Greetings! This update will be a bit long, so I'll try and break it up into sections.
Yesterday: As you remember, the group worked on some general maintenance for a few church buildings and docks. They split up into teams to do this.
One group was painting the insides and outsides of "windows" (heavy-duty shutters that keep people from going through the openings). The paint is to prevent insects from eating the wooden shutters and to prevent them from rotting.
The other group was installing a dock from one of the churches out to the water so that during the rainy season people can get off their boats and walk to the church without getting wet. This group was also installing "windows", and Tim T was painting the Logo for Project Amazon (PAZ) on one of the buildings.
Last Night: The LIFTers attended a Tuesday-evening church service where all the leaders throughout the Amazon basin meet. There is excellent communication from pastors down to the smaller cell groups as they are trying to build leaders in groups; this was great for the LIFTers to see. One of the pastors asked the group to share for about a 1/2 hour (spontaneous - no planning allowed!). The students were strangely hesitant to share, even though they've all done so as a part of our program before; they've been encouraged to be ready to share whenever the opportunity arises. Tim T admonished them a bit (in his gentle prodding manner), and eventually Sarah, Chris and Bri shared testimonies (with a translator). The entire group sang three songs in English, one of which the locals knew in Portuguese. The words were translated for the other two songs before they were sung. The people loved to hear how God was working in our youths' lives.
It is very evident that the Brazilian believers are very sensitive to the power of the Holy Spirit and are open to his work in their lives. During their debriefing time, Tim T communicated that he had been frustrated with our group's hesitancy to step forward and share their stories. He then asked for their forgiveness, confessing that he had pushed them when perhaps they weren't ready, rather than being an encourager. Through his humility, the students came to a place of confession and repentance; they didn't do what they should have: what they'd been trained to do in stepping forward to share their stories. Last night a lot of individual prayer and journaling took place as they searched their hearts and surrendered. The Holy Spirit is working in the group as they press into God. Ken Trezise (Tim T's brother, a PAZ missionary) encouraged them in this: that the Holy Spirit is working through the group in a powerful way. . .he can use all of us, and we need to step forward and start sharing, stepping out in faith. The students received this word from Ken with grace.
Room & Board: There are no beds where they are so when it's time to sleep, they find hooks (they're everywhere!) and hang their hammocks. I wonder how the group is faring with this; I'll be sure to ask when I talk to them. The menu has been 100% authentically Brazilian: great beans and rice at times, lasagne made with very salty ham, plenty of meat, lots of one-potmeals served over rice, rice with every meal.
Today: The group is doing the same types of things today, working on church buildings.
All in All: Yesterday I mentioned the team was wonderful. Today, we have word that the novelty of 3rd-world living is wearing off getting more difficult. While the team is still doing quite well, some are becoming less and less excited with "showering" in the Amazon river and washing their clothes by hand. Kathy T suggested we try and guess who's actually washing their clothes and who is just wearing dirty clothes. (-:
Prayer: Please continue to pray! I mentioned back on Monday that we need to be praying that the Holy Spirit would be working in the group. What is really encouraging about this particular update is that we see the Lord abundantly answering that prayer; let's thank Him for that and continue to pray for the group's sanctification. Also, let's pray that the group would be comforted by the Holy Spirit and their community as they are becoming more uncomfortable with their living situations. For now, Kathy T has been the one communicating with the group (read: her husband) and sending me the updates. So far, I've just been reading about the group (as you have) but I can tell, even through this meager communication, that the Lord is indeed working. I am incredibly encouraged by this and convicted to pray more. I hope the same for you.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Tuesday Update
If there were a theme to this update, I suppose it would be "wonderful". The team is wonderful. The Tims are wonderful. Brazil, I hear, is wonderful this time of year. (-:
The group loved traveling up river yesterday morning; The trip was slow, peaceful and full of the beauty only found on the Amazon. I must say, I eagerly anticipate seeing the pictures upon their return (I'll be sure to share a few with you!).
They set up base camp yesterday and plunged into the river for their evening shower. Last night, some slept in their hammocks on the land and some of the group slept on the boat, where it was a bit cooler (temperatures are hitting 90-95 degrees during the day and I'm sure the humidity level can't even be imagined).
