Blessings to you all!
Well, the Amazon is as wonderful as ever. The weather here is getting hotter andthe rains are more scarce. On Wednesday, I arrived back in Santarem from SaoMiguel on the Arapuins River. We were working on the construction of the churchthere. We got a bunch done, thank the Lord! The team that came was from anAnglican church in Illinois. They were so great. I got to know them very wellwhile out on the river. We had all sorts of discussions from creation to endtimes to predestination. It was a good experience for me to spend time withother Christians with different doctrinal beliefs.
One thing I really wanted to share with you all is when we were out in the rivervillages, we held church services every night. If someone accepts Jesus, BettyBest will write their names down to follow up on them. Well, I had brought downa bunch of BCC pens and it was a joy to see them being used to write down thenames of our new brothers and sisters in Christ.
One of the biggest things God is teaching me here is living eternity-minded. Togo to school for the excuse to talk to my classmates about Christ. To work forthe excuse to share the gospel. He is giving me the desire to do everything withthe purpose of expanding the Kingdom and glorifying His name; because God isworthy and He shares His glory with no other. Now the easy part is having thisdesire. The hard part will be actually putting it into practice; here and athome. Please pray that my days will be used wisely and not spent on fleetingpleasures.
God is also telling me to relax about the frustration of not being able to pickup Portuguese quickly. About a month in, I was beginning to get kind ofdisapointed that is wasn't coming to me as fast as it appeared in others.However, one missionary encouraged me to not fret about it, but just love thepeople. It will come with time. So, I'm enjoying my time just hanging out withneedy girls and hugging children who don't receive any love at home. Thismorning Abby (my wonderful God-given roommate) and I had some girls over to makejewelry. It was a good time.
This weekend, I'll be going to Cabasa D'Onca for an inauguration of a PAZ churchthere. PAZ has just gotten a new website up and running.
Check it out atwww.projectamazon.org.
May the grace and peace from our Father flow in your hearts.
Soli Deo Gloria!
Julianne
