SATURDAY, MARCH 1, 2008
DESKTOP WALLPAPER
By the way, have you taken a look at (and downloaded) one of the Project Brasil desktops? We have about five wallpapers to choose from. To take a look at the list, visit THIS PAGE.

MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2008
SUNDAY IN BANGU: ANOTHER DAY IN THE LIFE OF PROJECT BRASIL
Yesterday was a great day for us. A long day, but a great day. It began when I met Christian and Damon (my American friends) at the Gloria metro at 7:15. Waniston met us there, too, and we made the journey to Bangu, arriving just as church was beginning at 8:30 a.m.

I preached in the morning service: Enduring the Desert, Luke 4:1-11. Waniston translated for me.

Afterwards we walked through the surrounding neighborhood so that Christian and Damon could see the favelas we're serving. It was really hot Sunday morning, the sun was bright, and I turned the color of a tomato. Especially the top of my head. My hair doesn't provide the protection from the sun that it once did.

The favela right behind the church is very poor, with about 50,000 residents. As we were walking through it, a couple of trafficants stopped us and talked to us. Waniston told them who we were, and they asked us to pray for them. I asked them what they wanted me to pray, one of them said, "For my family and for all the people here." As Waniston translated my prayer, I asked to God to protect them and their families, this community, and to help these young men experience the presence of Jesus in their lives. They are trapped in a life that they cannot easily escape; I pray that God will show them a way out.

At noon we had a big lunch on the church grounds to celebrate the birthday of one of our leaders. I'll take a guess at his name: Marino. That's how it sounds, but it might not be how it's spelled. There were about 30 people at the lunch and the food was incredible.

After lunch we had a meeting with the church leaders to discuss Project Brasil's involvement in the Bangu community. We are using the church property for our ministries -- the English classes and the computer classes and the medical clinic and all the rest -- and we are funding some of the projects that they have wanted to begin for some time, but haven't been able to due to a lack of money. We have spent many months praying about this partnership and preparing for it, so it is exciting to see it finally getting under way.

The leaders of the church are enthusiastic, too. One problem we addressed is that American groups have come to Bangu in the past, stayed for a week, did VBS and street evangelism, stirred up a lot of dust, so to speak, and then left. The results have never been long term. I emphasized in our meeting that when Project Brasil started, we started with the intention of staying. Our method is not to breeze in and breeze out; our method is plod along step by step, changing lives day by day. It's a marathon, not a sprint.

I preached again in the evening service. It was the ordination for Pastor Ronaldo, the new associate pastor with whom I will be working closely in the days to come. I preached from Mark 10:17-22 -- Jesus-Style Leadership. I was honored that he asked me to preach at this special ceremony.

Afterwards, the van drove me back to Gloria; I arrived at about 10:30 and was asleep, I think, by 10:32. But what a great day it was.

TUESDAY, MARCH 4, 2008
THE ANNA AND MONROE ALDERSON FAMILY HEALTH CLINIC
We broke ground yesterday on the building of our new medical clinic. This clinic is being funded primarily through the generous gifts of some members of the Alderson Family who want to see a clinic established in memory of Anna and Monroe Alderson, their parents and grandparents.

The clinic is a four room structure with three exam rooms and one waiting room. It is being built on the church property in Bangu. It will be staffed by volunteer doctors and volunteer workers in the Bangu church community. Our projected completion time is 9 weeks -- assuming cooperative weather and no surprises.

I want to thank all the Aldersons for their support on this project. For those who would like to make a gift toward the operation of this clinic, click here.

THURSDAY, MARCH 6, 2008
ENGLISH CLASSES HAVE BEGUN AGAIN.
English classes began in Morro Azul on Tuesday with our new volunteer, Hannah. She is from Sweden and is in Brasil to work on an academic project. She's here until September and wanted to be involved teaching English, so she contacted us.

Also, for the next several weeks her fiance, who is a school teacher in Stockholm, will be visiting, so we're getting two teachers for the price of, well, zero: that's the great thing about volunteers.

It was easy to see that she will work well with the students. She speaks excellent English and her Portuguese is very good, too.

Tuesday was Ricardo's birthday. We had a celebration for him at the church; about 50 people were there, including many from Morro Azul. It was good to commemorate him for the great job he has done in this community.

