The Morro Azul Drum Corp.

Artwork by Alice.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 4 2006
MISC NOTES
Lula didn't win the election as he was expected to, at least not by a majority. There will be a runoff on October 29. Presidents in Brasil are elected by popular vote. There's no electoral college or equivalent thereof in Brasil.

Last Saturday there was an all day camp at a retreat center in the mountains of Rio de Janeiro state. It's so beautiful up there. 18 people from Morro Azul were able to go, including several children. It was a big deal; most had never been out of the South Zone of Rio, so taking a bus ride into the mountains was quite an adventure. When I update the photos this month, I'll post a few. Here's one of some of the boys playing ball. Altogether, about 160 people attended the camp.

At the top of the page is "broken tile" sign that Alice, Bruno's wife, made for us. The picture is so small it's hard to see the detail that went in to it; she's quite talented.

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6 2006
A STORY ABOUT OUR WORK
There's a woman near our community who is very poor. Her name is Lucia. She's single and she has three small children, including a baby less than one year old. She has a job passing out paper advertisements on the street, a job that pays only a couple of dollars a day. She stands on a busy street corner and hands people slips of paper as they walk by. Her baby stays in a small cradle next to her, because she has no one to babysit for her.

Her other 2 daughters, who are 7 and 5, play up and down the crowded sidewalks. Many days they stand near the entrance of shopping center and beg snacks from people as they enter. Ana Claudia has seen them there several times.

Lucia heard about our work in Morro Azul and asked if her 2 older daughters could come. Now they are there almost every day. They attended Vacation Bible School and they participate in our children's classes. Project Brasil has also helped the family with clothes and other basics.

Though I'm sure there are exceptions, the poor people I encounter in Rio aren't lazy people who are just trying to take advantage of the system. (There's not much of a system to take advantage of.) The poor people I encounter are usually uneducated, unemployable, and often desperate. They're not afraid to work.

We want to help families like this, and not with just a few clothing items and meals. We want to help them find ways to change their lives for better, and for keeps.

The photo is a picture of a typical favela home.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 7 2006
TWO YEARS AGO TODAY

Two years ago today I arrived in Brasil for the first time, more than a little nervous about the project I was planning to attempt.

After hearing about all the violence and crime in Rio, my first concern after I left the airport was being able to make it from the taxi to the front door of my hotel (across the sidewalk, in other words) without being held up at gunpoint. The stories I heard were that exaggerated. "Tourists are robbed and beaten in broad daylight and nobody does anything about it." That's the kind of thing that was being posted on various travel forums. It's not true. While Rio does have its risks, it's not as bad as the alarmists like to say.

I stayed the first two nights in a fleabag downtown, until I found a good hotel in Copacabana. I was there until I found my first apartment.

I had tried to make contacts ahead of time, but once in Rio they all fell through. I see now that it was for the best, but at first I was really nervous when the pastor I hoped to work with and the school I wanted to partner with didn't pan out. After being in Rio almost 3 weeks, I was almost convinced that I would be going back to the States having accomplished nothing.

But look how things developed. I found the church in Catete. When I told Pastor Jorge my dream, instead of telling me I was crazy he told me he would help me get started. He then introduced me to Ricardo.

Around the first of December 2004 we started our first class with one student, Taina (at right with Maria, our first teacher). She's still one of our students; so are her brother and sister. Taina's father died tragically a few weeks before I arrived, and it is difficult for her mother to provide for the family. We have played an important role in this young lady's life; she'll get into a university because of us.

Now we have a combined total of about 70 students. 

We got our building in January 2005 and began fixing it up. Classes were moved there, and we were able to help the Methodist Church get started. I often preach and lead worship there when I'm in town.

We provide medicine almost every month for the medical clinic, we've helped numerous families with clothes and food and other essentials, we threw a community wide Christmas party last year in which every child in the community received a gift. We have become a significant presence in the community, and we are laying groundwork for a long ministry in this community that will span generations.

When I see how far we've come, I'm pleased (and still amazed) that God let me a be a part of this. And it's exciting to see others catch the vision and want to give their time and talent and resources to this ministry. We've only just begun.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 10 2006
CLASS SCHEDULE
Here's our school schedule.

ENGLISH CLASSES.
We have 3 classes that meet on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 10:30, 1:30 and 2:30. These classes have 6-10 students each. These classes are taught by Ana Claudia. Ana Claudia also teaches one-on-one (tutoring) with a couple of students on MWF, as their schedules allow.

Our children's class meets on Tuesday and Wednesday at 1:30. These classes are taught by Beatriz. We have 6-8 children in this class.

COMPUTER CLASSES.
We have computer classes every day, all day long in one hour sessions. We have four computers, so most classes we have two to a computer. We teach Word, Excel, and Powerpoint in addition to teaching other basic computer functions that a person would typically need to work in an office. We have 50 students.

The computer classes are taught by Beatriz and Bruno.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 11 2006
WE HAVE SOME FANS

A Sunday School class at the Catete church made a cash donation to Project Brasil this week of R$200 — it's about $90.00 USD. We'll use the money to buy some much needed fans for the classroom, since summer is on its way and it's getting much warmer. (The picture here is only for ambiance; we'll actually buy fans that were made in this century.)

