I emphasized to Eduardo that this world has too many pastors (and Christians) passing on information (teaching) and that God's Kingdom needs more pastors intimately familiar with pain and brokenness because broken people know how to love.  We need to love those in pain more than we need to know or teach more of the Bible.  Hurting people can be better comforted by those who have hurt and can be empathetic.  We effectively and compassionately comfort when we've suffered and have been comforted.  I encouraged him that he would now be more used to impact hurting people (all people are "hurting people", some realize it!) because of the pain he's faced in the past few years.  In short, he will be a better pastor because he's known pain, grief, confusion, sadness, desperation, anger, etc.  He had been taken through the "Valley of Humiliation" by his loving Father, and he was now more prepared to be poured out and spent in service to His King.

When I was in my third year of Medical School, I went to the home of my mentor, Dr McCarty, a beautiful man that I had shadowed for eight weeks.  I told him that I was quitting medical school because I couldn't face another humiliating day of anxiety attacks.  They had now plagued me daily for about four years and I was finished.  I could take no more.  He gently listened and said that I shouldn't quit and that he would help me through these attacks.  He also said that my humiliating and frustrating battle with these attacks would make me a better physician because I would better relate to hurting people.  The thing that caused me to want to quit was the very thing that God was using to make me a better servant. 

I shared all this with this man who was at the same place that I had been 25 years ago.  It was nice to see God use my painful personal experience for someone else's benefit.  He was broken and in a place to receive.  We prayed together and took it all to our Father.  He received my counsel, took it to heart, began taking a recommended medicine. 

One year later he is such a different picture.  All attacks stopped within weeks, he sleeps well, exercises regularly, and pastors with a whole new perspective on suffering, God's sovereignty and caring for those hurting.  He shared his whole experience with me this week over some lemonade at his house.  What a joy to see the resolution of symptoms but even more the transformation of his heart.  He shared that he used to see his primary pastoral role as teacher and now he sees his primary role as care-er, first loving those hurting, and then teaching.  His church is growing and has been adopted in as our fifth Vineyard Church in Altamira.  I look forward to see how God will spend this man in coming years.

Further thoughts:

We are not called to teach, evangelize, disciple, heal, build, counsel, etc.  We are called to love, and while loving, God will direct us as to how we can best serve those that we are loving.

Conflict, difficulty and pain are not expected at a party.  All are, however, certain in war.  In the “abundant life”, are we to expect a party or a war?

Why, within the church, do we esteem success, charisma, and confidence when the Head of the church honors and delights in humility?

God is interested in developing much more in us than ease and prosperity would provide.

God prefers to use broken, screwed up people.

What a special group of people.  Often I make a comment such as this as a team from N. America leaves and returns home.  The beauty of the broken vessels that our Father brings through our lives here is remarkable.  We delivered water filters, food, and the good news of Jesus' love this week with a group of eight people from a Lutheran Church in Calgary, Alberta.  They were a wonderful group of people who came to this poor region of the world to be a blessing and they blessed each and every person that they touched.

The dry season is upon us, by the way, as I am writing this at 5:00a and sweating.  It is hot and sticky and still.  The flood waters are receding and have dropped more than a meter in two weeks.

We traveled to the Gurupa region, to a small river (the Arinua) that feeds into the Amazon, about six hours from Porto de Moz.  Our Vineyard pastor in Gurupa, Antonio, had remarked to me a couple of months ago that the people of this river were especially poor and that he would begin to visit them to share the good news of Jesus' love with them.  It sounded like an ideal location to deliver filters with this team.

We delivered about half of our filters and food baskets to a small village on the Amazon, called Flexinha ("Little Arrow") prior to entering the Arinua River.  The people of Flexinha had been somewhat reluctant to accept Antonio prior to our visit because they are predominantly Catholic and he is evangelical.  We arrived and spent the day with them, feeling quite welcomed.  We delivered filters to their homes, addressed their health concerns, delivered food baskets (each enough to feed a large family for two weeks), played games with the kids, face painted, and just spent time with them.  We then held a meeting in the evening that was well attended (about 30 adults and 30 kids) and they were all quite attentive to our message of God's love for them.  Seven children and young adults responded to an invitation to begin a relationship with Jesus and all the adults expressed interest in having Antonio visit further.

Isn't this what the Kingdom is all about?  We are called to love, and this team loved these people.  As we love, we share about the truth of our Father's love.  One's past and one's religious affiliation is not our concern.  Helping another in their pursuit of intimacy with our Father is our concern.  Communicating the Kingdom is our priority, not a religion, a church, or a certain way of life.

This scenario was repeated daily through our team of eight N. Americans and eight Brasilians.  How they loved each other and those that they visited.  Jesus' love was demonstrated and taught.  We laughed, cried, played, prayed, and shared everything together.  It was beautiful to behold.

This team made humility attractive.  It was a group of leaders from their community, who laid down any need to be first, to be in front, to be right.  They served and encouraged and made each adult and child know that they were special, just as Jesus would do.  Jesus got a lot of attention while the individuals on the team blended in to the whole.  They were such a blessing to our group of young Brasilian leaders that joined us on the trip.  I doubt if any of these guys will forget this trip and how special they were made to feel.  I have heard so many comments from them about how it may have been the best week of their lives.  They were loved, accepted, honored, and embraced.  So very cool!  God has truly placed within us the ability to make a real difference in someone's life.  This team so demonstrated this, over and over.

I was sure thrilled to see Luke (our 15 y/o son) enthusiastically participate.  He guided the canoes, directed the filter loading and delivery, worked hard, translated, led worship, played soccer, and even woke up early pleasantly!  He was a real blessing and is maturing into a neat, neat young man.  He even suggested that his dad do some work because all he does all day is sit and hand out medicine!

I sure love God's family.  It consists of some beautiful, beautiful broken vessels.  I love being a part.  I love His presence in our work here.  He is so very good!

