As Copa Airline’s flight 435 touches down in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, on July 15, it will carry nine youth and six adults from our church. Joao Pessoa will be their first destination on a missions trip that will end at Paraiba Baptist Camp, the relocated Baptist Mid-Missions camp where our Faith’s 100 missionary Jared Malcolm is working.
Those of us who are not going can still participate by providing funds for the trip and praying for the team.
Funds for the Trip
Getting to Brazil will be no easy feat for the teens. Typically a missions team will ask their church, friends, and family for donations to raise the needed support. But our team isn’t asking for free money—although all free money is welcome! Instead, team members are working toward the $1,980 each needs for the trip. And they’ve invited the entire church body to participate in three ways.
Work
In March, people were invited to sign up to have one or more youth provide a service. Instead of paying the teens, the adults write a check to the church, indicating which team member’s account should get the money.
This is a great way for our church family not only to meet our own needs but also to get to know teens better while we help them get to Brazil. Jonita Barram, for example, enjoyed having Caleb Haynes and Levi Dekker do manual labor for her. In particular, they moved furniture. She says:
I was really impressed with their willingness to work, even beyond what I was asking them to do. I already knew them by name and face. I appreciated getting to know a little more about them during the time they worked with me.
Spirit Night
On May 2, hundreds of the Faith family gathered at the Winter Haven Chick-Fil-A, enjoying food and fellowship and helping raise money for the team. From 5 to 8 p.m., couples, families, and individuals placed orders, turning in their flyers to ensure a portion of their dinner price went to the team. The evening garnered about $500 as of this writing.
 |
| (members of the Brazil Mission Team during Spirit Night at Chick-Fil-A) |
Marianna Hradec—who recently went forward in church, expressing her willingness to become a missionary—can’t go on this summer’s trip, but she was at Chick-Fil-A, having fun supporting her fellow youth.
Among those at Chick-Fil-A that night were Bob and Laura Lusk, part of the older generation who has been giving, “hiring,” showing up, supporting, and praying for the missions team.
Prayer for the Team
James Berry*, Jamie Berry, Katie Deines, Jessica Dekker, Levi Dekker, J. R. Foster*, Caleb Haynes, Jana Hopkins, Rebekah Leonard*, Angel Long*, Hannah Long, Dot Malcolm*, Julie Shierling, Bill Vegter*, and Jacob Vegter need our prayers! (* Adults.)
According to Jon Reiner, the team will do general maintenance, such as painting, trimming trees and brush, and doing minor construction. He says not to worry—there’s “plenty to do!” Hannah Long says she is looking forward to meeting and fellowshipping with new people and to sharing the gospel. Levi Dekker, who has been to Brazil before, says: “It’s just great meeting all the people. We get to go to the church services, and it’s a great experience.” When asked what he expects to do, he says, “I just do whatever they need me to.”
Rebekah Leonard says:
“We are so excited to be going, and it’s great that the word is getting out so that we will have many direct prayers behind us as we head to Brazil.”
Lauren and Troy went to Nicaragua on a missions trip, and that just confirmed with Lauren that she wanted to go into nursing. Lauren just got her four-year degree in nursing this month. And she’s so excited about it. She and her husband are thinking that they might want to go Ecuador for a few years and do mission work down there with her nursing degree.
Only time will demonstrate to us the way this trip will change the lives of Angel, Bill, Caleb, Dot, Hannah, Jacob, James, Jamie, Jana, Jessica, J. R., Julie, Katie, Levi, and Rebekah.
Thank You
Pastor Dave says:
The church has really jumped in and helped so much. They are helping through providing work opportunities, by praying, and donating resources to help with fundraisers. The adult leaders have also put in many hours to help the team.
No responses yet