On my arrival Friday morning to Recife, I was greeted at the airport with a loving smile from my brother. After hugs and hellos we loaded up my luggage and headed to his home. As we passed the city’s shore with the ocean and sandy beach on one side and tall buildings on the other side, it was beautiful. We stopped and stepped out to feel the ocean breeze and enjoy the view. I was handed a cold green coconut with a straw sticking out of it to drink. Coconut water, very different from anything I have tasted.

Sunday we arrived to the church building and I observed how loving everyone was to each other as they greeted one another. Hugging and kissing on the cheek, excited to be in one another’s company. I attended one of the smaller classes, the English speaking class. I was very grateful this class was offered being that I don’t speak Portuguese. After class I made my way to the assembly to find it full. Hardly a seat left. The singing was beautiful even though I didn’t understand the words I knew they were praising God. During the lesson as I looked around every face seem fixed on the speaker with attentiveness, eager to hear. I longed to understand the language. During the week as I became involved in the organized activities I grew closer to the people and found some who could speak a little English.

On Wednesday I helped the ladies in the build-a-teddy bear program from recycled fabrics for the sick children in hospitals. I observed as they talked and laughed together sharing and bonding their lives. Then one lady began to cry and we all joined hands and prayed for her and her son. It was a blessing to witness.

Thursday I helped in the classroom for the students learning to speak English. I observed all ages from young to old, men and women eager to learn this, as they say, the universal language. It taught me through their struggles that I too could learn to speak another language. The students made me feel like I was a famous person with their excitement in conversing in English.
Saturday was a work on the building day. The attendance was great. The day was hot, the work was hard and long into the evening, but not a complaint. Some ladies even came to cook the lunch to feed the workers and everyone ate hardily.

Through my stay I had the privilege of visiting some of the other congregations. One of these churches was small and met in a woman’s home. She actually gave up a portion of her home to be dedicated as the church building. I was moved by her unselfishness. I’ve always thought how families want bigger homes, more space to put stuff. She gave up space to allow God’s children to gather together.

I will always be grateful to God for allowing me to witness the work in Recife. It has helped me to grow closer to God and I have truly enjoyed my visit and will pray I can return again.

Sincerely, Pam (Pruitt) Mize

The Easter holiday is celebrated in Brazil much like it is in the US: Supermarkets are flooded with chocolate goodies and Easter bunnies become the most popular celebrities. Brazilians go out of their way to buy expensive chocolate eggs to remind their loved ones that they are special. In the midst of the rush and distractions of the season, it is very easy for us to forget the story behind the holiday.

For the last several years, congregations here are trying to keep alive the story of Easter. We remember the Israelites in captivity and how God rescued them in the Exodus story. The slain lamb’s blood marked the homes of people whose identity was to be founded in God. They were God’s people. The Passover meal, through symbols that you can see, feel and taste, kept these truths alive in the mind of future generations.

On the Wednesday preceding Easter holiday, we had a special Passover style meal after sunset together as a church. In candle light, we gathered around a table and remembered the traditional elements in light of the Christ. The bitter herbs and Charoset, reminded us of Israel’s slavery in Egypt, and our own slavery to sin. The unleavened bread and fruit of the vine, reminded us of our unity as a Body in Christ. And finally, the lamb reminded us of the sacrificed offering that has risen, giving us freedom and exodus into a new life.

This was a cherished experience for us as a community seeking Christ as God’s people, and we hope that others can make use of tradition as an aid in remembering eternal truths.

One of the reasons Jesus established His Body on earth as local communities of disciples is so we would have opportunity to develop our God-given gifts and help one another develop theirs. The local church is an essential part of God’s plan to save the world through Christ. Jesus built it “…to equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ.” (Ep 4^:12-13).

Our participation in the local church is a critical part of God’s plan for our lives. As we involve ourselves in the life of the community we grow and stimulate others to do so. The goal of that growth is Christlikeness. “…we will grow to become in every respect the mature body of him who is the head, that is, Christ. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work.” (4^:15b-16). To say that church participation isn’t a crucial part of salvation, is to contradict the work of Jesus.

One of the efforts underway to help hone our Bible teaching skills is the study group pictured here. Eleven of us (three not pictured) participate in this Bible teachers training class begun in January. We are studying the Book of Luke together and taking turns teaching it to the adult Bible school class. It is encouraging to see these brothers taking time from other good activities in their lives to nurture one another in their development in the faith. “As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another” (Pr 27^:17).