Today they're building a dock, installing windows and finishing up church buildings that have been started by Brazilian pastors and other mission teams that have gone down. Their hands are definitely needed to continue the construction; the Brazilian pastors struggle because the churches are growing but there's just no money for building construction.
All in all, the group is doing wonderfully well. This brings me great joy and I hope it does you as well.
Photo courtesy of Project Amazon
The group loved traveling up river yesterday morning; The trip was slow, peaceful and full of the beauty only found on the Amazon. I must say, I eagerly anticipate seeing the pictures upon their return (I'll be sure to share a few with you!).
They set up base camp yesterday and plunged into the river for their evening shower. Last night, some slept in their hammocks on the land and some of the group slept on the boat, where it was a bit cooler (temperatures are hitting 90-95 degrees during the day and I'm sure the humidity level can't even be imagined).
Today they're building a dock, installing windows and finishing up church buildings that have been started by Brazilian pastors and other mission teams that have gone down. Their hands are definitely needed to continue the construction; the Brazilian pastors struggle because the churches are growing but there's just no money for building construction.
All in all, the group is doing wonderfully well. This brings me great joy and I hope it does you as well.
Photo courtesy of Project Amazon
Monday, April 6, 2009
Monday Morning Update
We heard from the group last night and all is well down in Brazil.
Friday they went to the dump to share Jesus' love practically. The people they brought food to in the dump live there, collecting items to sell so they can have money to live. These people also share their dump-home with vultures who constantly soar around in search of food. Many of the students had not seen such dire poverty before this; it was a moving experience for all.
Sunday, they attended a service with amazing worship, all in Portuguese. Tim said the highlight was watching the women, dressed in long white dresses, dancing in worship- very sweet and totally directed at the Lord.
The students prayed over the American couple who is hoping to keep moving ahead with the orphanage in which the LIFTers have been sleeping. Presently the plans are "hung up in red tape" with the government. As our group prayed over these two, the Lord moved mightily and spoke to them with great words of encouragement. The missionaries were full of positive thanks to our group and to God for how their spirits had been lifted through this sweet time of prayer!
As of this morning, the group left the orphanage and traveled up river about two hours (on a boat!). The plan was for them to leave at 6am, so they should be at their destination as you read this, setting up base came and prepping for work this afternoon. We'll have more information on their new home for the next few days when we hear from them again.
Please continue to pray for the students! We can assume that this time in Brazil will affect them in some manner, but we want them to come home different, not "affected". God-glorifying, Christ-likened change can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Friday they went to the dump to share Jesus' love practically. The people they brought food to in the dump live there, collecting items to sell so they can have money to live. These people also share their dump-home with vultures who constantly soar around in search of food. Many of the students had not seen such dire poverty before this; it was a moving experience for all.
Sunday, they attended a service with amazing worship, all in Portuguese. Tim said the highlight was watching the women, dressed in long white dresses, dancing in worship- very sweet and totally directed at the Lord.
The students prayed over the American couple who is hoping to keep moving ahead with the orphanage in which the LIFTers have been sleeping. Presently the plans are "hung up in red tape" with the government. As our group prayed over these two, the Lord moved mightily and spoke to them with great words of encouragement. The missionaries were full of positive thanks to our group and to God for how their spirits had been lifted through this sweet time of prayer!
As of this morning, the group left the orphanage and traveled up river about two hours (on a boat!). The plan was for them to leave at 6am, so they should be at their destination as you read this, setting up base came and prepping for work this afternoon. We'll have more information on their new home for the next few days when we hear from them again.
Please continue to pray for the students! We can assume that this time in Brazil will affect them in some manner, but we want them to come home different, not "affected". God-glorifying, Christ-likened change can only come through the power of the Holy Spirit.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Hammocks in an Orphanage
We just heard from the group; they did make it safely to their base camp (just east of Belem, Brazil) and are resting from their long trip south. Apparently their second connecting flight was very similar to the first (a quick turn-around time with hurried legs in the airport). That's the kind of stuff that makes traveling very exciting.
Their home for the next few days is a building that's currently being turned into an orphanage. There are no beds, so each member of the team was given a hammock to sleep in (please take a moment to ponder the awesomeness of this; it makes me want to go buy a hammock).