The gift came from the "Third Age" class — that's the Brasilian term for those over 65. I guess under 18 is first age, 18-65 is second age, and over 65 is third age.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 17 2006
MORE ABOUT THE FANS
Ana Claudia had told me about a month ago that we would need some fans in the school room because it is so hot there. I told her that we would get them as soon as we could afford them. She did a little research and found the most suitable fans for our needs: two ceiling fans that cost a combined total of R$199,80. Just a couple of days later the 3rd age class from the Catete church told her they were giving us R$200,00. She knew exactly where the money needed to go. (The additional 20 cents will go into our general operating fund.)

Brasilian Christians have a word for this kind of thing: Jesusidência (pronounced zhay-ZOOS-iden-SEE-ah) which is, of course, a combination of the name Jesus and the Portuguese word for coincidence. It refers to how God provides exactly what we need at exactly the right time—sometimes even before we have the chance to pray about it.

We see more and more of this at Project Brasil; God is always faithful to give us what we need in order to do the work he has called us to do.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 18 2006
Diante do Trono
I've added another one of my favorite worship songs. It's called Diante do Trono (Before the Throne). One night when I preached in Catete I asked Felipe to sing this during the invitation while people came to altar and prayed, which turned into a very special moment in the service.

PLAY THIS SONG When you click the link a new window will open so you can listen to the song and keep surfing around the site.

Here is a literal (not poetic) translation of the chorus. This is my own translation, but I think I got it right.

Before your throne I bow down to adore you
I want to confess my love for you
I declare that you are my life and the reason I live
You're all that I want, Lord.

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 21 2006
NEW PHOTOS AND GOOD REPORTS
I posted some new photos from recent classes at Morro Azul and from the day long church camp in upstate Rio de Janeiro that several kids from Morro Azul were able to attend.

You can see the new photos here.

Beatriz reported this week that Marcus, one of our computer students who has been with us from the beginning, pictured at right, got a new job this week in an office where he uses a computer; he was able to get the job because of the training he received from us. He has also directed several new students to our classes.

Maria, one of our English students who works in a hotel where many Americans stay, told us that her job has improved in recent months because she is now able to communicate with many of the guests and with her American boss.

Recently her American boss told her (in Portuguese) to go to the store and buy a "lampada." She corrected him, telling him (in English) that they didn't need a lamp, they needed a light bulb. He was quite surprised and quite impressed with her new skills. Managers are often bi-lingual; maids rarely are. He has used her several times for translation help.

MONDAY, OCTOBER 30 2006
ELECTION RETURNS AND DST

Lula was re-elected by a landslide on Sunday; he'll be the Brasilian president for the next four years. I don't know enough about Brasilian politics to know if this is good or bad.

Our clocks moved back last Sunday and Brasilian clocks move forward next Sunday, so the two hour time difference between Rio and Memphis will become four hours. I like the time difference when I'm in Brasil; it gives me a head start on my work each day.

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 31 2006
ANOTHER MONTH
We've come to the end of another month. On the last day of each month I spend some time evaluating what we've accomplished and where we're heading. Every month there are corrections to be made, problems to nip in the bud, and, of course, victories to celebrate.

Project Brasil was helped with a generous gift from the Milan Vineyard this month, and we are truly grateful. Once again God provides and I want to thank these wonderful friends for believing in and supporting this ministry.

We close out October just a wee-bit behind (less than $400), but we'll catch up quickly in November. Most months, about eighty percent of Project Brasil's income comes from the sale of my books and other sermon resources, and I am glad to be able to support this work -- I certainly believe in what we're doing -- but I also know that we need to build a wider base of monthly sponsors. (Or I need to write a best seller.) Each month we add to this base of supporters, so it's growing.

A few days ago a friend of mine who is involved in fundraising for another ministry complained about how difficult it is to raise support. I reminded him of what I've had to remind myself many times: anyone in the US with two nickels to rub together is overwhelmed with opportunities to give to charities -- and nearly all of them are good. Those who give typically look for ministries doing the kind of work that captures their heart. People want to give to charities and ministries that do work that they feel connected to.

I know there are many people out there who have a passion for Brasil, education, favela ministry, and church planting -- and they will want to be a part of this important work. This is why Project Brasil is making an effort in the coming months to let more people know who we are and what we do.

I am so blessed to have such a good team in Rio to work with. It's amazing how I "stumbled" across most of our co-workers, and now we have put together a ministry that is beginning to impact the lives of so many children and adults -- and will for generations to come.

When Rick Warren went to Saddleback in the 1980's he asked God for a "favor": to be able to stay at Saddleback the rest of his life. He's had many chances to leave (approximately $40 million of them), and yet he has chosen to remain as pastor of this church, because in addition to everything else he does, and in spite of having a hectic schedule, being the pastor of Saddleback is his true passion.

My desire is the same with Project Brasil. I've been involved in this work for only 2 years, but I know that we can only accomplish what I want to accomplish in decades, not months. We can make a difference now, we can see results now, but we will see exponential growth (and I'm referring to dramatic life-change as well as numbers) only if we keep at it a long time -- which is the key to just about every successful ministry on the planet.