I’m again struck today by how different this culture is from the culture that I’m familiar with in the U.S. and yet how similar people are. Human nature is the same no matter how  or where it’s packaged.

From a health care perspective, both cultures have those courageous when faced with painful circumstances or illnesses. They each also have plenty of whiners and complainers over any little thing that interferes with a happy, painless existence (which, of course, doesn't exist). In both cultures I’ve seen people “tough as nails” who unwisely ignore their symptoms too long. As well, there are plenty of people in both Brazil and the States who run to professional help for the most obviously irrelevant symptoms, especially when there is no cost. Many people that I’ve seen in both cultures humbly receive instructions from a physician and, knowing that they themselves know no better, are compliant with his/her instructions. There are also plenty of those that, although they initiate a visit to the doctor for counsel and treatment, find fault with the physician’s manner, his approach, his treatment, or his counsel, and are noncompliant with any follow-up. The errant sense that medicine is a cookbook profession, where a+b=c, is sadly alive and well world-wide. The most common statement I hear in medical interviews in both cultures is, “I went to so-and-so and they obviously didn’t know what they were doing, because I’m no better.”

I’ve met physicians in both cultures who care for people and pursue excellence in their care and counsel. There are also plenty of doctors world-wide who work for a paycheck as their primary motivation, and it shows.

Both cultures have people who expect everyone to serve them and who don’t understand the value of gratitude and the satisfaction of hard work. There are also those, of course, who humbly respect any effort and cost paid on their behalf, and are grateful for it.

Human nature is fascinating to behold over a lifetime of observation and interaction cross-culturally.  Cultures are fascinatingly different but human nature is incredibly the same. As I read books written centuries ago (including the Bible), it should not surprise me (though it still does) that, although we have modified the "package" with technology and modern industry, human nature is exactly the same as it was in the time of the Egyptian dynasty. It also should not surprise me (though it does) that, although modern culture and prosperity can change the package, human nature is the same in the Amazon Rainforest as it is in the mountains of Tibet, as it is on the streets of Calcutta, as it is on Wall Street.

Still beyond my ability to understand is that the God who made all of this, and who gave every person the capacity to choose freely, loves and cherishes each flawed individual. This is difficult for me because there certainly are people in both cultures (some types mentioned above) that are simply beyond my ability to cherish and to love. This brings to mind one of the most amazing statements in all of human history: Jesus’ statement of forgiveness while hanging from nails, suffocating, and being mocked and laughed at. When He came back to life a couple days later, He demonstrated that His attitude was God’s attitude. Yes, God can and does love the difficult ones, even those who spit in his face and pound nails into his feet, which means He can love me… and He can love you, no matter where you've been and what you've done.

It is more clear to me today that each person manifests, within and about them, both the beauty of being created in the image of a wonderfully beautiful Creator, as well as the wounds and scars acquired from walking independently of this same loving Creator.

O Father, how I need your help to love them, as you so graciously continue to love this ungrateful, selfish, preoccupied me.

The Amazon flood waters in this region are higher than they've been for over one hundred years.  The amount of flowing water that floods this river basin in a normal year is beyond comprehension and this year it is more than a meter higher than normal.  We are accustomed to seeing two and three meter poles on which sit the river homes disappear in March and April and this over hundreds and hundreds of square miles.  This year the water is up to the windows on most river homes (in June!).  Many people have fled to higher ground but many remain in their homes because of preference, fear of theft, or no means of moving. 

A team of 12 men and women from the Columbus Vineyard arrived at the peak of this flood.  They just "happened" to arrive when so many people on these rivers were in crisis.  Food was in short supply and many folks were displaced, causing several families to live together in small river houses.

We traveled with them to the region of the Una River, a very poor region about 12 hrs from Porto de Moz.  We took with us 70 "cestas basicas", sacks of about 50lb of food that can feed a large family for about two weeks.  After arriving in the area, we struck out on two large canoes to visit homes, deliver the food, pray and share with the folks, and invite them to an evening worship service that would be held in a central location.  Over the course of three days, we delivered all the food and saw many people for health concerns.  At every home, we prayed for the family and for any particular needs that they shared.  Each person seen medically was prayed for, as well, following an interview and prescribed treatment.  The evening services included worship, teaching, and a time for praying for each person.

We visited several couples in their seventies and eighties, living alone, and moving about their flooded houses quite precariously.  One couple had several large fish trapped in their bedroom (in a foot of water), keeping them there until they were ready to eat them!  They still slept in their bed at night!  It is such a joy to see the pleasure in the faces of especially these elderly couples when visited by a group of people from another country.

It was a week of prayer.  Especially in this region, it is easy to realize one's limitations to really help in any situation.  Jesus said that without Him we can do nothing and this team lived this out by demonstrating dependence on their Father, exemplified by their devotion to conversation with Him.  Everything was taken to Him in prayer.  There was prayer in the morning, prayer in the evening, and prayer at each interpersonal encounter.  We certainly did what was in our power to do but there was also an honest acknowledgement that any real help could only come from Jesus.  This team's motivation to pray and bring people to their Father was an obvious love both for the person being prayed for and for the One being prayed to.  I've heard it said that when one prays, he is drawn closer to the One he prays to, to the one prayed for, and to the one prayed with.  This team demonstrated this beautifully.

It was a joy to see the local people receive the love and service provided by this team of sweet, sweet people.  It was also a joy to be on the receiving end of their love, prayer, and encouragement.

While traveling with this team, I was motivated to love more sacrificially and to pray more dependently.  Our work in this region is a work of love and I desire in me more of the Father's love, as demonstrated in these men and women.  My desire to live more dependently also grew as I observed this dependence lived out through this team.  We want to meet real, temporal needs, but we desire more that our work draw people to our Father and this can only be done through His Spirit.  I was reminded that God is always at work, drawing each and every person to himself.  To live with an ear to hear His voice and eyes to see His hand, will put us in the right place at the right time to be His hands to touch those He desires to touch today.  This team was evidence of being in the right place at the right time because they were a praying team, a listening team, and a team dependent on their Father.  It was such a blessing to be able to work with them and to learn from them. 

