Community

It can get lonely on the mission field (go ahead and cue the violin music... haha!). No, seriously, it really does... at least for me anyway. Getting use to being a missionary and not on a pastoral staff in a local church is taking some time to adjust to, that’s for sure. I’m use to being in a “community of believers” that are always encouraging each other and that are there for each other all the time. And not being in a “community of believers” (because right now, we ARE the community of believers) is one of the biggest things I miss here in Brazil. We do know other people (who are believers) here in Brazil, but they all live 45-60 minutes away (in the city) and we’re way out here in the mountains. But building a community of believers has to start somewhere, right? That’s why we’re here... to raise-up a community of Christ Followers. It’s not easy starting from scratch either, especially when you’e still trying to learn Portuguese as well, so please pray for us.
There was something I heard someone say a few years ago that stuck with me and you may have heard it too. They said (or it was similar to this, anyway):

“if your church left the community would it be missed? If your church closed it’s doors, would your community feel a void because of the impact that you’re making in it?”

It was a good question. And at the time I could definitely say, “yes” because our church was very involved in the community. We were feeding approximately 1500 people a week through our food ministry, we were involved in the public schools, we were involved in local civic groups, nursing homes and even volunteered with the local habitat for humanity... we were definitely a part of the community. But let me take that question a little further. If “you as an individual” were taken out of your community would you be missed? If you moved out of your subdivision or your neighborhood, would there be a void left behind that people would notice? Because, really, there should be. I wish I could say that there was a void left behind when we moved to the mission field and out of our subdivision in Georgia (we lived there for over 10 years), but I’m not really sure that there was. It’s sad, really. People knew that we were pastors but I was usually so tired when I was at home that I didn’t make a real conscientious effort to be involved in people’s lives like I should have been. I can blame it on the American culture (where everyone hides behind closed doors and some people don’t even know the name of the people they’re living next to) but that’s just an excuse. We’re suppose to be Christians first, not people who let culture dictate how we relate to people, right?
When I was here in Brazil last year something happened that really encouraged me (as far as the ministry here in Brazil). I was at Brad and Carolyn’s house and this grandmother and her granddaughter came up their driveway and the granddaughter was crying. After Carolyn spoke with them she found out that the reason the girl was crying is because she heard that the “Americans” were leaving the mountain. Wow, really? She was one of the teens that had been coming to the outreach meetings and she was sad because these people, who had only lived in the community for a year, had made such an impact that she didn’t want them to go. Of course it wasn’t true but how many times has that happened in your life or in mine? Ha! Not often. But that’s how it should be.
I really don’t have any point to make except that we really miss our family and friends back home and that we really need your prayers as we make disciples and build a community of believers here in Terra Boa.

Passionately Following Jesus,
Jim

PS- the picture at the top is of the sky last night. It may not seem like a big deal but we're in rainy season right now and the fact it wasn't showering down water on us (it actually rains an average of 1.5-3.5" a day... all day) was pretty amazing. Thank you Lord: )