Bud Simon

A Powerful Reminder

Sky and water blend together at the horizon along the Xingu River

You ever wonder why you are doing what you do?

This week I had a wonderful reminder of why I am doing the work that I do. 

We had the delight of having visitors from the Cleveland area this last week.  It was great to visit a variety of communities along the river with them.  There was an awesome sense of the presence of the Lord and a simple sincerity in seeing the Spirit move among us. 

It was wonderful to worship together, pray together, fellowship together and laugh together. 

For me, the defining moment of the trip took place under the setting sun in a small community.  The meeting took place outside, in the shade of several large fruit trees.  The worship was uncomplicated.  The people were simple and genuine.  The message was clear. 

And the response was profound.  In the meeting of about 50 people, 12 came forward to give their lives to the Lord.  It was in some ways similar to "you and your family will be saved" (Acts 16).  Many were members of the same families and extended families.  The power of God fell on that place in that moment.  His touch was irresistible. 

It brought me back to the reason I came here years ago.  There are people that have never heard the simple message of the Gospel. "How will they hear if no one tells them?" (Romans 10).  I love that God moment, when a person's face lights up for the first time with the joy of salvation.  There is nothing sweeter.  I thank God for letting me partake in His work in this place. 

Wading across the mud flats at the edge of the river

Some Reflections on Grace and Forgiveness…

A few years ago, an interesting situation happened to our family. We had a dear friend who was in our home all of the time, watching our kids, helping out, and just being around. One day, we noticed there was money disappearing from the house. Large amounts of money. Brazil, being a cash based society, makes it common to keep a lot of cash on hand. So we hid some video cameras, using our computer. And, there our friend was on video, going the desk drawers and file cabinet, looking for money. We felt terribly betrayed and deceived.

The one phrase that sticks with me from the Lord’s Prayer is “Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors”.

Maintaining a life of forgiveness is a constant struggle. Forgiveness extends grace and mercy to others. Forgiveness is Gracious. Understand. A spirit of reconciliation. Kindness. Bridging differences. Love. Compassion. Consideration. Honoring others, even in their weakness.

The catch is that we receive as we give. Life in the Kingdom of God is an exchange, a giving and receiving. It is always true. Planting and reaping. Reaching out and having others reach out to us. The Kingdom works in the supernatural. I can forgive here and receive grace and forgiveness from some other person that I never imagined.

Is there something more powerful than giving forgiveness when forgiveness is not expected nor deserved? Forgiveness surprises, forgiveness delights, forgiveness humbles.

That is how I received forgiveness. And it had the power to change my life. And it still is changing my life today. The foundations of the Kingdom of God are built on His Grace. I want to extend grace as well as receive it.

Earlier this year, I read two books in tandem. “Free of Charge”, which is an exploration in the theology of giving and forgiving and “The Shack”, which is a fictional account of one man’s struggle to forgive. The two books together provided a powerful insight into ministry of forgiveness, moving both my heart and my mind. I would highly recommend both of these books.

Forgiveness is understood as it is applied. Giving forgiveness releases in us a more mature understanding of forgiveness.

Put forgiveness into action we enter into this season of Christmas. God is calling us to a higher place.

Fishing Trip

 Daniel and Caleb in the boat on our fishing trip

Daniel stretches out in his hammock as we get ready to turn in at night

I had a great trip out with Daniel and Caleb and Diné, a friend of ours from the church.  We went up to visit some of our friends along the river and spend the night there with them.  The boys were excited to try out their new fishing poles and also to use their masks for diving. 

We left on our trip in the afternoon, fishing and swimming and eating all of the nutrious stuff (chips and cookies) that guys like to eat on these outings.  We pulled in to a place along the river where we have a church and some friends of our live.  It was fun setting up for the night and having our meal by the light of an oil lantern. 

The next day, we were up before dawn, just like good fisherman everywhere.  We went out with rods and reels and spearguns and masks and had a great time.  We also got burnt to a red (beyind rosy) crisp.  Yes, Dad was wayyyy to spars on the sun screen for the boys and they were delighting in the pleasure of playing on beaches and jumping off of rocks into the river.  Dang, it was a good time.

The fun thing is seeing the boys grow up and mature and start to take interest in an ever expanding world.  It is great to be able to share the experiences with them and enjoy the time together.  Have a base of common experiences builds bonds that last. 

Please remember to pray for our family and for the safety and health of our children.

Thanks!

Daniel & Caleb with our friend Diné in the as the sun comes up over the river.  Ready for a day of fishing. 
  