It's a given that the yearly visit from Columbus, led by our dear friends, Craig and Linda Heselton, is one that our Father delights to use to bless, encourage and challenge all who come in contact with them.

We haven't had internet forever and as soon as we are able to hook up again, I'll post some pictures.  We try to keep up with email at a public internet site.  Thanks for writing!!!

It’s early on a Friday morning and we will be returning home following a week on the rivers, delivering water filters and consulting with health. We are on Mojo River, north of the Amazon River, across from the town of Gurupa. We stopped in Gurupa to pick up Antonio and Pepetua, our Vineyard Pastors in this town of about 15,000. They are a special couple, who have ministered alone in this town for six years. They travel on the rivers surrounding Gurupa in a small boat sharing about Jesus’ love to all who will listen. They have beautiful, humble hearts, just the kind of people that we want modeling the Kingdom of God.

We met an 89 year old man, living alone, who has lived in the interior all of his life. Brazil had a “rubber boom”, similar to the “gold rush” in the States, in the early to mid 20^th century. Rubber trees are plentiful in the Amazon Basin and many men during this time were hired to extract, process, package, and export the rubber. This man worked extensively with the rubber and told us all about it. It was a difficult life, living in the jungle and working long hours. But it was a steady job which is still difficult to come by in this region. The Rubber Boom continued until synthetic rubber replaced the natural product in the mid-1900’s. The trees still bear the scars of the extraction and the rubber is a thick, white, stretchy material that “leaks” out of cuts made in the bark of the tree. We received a demonstration of how it was extracted many years ago.

These folks living on the rivers love having visitors, without exception. They revel in sharing about themselves and their lives, work, and experiences. Our initial ministry is always asking simple, open-ended questions and listening. Isn’t this the same anywhere? So many Christians just want to talk, even about Jesus, but asking questions is honoring and demonstrates interest, which is a necessary part of love. We are called to love first, before preaching, teaching, and “witnessing”. Therefore, we are called to ask questions and to listen. Who can you minister to today by asking questions and listening?

We are in the midst of the rainy season and the mosquitoes are pretty thick on the rivers. We met one family that puts a pot in the middle of their one-room, wood house and they burn wood in this pot through the night. Because there is no opening in the roof, the room is filled with smoke all night and this keeps the mosquitoes out of the house. The young mother of three small children laughed when she said that they cough all night but have no mosquitoes!

Isaiah Kiener and I were installing one of our 400lb filters in one house and the kitchen floor completely collapsed. We fell three feet to the ground, uninjured. A broken board “caught” the filter about 6 in. above our feet, preventing certain serious injury to our feet. All of the filters are numbered and one of the guys on the team noted as we loaded the filters into the canoe that one of the filters was numbered 666. He suggested that perhaps we should dispose of that one. This same guy noted subsequently that it was this filter that fell through the floor, destroying a significant portion of this family’s house. This gave me the opportunity to use this as a simple illustration to share with the men that the motive of the enemy is certainly to destroy, but that “greater is He who is in us than he that is in the world”. The floor was destroyed and we were spared. I fell through the dock of the same house, uninjured. These types of occurrences are common in the work of delivering filters and all who have visited us can appreciate that there are some risks involved in our work here.

I saw many people with very high blood pressure, some minor illnesses, and a few significant illnesses, including juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, rheumatic fever, a kidney stone (no pain meds for three days prior to our visit and we helped with ibuprofen!), and osteomyelitis. We gave away many pairs of reading glasses to older people who were thrilled to be able to see up close again. I saw about 250 people and our help was received with much gratitude.

Luke and Isaiah had a great time working and horsing around with the younger guys on the team. They “worked hard and played hard” and it was a joy to watch.

We had a time of listening to the Lord, worshipping, and “chewing” on a passage of the Bible each morning. This bunch, for the most part, is hungry for more of God and I look forward to seeing how God uses these trips to mold these young men.

We pray with each family as we install their filter and I pray for each person that I see medically. We had several people shed tears as we prayed for them as they had never experienced anything like that in their lives. Seeing God so touch people is a joy and is why we are here. There were also two men that I talked with at length after I told them that I saw that God had a special “calling” for their lives. They both agreed to pursue God’s heart for them.

What a pleasant afternoon!  On a recent filter trip, we stopped to deliver a filter at a house of an elderly couple living alone on the river with one neighbor within sight.  They had lived there for 48 years, had eight children, and still lived independently, both nearing 80 years of age. 

They raised sheep!  It was so nice talking with them for several hours about many things, including raising sheep and how they began doing so.  Of course, those that know me are aware of my "expertise" in this area.  They were a unique couple in that they had screens on their windows and a large canary feeder on their front porch (with 20-30 wild canaries constantly bustling about).  They loved receiving a filter and stopped everything to talk with us all afternoon.  It was one of those opportunities where God shows us where we are to stop and spend some time.  While we talked from a deck behind their house, we watched the sheep graze near us.  They were funny, intelligent, loved life and loved God.

They told of the region and how when the water rises each year, certain animals migrate to to same islands, leaving them stranded until the water recedes.  There's a crocodile island, a jaguar island, a monkey island, a tapir island, a cutia (small mammal, the size of a big cat) island, etc.  The river folks hunt on the islands through the winter (rainy season) and fish during the dry season (when the fish are concentrated within the banks of the rivers).

I don't know why I continue to be surprised to see people loving life and loving God in such simple, difficult conditions.  When I asked her "secret", she said, "Work hard and sleep little."  We have the opportunity to meet many different people on these trips.  The disposition of those who know Jesus is striking in comparison to those who don't.  Light certainly becomes more clearly defined in dark, difficult environments.

