February 18 – 28 - Connection Pointe, Indiana

Experiencing the God of Creation on the Amazon

February 18 – 28 - Connection Pointe, Indiana

We are invited into God’s Kingdom Work!

We felt welcome from the moment we arrived in Manaus, Brazil on February 19. Our team of nine from Indiana, Wisconsin, and the Dominican Republic didn’t know each other well when we left, but early on we could feel the unity in the Body of Christ. We were each stepping out in faith to go on a journey that would forever change us. We set out on a Medical Mission trip but what we experienced was the presence of God. I was overwhelmed by the thought that God invites us into His work! He promised to be with us always and He was and is! All we needed to do was to say “yes” and a great adventure awaited us.

Magnificence of God’s Creation

Our amazing leader, Michael Haubner from Central Brazil Missions (CBM) shared with us their mission and vision. The organization and the boat are not just about providing medical care along the Amazon. They have been called “the boat that is changing the Amazon.” They are changing it not because of the amazing medical care that they offer but it is because they put Christ first in everything they do. We had the privilege to serve alongside a wonderful team of people from Manaus and Sao Sebastiao, who serve God year-round with their work on the Amazon with the boat serving as headquarters and the means of transportation and reaching villages which cannot be reached any other way but by boat.

God also invites us to see the magnificence of His creation. We saw God in so many ways on this trip. His creation is magnificent!!! The Amazon River and the surrounding rainforest are beautiful. On our medical boat, we went deep into the rainforest. We watched dolphins and caimans (in the crocodile family) swimming in the Amazon while birds flew beside the boat. They were so beautiful.

Yet, the beauty of the people could not be matched. Men, women and children welcomed us each time we touched the shoreline of their village. They were filled with wonder, anticipation and awe. They knew this boat.

Starting with a Heart of Worship

We prepared for each day by seeking the only One who can truly heal. Every morning, we started with bilingual worship songs and a devotional. We experienced a slice of heaven when we sang in three languages as each person sang in his or her native tongue. Rev 7:9 After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb.

Many mornings, with the boat already tied to a tree in the village, people from the community were waiting for medical services but the first thing they received was the sound of worship.

Christ was first. We did not want to start a single day without seeking God’s presence and honoring Him with worship. We were there to do His work. We needed Him to heal the physical and spiritual needs of the village. We were there to be His hands and feet.

Corrosion of Sin

We were escorted by an evangelist and a CBM pastor who was responsible for several villages along the Amazon in the region we were serving. They prepared the way for the team to be welcomed, and the people knew that we came in the name of the Lord. Again, Christ was first.

To calm any nerves from parents and children, our Missionary and Brazilian dentist, told a creative story using puppets. They compared cavities to sin. There are things we can do to help prevent both. We can develop healthy habits in both our physical and spiritual lives.

We sang together, prayed together, and then went to the boat. Christ first. CBM is living their mission: “Christ, Life and Health.” They put Christ first, they share His love in everything they do and how they do it.

Christ brings eternal life. The work of the hands and feet on the boat improves the quality of health and spiritual life of those living on the Amazon.

Hands and Feet of Christ

We were not all medically trained but we knew the promises of God. We all had gifts, and we came prepared to serve however He called us. We were reminded in 1 Peter 4:10, Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.

We tried to not only be the hands and feet of Christ but to also reflect the character of Christ. Although for most of us our Portuguese was limited to a few phrases, we knew that we could connect with our patients with a gentle touch, a smile, a handshake and a hug.

Community

Hebrews 10:24-25 tells us, “And let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as is the manner of some, but exhorting one another, and so much the more as you see the Day approaching.”

God was with us in the solitude one can experience cruising down the river and realizing how vast and beautiful this rainforest is. God is in the sunrise and sunsets. God is at the center of the entire ministry. The medical boat is used to open opportunities for the local missionaries to educate, teach and disciple many villages along the Amazon.

Goodbye For Now

Our team from the US and the Dominican Republic is so thankful for our CBM partners. We love you and will miss your beautiful country and the beautiful faces we are leaving behind on the Amazon. We look forward to serving with you again soon.