Americanos In Brazil - Day 7

On Thursday we worked with 2 churches (Capela Calvario and Primeira Igreja Batista Sao Vicente) in 2 state schools in Sao Vicente. First, all of us went to lunch with Pr. Celso and his wife and several members of Capela Calvario. We went to a typical Brazilian style buffet lunch restaurant, and we had great food and a great time. Then we all went to the school EE Armando Victorio Bei and spoke in 17 classes in the afternoon period. It went really great, and 343 students and 4 teachers accepted Christ and committed their lives to Him. Afterwards many students came up to the Americans and wanted to talk to them, so we stayed awhile.

Later at night we split up into 2 groups and some of us returned to EE Armando Victorio Bei and spoke in 17 more night classes for high school students. Our other group worked with Primeira Igreja Batista Sao Vicente in the school EE Enio Vilas Boas, and we spoke in 4 night classes for high school students. Once again many students wanted to meet the Americans and talk, so we stayed quite awhile afterwards. At EE Enio Vilas Boas we had 56 students and 1 teacher accept Christ and commit their lives to Him, and at EE Armando we had 347 students and 9 teachers.

At each school the leaders really loved the project, especially because we had 6 more Americans with us, and each recommended us to other schools in the area. EE Armando asked us if we could come back once a month to continue to help, and Nancy and I are not able to do more because we speak in many other schools and have many other projects, but we are going to try to get the church to start doing something with them as part of the important follow up work.

All in all it was a great day. We are all very tired because it has been a long and busy week, but it is hard to describe the joy that we all feel as a result of the things we have seen God do in the hearts and lives of so many people. Nancy and I personally have loved the time of fellowship, fun, and laughs that we have had this week with the folks from 2nd Baptist Church Cedartown GA, and we are looking forward to having them come back next year. We have 1 more day of activities on Friday, and then they will be leaving for home on Saturday morning.

Americanos In Brazil - Day 6

On Wednesday we had a very busy day, as we split into 2 main groups and visited 2 schools in Sao Vicente in the morning at the same time, and then 2 more schools at night in Santos. In the morning we worked with Capela Calvario in the state school EE Armando Victorio Bei in Sao Vicente, and also 1 group worked with Primeira Igreja Batista Sao Vicente in the state school EE Enio Vilas Boas. In both schools the project went great, and the students loved having Americans in their school, and they really enjoyed talking to the "gringos". The leaders of both schools really liked the project also, and they were very very appreciative of our help. In both schools some of the teachers and the school leaders were telling the students that our message was very important, and that they need God in their lives. Combined a total of 460 students and 10 teachers accepted Christ and committed their lives to Him in the morning period.

After these first 2 schools we all went to a small restaurant near the beach in Santos and had a nice lunch, and one of our interpreters Patricia joined us. We had Japanese food and seafood for lunch. Then another one of our interpreters, Rebeca, took some of the ladies out shopping for 2 hours. After resting for awhile, we all joined up again at the hotel at night and split into 2 groups again. 1 group spoke at the state school EE Visconde Sao Leopoldo in Santos (where we were Monday morning & afternoon), and another group spoke in the municipal school EM Therezinha (where we were on Tuesday morning & afternoon). At night both schools have adults studying to finish their middle or high school education. There were fewer students than normal on Wednesday night because the Santos soccer team had a game that night, and many people stay home to watch the game. We still had a great night, and combined 134 adult students and 8 teachers and a vice principal accepted Christ and committed their lives to Him.

One very wonderful thing that God did was at the school EM Therezinha at night. One of our 3 interpreters did not come, so we were 1 short. The teacher at the school who teaches some English classes volunteered to help, so she translated in 2 classes for us. In the first class she got very emotional during the speech, during the spiritual life part and in the prayer. After the class I asked her if she felt in her heart that she needed Jesus, and if she prayed too to receive Him and commit her life to Him, and she said that she very much felt that and yes she did pray and receive Christ. God is great !

After the schools at night we all went to a nearby restaurant and had a late night pizza snack. We had a great time of fun and fellowship, and a lot of laughs.

Sightseeing

After we spoke in the school EM Therezinha on Tuesday morning and afternoon, we went up the ski lift to the top of a small mountain near the beach in Sao Vicente. It was a beautiful day, so we decided to take advantage of it. It is about a 12 minute ride up to the top, and all the time you are going over the forest and you get to see all types of tropical plants, flowers, and trees. The view from the top is spectacular. On many days there are hang gliders that take off from the top, and we saw a couple of them take off and fly around. It was a great time.

Americanos In Brazil - Day 5

On Tuesday morning and afternoon we spoke at the municipal school EM Therezinha in Santos, which is located in one of the poorest areas of the city. It is located high up on a small mountain in the city, and most of the area is a favela (slum). The school is for students from 1st to 5th grades. It also has classes for adults at night, and we will be speaking there on Wednesday night. Because the students are poor the school feeds all of them (approx. 700 total), because most likely it is the only good meal they eat every day. We were very impressed with how well the school is run, and with how well the children behaved.

We had 4 teams with 2 Americans and 1 interpreter per team, and we had a couple of extra people to help from Igreja Batista Nova Jerusalem also. After we spoke in 10 classes in the morning period we had a lot of time to talk to the students and teachers, and the children loved it. The school kindly invited all of us to have lunch there, since we were coming back to speak in the afternoon period also. It was a very nice gesture and we gladly accepted. After lunch we talked more with the students, and then we spoke in 10 more classes. We praise God that 529 students and 11 teachers accepted Christ and committed their lives to Him. God did a mighty work in their hearts before we arrived, and they were very glad to hear of God's love and salvation through Jesus.