Iriri River Trip

Bud and a couple of his new friends on the Iriri River

I just spent last week on a great trip - two days driving and three days on the river.  It was rewarding to share the Gospel in new places, to travel new roads, and to see some new potential sites for churches.  I just posted some photos and I hope to post some complete stories in the near future. 

  Bud baptizing a new believer in the river

Another friend from the river - this woman is 85 years old and has lived along the river all her life. 

 Clyde Bergquist, a missionary from Oregon, and I relax  in the shallows of the river during the heat of the day

A New Blog

Those are the faces of the various Xingu Mission missionaries in Altamira. 

And, there is a new blog that shares a more rounded version of what is going on in Altamira and all of her church plants.  Every week, a different missionary shares a story, testimony, or whatever is on their heart that represents the work here. 

It is at http://www.xingu-mission-altamira.blogspot.com/

The goal of the new blog is to provide a broader view of all that happens in the work here.  it is hard to gather the scope, but here are a few of the things that happen (in no particular order):

• Teaching English to the under privileged
• Teaching computer skills to the under privileged
• Training new missionaries
• New Believers Retreats
• Church Planting
• A Variety of leadership training platforms
• Team building experiences
• Travel adventures
• Short term missionary events
• Missionary kinships
• Teams
• Church construction
• Boat trips
• Motorcycle trips
• Church Celebrations
• A school of more than 200 students (TESL and computer literacy)
• 50 churches and church starts in our region
• six mission boats in our region
• six motorcycles doing ministry
• "Jesus"film outreaches and other film outreaches
• Youth outreach events
• Conferences
• 12 missionaries and 11 missionary kids
• and alot more also

With all that is happening, and the fact that the blog is updated weekly, you will want to check it out on a regular basis. 

So,please read the ALTAMIRA BLOG .  It will help give a broader and deeper view of what the Lord is doing in this corner of the world. 

(L to R) Pastor Naldo, Keith Wilson, and Josh Pflederer on a road trip to church in the interior

Family News

Hey, I have been trying for several days to post here, but alas, computer/browser difficulties have created problems for me.  That, plus my blog host changed their site for posting, which always seems to complicate things. 
The real news is that Anna had her 5th birthday last week.  We had the following conversation last week about her birthday.  

Dad -  'Tomorrow, when you wake up, it will be your Birthday Anna!  We have some special presents for you!"
Anna - "You mean it is my birthday in the morning?"
Dad - "Yes, it is!"
Anna - "And it is my birthday at the night time also?"
Dad - "Yes, it is, all day long Anna!"
Anna - "Ohhhh, I get two birthdays!"

Hey, let her enjoy the moment and "both" of her birthdays.  She was so happy.  We all were happy:)  It was a fun day and I was glad we could celebrate it together.  Suzanne did a great job of making it fun and putting together a great cake and fun "surprises" to make it a special day.  


Anna with her butterfly birthday cake - a special creation that Suzanne made for her


Singing happy birthday to Anna with some of the other missionaries and missionary kids

Anna and Suzanne - Suzanne made butterflies and flowers in streamers and hung them from the ceiling in Anna's room - definitely a fun surprise for Anna.  

FIEL

Sunrise on the Xingu River near Belo Monte

Early morning worship on top of the boat during the weekend intensive

Leadership Fundamentals (which makes the acronym "FIEL" in Portuguese) , this is always a blast, and getting better. 

This last weekend we did an outing in a small community call "Belo Monte".  This community has a couple thousand people.  It is where the TransAmazon crosses the Xingu River. 

The goals of FIEL are to provide teaching, training, and practical experience for the students in a weekend intensive.  As a secondary goal, FIEL provides the opportunity to make initial contact with community or to give encouragement to a rural church. 

The response on both sides has been extremely positive. 

The recent outing to Belo Monte was on of the most positive to date.  The students had the opportunity to spend time training in the morning in one of several areas, including evangelism, children's ministry, drama, and worship.  Then, in the afternoon, the whole team did an outreach event targeted at the children in the community.  There was a positive response and many of the children came out to the event.  It was a great moment and one of the girls on the team shared how she accepted Christ when she was seven years old and the positive impact it had on her life. 

In the evening, we had an outreach event in the small, multisport facility in the community.  There was an excellent response with people giving their lives to the Lord. 

The time made a positive impression on the students and it was wonderful to see everyone working together! Personally, this is something I really enjoy.  It is a great place to give students the freedom to practice things in a learning environment. 

