Twenty nine people plus the driver and his helper piled into the bus this morning at 4:00 a.m. and headed out towards Altamira for a Conference. The excitement level was very high. Many of these youth have not even been across town. Ivanildo says “They are like chicks still inside their eggshell”.

The driver just drove this stretch of road on Monday. It took him 19 hours. Most of the road was dry but very rough, and one place he had to wait two hours while the tractors pulled vehicles through a huge mud hole. I asked him about the risk of bandits. “There is no problem right now. The police killed a whole pile of them…(he tried to count up in his mind just how many robbers the police killed but came back to his original phrase, ‘um bocada’ – a whole pile)”. So I don’t know if that is good news or not, but it is what it is and everyone felt better about bringing their cell phones and cameras.

I realized as my family all drove away with the rest of our church leaders just how rarely I am the one staying home. It feels kind of good, as long as they don’t get into a “situation”. Sometimes it feels like we are living along the edge of a disaster, but it always works out well. I am so glad we have a living God who watches us carefully. “Oh God, please bless them on this journey and let them return home safely”.

To see the Bergquist May newsletter click here.

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The Wilson family is eager to really get started planting churches in the Pacajá Region.

Click on this link to read the Wilsons newsletter.

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Thursday night we have house meetings. Watching Luana and Anni and Olivia lead a group of neighbours is a great highlight for everyone. Two weeks ago they gave the challenge, “Let’s everyone do acts of kindness in Jesus’ name this week, without talking about God. We’ll live the gospel. Then let’s talk about it next week.”

The next week Luana said, “I passed a girl I on the road I fought with a year ago. (This would have been a physical fight.) I thought, ‘Oh no, God, I am not talking to her. She hates me.’ Then I saw her again, later the same day. I thought, ‘I haven’t seen her in a year. God must really want me to talk to her.’ So I worked up all my courage, said a prayer and went over to the girl, ‘I am really sorry about that fight we got into last year.’ The girl started talking to me, and she was all friendly.” These are big steps forward for new believers.

Last week the question was, “Why do you come to church?” One girl shared, “I come to church because it seems like every week the pastor is speaking right to me. It is exactly what I need to hear. I feel like God is talking to me through the sermons.”

Emma, age 15, helps at another group, with Adriana, Sami and some of the youth. Somebody off the street with a can a beer and a cigarette walked over to join the group. As they got into a discussion about the study this fellow says, “I spent nine months in jail. I read the Bible from cover to cover. I know all about what it says. Did you know that when Jesus was on the cross he was between a murderer and a thief? The murderer was forgiven, but not the thief. Thieves cannot be forgiven.” The hackles came up on the back of everyone’s neck as they started to defend their faith. Emma was pumped when she came home, telling the stories over and over.

If you want to get pumped, listen to this 30 minute sermon to learn how. This talk was given by a pastor in Boston in 2007. Click on the link below.

The Stakes of Crossing or Not Crossing The Moat – by Dave Schmelzer

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I try really hard to do the right things, and make the right choices. So does almost everyone I know. So how do I receive constructive criticism? Can I receive it? The ability to work together as a team, to be able to speak frankly with each other, to disagree without allowing that to affect our friendship or commitment to each other, these are really valuable skills.

At a week-long conference on peace-keeping in Fresno California we learned that churches that disagree well and welcome opposing ideas will grow. Pastors who want “peace” at any price, who discourage disagreement, these churches will probably dwindle.

In disagreeing well, that does not be criticizing people behind their back. To me this means feeling safe enough to be able to talk about things as a team and as friends without feeling like this will jeopardize the relationship.

This morning Seth Godin gave some helpful advice in his blog. I’ll paste it right here as I pray that I will be a friend people feel they can approach.

…………………………………

How else are you supposed to take it?

“Don’t take it personally.”

This is tough advice. Am I supposed to take it like a chair? Sometimes it seems as though the only way to take it is personally. That customer who doesn’t like your product (your best work) or that running buddy who doesn’t want to run with you any longer…

Here’s the thing: it’s never personal. It’s never about you. How could it be? That person doesn’t truly know you, understand what you want or hear the voices in your head. All they know is themselves.

When someone moves on, when she walks away or even badmouths you or your work, it’s not personal about you. It’s personal about her. Her agenda, her decisions, her story.

Do your work, the best way you know how. Is there any other option?

Seth Godin – 20 May 2011 blog

Emma was born soon after we first arrived in Altamira. She was smiling then, and she has not stopped in 15 years. What a blessing Emma is to us, and to all who are around her. We are so very grateful to God for Emma.

I started to write a weekly email update in December with the plan of sending four Advent Christmas cards, one each week. In January I kept on going because friends and readers encouraged me. Now it is mid-May, and my weekly email has become part of my devotional time, a time to reflect and share what God is doing in the world around me.


Here are a few reasons why I am encouraging you to post some highlights of your week and send a weekly email.


1. “But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” John 3:21.
2. “So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.” 1 Thess. 5:11
3. This is a great spiritual exercise, a time to reflect on God’s involvement in your life, and to share that with others.
4. This is a time when you can bless people, by appreciating their work.