These folks obviously enjoyed our visit and we did, as well.  It was nice to be enjoyed. 

We recently held our annual youth retreat outside of the city at a camp owned by the mission, called Monte Verde.  It went very well.  We had 120 youth and adults from the city meet around the theme from Isaiah, "Here I am, send me!"  The retreat was completely organized by the youth leaders of our local church and they put something together of great value that will be remembered by many for a long time. 

We had worship and a message each morning, free afternoons for play, and worship and a message each evening.  The only missionary involvement was a message by Richie on each of us having a call to minister and me sharing a message with the married couples.  All the messages were clear and challenging, there were several dramas that communicated powerful messages, the worship was beautiful and God-directed, and the free time was full of fun.

On the last day, we baptized 12 people who had recently given their lives to Jesus.  Among them was our 14 y/o Ellie.  It was a beautiful, sober time and all seemed to fully appreciate the significance of living with a real sense of forever being "washed" because of what Jesus had done for them.  It was such a joy to watch and participate in Ellie's baptism.  She is becoming such a beautiful young woman and it's becoming more and more apparent that her heart is to walk intimately with Jesus.  She seemed thrilled with the experience and the significance of her baptism.

There is an obvious maturity among many in the Vineyard church here in Porto de Moz and this is demonstrated by this outward focus, this desire to have an impact for the Kingdom on their community and beyond.  Many left this retreat motivated to love and to invite others freely and boldly into the Kingdom.  It was clearly a meeting that involved many potential leaders and it will be neat to watch these leaders walk out God's call on them.

As missionaries, we are more and more committed to the balance of pouring into these few while still continuing to cast the net for many.  Our hearts are being drawn especially to love, support, and equip the local people who will actually do the work of the Kingdom in this region.  Please pray for us for wisdom and power in this ministry.

The Resurrection. The knowledge of it and its reality changed my life. It took God from abstract philosophy to reality. To consider even the possibility was, one day many years ago, presented to me as a choice. Imagine encountering one dead, then several days later alive. It would shake one to its core. Wasn’t this the intention of God? He took on human form and did something that no one but deity could do; after dying, He came back to life.  This demonstration was motivated by kindness and the same love that brought Him here. We often struggle with doubt and, if you’re like me, you have asked God to make Himself clear, to eliminate doubt. He did. He did the one thing that could surpass all others in revealing His reality and eliminating doubt. He died and became alive again.

No matter when in history it occurred, only a handful of people could be eyewitnesses.  The rest would hear and be invited to believe what had happened.  The behavior of the eyewitnesses completely supports the occurrence. They supported the truth of this incredible fact with their lives. Their lives changed as dramatically as you would expect any to change when confronted with such a reality. Nothing else mattered. They encouraged others to believe the same but their assurance of the truth of the resurrection did not waver when confronted by many who refused to believe and called them fools for believing so. They left for us a legacy of faith, a demonstration of what it would be like to encounter such a circumstance and such a Man.

No longer could Jesus be described as a “good teacher”, or a “wise man”. No longer could God be an abstract unknown. We don’t have that liberty of choice after the resurrection. He put on skin, revealed a personality, and did what no mere “man” could do.

Either the whole thing is a lie, a scheme, a monumental deception that many men and women were willing to die for, or it is the truth. We have no other choices. Many speak of the difficulty in believing such a story. It is, however, quite a logical leap to believe that it was all concocted by simple men who gave their lives teaching about honesty and sincerity of belief. They were stoned, beaten, and lived lives without any earthly benefit for their belief. They did not gain any of the things that would typically motivate a lie. Paul spent years in prison and would have won his freedom by simply renouncing this “lie”. His writings in chains reveal a remarkable, unwavering, sincerity of belief, even writing to “rejoice always” because, in spite of all suffering, God was real and had demonstrated His reality in the resurrection. He suggested over and over that Jesus had demonstrated that God could be known, that He had a heart “for us” like that of a good father. He suggested that all doubts as to the nature of God had been settled in Jesus, and supported by the resurrection.

I remember my first encounter with this resurrection as a young adult and the choices that followed, leading me to begin a relationship that is still transforming me, with the one, Jesus, who still lives, still leads, still forgives and still loves all who come to Him, as they are (flawed, skeptical, doubting and needy).

It is so good to remember all of this today as we celebrate Easter.

We spent a week on vacation at the ocean, about 1000 km east of Porto de Moz.  We took a boat for two days to Belem and taxied the remaining three hours by road.  It was a very nice week.  One thing that is difficult in this part of Brazil is to find leisurely activities that everyone in the family can enjoy.  This vacation fit the bill.  The beach was nice, clean and quiet.  The hotel was nice, as well, and we met several good friends there and enjoyed the fellowship.  I'll try to get some pictures up this week.

We return to busy.  Bets spent a weekend on the river at a leader's retreat with leaders from Altamira and Porto de Moz.  I will head out on the river this week and be in Altamira the following week.  The kids had some time off school and are diving back in.  We are attempting to catch up on emails as our internet has been pretty lousy for the past three months.  It seems to be working well now.

Thank you for your support for this work.  Many people are blessed by your financial and prayer support.  We have a very real sense that we are entering a special season.  There has been some real maturing in many of our young leaders.  The church is packed each week with many new people.  The work on the rivers has seen many people touched by God's love in depth and in life-changing ways.  Whole communities have been impacted by God's Spirit during our visits.  We are seeking the Lord as to how to manage this harvest.  We are trusting His leading.  It is a nice time to be working in this region.  God is up to something and it is a joy to be in a position to participate.  We could not be here participating if you would not have chosen to participate, as well.  If you haven't "joined in" the work here yet, you can contact us, contact our Father, or send support to the address to the right.  Thank you. 

We have had some down time with our Internet, and I will be out of town for the next 2 weeks.  Sorry if there have been delays with email, but I will try to catch up on email upon my return.