If you are interested in supporting FIEL, please make a donation and earmark it for "Training". 

Thanks and God Bless!

Children reacting to the presentations that the FIEL students offered

Denise is the Coordinator for the FIEL training.  23 years old and single, she spent two years at Bible School and has been a tremendous asset to the local church and in helping reproduce training in others.  Here she is with one of the children from the weekend. 


I had the chance to take two of my children along, Caleb and Anna.  They both had a ball!  Caleb sits in on the training for the drama group. 

"If we discover a desire within us that nothing in this world can satisfy, also we should begin to wonder if perhaps we were created for another world."  C.S. Lewis

A Gift Prepares the Way...

"A gift opens the way for the giver and allows you to be heard by all kinds of people" Proverbs 18:16 (SRV)

A little story...

Not too long I was visiting with my family at a home that is used by people in ministry to take a break. 

I had visited there over three years ago and the home is often used, almost every week, by someone with their spouse or family, involved in ministry in one form or another to take a small break from their ministry obligations. 

When I passed through three years ago, I gave the care taker a Christian Worship CD and a few other small items to bless his life and the life of his family.  I really did not think much about it at the time. 

I had an eye opening moment though when I met up with the same person this time around. 

As I pulled up to their house, I explained that I was going to stay in the guest house with my family over the next several days.  The caretaker took a look at me, gave a small exclamation, and said "You are Pastor Walter (this is my given name)!  We listened to that CD so many times that we wore it out!!  We lent it out to other in the church until finally it disappeared.  Yes, that fellow that just left, we had to clean up quite a bit for him."

I was stunned, in a very positive way. 

First, I did not remember giving them a CD until he mentioned it. 

Second, he remembered me by name, but the guy that had just left that morning was simply "That fellow". 

Third, the immense use and blessing that the CD was far outweighed any consideration in cost of giving it. 

Afterwards, I thought about this for a long time.  I considered the impact of the incidental giving and grace that we can extend.  It was an eye opener.  So many times we give begrudgingly or we do not give at all.  But, God can and does use our gifts and our giving in powerful ways.  It shows a part of God that can make a wonderful difference in the loves of others. 

"He is no fool who gives what he can not keep to gain that which he can not lose" - Jim Elliot

"... If you help others in difficulty, do it generously and quickly, being perceptive of their needs." Romans 12:6

Leadership Training

Myself (Bud), Daniel, and Caleb at breakfast during our training weekend

The morning stillness at our training facility along the river

This last weekend there was a leadership training event out on the river.  We had about 60 people there for leadership training.  It was a good time of fellowship, worship and teaching. 

I was able to go with my two older boys, Daniel and Caleb.  We had a good time together, playing, swimming, fishing, and getting sunburned together.  Caleb found his new joy - a friend lent him a fishing pole.  Well Caleb spent hours and hours casting and fishing.  Of course, he never did catch a thing, but I am feeling pretty sure that he will.

A couple things that make the training experience enjoyable are the intimacy and the seclusion of the location. 

The fact that everyone is together in a camp environment, sleeping in close quarters in hammocks, sharing meals together, and having so much close interaction creates a sense of intimacy.  It help people get to know each other and share experiences that normally do not happen.

It also provides for a time to focus, both on the teaching material and on each other.  The seclusion of the location removes us from cell phone coverage, internet connections, and so many other "pressing" things to take care of.  The seclusion provides an opportunity to focus on God, on what He is saying, and the fellowship that can be shared together. 

All in all, it makes it an event well worth attending and enjoyable to all of those that go!

Teaching time at the Training weekend

Pastors Ademir, Kinin, and Clenildo share breakfast together

A Perspective from a Short Term Missionary

Suzanne & Kate

Kate Snow, from Columbus, OH, spent six months with the Xingu Mission here in the Altamira region. She is 20 years old and will be studying again this fall. It was a delight to have her here from January through July of this year. She worked hard, helping out in any way that she could. She plunged in without reservation, doing her best in each situation.

I asked Kate to share some thoughts about her time here in Brazil. She had a whole range of emotions and also had the opportunity to have a variety of different experiences during her time. A couple of the things that really made an impact were the fact that some things can not be experienced in a couple of weeks and the opportunity to learn new ways to express God’s love across the language and cultural barriers.

Here are some of Kate’s thoughts about her six months here.

