One whole month!

So that's week two of the real thing done and I am absolutely loving what God is doing in and through me here. 

This week was a little different because we didn't end up going to the Army Base on Wednesday but we filled in the time with other stuff this week. 

This week on Tuesday instead of doing the usual administration stuff we went to a farm (YEAH FARM!) to help a group of missionaries called light in action. Basically they are a group of people who are trying to put together 12 teaching videos of the bible from the beginning to the end with really good quality teaching and really good cut away scenes of things from the bible. They plan to translate these videos into 100 languages so that they be used as a tool all over the world. For more information follow this link and see some of the stuff that these guys have already done http://www.lightinaction.org/
This was a fantastic day with great people, doing great work. We basically just helped to dye some material so that they can make tents for the cut away scenes in the videos (we did this the whole day). They are an amazing bunch of people doing incredible work and we just got to help them in this little way and to play with the animals and the kids. The farm was a great place away from the city (at the end of the day, as a farmer's son, I felt that peace that only a days hard work on a farm can only bring).

cutting up some of the material

the dying process. Me "supervising" as usual

Eating around the table with the family

REAL ANIMALS. I miss them 

Wednesday then consisted of what a normal Tuesday would consist of and I got to play guitar all day in the church, which is a thing I haven't been able to do so really enjoyed worshipping to the lord on my own. That night we had our normal meeting with the teens which was great as one of the teens lead the talk with a word from Genesis. 

Thursday was another day for team play time. Managed to be able to jump onto it and make it to the other end loads of times! More importantly me and Ramin met up with some teens one of the Malls which was fantastic. They were all really interested in the gospel and really wanted to just talk it out. 

Friday I had a 5am start for teaching in the school at 7. Basically the head teacher gave us the opportunity to cover every class in the morning that doesn't have a teacher. We had a presentation sorted talking about where we come from and stuff but we didn't expect to have to do it 8 times! It went down a storm, with (by the looks of it) some kids skipping class to see it. After that had more opportunities to make some more relationships with some of the guys and had a great talk with some guys who ended up being Christians and got to share more with them.

Spent Saturday again in Sao Jose de Mipibu, teaching and playing with the kids which was difficult without our two fluent Portuguese speakers but one of the girls Emily lead the whole thing fantastically. 

Well it has been one whole month here in Brazil this time yesterday. God has done wonderful things in me this month and I hope and pray he is going to continue to do these things and even great things. I have a great family here, in the team, in the church and in my host home but I have really felt that I am missing my family right now. (watched the first Narnia on Saturday and it just made it worse!) I would really appreciate some prayer for that, and pray for my family at home to please as they go about their daily lives. 
I am also still really struggling with the language. I know that it has only been a month but the inability to be able to communicate with people is really frustrating (to the point where I just don't talk which isn't helping). 

continue to pray for all of these ministries and please remember light in action in your prayers this time. 

muito Obrigado 
mark

Week one of the real thing!

Foundational training is over and it was time for the real thing. 


It was a little slow this week as it was the first week and we are a pioneering team but we already have loads more planned for this coming week, some really exciting stuff.

Monday was our day off so spent most of the day playing video games on the host families Xbox (missions can be really hard sometime!) but it was a good rest and helped me recover for the rest of the week. Tuesday we as a team watch some Videos made by Pais that we will be watch throughout the year to help us with our ministry and then did some administration like assigning jobs (of which I am in charge of the facebook page a rather relevant job for me). 

On Wednesday we went to an army base just outside of Natal to have a look at a children's programme they do there, that we will be helping with every week. Basically the schools around Natal choose children who are the most disadvantaged and send them either in the afternoon or morning to the base. The base then runs different sports activities for the kids. When we arrived most of the kids were just playing football and there wasn't a lot of help. They explained to Junior (co-coordinator of Pais here in Brazil)  that they are really excited about us coming, with our different sports and activities that we can do, and they they will basically give us free reign. Unfortunately we've been told that we cannot share the Gospel with the kids because of political stuff but it looks like we're going to try and get it in there anyway. Wr have already planned the activites for next Wednesday of which I am leading them in simon says (in Portuguese). 