Thank you for all of your support for us and for the "river people".

tim

I saw perhaps fifty people today for health concerns and we delivered about 25 water filters to individual homes.  We are deep into the interior, north of the Amazon River, on the river Paru.  We visited many houses, ranging from incredibly simple and broken down ("shacks") to simple but well cared-for.  Almost without exception, the people were warm, welcoming, friendly, hospitable, and grateful.  I've heard it said that people and cultures have two "hurdles" to climb over to reach "relationship".  Most have one short hurdle (easily scaled) and one tall hurdle (more difficult to traverse).  The people of this culture have an incredibly short first hurdle, as they are so warm and inviting initially.  Their second hurdle, to gain real trust and friendship, is taller as the relationship will tend to remain warm but superficial without effort.  Some people and cultures have a tall first hurdle, appearing cold and aloof initially, but once "invited in" to relationship, after some effort and time, it is but a short second hurdle to intimacy.  A fascinating observation of cultures that I think has some merit.

After delivering the filters and ministering to the peoples' concerns, it occurred to me that we will likely not "see" the fruit of our labor here.  I listen, examine, diagnose, and treat each person.  I pray with each, for God to resolve their problem, that they would seek Him, they would hear His voice and really know His affection for them.  We deliver filters, conversing and praying with the recipients.  Then we leave, and with the geography in which we work and the slowness of travel, we likely won't be back for a while. We are forced to trust our Father's continued pursuit of each person to the point of a real response to Him. It is such a part of our human nature to desire to see the fruit of our labor.  We seek to justify our work by measuring and analyzing results (fruit).  But in this work, the real fruit will be measured by our Father, and from His perspective, not ours.

Trusting God is so much a part of missionary work.  We can seek certain measurable results (converts, people saying a prayer, immediate healing, etc) or we can do what we hear God ask us to do and take our eyes off of the "fruit".  I think it would be reliable to say that the more we seek and value measurable results, the less we are focused on taking instructions from our Father, and vice versa. 

We westerners have a tendency to think linearly, such as "a+b=c".  We can be so shortsighted.  Nothing in life is so simple.  It is more like a+g+q+w+k+s+u+b+z+m+l+r+t = c.  Our part ("a") in any equation is small.  Each contributes a little, but each part is used by the Designer to produce fruit ("c").  How often have you seen a person contribute "t" to the equation and take credit for "c", simply because they are the last contributor or appear to be a significant factor?  I see this in health care and in the church all the time.  Many factors (circumstances, microbes, one's general health, etc) are involved in causing depression or infection, and many factors will be involved in the resolution of the same.  In the Kingdom, God uses many factors to open our eyes to who He is and who we are, and He uses many factors and people to lead us to Him.  We err in simplifying life to understand and in relying heavily on our shortsighted perspective.  Seeking instant gratification from our work (even good work), in fruit that we can measure, can lead one directly away from our Father's will for us.

Also, prosperity and knowledge can create an "illusion of control" that is common in the U.S. and fascinatingly absent in the river people here.  Here they know that there is so much in their lives that is beyond their control.  Trust is such a huge part of their lives; trust in others and trust in a God that they know little about though they easily recognize His reality and their need for His kind intervention. 

We must remember to trust the One who creates and measures the fruit.  We must remember that we are but one small factor in a large equation (a person's journey).  Like a child, we can operate in response to His delight in us, playing whatever part He gives us, and leaving the rest of the equation, and final result (fruit), up to our Father.  Indifference to results and the fruit of our labor is very healthy when replaced by listening ears and availability for what small role that our Father is asking us to play.

What small part of someone's "equation" is God asking you to play today?  What "fruit" is He asking you to trust Him with?

The "proverbs" posted previously were a partial list.  If anyone would like to read a more complete list of my "observations of life", please email me at kubacki6@msn.com.  I would be glad to send you a copy in either English or Portuguese!

tim

Attitude is everything.  How many times we've all heard it.  I met a living example last night.  This incredible couple, in their late seventies, live about eight hours from any form of civilization, in a very simple house with no electricity or running water.  They live on the Jaurucu River and own only a canoe for transportation, hitching rides with others when needing to go into "the city".  They've lived in this same area all their lives.  Their kids have moved away and visit from time to time.

Our visit was the third time that our mission team has visited them.  The first two were to deliver and follow up on a water filter for their home.  We stopped in with some of the VCDC team and it was like their favorite people in the world were stopping in to see them.  They invited us in, made coffee, and talked and talked and talked.  Their conversation was full of joy, animation and gratitude.  There was much laughter.  It was obvious that they loved each other, loved life, loved this region, and loved our presence in their home.

What made their attitude so incredible was the setting.  Not only are the conditions in which they live so simple and difficult, but the disabilities that their age and their health problems create do not lend to an atmosphere that would typically yield their joyful attitude.  Neither have but a couple teeth (dentures haven't "arrived" on the rivers yet), she has severe arthritis in multiple joints with marked swelling, to the point of not being able to even take a step without severe pain.  Her one knee, in particular, was markedly swollen and was quite deformed from the many years of this arthritis.  He had fallen off of their dock three years ago and broken his hip.  He didn't have it repaired because, though the surgery would be covered in their government health system, they couldn't afford for him to be away from home for so long.  His affected leg is essentially withered and any movement causes pain.  He walks with the aid of a crude wooden crutch, tolerating pain with every movement.  He has severe sciatica, likely from his markedly altered gait, which also causes pain with every movement.

They live day to day, without ability to store food.  Today's work yields today's meal, whether fish, fruit, or meat.  Rice and beans are their staple (typical among the river folks), mainly because this can be stored dry without going bad.  If anyone has the right to gripe!  They hurt with every movement, they have to work for every meal, and there is no hope for change.