The organization that LIFT will be working with for the next two weeks is called Project Amazon (PAZ). Their mission is to glorify God, fulfilling the Great Commission by planting nationally led churches, emphasizing:
Tomorrow (April 4), they will be going to the local dump to feed the poor who work there, then they will be leading a service for the youth in the evening.
Sunday (April 5) they will pack for the next leg of the trip (ten days on the river) and go to church.
Please pray:
This is all I know for now. Posting will be light for the weekend, but be sure to dig around the Project Amazon website for more information on the Amazon basin.
Their home for the next few days is a building that's currently being turned into an orphanage. There are no beds, so each member of the team was given a hammock to sleep in (please take a moment to ponder the awesomeness of this; it makes me want to go buy a hammock).
The organization that LIFT will be working with for the next two weeks is called Project Amazon (PAZ). Their mission is to glorify God, fulfilling the Great Commission by planting nationally led churches, emphasizing:
- The making of disciple-making disciples
- The training, equipping and sending of nationals
- Ministering to the whole person: spirit, soul and body
- Focusing on the Amazon Basin
Tomorrow (April 4), they will be going to the local dump to feed the poor who work there, then they will be leading a service for the youth in the evening.
Sunday (April 5) they will pack for the next leg of the trip (ten days on the river) and go to church.
Please pray:
- That the students will recover quickly from traveling so they are rested enough for their Brazilian adventures.
- That they would become acclimated with the culture sooner than expected.
- For wisdom and discernment for the LIFT directors as well as the PAZ missionaries.
- That in their excitement, they would remember that all good things come from the Lord and they would be finding their stability and identities in Christ alone.
- That as they minister, that the light of Jesus Christ would be allowed to shine brightly.
- For the people that they minister to, that their interactions with the LIFTers would push them toward a deeper relationship with Christ.
This is all I know for now. Posting will be light for the weekend, but be sure to dig around the Project Amazon website for more information on the Amazon basin.
Landed
While I haven't heard from them yet, LIFT should have landed safely in Brazil by now.
We did hear from them yesterday during their layover in Miami. Apparently their flight was an hour late getting there and they had to run around the airport to catch their connecting flight. I imagine it looked something like the scene from Home Alone except no one got lost.
I'll post more later, I just wanted to give you all a quick update.
Also, I've been sending out some email updates and some of the emails I was given are getting kicked back to me. If you want to be on the email list or think one of those emails are yours, send me an email so I can put you on the list.
christinaL[at]camp-of-the-woods[dot]org
We did hear from them yesterday during their layover in Miami. Apparently their flight was an hour late getting there and they had to run around the airport to catch their connecting flight. I imagine it looked something like the scene from Home Alone except no one got lost.
I'll post more later, I just wanted to give you all a quick update.
Also, I've been sending out some email updates and some of the emails I was given are getting kicked back to me. If you want to be on the email list or think one of those emails are yours, send me an email so I can put you on the list.
christinaL[at]camp-of-the-woods[dot]org
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
The Team
Note: Blogger's time stamp is giving me a hard time. This was published Thursday, April 2, 2009.
Tim, at one point in time, talked about introducing the LIFTers here. Being the busy man that he is, he neglected blogging about the LIFTers and opted for interacting with them instead. I'll accept this as a viable excuse.
And I digress. Here are the LIFT 21 students:
First row: Tim, Jeff, Nellie, Becky, Brianna, Kristen and Dale. Second row: Sarah, Chris, Matt, Harim and Peter. Third row: Megan, Sherri, Erin, Emory, Justyna, Katie and Kim. Not pictured: Directors, Tim T. and Tim O.
Today is a day of travel for them; let's hold them up in prayer as they board three airplanes and spend over 15 hours in the air. Here is their route:
They fly from Newark, NJ to Miami, FL and from Miami to Sau Paulo, Brazil (it's in the same vicinity as Rio de Janeiro). Then they fly from Sau Paulo to Belem, Brazil, arriving at their destination tomorrow morning at 9:30 am EST (10:30 am for the group).
I tried to figure out how long it would take to drive from Speculator, New York, United States to Belem, Para, Brazil but Google had some issues with me wanting to drive that far. If someone wants to figure it out, drop a comment here.
Cheers!
Tim, at one point in time, talked about introducing the LIFTers here. Being the busy man that he is, he neglected blogging about the LIFTers and opted for interacting with them instead. I'll accept this as a viable excuse.