On Thursday we spent most of the day preparing ministry for the school on Friday and the activities for next Wednesday but afterwards had we had "team play time". This just involved us heading to a park and doing a thing called slack-lining which is like a tightrope that you tie between two trees. 

Friday we went to Floca (the school) and we were able to share a ministry about "rubbish in rubbish out" which was recieved rather well. More relationships are being made there and I think God is beginning to open up doors for deeper conversations so continue to remember that ministry in you prayers. 

On Saturday we as a team went with one of the pastors (Pastor George) to a poor community called Sao Jose de Mipibu. There P.George does a weekly kids club there in a building that church has been allowed to use. Was really good fun the kids are amazing and they seem to receive everything really well. Was a little bit hard because I don't speak Portuguese and their Portuguese is iffy but kids a good fun not matter what.

Really feel the potential in all these different ministries I think that we can really make a difference over here for the kingdom of God.


Prayer:

• For floca and the kids there (the new principle is coming soon so pray for them to be open to us).
• The saturday kids club in Sao Jose de Mipibu (we're leading that next week so pray for that).
• For the military base that we would show God's love in our hard work.

Muito obrigado 

mark

AH MULEQUE!

My second week in Brazil is over and it has gone so quickly.

It was our last week of foundational training this week so had a lot more teaching and more challenges to equip us for the following year. Learnt more from Paul Gibbs about the kingdom principles such as “reaping and sowing” and humbling and exalting. All of these principles revolve around the idea that life gives us these lines in life. That we should do this or not do that and how far can I go before that is bad. But Jesus teaches us that it shouldn’t be about asking “how much do I have to do”, but “how much can I do?” It’s about being so far into God’s will that these lines become dots to us, we are so far into his presence that we are in the clouds! (he uses the names “the line and the dot, and the line and the cloud for both his books)

“The kingdom of God is in the extra mile”

So on Wednesday we had an Oath ceremony were we were asked if we want to make that promise, if we wanted to not just live in the lines of the old covenant but in the extra, giving Jesus everything and we were given these necklaces to remember it!

"the line and the cloud"

A couple who have been working with Pais for 8 years (Chris and Emma) and are taking a sabbatical this year, join us in training to give us some really practical, useful information about mentoring, living with host families and doing talks in front of people.  It was nice to hear a British accent again!

We hung out with them after training some of the days and went to a kebab restaurant and a really fancy “Churrascaria” (basically were there’s a lot of barbecued meat!).

At the end of the week we headed to “INCAMP” which was like a church weekend in a beach house 40min outside of Natal. Was a beautiful place and had great opportunities to get to know some of the guys from the church more and to play some great games (camiseta for example you take off your shirt tuck it in your trousers and try and other people’s shirt from them, definitely bringing that home!). Was a challenging time as the services were very very charismatic and a lot of us as a team  weren’t used to that sort of thing but we talked it out and was really encouraged by the team through the experience! Due to my lack of language I struggled a bit with being able to connect with people but God has blessed me with two things, music and football (not that I’m any good at the later). They both opened up doors for me that could otherwise have stayed closed so I praise God for them both!

view from a hill above the camp

We’re heading into our first real week now and I am so excited about putting what we have learnt into practice. God has great plans for this year and I pray that I may be able to dive into whatever his will is for me this year.

Prayer:

• ·         Pray that we may put on the full armour of God as we go out from training and into the real battle, we will need to be equipped spiritually as well as physically and mentally for the challenges that lie ahead.
• ·         Pray for our (real) families that they and we may become “settled” into our lives for the year and that they might not miss me too much!
• ·         That God would bless our host families as they continue to give all they have to keep us comfortable and safe.
• ·         There is a new principle coming to the school we will be working in so pray that God will have his hand on his/her life that they may be open to what we want to do.
• ·         Pray for us as a team that we may grow closer and closer in love that others might see our love for each other and say “i want that”.
• ·         That God’s will will be done in what we have to do here in Natal

   Ate logo Amigos

    Mark 

 

Week one in the sun!