This week, Craig Altrock, director at Let’s Start Talking (LST), came down to Recife for a quick visit. Craig follows up on several mission sites that are planning on hosting LST in the near future.

LST is an organization that sends Christians throughout the world to build relationships and share their faith through one on one English Bible lessons. This is especially powerful in Brazil, who will be hosting the World Cup and the Olympics within the next few years. Everyone here wants to learn English and there is nothing better than practicing with native English speakers.

LST usually sends teams of two to six people for two to six weeks. The downtown (Boa Vista) congregation in Recife will be receiving a team of three (a fourth member is yet to be confirmed) for a month, starting in mid-June. Beforehand, the team will receive training through LST in their preparation for the mission field.

A second team may be coming to the newest congregation in south Recife called Candeias.

The LST team coming to Recife is open to new members. If you would like to join them in making an impact in Recife while getting to know the mission work, please contact LST at their webiste – click here! Let them know you would like more information on joining the “Boa Vista-Recife” team.

The first semester of the School of the Bible is well on its way. We have many students enrolled and who are eager to learn the word of God.

The School of the Bible is one of the main ways we reach out to the community around us. We offer many courses that help seekers engage in studying the Scripture responsibly. This semester we are offering “The Grace of Forgiveness”, “The Message of the Old Testament”, “Acts”, “Basic Theology”, “The Book of James” and “How to Read and Understand the Bible”. We also offer English as a second language. This tends to be a course in high demand because many Brazilians need English to further their careers. This semester we are offering basic, intermediary, and advanced English courses.

Through the interactions with the professors and other church members who attend the classes, many have come to build relationships within the church and to turn their lives to Christ. Please remember this ministry in your prayers.

The big event this month was the 26th annunal CHRISTIAN CONFERENCE OF THE NORTHEAST. This four day event was started all those years ago to help brothers and sisters in Christ keep in touch with one another as the church began to spread out across Northeast Brazil. Today there are 135 congregations spread out over an area of half a million square miles.

This year’s event was held in beautiful Taquaritinga do Norte. This small city sits on top of a mountain 100 mile inland from Recife. Due to the elevation, its cooler temperatures offer a pleasant break for the tropical heat.

The theme this year was on the two greatest commandments of all – Loving God with Our All and Loving Our Neighbor as Our Self. It was held in a small hotel which is owned by the brother of a church member. The hotel doesn’t have a large auditorium but the mayor allowed us to use an old cinema as an auditorium (God always provides!).

The hotel only had 80 beds but 120 fit into the rooms with the use of mattresses on the floor. Another 40 of us guys slept on the floor of a large game room. The rest stayed in members’ homes nearby. All told about 200 brethren came from representing thirty congregations. Many drove hundreds of miles, a few drove thousands, to share this moment with their Spiritual Family. It wasn’t “Heaven on Earth” (yet), as many got sick (we’re not sure what it was), but even that couldn’t diminish the joy of being with those who live for Jesus and of whom this world is not worthy.

See more photos here.

It was great to have everyone at home for the holidays. It was the first time we were all together since July. Joshua, 27, finished his Masters in Biblical Interpretation at Lubbock Christian University last month. Most of it he did from Brazil online. However, he did have to go back in August to finish up and graduate. He is back in Recife serving with the Boa Vista (downtown congregation) and working with his uncle. Justin, 25, finished his Bachelors in Business Administration at the University of Pernambuco (the State of Recife) and is working with a company building a petroleum refinery just outside of the city. Jonathan, 21, is in the middle of his junior year at Abilene Christian University where he is studying a double major of Criminal Justice and Psychology. He’s not made up his mind as to what he’ll do when he graduates, but he says he loves his studies. He’s working part-time as a tour guide for the college so if you go there be sure to have him show you around.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.” — Col. 2:6-7

Jerry stayed over to teach our Servants meeting on “How to fight safely” (discovering your style of confrontation). His lesson helped us to learn how to have “healthy” arguments. Not that he advocates fighting, but when problems have to be resolved, we need to know how to express deep felt emotion without leaving “scars”. Sixty-five participated representing a dozen congregations.