March 10th 2011 marked one year since we arrived here to Caraguatatuba Brazil, and what a year it has been! Seeing what God has accomplished through our team in just a year had truly been a life changing experience. In just a short time we have a thriving work here averaging over 90 people at our Sunday services. Our youth group has grown to a strong group of 40 kids ranging form ages 12 to 26 years old. We have seen 15 people surrender their lives to Christ and have baptised 41 people. We have also been able to start a preaching point in another neighborhood that averages 15 people for a weekly Bible study where Justin preaches.
In our personal lives, Heather and Thiago have moved into a house of their own and have gotten a car with the help of Thiago's parents. Ryan is now five and just started school and Brooke is now two. They have poured their lives into the youth here and their house is always full of them! Justin and Jenna have lived with Jay and Peggy this past year. Justin has been teaching the youth on our youth nights and also preaching at the preaching point in another neighborhood. Jenna organizes the monthly Children's Church services and has picked up portuguese pretty well. Justin and Jenna are looking forward to attending the national meeting in June. We have been amazed at how fast God has worked here and can only imagine what is yet to come. We appreciate the support and prayers that have been behind us and we look forward to continuing our progress here in Brazil.
Recent updates:
These last months we have been putting on monthly Children's Church services in our preacing point neighborhood. We have had up to 35 kids come to sing and learn about Jesus. We have a great time having water balloon fights and playing other fun games. This past month we had our first youth retreat where we took 35 youth to learn about having a real commitment to God instead of being a " tourist" with Him. We wanted them to understand that they can't come and go in their relationship with God as a tourist comes and goes at they please. At the end of the three day retreat the youth signed a contract that had their name at the top and was signed by God at the bottom. The page was blank and only required a signature from the youth next to God's signature. This showed them that we don't know what our lives will hold but we "sign the contract" with God believing that whatever he has for our lives is best and that we are willing to have faith and just pick up our cross and follow Him no matter where He leads us. We told them not to sign it unless they were really ready to make that promise to God. We watched, with tears flowing, every single youth in attendance sign that contract with God. It is things like this which make us know we are right where God wants us.