When I went on the mission field for an extended period of time, I struggled with the provoking question, “Why am I here?” How can I be influential without knowing the language, culture, customs, or without material offerings (i.e. running an orphanage, AIDs awareness, etc…)? Is it right to dampen the awkwardness of meeting new friends by buying them lunch or a small gift, potentially igniting a misconception or dependency on North American’s who may seemingly ‘have more money?’ Stripped of everything from basic communication to the comforts of home, I wondered, was love limited to those with some thing to offer or is it truly possible to build friendships purely on love?

Every day as I rode my bike to a new person’s house, my life began to transform. My concerns moved from wondering how silly my broken Portuguese sounded, to focusing on the beauty of our simple conversations and the joy in laughing when conversations became too complicated. Daily I began demonstrating love through smiles, body gestures, a helping hand, listening ear, or an attempt at an encouraging word.

As time progressed and I began to gain insight into Brazilian culture and learn the language, I felt increasingly challenged to not become comfortable. I had to learn the culture but not become too much of it; to be in this new Brazilian world, but not of it. As well, I had to learn the balance between investing in nurturing friendships while continually meeting the rejected and lonely: to love deep and without bounds.

That which literature cannot prepare one for, and one cannot fully experience within a few weeks, I explored, experimented, and ultimately discovered a new depth of love. I experienced a love that truly extends beyond language, culture, material, and time. I gained a fuller understanding of Jesus’ words to love my neighbor as myself.

Kate with some Brazilian friends

Monkey Business

A troop of Black Headed Night Monkeys visit one of our fruit trees

We have a nightly routine with the kids.  I think many families have some type of routine in the evening.  This includes chores for our kids.  And one of the chores is taking care of the dogs. 

Well, recently one of our dogs had puppies and so the other evening, around 7pm, I was helping the kids with taking care of the dogs.  And, that was when I heard something in the trees on our side yard.  And then I heard a number of somethings.  There was still some light in the sky and I could see by the way they moved that they were monkeys, jumping through the trees to get to our jambo tree ( a fruit tree). 

I went into the house to get a flashlight and alert the family.  Daniel and I got a couple of flashlight and returned outside to the tree, where we could hear them "chattering" and moving around.  We saw several of them moving up in the branches.  Then I got the camera and took a few photos. Most of them were blurry, but this one turned out all right. 

These are Black Headed Night Monkeys.

They have visited our house before but never this early in the evening.  It was fun and all of the family got a look at the monkeys.  After 20 minutes or so, we left them alone to finish their meal.  They did not seem too disturbed by our attention, eating the whole time and looking us over and tossing the occasional fruit at us half heartedly. 

Things like this make it a pleasure to live on the edge of the jungle.  It is great to be able to share these experiences with the kids! 

Serving and Missionary Life (aka 5 Principles of Missionary Living - Part 5)

This is the fifth and final installment in this series on missionary living. The sharing has been in various blog posts and the links are below. If you have not read them before, you can take a look and read them all.

Calling - Part 1

Convience - Part 2

Uncertainity - Part 3

Finances - Part 4

Serving – being a missionary is humbling. It is for those who are willing to do whatever it takes to get the job done. From setting up chairs to sweeping floors to changing diapers to fishing for your supper. I have two degrees and read widely and deeply. But, I still mix concrete with a hoe when needed and change tires and do all those “boring” things that are needed. Some people see that as poor delegation. I see it as doing what needs to be done. Serving one another in the grace of the Holy Spirit is as magnificent and powerful as any miracle. Jesus’ washing the disciples’ feet is as wonderful as raising Lazurus from the dead and more challenging to us. We are included and commanded in the foot washing and serving each other. It is accessible and necessary to our spiritual walk, growth, and disciplines.

When someone goes as a missionary, they must take a servant heart. They seek out opportunities to serve. They don’t say, “well I didn’t know” or “No one called me” or “No one told me”. They are on the mission field as servants.

The most valuable questions are:
“What can I do to help?”
“How can I help?”
“What needs to be done?”
“How can I make you more successful?”
“How can I lighten your load?”

Clearly, the words are a reflection of the attitude. This is by far the toughest hurdle to jump. We come as missionaries thinking we will do something important. We forget that our King of Kings came “to serve, not to be served”. People focus on efficiency and impact and strategy and adding value and what the latest church growth guy has to say or the latest guru has to impart. We all need to look back at the example of Christ. The shadow Jesus cast stretches to this day. Serve, serve, serve. There are many more things to say and discuss on these points, but I pray that these few thoughts will be used by God to stir up your spirits.

Family

Tami, enjoying the ride on the roller coaster. 

