Who would have thought God would give us four daughters who love racing in an Amazon swamp?
(Here is a photo of Emma getting stung by something under the water which left a two-inch welt. This is the same swamp where I saw an anaconda eating a hawk about eight feet away from me. When the neighbour cleaned out his swamp he killed 53 anacondas.)
We have 45 youth here for a three-day sleepover event. Three times a day there are services. There is a lot of repentance, asking forgiveness and the sense of God’s presence as the youth ministered to one another. Ivanildo planned an obstacle race which includes teams racing through the swamp, crawling through the mud under some barriers, going through some deeper water on two cables. The winning team was the one who helped each other all get through together first.
Then the youth prepare for another ministry time, more food, more racing around and singing in the middle of the night. (No playing the drums tonight!)
Cristovál is a Youth Retreat here. While much of the country celebrates excessive sinful lifestyles, some churches in Brazil use the holiday to seek God and celebrate life.
We thank the Lord for His abundant life, for calling us to Marabá, and for young pastors. Ivanildo and Monica are running this whole event. We are support staff. Very cool.
Oh my God !, that was really scared. Maybe if I am the one there, I can’t go on through that swamp if I knew that there might be more anacondas there. I’m afraid with snakes.