Two Year's On The Field

Two Year Team Banquet 2007 30
Originally uploaded by Brazil Bean Brewed.

Here is a picture of our team at a banquet we had to celebrate living in Brazil for two years. Two year's ago in March our team left our homes in the States and Canada to move here to Salvador, Brazil. Having no more than four suitcases full of clothes and special mementos, Travis and I began a new life. Our first challenges when we arrived was to settle in, find an apartment, get furniture, a fridge and stove and find our way around the city. Once that happened we started full time language study and began to look for a building to show our presence in the city. The first year of course had it's ups and downs. Our team was learning to work together, rely on each other and be a family together while going through culture shock and trying to reach out to people in the city. We also began relationships with the other existing churches in the city and helping them as well as them helping us to become accustom to the differences in cultural things. A year ago April 2nd, we opened our building doors for our first public worship service. We had over 300 people in attendance for our inaugural service, very hot day but a new beginning for our second year on the field. Since that time we have met many new people, begun small groups, and now have a core group of about 30 people in our church. We also have had many people from Canada and the States come to visit, to do work on our building, encourage us in our work and to teach English. We've had four baptisms and many new people to study the Bible with. Our small groups are starting to grow as well as our team, adding our little girl Ceara and soon Baby Mabery in August. Many things have happened these two years that we have been here, God is moving hearts and minds of people everyday and changing us as well. It is amazing to look back on these two years and think of all the things we have accomplished with God's help and to think of the things that He will continue to do the next three years. God's work here is great and we are thankful for the help that we have from our supporters back home that help us to do God's work. Two years have flown by as we look towards April 1st to celebrate with our church members one year of many times together praising our Lord and learning about His love for us. Thank you Lord for these last two years to be your servants in this city, please continue to be with us as we serve you more each and everyday. Friends and family continue to be in prayer for this work here in Salvador, that we would be lights to this city, that we will grow in our faith and that God will use our team and our church to bring more people into His family of believers. Two years in Salvador, praise to our Lord.