Starting Over
Kathy and I thank you for your prayers during this time of transition. In many ways, moving to Manaus has been like starting all over again, and bears many similarities to 1984 when we first arrived in Brazil.
Amissions conference for the Central Region of Brazil was held in Brasilia on November 29-December 2, 2007. During this event, I was able to meet with Dr. Roland Vaughan to discuss the future of the Missionary Training Center in Sao Paulo. I also translated for him during the Saturday night service. I was particularly impacted by the differences in the conference from the same one held about two years ago.
At the last conference, there were only a handful of pastors in attendance and a group of about 50 people. Somewhere around R$ 7.000 Reais were raised for missions at that conference. This year, 90 percent of the pastors were present, both the regional and national overseers were personally involved, and the church building in Guara was full for both the evening and morning sessions. Over R$ 27.000 Reais (U$ 15,800+) was given over the weekend for missions. A laptop computer was donated to missionary Sueli Marinho in India. Thank God for this new vision and openness towards missions.
Regional Convention
Upon returning from Brasilia, I planned to leave with the pastors from the Manaus district to travel by boat to Santarem before going to attend the Regional Convention in the city of Brasil Novo on December 5-9. At the last minute, we were all able to benefit from an airfare discount and traveled to Santarem by plane, saving at least two days of travel time.
From Santarem, we traveled by VW bus for 12 hours through the back roads south to the city of Brasil Novo. Part of our group went early to serve as the examining board for new ministerial candidates. It was a pleasure to be able to interview a good number of both men and women God has called into the ministry. The commissioning service on the last day of the conference was especially moving for me, as an answer to prayer for new laborers for the harvest.
During the conference, I also preached on Friday night and translated three times for Rev. Ernie Varner from Tennessee. The building was filled for all the services, and the youth actively participated in the worship and altar services instead of standing outside and talking. The spiritual hunger and receptivity in this area was noted by all the leaders who ministered during the conference.
Family News
Kathy and I thank you for your prayers during this time of transition. In many ways, moving to Manaus has been like starting all over again, and bears many similarities to 1984 when we first arrived in Brazil.
From August 9, 2007, Kathy lived with another family until I was able to join her in September after attending several missions conferences in the States. For several months, we lived without a home, without transportation, and without other basic needs. We were finally able to move into the newly finished parsonage by the Campos Salles church, where we were able to get a mattress, a refrigerator and a stove after several weeks. Donations for our setup and furniture expenses have been slow coming in, but at least we have the bare necessities! We were deeply touched by a family in Grand Junction who donated the majority of the funds for us to purchase a car for transportation. They have no idea what a great encouragement that was to us!
During this period we have been visiting the local churches and getting to know the pastors and families in this area. It has been a time of adapting to the heat in Manaus, accompanied by the drain on energy and some nearly sleepless nights. Kathy’s intense prayers were finally answered a few weeks ago with the purchase of an air conditioner for our room that would allow us to at least sleep well at night.
We also have had a young man staying with us since October. Stuart Barham graduated with a degree in communications and is considering missionary service. He is a dedicated young man with a heart for missions. We pray that the Lord will use this experience to guide him toward a specific ministry in missions. Stuart is from the church in Wilson, NC, that will be involved in the seminary construction project at the end of February.
For two weeks in October, I substituted for Pastor Edvar at the local church while he was traveling. In November we also traveled with Rev. Diolino, our district pastor, and several members of the churches in Manaus to the city of Itacoatiara, located 6-8 hours east by road. I ministered during the service. The entire group slept on the porch of the parsonage in hammocks—as is the custom in this area. The church there is finally starting to grow. One of the young men of the church was conducting a campaign in one of the neighborhoods that weekend using a video projector in the street. Over fifty people had been saved that weekend. Praise the Lord!
John and Kathy Hayes Missionaries to Brazil Project Number 0630003
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