Well, I wanted to write a wrap-up and post some final pictures from our 2008 mission trip… So here it is!
It was quite the trip. Our team worked so hard, not only physically, but relationally as well. The language barrier wasn’t a barrier at all with this group. They loved on all the people they came in contact with. They loved each other and bore each other’s burdens all week long. Tim and I were quite proud of them.
As I thought about our team, the missionaries, the church, the children’s home, and all the ministry we did last week, I was very overwhelmed. God did so many great things in all of our lives. We learned so much about the mission field. Here are a few of the insights I learned (or re-learned) through this experience:
Insight #1 – Short-Term Missions Still Works.
Much research has been done to prove the opposite, but after this trip, I feel pretty strongly that it still works. Often, missionaries are left exhausted and with a trail of messes to clean up when missions teams leave. The key is to over-prepare a team and lead them well so as to make sure this doesn’t happen. Our team was a blessing, not a curse, to Russ and Diane Dean. All of our folks went the extra mile to minister to them.
This short-term trip also confirmed vocational ministry for many members of our team. We had 6-8 people on this team that, prior to setting foot in Brazil, had been praying about God’s calling on their lives. One couple had already been working with the IMB for permanent missions placement, and God confirmed the location of that placement while on this trip. Short-term missions (if done the right way) still works.
In addition, we were honored to help the church (IBABI) extend its ministry into a favela (poor neighborhood). The church had been praying about starting a Bible study and maybe even a church in this neighborhood, but they needed a way in. Our group paved that way by providing food and clothing for this neighborhood in the name of the Brazilian church. Here are some pictures of Kasey and Sara and two young ladies from this favela who trusted Christ as their Savior while we were there:
Insight #2 – Learning the Language Makes an Impact.
We taught our team a list of common phrases in Portuguese. But we also took it one step further. To go on this trip, each member of our team had to learn a basic plan of salvation in Portuguese as well. When the Brazilians realized that we came from America and learned a small piece of their language, they were immediately more open to listening to what we had to say. Many times during this trip, there would be a group of kids huddled around one of our team members, intently listening to the Gospel. Here is a picture of Zach Monroe (Asbury) sharing Christ’s love with a group of children and a picture of me sharing my testimony in Portuguese at IBABI:
Insight #3 – Hard Work is Rewarding.
This is the short-list of things our team did while in Brazil: sledge-hammering, drilling, sorting clothing, making food baskets, painting, scraping, etc., etc., etc. Everyone was exhausted everyday. We were all tired – but it was a good tired. A rewarding tired. Doing God’s work is a privilege. Providing a safe, sanitary environment for children is a worthwhile task. Here are two pictures from our work days – one of Chad Wiles (EKU) shoveling and Erin Arnold (UK) with the wheelbarrel – though I think Erin was supposed to be hauling away dirt, not children 
Insight #4 – Missionaries are Heroes.
At least these two are… Russ and Diane Dean are incredible servants of Christ. They have had quite a ministry. From Baptist Bible College (Springfield, MO) to Youngstown Baptist Church (now Crossroads Church) to São Paulo, Brazil, they have touched countless hearts and lives. They’ve served in youth ministry, music/worship, church planting (7), and started a center for children. One word – incredible…
Over the past 3 1/2 years, they have dealt with quite a few trials in their lives. Russ needed back and knee surgeries (8 total), and during that difficult process, they wondered if they would ever return to Brazil. But they did. And they are back in action more than ever. Is it for fame and glory? Is it for the money (ha…)? With these two individuals, it is clear that it is for one reason alone – the glory of God. Here is a picture of the three of us together at A Morada da Esperança:
Again, it was a fantastic trip… Everything was good – the food, the ministry, the people – it was all amazing. And so was the coffee. Brazil is known for the coffee. Here is a closing shot of me and Emily Kallenberg enjoying some café do Brasil.
