Dear Friends in the Homeland;
"I will pour my spirit upon thy seed and my blessing upon thine offspring" (
Isa. 44:3).
I am writing this letter sitting in a plastic chair under a beautiful palm tree watching our people as they rejoice in the Lord. As many of you know we have carnival season here in Brazil. It is a time of devilish feasting on the pleasures of the flesh. Every year we take our people to some far away wooded area for a time of prayer, bible teaching, recreation and a time for our families to bond together. We come out to where we do not hear the beating of the drums, the wild sounds of people who have corrupted themselves with their vain mentalities as they manifestly yield themselves to obey Satan, and are indefatigable in his service. For a week many of sin’s servants have feasted, and danced but really they are in great chains of satanic bondage, and drudgery of Popish superstitions with its immoral tendencies. Each year over 100 thousand women in Brazil are victims of human trafficking for purposes of sexual exploitation and much of this happens during this season.
Our people are different for they have come out of this type life and they are really free! For six days we have camped and worshipped our Creator. Five new souls were baptized in the little stream that flows through this rented property. At least 15 have received the Holy Ghost. I know at least 10 who were carried away in the spirit and saw visions, others received words of prophecy. I saw men and women slain in the spirit laying out in the grass for hours speaking in tongues. Even a little 5 year old received the Holy Ghost! Several have testified to instant healings and miracles.
Hundreds have perished during this carnival season. Death is the just wages of sin, which millions of Adam's race spend their whole life to earn! What a privilege it is to be among God’s “called out” people and sin has no dominion over the Kingdom we are participants of.
Since our last news letter we have traveled several thousand miles…Our old bodies get tired but our spirit rejoices to see the great moves of God all over Brazil. I always think of the scripture:
“How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of the herald, who proclaims peace, who brings news of good things, who proclaims salvation, who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”
Isaiah 52:7 (HCSB)
A group of us made the long tiring trip to Bahia for our yearly seminar. It was simply awesome! Even in the seminar people received the Holy Ghost. We were able to help Pastor Hugo travel to the northeast and help in some of our churches and then he and another group traveled on to other northeastern states. Brother Raul Jr. traveled to the Para (far north) convention and reported such growth! From there he visited two of the jungle churches in the states of Maranhao.
Right now as I write this letter the South Brazil churches are having a special yearly ladies conference and Brother Raul Jr and I keep calling each other each time someone hear or there receives the Holy Ghost. Glad for reduced rates during this holiday!
One of the greatest things to happen here is when you can actually see God moving on someone and the change that comes over them as they give their life to God.
We have started the second floor of our dormitories behind the Maceio church. In time we plan to have 16 finished rooms with bathrooms but right now we only have 4 that are completely finished. Our goal is to have 4 more finished by the end of the year. It is very expensive because of the concrete and the iron. However God and His children are making this possible each time we need something God always moves on one of His willing servants to help us.
Construction of the Camp ground church in south Brazil is coming right along. This week we are getting the roof on it. Our next step will be getting in windows and doors. All is progressing well. There too we are building dormitories! The first dormitory is finished. In time we will have to build and a dining hall and kitchen. We do not have all the funds for so many projects. So, we will have the wait for the Lord's provision before continuing.
Our son Arlei is working hard getting ready for his move to the jungle city of Barra do Corda. He and his family will be very much alone until God begins to give them fruits but we know for a fat that the strongest men (and women) are those that can walk alone, unafraid and he is that type of man. I know Arlei understands the danger he and his family will face but he feels drawn to the jungle people. (most of you know his real mother was a martyred for the gospel in Paraguay)
I have enjoyed myself so much at this camp. Some of my kids wanted me to just come during the day and drive home at night. They were concerned I would fall, get eaten by bugs; get hurt, they had a whole list of possible casualties. I think it was them that was afraid and ended up going home. I got to see a huge rat; my son in law caught a Tarantula spider and gave it to me! I have never been fond of spiders but he is sure is a fuzzy creature.
The nights have been quite noisy with all the chirps and croaks. I wonder what they think about us invading their territory?
This retreat has been so awesome especially seeing how our people have learned responsibility. We take raising up leaders seriously, and we believe our example of leadership is Christ. In this training of leaders, serving is a key principal behind all that we are doing. I am enjoying watching different leaders serve those that are under them.
One of the group mothers came to me and said, “Missionary, in our group we are over 20 people and we brought a little basket of food and I wondered what we would do for our group is so poor but every day the basket is fuller!” She said instead of having to go ask some other group leader for rice we will have rice to take home and give away!
I looked at these beautiful, dark-eyed and smiling Brazilian children, poor and precious. They were so glad to be at camp with their parents. I love them so much Oh! If only I had more arms to hold them.
Sometimes things like that sound strange to Americans but we are repeating Bible days here in our area of Brazil.
At this time of the year it is frustrating to see the depths of sin people go to…yet where sin abounds much more does grace abound. I saw a little Catholic boy receive the Holy Ghost last night speaking in Hebrew. He did not speak for 5 minutes some repeated phase but he spoke for almost 5 hours!
A new man that had been against his wife for becoming a believer showed up to see what was going on and before camp was over he repented of his sins!
Bringing Hope is what we have been called to do, and that is exactly what we are doing. So many people are with us that in times past had no where to go…today they have a family.
If we had the funding and additional equipment we would be doing even more. We know that we live in the end of an age and work centuries could have done must be crowed in at sunset or left forever undone.
The outpouring of God’s love is so tangible. The transformation that takes place in the hearts of the Brazilian people is so evident even in their physical appearance. The oppressed have been set free and an indescribable joy is in their hearts.
Thanks to you, we are able to buy Bibles, feed and clothe the poor, take care of those who have no where to go. Having a Bible is like a shaft of light illuminating their dark walls.
We may never know the true results of the planting, teaching and preaching and just talking around campfires that has been done this week but one thing I am certain is that many people were blessed and grew in the Lord. I walked by and saw a group of our young preachers sitting on stumps and makeshift “chairs” with Brother Alvear with their Bibles opened and he was teaching them. I saw a twinkle in their eyes as he answered their Bible questions.
In a world of lost and hurting people, how will they hear the true Word unless we make disciples to teach them?
In His Grip,
Brother and Sister Alvear and family
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