Nothing profound.  Just alot of family fun.  Of course, some would say that in itself is profound.  However, that is too much thinking for this moment. 

We just went out, rode the rides, ate the food, laughed alot, both at ourselves and each other. 

Now, for those that are aware, once or twice a year we have the "parque" come to Altamira.  It is akin to the "county fair" or the, when I was a kid in Phoenix, think "Kiddie Land" out by Thomas Mall or Encanto Park.  Whoa.   That is like a flash back to days gone by.   Or think "Silver Dollar City" - except about 1/20 the size. 

Anyhow, this is definitely low grade family fun. 

We love the bumper cars.  That is where we all go a little crazy.  No photos though.  I was too busy smashing into people - mainly my kids. 

Caleb - Yes, I know, keep those hands inside the car.  I mean, that can not be safe... can it? 

Samuel was not so sure that he was enjoying this ride.  Suzanne took him but he was happy when it ended. 

Now, this truck, on the other hand, had a steering wheel for Samuel to hold on.  THIS was the ride for him.  He loved it and it took some work to get him off when the ride ended. 

Anna, riding on the motorcycle.  She was excited to ride a pink motorbike.

Daniel had the most fun on the Bumper cars.  However, there are no photos of that ride (like I mentioned earlier).  Daniel did go on this because it was the first ride we tried and so all the kids did it just for fun. 

Lydia - the painter.  She did murals on the walls of the kids bedrooms and did a GREAT job!

Tami painting the mural in Anna's room.  This was something totally creative and something that will be a reminder of her visit for a long time to come. 

Boat Trip

Daniel, jumping off the top of the boat on a river trip

This is the delight of being able to share some time along the river with my kids.  We had a fun time swimming and playing as we went out to visit a river community. 

My niece, Tami, and Lydia, our new friend, are here and it has been fun to be able to show her around.  The stay has been too short - it would be good to have them around for longer!

Books

I am an avid reader. 

I enjoy reading but I also read as a discipline. 

The discipline of reading helps to provide different perspectives and insights that shape and form my thinking and actions. 

Here are a few of the books that I have read in the first six months of 2009 ( in no particular order). 

Know What You Don't Know: How Great Leaders Prevent Problems Before They Happen
This book is an insightful and helps me to think in a new way about problems and issues that arise.  It helps to move from a reactive place to a proactive place.  The book is written from a business perspective.  The priciples are sound and practical for pretty much any forum of life.  A quick and easy read and I highly recommend it for those that want to think differently about problem solving. 

The Message Bible Large Print Burg Lthr Lk: Large Print Edition
This is a new Bible I purchased.  I love it.  The Message, of course, is a paraphrase Bible.  But, the print for my 45 year old eyes is fantastic.  I also have always preferred the single, wide column filling the page as opposed to multiply columns on a page.  It makes the reading quick and easy.  The Bible is high also well made, being of a good quality.  I recommend this for those that enjoy the Message Bible. 

Tell It Slant: A Conversation on the Language of Jesus in His Stories and Prayers
A wonderful book by Eugene Peterson.  In it, he explains the parables that are unique in the Gospel of Luke as well as the prayers of Christ.  I know, it may not sound too exciting.  However, it is eminently practical and applicable to daily life.  I have enjoed the book immensely for reflective reading and highly recommend it. 

Communicating for a Change: Seven Keys to Irresistible Communication
An excellent book for those that speak on a regular basis, especially as teachers or preachers.  It will help to improve your communications by focusing your thinking.  It is an easy read and very practical. 

Made to Stick: Why Some Ideas Survive and Others Die
This was written by a couple of professors.  They explain in the book why some ideas and thoughts are easy to remember.  This is a must read for anyone that communicates or presents in any context.  If you are interested in people remembering what you say:)  I highly recommend this.  Funny, interesting and practical. 

Outliers: The Story of Success
Fascinating.  It covers a wide range of subjects and provides for a much wider perspective into all kinds of subjects.  It provides a creative way to perceive things that intuitively you understand as correct.  It will widen your understanding and insight.  Gladwell is an excellent writer. 

Adventures of a Bystander
This is the closest thing to an autobiography of Peter Drucker that you will find.  He tells dozens of stories from his life and interactions with famous and not so famous individuals through the years.  He shares the lessons and insights gained from those times.  A great book, if you know who Drucker is and want something that provides a totally different perspective. 

Take a look at the links to Amazon.com for more indepth reviews and information.  I got a load of other books also, but these are just a few that I found interesting and insightful. 