SATURDAY, MARCH 8, 2008
SAYING GOOD-BYE TO A FRIEND.
Beatriz was one of the first people I met when I arrived in Rio three and a half years ago. She was more help to me than I can say; she introduced me to several people I needed to know, she translated for me when I preached, she translated conversations for me, and she was an excellent teacher in the computer center and the children's English class. Beatriz always has a smile.

Several months ago I mentioned that she would get married and move to Germany to live with Guna. The paperwork and approval process was slow, but it appears that it has finally gone through and she will be leaving in two weeks.

Earlier today she and Ana Claudia and I met for lunch. (Bruno couldn't be there because he's very sick with Dengue Fever right now.) We had a good time together, but it's sad to be saying good-bye to such a dear friend and fellow-worker. I wish her all the best in Germany, and I won't give up hope that someday Guna and she will return to Brasil.

MONDAY, MARCH 10, 2008
PREACHING IN CATETE
I preached in Catete Methodist Church last night. My text was Joshua 2, the story of Rahab, about how one act of faith can undo a life of sin and lead you to the life of your dreams. Ana Claudia translated, and did a great job, as always.

I've added a new bulletin insert for Easter. It's called "It's Friday, But..."

FRIDAY, MARCH 14, 2008
RE: A NEW LIFE IN OUR COMMUNITY
We had a great worship service in Morro Azul Wednesday night. The music was good, people gave testimonies, we prayed, and Ricardo's friend Pastora Selma preached. I wasn't able to follow all her sermon, but the congregation enjoyed it. We had about 40 people packed in the little room.

Afterwards Ricardo and I visited the home of Jumar and Andrea, whose daughter, Vanessa, was in labor and about to give birth very soon. She looked so young and afraid. Selma said a special prayer for her.

Thursday afternoon I went to Jumar's house to check on Vanessa. She had given birth earlier in the day to a little girl named Ingrid Sophia. When they told me her name, it took me awhile to figure out that "eengridgee" is the Portuguese pronunciation for Ingrid. Finally, I wrote it down and asked, "Is this her name?" Jumar said, "IIIIIISSSSSOOOO," which is the Brasilian way of saying, "That is correct." We had a prayer together before I left. Since I was praying in Portuguese, it was a very simple prayer, but I asked God's blessings on the family, on the new mom, and on this little girl, who has been born into a difficult world, but who will, without a doubt, be surrounded by a lot of love.

MONDAY, MARCH 17, 2008
THE REHAB CENTER
I preached in the Bangu church last night, but that wasn't really the top story of the day.

Earlier in the afternoon I was asked to visit a rehab center that is run by a small Pentecostal church near Bangu. This center houses, the director explained to me, those whom society has rejected. About 30 men live there, mostly ex-trafficants (drug gang members) and street people. I met them all yesterday, and talked to several of them.

Today I will tell you about three of them. It's a long post, but take some time to read it; you'll want to know about these young men.

JORGE
Jorge is 29 years old. For years he was a trafficant and a heavy drug user. His lifestyle caught up with him and he was sent to prison. While behind bars Jorge met Jesus Christ and his life changed. Everyone told him when he was released that he would go back to his old life. Instead he met Pastor Andre (of the above mentioned church) and began staying at the center, which had just opened. That was about five years ago; now he is one of the directors of the center.

CARLOS
Jorge told me about a young man named Carlos that he led to Christ several months ago. He told me how Carlos had been a trafficant and had committed many violent crimes. Now this young man is staying at the center, learning how to become a disciple of Jesus.

I was shocked when I met Carlos. I had already been told that he is 15 years old, but he looks even younger. He doesn't look like a dangerous drug dealer, either. He looks like any clean-cut, blond-headed kid.

As Carlos and I talked, he told me about himself and how he had come to Jesus. He has no family: his mother died of alcoholism; he's never known his father.  He became a trafficant when he was very young and soon became a leader. One day he and some friends were planning to commit a violent crime, but just a few hours before they were to go, Carlos met Jorge. Jorge shared the gospel with him; they talked so long that Carlos missed his appointment. That night the other boys -- the ones with whom Carlos had been planning the crime -- were caught by members of a warring gang and were beaten and tortured. Carlos never went back. He chose to stay at the rehab center and made a commitment to follow Christ. He told me his life is different now, and he has plans for the future: "I'm going to be a pastor someday," he said.

