Mission trips

We’ve had a wonderful 2 months getting to know many communities and the people that came on all the short-term mission trips. Since May we were blessed to be part of six different trips.

Where: Umbizal

Group: college students from Oral Roberts University

Family involved: Matt, Mariah, Jaelah

Reason: Church construction, evangelism

Umb 1 — putting bricks overhead for the bricklayers

Umb 2 — Walls going up in Umbizal

umb 3 — Mariah cleaning up some old posts

Where: Lago da Praia

Group: Matt’s sister, sister-in-law, niece and friend

Family involved: Matt, Janelle, Mariah, Jaelah, Luke, Sierra

Reason: Church service, water filter installation

Lago1 — Naomi and Sheree getting ready to lead worship

Lago2 — Each filter needs 1 sack of gravel and 3 sacks of sand. About 75 pounds total.

Where: Pascoal

Group: Canadian church group

Family involved: Matt, Mariah, Jaelah

Reason: Church construction, evangelism, Health ministry

Pas 1 — We never put up the trusses without praying. It’s quite the job without a crane- but when it’s done we celebrate!

pas 2 — Many hands- light work

paws 3 — Preparing the floor and putting on roof sheets

Where: Cachoeira do Aruá

Group: Peoria Church,

Family involved: Matt, Luke, Jaelah

Reason: Health ministry, Women’s sewing, Construction, Kid’s ministry,

acha — Cachoeira means “waterfall”

acha4 — some young men from Illinos

acha3 — Unloading 3,000 bricks from the bottom of the boat to the beach

acha 5 — Luke’s favorite job. Before going on a trip he always asks if he’s going to be able to do construction.

acha5 — The last few trips we’ve taken a lady to teach the women how to sew. In a couple days they are making underwear, shorts and simple shirts. I went back the next week and passed by a house where a lady was sewing. “did you learn that from the mission?”, “Yes.”, she said. It’s great to see fruit!

acha 6 — Kids ministry: There were about 70 kids the first day and then over 100 every day after. Jaelah did alot of translating and the young men got to take a break from the construction.

acha1 — She finds a baby in EVERY community

ach1 — Our transportation from the church to the boat

acha2 — We had a church service on Monday night in a community building that was bigger than the church we were building. However, there were already about 40 people sitting outside. I looked at the construction supervisor and said, “We’re not ever done and the building is already too small!” So the next day we added on 15 feet.

acha 7 — Pouring the floor

Here is Luke doing what only a 10 year old can do (click here).

Jaelah doing her thing (click here).

Matt doing his “thing” (click here).

Where: Santa María

Group: Matt’s cousin and friends,

Family involved: Matt, Luke

Reason: Church service, Water filter installation.

A short video to encourage you to come visit (click here).

Loading the sand and gravel to repair the filters

Heading out with the material

Waiting for the water filter installation — Water filter installation

Some filters have been abandoned for years. Never know what you'll find inside. — Some filters have been abandoned for years. Never know what you’ll find inside.

Clean water

Everything we do has a spiritual aspect. We took illustrated Bibles to hand out and shared the Gospel as we repaired the water filters. This boy grabbed the Bible and was already reading it before we got done with the filter!

Matt's cousin Tyrel. — Matt’s cousin Tyrel.