Good reading!

Visitors

Bud, Tami (my niece), and Lydia on a trip to Souzel

Hey, we have visitors!!  My niece Tami arrived a few days ago.  She came along with her friend, Lydia, and both of them have blended right into our family. 

The got here after a LONG trip, which involved some missed and changed flights, and quite a bit of time hanging out in airports.  Tami is 16 and Lydia is 17.  They are going to be staying for 3 weeks. 

Once a month, I lead a regional training for new leaders.  This time, the training took place in the river town of Souzel.  Tami and Lydia went with me and 35 Brazilians on one of the mission boats, the Maranatha 2.  We all had a great time.  It was fun having them along and a blast to see them interacting with the Brazilians.  It was great having them hanging out with me and keeping company.  There was some good laughs and good times. 

We look forward to a couple more weeks of fun!!

Lydia and Tami watching the sunrise during the weekend boat trip

The sunrise on the weekend boat trip

Do I Love What I Do?

You know, life is short. 

We all come to grips with our mortality, sooner or later. 

But sooner is better than later. 

As I have reflected on a number of things over the past several months, it has become apparent that it is much better to focus on my personal strengths and on the things that I enjoy doing.  We all need to do some things out of responsibility whether we want to or not (I am thinking about taxes).  However, we can, with some forethought and insights, make good life choices that will allow us to do the things that we actually enjoy doing in life and the things that re rewarding. 

Not always, but often.

And, as I look around I realize that it is easy to drift from those things and get caught up in fulfilling other people's expectations.

Rio - A Different Kind of Trip

Clenildo, Angelita, Steve, Elba, and Thiago - Clenildo and Elba are part of the Leadership Team for the Brazilian churches and Thiago is our new friend who drove us everywhere in Rio!

I had the opportunity to travel to Rio de Janeiro last week.  Yes, a little outside my normal travel schedule here in Brazil. 

However, I did have a blast!! 

I went there with the leadership team from our region and we were able to have a great time.  There were meetings for the Vineyard church planting movement in all of Brazil.  I was along as a supporter and encourager for the church planting here in Brazil. 

It would have been great to be able to take my family along - but we are in that season of life when it is  expensive and inconvenient to travel as a family! 

There was a couple of days of meetings for the leadership team and then a church planting conference (InterVinha) on the weekend.  It was great to meet with others and have alot of informal time to meet and converse.  The time flew by!

The whole time was really an excellent way to build relationships and reinforce our values.  It is also encouraging to see others who are facing some of the same challenges in other parts of the country. 

The trip was well worth the time it took for helping the relationships develop and mature.  it was great to make some new friends and deepen the old friendships!

Clenildo, Elba, Roger from Claifornia, and Milton from Baura - São Paulo during a leadership meeting

Rick Bergen, Celso from Belo Horizante - Minas Gerais, and Mark Fields, head of Vineyard Mission - USA. 

When You Can Not Read

Chico, Community Leader in Vila Nova, Maribel

Chico can not read.

Chico is not deterred. 

Chico wants to know the Bible and help out in his local church. 

Through the sharing of the Gospel in the remote area where Chico lives, he gave his life to the Lord.  He had struggled since then because he never learned to read.  The desire was there, but he never had the opportunity to learn. 

Then we were able to provide him with a "Proclaimer". 

A Proclaimer is a small electronic device with a dedicated memory.  On the memory is a copy of the Bible in Portuguese.  The controls on the device allow the user to find book, chapter, and verse and to move there with relative speed and ease once the user learns to use the controls. 

The Proclaimer, a small device that enable people that can not read to hear the Gospel on a regular basis

The Proclaimer is power in a number of ways:  by an A/C power adapter, by a hand crank that powers a battery, or by a small solar panel. 

Here is the really wonderful part of the story. 

When I was in Chico's community during a recent trip, I listened as Chico stood up and spoke before the group.  In his sharing, he quoted several verses verbatim.  I was amazed and grateful.  Here was a man who had never read, but was able to quote Scripture. 

My heart was touched.  It was wonderful to see that even such an obvious barrier as not being able to read was able to be overcome by the persistence of one man to share the Gospel with his community. 

Thanks for your prayers!!

The church community where Chico ministers

If you would like to help out Chico and other national leaders like him, please donate to:

Altamira Region (on line)

Or earmark for "the Altamira Region" and send to:

Xingu Mission
PO Box 340785
Columbus, Ohio 43234
USA