I have been in Brazil for one week now and it feels more like a month. I have already learnt so much, made so many new friends and I have begun to grow more in my love for the gospel. (There is so much to tell you all I don't really know where to start!)

I arrived last Sunday and was immediately thrown into the deep end (had 20min to get ready for church after I got off the plane). Was absolutely terrified and couldn't help thinking "what have I got myself into! There is no way I can do this!" But thankful Jesus is the prince of peace. Junior spoke that night about "going beyond your limits" and I just thought "yup! that's me" and to add to that my team are absolutely amazing. They are all such men and women of faith and I look up to each one of them so much. not to mention they are looking after me so much and are so encouraging in everything they do. 

There's Emily (19) the Canadian who spent the last year in bible college in England

Jared (24 american) who speaks almost fluent Portuguese and has been back and forth from south america in the last few years.

Stephanie (american) who arrived in Brazil in July and has paved a way for the rest of the team over the summer

Ramin, (29 american) who is our team leader and has worked with youth for Christ and has also been here in Natal previously setting up the bases for the team. 

And Junior  the co-ordinator of Pais here in Brazil, he has been involved in Pais GB and felt God's calling to bring it back home to Brazil

THE TEAM!

Ill tell you more about them as the weeks and months go on but continue to pray for each of them as we step out in faith daily for Christ. 

To start the week I was living in Juniors house, with Jared, Junior, Isma and Jonny (two of Juniors room mates). It was a nice way of getting started and definitely made the initial culture shock a little better. Not to mention those guys could show me the ropes a little. On Wednesday night moved in with my host family Janilson (the father), Wilka (the mother) , Rodrigo, Jullyanne and Tiago Damasceno. They are so lovely and have been looking after me as well, showing me where to get the bus and which one to get, and they speak a lot of English (Rodrigo and Jullyanne) which really helps. I am Sleeping in a room with Tiago and Rodrigo so it is difficult to find some private time to read the word or just rest but I am thankful for a host family that are willing to take me. Not to mention they took me to the beach on my day off! 

Me, Rodrigo and Jullyanne after going to the beach. 

We as a team are spending these two weeks (last week and this week) in foundational training as Pais apprentices. It is really meaty stuff and I am really enjoying it. We watch video from Paul Gibbs (the founder of Pais) about kingdom principles such as "reap what you sow" or "seek first the kingdom" and it really flips my ideas upside down sometimes (which i enjoy to be honest). During the remainder of the day we have various other lessons from elders in the church (such as pastor Bryan or Pastor George). I am really enjoying this time as I feel that it is empowering me and equipping me for the coming months of service.

We have also been doing a few things within the church just to get more involved with the youth while we settle in. We went to bowling (or Boliche) on Wednesday with the younger guys (, went to floca (the secondary school where we are focusing most of our energies it think) and also attended the young adults service on Saturday night (ages 18 and above). 

Me, Ramin and Jared praying with guys at Floca

God is good, and he is already doing really exciting things in the team and in the places were we are ministering, so Praise him for that.

Prayer points:

• God would continue to equip us as a team during this time of training so that we can be prepared for the year ahead. 
• That I may pick up more and more of the language, it is definitely a huge challenge. I am getting there but to be able to speak more would help a lot. 
• For the team as little sickness come along like colds and coughs. Pray for strength as we continue. 
• For the up coming camp with the youth this weekend. Called Incamp is going to be a weekend of praise and speakers and looks like a lot of fun. Pray for the speakers that their words might be the Lord's and not their own and pray for the young people that the spirit might prepare their hearts for what he has to say to them. 
• For the kids in Floca who have already opened up to us pray that conversations grow further towards spiritual things. 

Thank you so much for your prayers and support it means so much and Prayers are being answered! Will writing again soon.

Muito Obrigado 

Mark