A family in the islands on the Xingu River is on their way to a church meeting. (Painting by Rick Bergen, 2013).

Last summer we were out with some friends doing a special church service among the islands of the Xingu River. As we wait by the church in the mission boat, many small boats carrying families and individuals, just like this one in my painting, arrive for the meeting. They sometimes use umbrellas as shade from the tropical sun. Naldo, who oversees these churches, comes from a violent background involving drugs, knives, and guns. Many people among these islands are now giving their lives to Jesus because of Naldo’s message and testimony, and because of the church he pastors. Naldo himself is helped along by other pastors, friends, and missionaries, who in turn are encouraged and helped by support teams. The Holy Spirit is using us as a team to make an important and eternal difference in people’s lives. How cool is that?

For our annual church conference this year Steve and Elba gathered photos of many of the churches we, as a team, have helped to plant here in Northern Brazil.

Click here to see a video slideshow of these photos.

Aline and Eliel are the first couple in our church to get married without living together first. Our church is five years old. They wanted a big wedding, which would include as many people as possible, so that the neighbourhood young people, and especially the young girls, could start dreaming of a wedding, and marriage, and a family structure different from the ones they grew up in. I think they accomplished their purpose. We are very proud of Aline and Eliel.

The Wedding Party

The front yard of the church is transformed.

The ceremony begins.

Bella and Emma are two of Aline’s bridesmaids.

All the girls got dressed in Emma and Bella’s bedroom.

Ivanildo loves to see that first kiss as a married couple.

Husband and Wife!

Marco’s conks out.

The church really pulled together as a community this Saturday to help prepare for Aline and Eliel’s wedding. We have a lot to learn, as a church, about how to do these large celebrations, but we are pleased with how God is helping us get started. This is our second wedding on our property here. Weddings are an important part of social justice and neighborhood improvements. Most people who come to our church are not married. And their relationships are not everything they hoped they would be. We are sowing hope into these relationships.

Marques and several others worked all day on the lighting and electricity for the band.

Eliel had his hands full, trying to keep everything organized.

Railan was a big help, and worked a lot of hours.

The front yard of the church is transformed.

Maria and Monica work in the kitchen, along with many other ladies.

Kelsie describes a big situation to Eliel. (I am assuming it is a big situation). 🙂

The bridesmaids helped for hours to prepare.

Table decorations.

Bella has lots of friends.

Luana was especially helpful, and worked for many hours.

Kelsie and Emma prepare the backdrop for the cake and photo area.

Vera is on her motorbike, talking to Elda, who was in charge of decorations.

Fransisco gets the lighting decorations in place, from the top of the scaffolding.

Paula works in the kitchen, preparing food for more than 300 people.

Adão helps get the roadway ready for parking the cars.

Ivanildo keeps everything moving in the right direction.

Elda explains the table layout to Ivanildo.

“I rest my case.”

We had our first church wedding here in Marabá. A couple of years ago Nadeson worked as a bricklayer on our house. More recently, Suzi enjoyed the Alpha course, and ended up giving her heart to Jesus. Yesterday, Saturday, September 21, the city government hosted a group marriage where 1,000 couples could sign up and get legally married. Suzi and Nadeson  were one of these couples, and they followed this legal wedding downtown with a Christian wedding and ceremony in our church. Their three beautiful daughters were in the wedding with them.

The ceremony! Ivanildo did a great job!

Both of their families drove about one whole day to come to the wedding. The church joins Ivanildo to ask for God’s blessing on this new marriage.

“We’re married!”

Suzi and their three daughters.

Our second Alpha Course started with mostly women. While this is normal for young churches, at least in our experience, I am sure Ivanildo and I could have done a better job inviting our friends. Those who come love it. Deanna made soup, and even little AliceMaria ate it all up. Her mom told me she doesn’t eat like that at home. Everyone loves Deanna’s soup. And everyone likes the Alpha style of hanging out and visiting around spiritual topics for an evening.

Mostly women showed up this first night.

First night of our second Alpha course.

Everyone loves eating together.

First meal…potato chowder.

About six months ago we planted a few passion fruit seedlings. We just harvested our first two ripe fruit.

Passion fruit is one of our favorites for juice. It’s right up there with fresh-squeezed orange juice, biribá, cupuaçu, and açai.

Passion fruit has the most exquisite blossoms. The whole vine is worth growing just to see the blossoms, and smell their fragrance. And then we get the fruit too, like a bonus.

Passion fruit blossom.

Passion fruit grows on a vine and turns yellow when it is ripe.

Unripe passion fruit.

Our first two ripe passion fruit.

Yara gave us a cactus plant. Bella planted it in a little pot outside. It is now about 4 feet high. Cactus! Here in the Amazon! It is growing just a few feet from our passion fruit vines.

September 7th is Independance Day here in Brazil, a stat holiday. To celebrate some of the men in our church loaded up our car and 4 motorbikes, and drove 18 kms upriver to a beach to fish, play soccer, and hang out together. In one photo you see Edilson, in the yellow shirt, explaining the bible to two of the others. I was admiring how Edilson is seeking first the Kingdom of God. He is trying to be a disciple of Jesus. The next day Edilson’s brother, who is not a christian, tried to commit suicide. The hospital was able to pump out the rat poisen and stabilize him. Edilson hopes he’ll come to church this week-end.

The reason for this outing is so we can spend time with the neighbourhood guys. This might be obvious, but I need to keep reminding myself, so I can be more intentional about how I live. With time, and a variety of activities and backgrounds, we can live out the gospel together, and learn from one another.

Sossego Beach is 18 kms upriver from Marabá.

Edilson shows Sammy and Marques what he is learning from the Bible.

Paulo Roberto gets the chicken ready to roast over the fire.

Marabá Church Men’s Group

Romario

Ivanildo the story teller.

Everyone asked what they could bring. Ivanildo kept absentmindedly saying, “How about rice?” We had tons of rice. The joke of the day, “You better hurry and fill your plate. We are almost out of rice.” It would always get a laugh.

Marabá Men’s Outing at Sossego Beach.

Edilson is a disciple.

This week’s highlights:

1. Soccer training school started up again.

2. Deanna, Emma, and Via are back from Canada.

3. We are coming into mango season.

4. The little bouganvilia plants we bought are flowering with all their might.

5. The neighbours come to the chacará Saturday afternoon.

The mangos are almost ripe.

Neighbourhood guys come to the chacará to watch the soccer game, and to hang out.

Ivanildo is very respected, and the guys love it when he coaches and refs games.

The swing.

Deanna visits with Lene and Quita. Quita is pregnant with baby number 5, a girl after 4 boys.

Michelle enjoys the afternoon.

Ruan.

Mango trees are fun to climb.

Our little bouganvilia plants are outdoing themselves with color.

A meadowlark sits outside our window.

Bella and Emma play volleyball on Saturday afternoon.