"For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake." -
2 Cor. 4:5
Dear Friends:
This has been one of the most exciting months in all our years on the fields. So much has happened since my last letter. I will share with you some of the highlights of the month.
To start with, Brother Arlei and his team left for the jungle to put in the foundation of the Jungle work headquarters church. Their first stop was a house meeting in the state of Rio Grande do Norte and then traveled on to a little village outside of the city of Sao Luis in the state of Maranhao. There they conducted services in two little mud, thatch roof churches and then drove on to Barra do Corda 500 kilometers on down into no man’s land where we are with your help opening up our Jungle outreach headquarters.
In the thick forest many people live their whole lives and never have an ideal what our real world looks like! While clearing land many of these forest people just appeared with machete knifes to help them. They were God sent! They were able to clear a place to make a road to get the bricks and other building materials to the site where the church will be built.
It was hard digging the foundation as that area gets little rain and digging is almost like breaking stones. It is all done by pick, hoe and shovel. Hard working brothers went with Arlei even so they returned with hurting sore hands from long hours of backbreaking work in the hot jungle.
Our family is committed to reach these indigenous people with the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We ask for your prayers and support as we daily carry out the work of reaching the lost, building churches, and training pastors. I know that each worker that goes out is the hands and feet of Jesus. This is a place that no one ever goes, for fear of what is not understood. It is A place that is in dire need, but not many volunteers to go, for fear of what it may cost. I am writing with tears streaming down my cheeks that one of our sons is going into the “unknown” with this life giving message. Seeing Brother Raul Jr so nobly carry on the work in south Brazil, seeing our son Michael stepping into Brother Alvear’s big shoes here and seeing our son Arlei headed for the jungle along with others, brings us great joy.
The Santos Dumont anniversary service was so wonderful this year and they had a packed out house. This Friday we are opening up one more rented building in a village called Canaa. It will be another new daughter work from the headquarters church. Next month by faith we plan to resume building the church in Murici as God supplies the needs.
I am always surprised at how God is always, continuously working. We were blessed to have a ministry from the States come and let God use him here for a week. Twenty people received the Holy Ghost and fifteen were baptized in the name of Jesus. Many people were healed. Many were encouraged. God greatly poured out His Spirit.
We also have been very moved by the enthusiasm our young people are showing for the work of God. A group of young set out like the disciples in the New Testament church. They did not know where they would sleep or what they would eat, but they set out with a mission in their hearts. They went to the countryside, where the roads are very muddy and at some place there were ‘lakes” of water in the middle of the road. They had to walk many miles through terrible conditions. But they did it gladly. They were preaching the gospel the whole way to people, who were hearing the message for the first time. Now the people have asked us to come back and start a church. And these were teenagers wanting to share what God had given them. We are so grateful that the seeds we have planted are showing such great fruit. For these young people will carry the message on into the next generation.
An ex-trinity pastor and his wife, who were just baptized in May, came to visit us and learn more about this blessed Truth. They brought thirteen more of their people with them and most of them were baptized in the wonderful name of Jesus. We are sending a team down there this weekend to help them understand more.
You have been a special part of what we are doing in Brazil and Paraguay and mostly because of your prayer support and offerings and of course above all God’s help great things are being accomplished for the Kingdom. In Paraguay a brand new door in a distant city has been opened! Oh, that I was a rich person to meet all the needs of the gospel hungry people.
Brother Alvear and I and a few others are fixing to make the trip to the jungle to help with some of the plans, make visits and visit two of the brush churches. This is completely a faith trip. We need around 1,550 dollars to help us. This is mostly for gasoline and traveling expenses. We do not plan to stay in hotels as we will be taking our hammocks to economize. Brother Arlei will be returning with us. If there is anything you can give we will deeply appreciate it.
We thank you for your faithful prayers and support. May God richly bless you as you also take part in spreading the precious Word of God. May we all be busy reaching this world with the Gospel. The Good News is only good if it gets there on time!
He called all his disciples to missions before he left the earth just as he has called every believer today to missions.
Eighty people die every minute never hearing the name of Jesus. Will you help us tell them?
Until They All Know,
Brother and Sister Raul Alvear
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