Well, we sat and talked with them for about two hours.  We talked about many things, laughed and mainly listened.  I injected her knee and we left them some simple pain medicine.  As a group, we prayed for both of them, individually and together.  As we were leaving, they said that this was the most special day they've had in a very long time.  They were so grateful and so humbly appreciated our presence, our encouragement and our praying for them.  They are so obviously our brother and sister and their love for Jesus in the midst of their circumstances greatly encouraged all of us.  They were a striking example of the beauty of humility and contentment with little.  A striking example!

They then showed up for our service that night, paddling in their dugout canoe fifteen minutes in the dark with a dull flashlight and arriving early (arriving early never happens in the Amazon!).  They were so full of joy and when asked by Kate, a member of the team, how she could pray for them, they went on and on about God's goodness to them and what a beautiful day they'd had.

God's Kingdom is a very different place.  A place where such joy can be present in the midst of pain and very difficult circumstances, where one can have treasure in the midst of "trash", where gratitude and grace reign in darkness, where the power of the unseen triumphs the seen, and where love rules over bitterness.

We tend to think that God is glorified most by victory, healing, and happiness in His people.  But I think that God is glorified most when people "witness" to His love while suffering and to His power while weak, trusting Him when they don't understand, and joyfully worshipping Him when confronted with despairing darkness.  A little Light continues today to be most visible in complete darkness.  We are called to be light in the darkness rather than to change the darkness to light.  This beautiful couple is light in a dark, religious, lost culture and the contrast is "glorifying".

With a beautiful team from our home church from Sunbury, Ohio, we visited a remote village called Cueidas.  This village is about 10 hr from Porto de Moz on the Jaurucu River.  The local people knew only that day that there would be a service and yet about 40 adults (and as many kids) came to the meeting in the village's one room school house.  We worshipped God together, some on the team shared testimonies on how they came to Jesus, Dennis spoke of God's heart for them, small toys were given to the children, and the team was warmly received by the local folks.  God's spirit was so evidently working and several people showed great, sober enthusiasm for pursuing a relationship with Jesus.

Kevin traveled back with Isaiah Kiener (Isaiah is visiting us for two months) and several Brasilians two weeks later, only to find that the hunger in the people there is real and they long for us to help them understand the grace and love of God. 

This is such a cool illustration of how God will use a team from North America.  They visited, at great personal cost, and communicated affection and value to the local people who will likely never again be visited in their homes by a group from a country they have only heard about.  It, for them, is something they will talk about for a long time, and likely always remember.  How often we hear from villagers, "I can't believe they came all that way to see us!"  Then we have the privilege of following up and equipping those that desire to follow Jesus. 

This was also an example of God's willingness and ability to take us where He desires us to go.  Our plans were to be at another village that night and through a variety of circumstances, we ended up at Cueidas, where there were a few hearts whose soil had been prepared to receive from Him.

At the health clinic that afternoon, I sensed God tell me to tell one young man that He had called him into ministry and service, and that God wanted him to know that this day.  He came to me that night and said that he had spent the day praying and believed the word to be true.  We talked of calling and cost and his enthusiasm didn't wane.  He will be another in this village that we can pour into, assisting him in his pursuit of God.

This team was special.  They have been like our last several, in that they came wanting to serve in any way, supporting what we were doing, with a high degree of flexibility along the way.

In the remote villages of this region, it is our desire to plant small groups (grupos pequenos).  Gatherings, in homes, of people interested not in religious services or man-made rules and rituals, but rather interested in getting together to share what God is teaching them, to share their struggles, failures and joys, and to pray for each other and those in their community.

What is a "church"?  We have a tendency to see this "institution" through our 2009, western eyes, but what do we see in the first century church?  This is especially important here because this culture is much more like the first century middle eastern culture than it is the modern North American culture.  In the first church, we see groups meeting in homes, sharing a meal, seeking God's will and direction, telling each other what they have been learning and experiencing, and praying together and for each other.  Jesus indicated that where(ever) "two or three" would gather in His name, He would join them.  The church and God's presence really has nothing to do with a building.  We want to plant churches, groups of people passionate about Jesus and His love, and people who long to grow in their relationship with Him and with each other.  In this culture, if you build a building and call it a church, especially if you make it beautiful and add some bells and whistles, people will come to services.  But is people attending services in a building a church?  What if you strip away any appearance of religion and take away the building and the ritual?  Most of those same people don't come.  This is such a religious culture that, it seems to me, we will only find those who seek Truth and God if we work without the religious trappings.

One of the Vineyard's emphases is on the significance of small groups in the believer's life.  Simple, small groups that more offer support than polished performance.  Groups where people are real and flawed and exposed, not wearing religious masks over their best clothing.  Where people interact, ask questions, listen to God together, rather than attend a service and sit idly, listening to one person give a polished teaching and another offer long, pretty "prayers".  Groups that will serve needs together, support each other personally through difficulties, and encourage one another Monday through Saturday.

We believe that the early church model is the model that God desires in the small villages of the Amazon Basin.  If you seek to plant a more traditional church, you will fill a building with people and you will then be looking for gifted leaders, to pastor the same.  These leaders, especially in the form of a humble servant, are greatly lacking.  The people hungry for Jesus are lost in the crowd of people interested only in a religious service to make them feel "good".  In a small group model, one's focus turns to looking for hungry people, people who will meet in an "upper room" (this one will be on stilts!), listening for and waiting on God, while encouraging, supporting and learning from one another.  Those interested in religion won't come and the focus can be placed on the thirsty, those wanting real intimacy with their God.  Here, they will learn to trust, and remain dependent on, the One who is the only Head of His body, the church.

We recently visited a small village and the next week one of the men from the village arrived in Porto de Moz and expressed great interest in beginning a "grupo pequeno" in his home of people really interested in pursuing relationship with God.  This is beautiful, more so than big services, many one time "converts", or interest in building a beautiful building in his village and calling it a "church".

