news from Brazil

[Sister Alvear]

In an unmarked grave on the Brazil Paraguay boarder lays the remains of an unsung earthly hero.

Many years ago in one our conventions Brother Alvear asked for someone to go to the country of Paraguay and help us open up a mission work. He waited and waited for someone to answer the call but no one came. After the service was over a little woman with 5 small children came up to us and said, I will go to Paraguay if there is no one else to go.
We wondered what she could do however we smiled and said, Whatever He says do it. Sure enough He had called! Her life proved that. However we would yet to have that to find out in the few short years she lived and labored.

Her husband have left her when she became a Christian but not even that shook her faith in her new found way of life. What a Christian with a great testimony in each service. So how could we doubt her words and her calling to such a primitive place.

She lived in dire poverty preaching the Jesus she loved to both friend and foe. It was not long until she had a little congregation

Our first missionary became our first martyr. Not everyone shared her enthusiasm and love and enemies of the gospel poisoned her. It was not a sudden death but a slow agonizing one. Brother Alvear sat with her as she was dying and asked what she would want him to do with those that gave her poison. She said forgive them…

We took her children and raised them. It was not easy as we were raising other homeless children however God and his people helped us. The years have passed now…they are all married. All but one of her children are serving the Lord in different capacities.

If she glances over the golden wall she will find her son Arlei following close in her footsteps.

A little over five years ago God called Native Missionary Arlei Alvear and his family to the lower basin of the Amazon: Maranhão and Pará. This family’s work for God began in a small city near the jungle. Today, God has increased and blessed the work of their hands. In the time since they began, they have built five churches, they have a small tabernacle and several preaching points, and they are engaged in a building program in the jungle. God has also blessed them with 2 wonderful children that are themselves very active in the music ministry.
Recently they have made inroads in the backlands considered Indian territory where they have given away thousands of Bibles in the Guajajara language. To the glory of God, he is slowly winning these tribal people to our Lord.
Next Sunday he will be preaching in a village where the Indians killed almost 200 people.

His work is dangerous but he is involved in the noble task of helping reach every tribe with the gospel. We are glad that our son is involved in missions in one of the most forgotten areas of Brazil!

If anyone would feel to help Brother Arlei you may do so by sending to us and we will forward it to him and his work.