PATRICK
Patrick is a 12 year old boy with a friendly smile. He lived on the streets for many years, surviving as a pick-pocket when he was younger. As he got older he began robbing people at gunpoint. He smiled shyly and told me that it was strange to be talking to a gringo; he said when he was on the streets he used to target gringos because they're so easy to rob. His father was a trafficant who died in prison. His mother also died a few years ago. Patrick now has only his brother, who also lives in the center. He has never been to school, but he has learned how to read (he read some scripture during the worship service). The center is now making plans for him to begin attending school in the near future.

I see dozens of children like Patrick on the streets of Rio everyday; I see teenagers like Carlos everyday in the favelas where I work. Project Brasil exists to help people like Patrick and Carlos, and to help those who are already helping them. This rehab center receives no organized funding, other than a few churches and individuals who give what they can. Also, some of the men work and are able to contribute to the needs of the center. Several of the men who have once stayed at the center are now married, employed, living in their own homes, still involved with the church who sponsors this ministry.

Pastor Andre, who founded this center, doesn't have a criminal past. I asked him how his ministry took this direction. He said, "When I got saved, I started helping street people and preaching in the prisons because, for me, that's what the gospel really is -- helping those who no one else wants to help." He's been ministering in this community for 5 years now.

The men in the rehab center live in simple conditions. Some don't even have beds -- they have two-by-fours stacked on top of cement blocks, with strips of foam rubber for mattresses. And you should see the couch in the commons. "Tattered" is not the word for it. But there is a strong sense of community here, and it is obvious that real change is taking place in the lives of the men who stay here.

I made a silent commitment yesterday to help support this project. I don't know how just yet, but Project Brasil wants to be involved in assisting this rehab center continue doing the great work they are doing.

This part is a little funny. I knew that I had been invited to visit the rehab center, and to attend their Sunday afternoon worship service, but somehow it got lost in translation that I had been invited to preach. I was enjoying the worship service -- the songs and the testimonies and the special music -- and then Jorge said, "And now our American friend, Steve, will bring us a message from God's Word." I turned to Waniston and said, "I will what?!" Waniston said, "You're about to preach. That's why they invited you. I thought you knew."

So guess what. I didn't have a sermon ready. I was prepared to preach in Bangu last night, but that sermon didn't seem right for this occasion. I walked up to the front and looked at the faces of these 30 men, former trafficants and street people, and the 20 or so guests who were with us ... and I asked God for wisdom, like Nehemiah did when he was called before the king.

As Waniston translated for me, I told the men about three people in the Bible: Moses, David and Paul. Each had committed murder at one point in their lives, and yet each man was used by God in a great way. "God is for you," I said. "He isn't finished with you and he never will be. He has plans for you, plans for good, plans for a future, plans full of hope. He wants to use each one of you for his glory." I preached for a little less than 30 minutes (which means a little less than 15 minutes since everything is said twice). I talked about forgiveness and grace, about forgetting the past and living for Christ today, about allowing him to use you to change the lives of others, just as you have been changed.

I plan to visit the rehab center again while I'm in Brasil. I'll keep you up to date on how things are going there.

TUESDAY, MARCH 18, 2008
THE CLINIC
I mentioned last week that Bruno was sick with Dengue Fever. Turns out he has tuberculosis. He's really sick, so keep him in your prayers.

We've started work on the medical clinic. Here are some photos of progress in week one.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 2008
THE CLINIC: MORE PROGRESS
I've been without internet for almost a week; I'm changing apartments this week and will have a new connection in a couple of days. Right now I'm borrowing bandwidth from a friend.

We've been working on the clinic for about three weeks now, so we've made quite a bit of of progress. I've added more photos here.

Bruno is better and is back to work.

SATURDAY, MARCH 29, 2008
NEW SERVER
I'm moving all my websites to a new server today, so if you see some funny looking pages with pictures missing and crazy text, it's because the site is in the process of publishing. It should be complete by tonight.

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