Are you participating in a small group?  I would highly encourage you to find one (or lead one) where those involved have a heart to learn ... learn to walk with God, learn God's word, learn to love and support each other, learn to pray ... Few things will impact your faith more than participation in a small group of devoted followers of Jesus.

These "proverbs" originated from a time of confusion in my life which prompted me to write out what I believed to be true.  From that point on, when confronted with a confusing situation (an often occurrence with me!) for me or for another, rather than try to reason it out, I began to simply ask my Father, "What is true here?" and try to remember His response.  I keep them for my sake and to share especially with my kids, knowing that dealing with confusion in this life is not unique to me.  I share them with you that perhaps you will be able to own a few of them but more to encourage all of us to often ask this question of our Father and to not rely solely on our own very limited perspective.  There are many more and from time to time I will share a few on the blog.  I hope they are encouraging and not burdensome!

Most of January I will be on the rivers or in Altamira.  I will try to write during the month but my next entry may be in February.

Thank you for sharing in our journey!

tim

These are a few of the lessons that my Father has taught me over the past few years.  Nothing is new here, only realized.  They are written on an ongoing basis for my kids.  We all have our "proverbs" or learned lessons; some written, some engraved on our hearts.  Perhaps He will use these to encourage and challenge you, as He has me.  Please forward comments, favorites, disagreements to kubacki6@msn.com.  I would love to hear from you!

We were created to live loved and the wondrous love of God is ever-present, if only we would appreciate its reality.  Living "unloved" is the cause of much pain in many people of every culture.       loosely from, "The Shack"

Missionaries are not worthy of admiration.  People who are surrendered to, and intimate with, Jesus (and humbly like Him) are worthy of admiration regardless of their place of residence or occupation.

Love and affliction both change one's soil, so that planted seeds can grow.

To selflessly care for one suffering is equally as beautiful as it is to suffer well.

Conflict, difficulty and pain are not expected at a party.  All are, however, a given in war.  Jesus said to expect which in this life?

Teaching old dogs new tricks (or languages) is a chore!

To love someone often indifferent, antagonistic, self-centered, insensitive, unaware of their "blind spots", and completely different, is the love of marriage.  This also describes perfectly God's love for me.

It's easier to serve God than to draw close to Him and trust Him.  But it is in the drawing close and the trusting that we do the "work of God" and, in so doing, find that which we seek in serving Him.

A wise child is truly a parent's delight.

Growing older is over-rated.  Cherish your youth!

Suffering is no respecter of persons or cultures.

The work and burden are His.  HE builds His church.  HE heals.  We get to participate.

People who live many hours from any medical help break bones and have asthma, headaches, meningitis, diarrhea, lacerations, strokes ...

Laughter IS good medicine.

I have seen joy in those desperately poor and misery in those with great wealth.

Even when we serve God in a foreign land, "self" is there.

Why, within the church, do we esteem success, charisma, and confidence when the Head of the church honors and delights in humility?

To work for a simple "Thank you!" seems healthy but pleasing people invariably leads to frustration.  Better to work in response to the delight that our Father already has in us.

Maintaining intimacy (love) with God, our wife/husband, our kids, and our friends is a battle against many enemies (none of which are God, our wife/husband, our kids or our friends!). 

A man finds a certain, needed fulfillment in his work.

If here exist luck or fortune, then God is either absent or impotent.

People are very much the same anywhere.  They both reflect the beauty of their Creator and manifest the wounds of lives lived independently of Him.

Communication, through conversation, is the foundation of any relationship (with God, our spouse, our kids, our friends).

The outcome of obedience often looks differently than what one may expect.

Advice is typically responded to neither immediately, nor exactly in the manner advised.

Wise counsel must be owned to benefit the counseled.

Life is the accumulation of many little lessons learned, many little failures, many little joys, many little special moments.  A journey is the accumulation of many small steps toward a destination.

You will not "arrive" in this lifetime.  Appreciate the journey.

The wounds caused by a friend or brother ("friendly fire") hurt more profoundly because of a perceived violation of trust.

I can change no one.

"Should" carries burden not from our Father.  Those loved don't know this word.

Pain and illness are worse without transportation, a soft chair, and some savings.

Needs are opportunities for God's children to approach their Father and inquire if and how they might respond.  Our calling is not to meet needs but rather to walk in intimacy with our Father and, from there, He will likely direct us to a particular need (a place where He is preparing the soil for His seeds of love).

To chase after certain results or outcomes is exhausting.  We are called rather to "delight in the Lord" and "seek first His kingdom".

God, life, love, and people (including me) are beyond my understanding.  Actually, most things are beyond my ability to understand but not beyond my ability to appreciate.

A sense of wonder and a genuine, "Wow!" honor the Creator.  Sincere gratitude honors the Giver.

If we look, we will see God's provision in every situation and we can acknowledge His purposes, though "through a glass dimly".

Trust is gained over time and testing, and can be lost in a moment.

Our enemy frequently whispers suggestions and lies.  Jesus constantly knocks at the door of our heart.  We choose, moment by moment, who we will invite in, embrace and follow.

To forgive is to free the offender, but even more to free the offended.

God takes special pleasure in bringing life to that which is dead, light to darkness, beauty to that which is broken, freedom to one held captive, and joy to those oppressed.

To trust in God's love, goodness and control is to live burden-free.

Passion comes and goes but love endures.

To work hard, and to provide for oneself and one's family, is better than receiving something for nothing.

Encouragement is greatly undervalued and desperately lacking, within the church.

Criticism (speaking ill to another) and slander (speaking ill of another) have more power to harm than physical assault.  Most people would never physically assault another, but ...

To ask questions and listen is to honor and love.

We all are quite screwed up.

Joy results from focusing on God's beauty and goodness, not mine.

God's will for your life has more to do with where you are than where you are to go.

Nothing of value is gained without effort and cost.

Duty and obligation are motivators when love is doubted or unknown.

God prefers to use broken, screwed up people.

I have more than a few regrets.  All of them were the result of walking independently of my Father.

