IMPACTO 2016

Every year, near the beginning of the year, the community churches get together to reach out to one community and make a great impact (IMPACTO= impact in English). Last year they reached out to Timbauba:

This year, 25 youth from the different churches gave two weeks to impact Lagoa de Carro, the town just past Carpina. 

The spiritual oppression was great, and the local Catholic opposition was strong, but 18 people made a decision to follow Jesus. Through sports and open air events in the evenings, many people were reached--especially the children.

What is even more amazing is that 20 homes (families) opened up and said that they want to host Bible studies (step one in planting churches!)

 One of the new Christians is looking into training, as he wants to become a church planting pastor--God is working!

(Lane, sharing her testimony) 

Lane and Misse, our workers at Guadalajara, said the two weeks were life-changing, and that it was incredible to see God work. They are currently serving in Fortaleza (about 10 hours from Recife) with 59 other youth and adults with Athletes in Action. They ask for your prayers for their health. 

End of the Year Report

Thank you for supporting us this year! God has done great things!

Ice Cream Missions

Lane and Misse (if you haven't seen their beautiful testimonies) want to be missionaries. They have dedicated their lives to serving at their local church, providing the local kids in their neighborhood a safe place to hear about Jesus, play basketball, and build godly friendships. They work with 60+ kids three or four days a week, and then invite them to church and continue ministering to them there. They have been doing this since August 2014.
This past summer, they were involved with Projeto Comunidade (Community Project) with Athletes in Action, serving at different local churches and towns around where they live. They returned encouraged, and with more training on leading outreaches in their own church. They also got excited about the next Projeto Comunidade, in January 2016:

This will be their first long-distance missions trip--in Fortaleza (about 11 hour drive). For the missions trip, each person needs money for transportation there, eating/living expenses there, and a "sports start-up kit" for one of the churches they minister with (including sports equipment and Bibles). 

Lane and Misse have been working since this past August to figure out ways to raise this money, as funds are tight, and they are currently serving almost full-time (while finishing up high school), with no financial assistance. They have been having bake-sales after church, and selling popsicles at basketball practice (genius!). Their church, also low on funds, put together an ice cream social to get everyone together and raise funds for the girls' trip:

The girls have been able to raise over a third of their expenses. If you would like to assist, write to amobrasil99@hotmail.com 

Tournaments

Guadalajara sports ministry has tournaments and outings almost every Saturday with Carpina and sometimes Tracunaem (two other sports ministries trained by and helped run by Athletes in Action). Last Saturday morning was Basketball championships, and in the afternoon was indoor soccer. Guadalajara was excited to win the younger boys basketball division, and the indoor soccer. The girls and the older boys basketball teams also gave it their best shot.

Caid coached the younger boys team

Rachel coached the girls team

Jesus was shared with these young athletes. 

Children's Day 2015

The church at Guadalajara, together with Lane and Misse, put together a wonderful Children's day celebration for the community!

Over 50 kids came from the Sports ministry, and at the end of the evening, they got to take home a water bottle

This is a really big deal, because at Basketball practice, the kids had always been sharing the same disposable cup (until Rachel was horrified at the thought of all those germs), and so the kids had been told to bring a water bottle to fill up. Most of the kids didn't own one. Now they do! 

We are excited to see the church involved with these kids! 

Lane and Misse's Testimony

The kids at Guadalajara are doing great and joining in on praying for the refugees:

Lane and Misse, the two girls who run the program, share their testimony of what God has done in their lives--and ask you to join in praying for these kids--and for their dream of becoming missionaries: 

Back at it

The Sports ministry is back at it in Guadalajara on Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays, with tournaments and games on Saturdays. But for the last week of vacation, Athletes in Action and Glory Sports--with other friends/volunteers--got together to do some community outreaches in Carpina, Guadalajara, and Tracunhaem.

Thank you to Rogerio and Soares family for your leadership!