And I digress. Here are the LIFT 21 students:
First row: Tim, Jeff, Nellie, Becky, Brianna, Kristen and Dale. Second row: Sarah, Chris, Matt, Harim and Peter. Third row: Megan, Sherri, Erin, Emory, Justyna, Katie and Kim. Not pictured: Directors, Tim T. and Tim O.
Today is a day of travel for them; let's hold them up in prayer as they board three airplanes and spend over 15 hours in the air. Here is their route:
They fly from Newark, NJ to Miami, FL and from Miami to Sau Paulo, Brazil (it's in the same vicinity as Rio de Janeiro). Then they fly from Sau Paulo to Belem, Brazil, arriving at their destination tomorrow morning at 9:30 am EST (10:30 am for the group).
I tried to figure out how long it would take to drive from Speculator, New York, United States to Belem, Para, Brazil but Google had some issues with me wanting to drive that far. If someone wants to figure it out, drop a comment here.
Cheers!
Meu Nome รจ Christina: A Brazilian Introduction
Hello all,
As most of you know, LIFT 21 will be departing tomorrow for a two-week mission trip to Brazil. I will be taking over this little slice of the interweb while they are gone, updating you on their adventure. Some of you may know who I am and can assume my excitement in this new project of mine, but I suspect more of you have no idea who I am and how I'm connected to the LIFT program.
First, I am a graphic designer and photographer at CAMP-of-the-WOODS, the resort and conference center that the LIFT Discipleship Program is tied to under their parent organization, Gospel Volunteers, Inc. This is my eighth LIFT class I've been given the privilege to observe and interact with.
Second, last semester, LIFT 20 went to Nigeria. In a story that's entirely too long and only minutely relevant to this blog, I had the opportunity to go with them last November and act as their photographer. Since we've started a two-semester opportunity, we have 8 students from last semester doing LIFT again and subsequently traveling to Brazil.
Third, I love to blog.
In short, I am professionally and emotionally tied to this group. I love the students and my experience in Nigeria will give me an opportunity to understand their Brazilian experience better. Which means I can effectively communicate it with you.
This is a picture of LIFT 20 in Nigeria. Some of the students are missing, but it's the only group photo I ended up in.
So that is who I am. Now on to the more important stuff.
The plan: My goal is to update here more often than I hear from the group. In between actual updates, I'll be throwing in some random Brazil facts and maybe a Portuguese lesson or two. We'll have fun together, I promise.
The group leaves tomorrow morning; please pray:
As most of you know, LIFT 21 will be departing tomorrow for a two-week mission trip to Brazil. I will be taking over this little slice of the interweb while they are gone, updating you on their adventure. Some of you may know who I am and can assume my excitement in this new project of mine, but I suspect more of you have no idea who I am and how I'm connected to the LIFT program.
First, I am a graphic designer and photographer at CAMP-of-the-WOODS, the resort and conference center that the LIFT Discipleship Program is tied to under their parent organization, Gospel Volunteers, Inc. This is my eighth LIFT class I've been given the privilege to observe and interact with.
Second, last semester, LIFT 20 went to Nigeria. In a story that's entirely too long and only minutely relevant to this blog, I had the opportunity to go with them last November and act as their photographer. Since we've started a two-semester opportunity, we have 8 students from last semester doing LIFT again and subsequently traveling to Brazil.
Third, I love to blog.
In short, I am professionally and emotionally tied to this group. I love the students and my experience in Nigeria will give me an opportunity to understand their Brazilian experience better. Which means I can effectively communicate it with you.
This is a picture of LIFT 20 in Nigeria. Some of the students are missing, but it's the only group photo I ended up in.
So that is who I am. Now on to the more important stuff.
The plan: My goal is to update here more often than I hear from the group. In between actual updates, I'll be throwing in some random Brazil facts and maybe a Portuguese lesson or two. We'll have fun together, I promise.
The group leaves tomorrow morning; please pray:
- For sharpness of mind and the ability to place all their anxieties on the Lord as they pack.
- For their emotional preparation; that they would rest wholly on the truths of Scripture.
- For their spiritual preparation; that they would be walking by the Spirit and leaning on the Lord for wisdom and understanding.
- Pray Philippians 4:6-7 for them, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus."
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