Kingdom thoughts: "Father, what do you think about this?"  and  "Father, what would you have me do (say)?"

Marriage and raising kids are like working a 24 hr shift or living in a hot, bug-infested shack for a week; who you really are is revealed.

I need often to rest and be still.

Facades (the most common: "I have it all together.") are deceptive and harmful.  Humility and transparency are edifying.

Fear (of loss, failure, embarrassment, etc,) motivate many decisions in people of every culture.

Expectation of life, people, and ourselves is inversely related to contentment (more expectation = less contentment // less expectation = more contentment).

To lose a known love (through death, rejection, separation) is to be wounded deeply.  Jesus said, "I will NEVER leave nor forsake you."

A thankful heart is deeply healing.

Religion is one of our enemy's most powerful tools.

All people, in every culture, are wounded, broken, weak, and afraid.  Some realize it.

A healthy rhythm for living: Pour yourself into work and into relationships and take time to recover.

Learn in order to gain appreciation rather than understanding.

Those who wound you don't fully realize what they are doing.

To lead is to initiate - in encouraging, serving, listening, forgiving, supporting, steering, correcting, loving...

To trust is to loosen one's grip.

When we condemn ourselves for our past, we are one person judging another.

Our "illusion of control" excludes God.

God is interested in developing much more in us than ease and prosperity would provide.

Different cultures are fascinating to compare.  It's easy to see our own culture's strengths and another's weaknesses, but all cultures have plenty of both.

To be stewards of God's (and your) resources, to the forgotten river people of the Amazon Basin, is a unique privilege and one that we trust will impact lives and generations.  May we all receive more in 2009 from our Father, and give more back to the Giver of all good things, to be used for His purposes.

"God with us".  He came.  He came to reveal Himself, so that we could know Him.  He came so that we would know that He could relate to our pain and difficulty.  He came to teach.  He came to die and to demonstrate His incomprehensible love in the most powerful manner possible.  He came to beat death to convince us that all of the above is true.  He promised that His love and His presence would remain available for all who would have Him.  God with us!!!

Certainly a reason to celebrate!  Certainly a reason to give of ourselves so that others may know Him!

Please have a most special Christmas, and "enjoy" the cold weather for us!

All the Kubacki's

Our long-time friends from Columbus, Brent and Aaron Long, joined Luke and me for a week-long water filter trip into the interior, west of Porto de Moz, along the Jaruacu River.  We began the trip with 60 filters, each weighing near 300 lb, 60 sacks of fine sand (150 lb), 120 bags of gravel (20 lb), along with the filter accessories.  I took an EMT pack of meds and tools, as well, as this would be the first time we combined attending to the health needs of these remote people with both filters and medicine.  As you've read previously, these filters are quite remarkable.  They will purify river water to close to 100% and kill the parasites and bacteria that cause a host of common diseases among the people of the Amazon Basin.

But they are heavy!  It takes 4 - 6 men to get a filter from the boat, to a canoe, to the shore, up the bank to the house, up the steps or ladder (all river houses are on stilts), and into the house.  We have a great team of young men who work hard making the filters three weeks/month and delivering them one week/month.  After delivery, they brief the family on how the filter works, demonstrate the simple maintenance instructions and pray for the family.  Most families are delighted and grateful to receive a filter.  Those who are currently using the filters are thrilled with the results and word is spreading in this region as to their benefits. 

At each place we stopped, we offered health care assistance.  Many responded, asking for a "consultation".  I saw about 300 people over the course of the week, a pretty typical number.  We stopped at several small villages with 8 - 10 homes (which typically contain 2-3 families each) and I spent several hours at these villages.  We stopped at many single homes, as well.  I prayed for each person for their health care issue, and I asked God to draw close to them and I encouraged them to draw close to Him.  Many people showed obvious signs of encouragement, from tears to smiles to hugs of gratitude.  At one village in particular, we arrived to a cold, hard welcome and left the next evening sensing warmth and gratitude.  Love, without strings, is truly a transforming agent in both people and communities.

The health care was varied and included removing some shrapnel from the arm of a man on his kitchen table as well as treating various infectious, parasitic, traumatic, arthritic and other medical conditions.  We also gave reading glasses to four older adults who were absolutely thrilled to be able to see at close range again. 

One highlight of the trip was spending an hour with a husband and wife who are grieving a still-born baby, born 10 days prior.  It was a sober joy to be able to listen to them share their hearts and hurts and to speak encouragement and freedom to grieve.  I discouraged any sense of fault or blame and encouraged them to see God's provision for them in the midst of a situation that challenges their understanding.  I was able to pray with each individually and with them together, encouraging them to seek the comfort of the only One who can truly comfort.

Another highlight involved Brent, Aaron, Luke and me and 6-7 locals loading 20,000 bricks from ground to truck and from truck to boat.  It was a long day and one we all will not soon forget!

It was such a pleasure to work alongside Brent and to share with each other our struggles and joys with family, work, and our walks with Jesus.  It was nice for Luke to be able to do the same with Aaron, as Luke's adjustment to Porto de Moz is taking some time, and spending some time with an old friend was therapeutic.

The group of Brasilians working with us was hard-working, gracious with our language deficiencies, and a lot of fun.  We were able to fish in the evenings and early mornings and caught many very nice fish (which we ate at about every meal).

Between the filters and the medicine, it was a tiring, though quite satisfying, trip.  It is so nice to be able to be used for others' benefit and for the kingdom.  It's nice to be in a position to distribute resources provided by so many caring people in the States.  The work that Thirst Relief International is doing in providing these filters to remote river people is beautiful.  The health care that I can provide by purchasing medicine with the money that you send is making such a difference in these people who lead truly difficult lives.  The  eternal seeds that we are able to plant all over this region will mature in His time.  We trust in our Father's ability and desire to use us and to use you, to bring people into an everlasting, intimate, love relationship with Him.