First correspondence from Rio Branco
Folks,
Correspondence from Rio Branco slightly hindered due to a broken PC at our motel (www.hotelmaju.com.br). Sending this email from Epps home. Learned last night that we should be able to use an internet café in Tarauaca…an answer to prayer about being able to regular correspond w/our interior network.
Enjoyed dinner w/Aaron, Tiffany, and family last night, all are in good spirits. Glad to be home with Evan and anticipating their one-year furlough and transition to Manuas. Had a rich time discussing our perspective of God’s movement in Acre’s interior and our role…food was good too.
Joined the Epps family at Ingreja Batista Da Colina (church of the hill). Enjoyed Sunday School and fellowship w/their local church family. Greeting Wilson (our road man) after 16 months of separation was a little emotional.
The worship service had two aspects that were very personal. First, Bruce shared about our desire for “worship of God” to move from EBC and Rio Branco to the interior of Acre. A key point was issuing an invitation for them to join us in the interior work…plans for next year? The pastor has a heart for missions and his church recently traveled w/a worship team to Manuel Urbano…a movement begins! Aaron spent time sharing about their upcoming move to Manaus to assume responsibility for the northern region of Brazil. He has been sharing this on a one-on-one basis w/his closest associates/friends, this was new news to his church family and was received with bittersweet emotion.
Currently in the Epps home for lunch. Will be joined by Abud and Alcieneia. Anticipating lots of celebration. Will be in their church tonight(at Mario Sergio)…a church that birthed as an outgrowth of EBC’s initial mission trip to Rio Branco.
Tomorrow we will we visit Project Rescue, Wizard School, and possibly House of Indians. We also must finalize our plans/acquire supplies/pack for traveling to Tarauaca to join Pastor Edinaldo and begin our seven days of being in Tarauaca and Feijo (travel 25th and 3rd). Appears the recent rains may cause the bus line to stop transits into the interior and impacting plans for a personal bus experience. Pray that we can at least get bus transportation in on Tuesday as we need this experience for future plans into the interior. Most likely the team of six will travel back to Rio Branco by truck (5 passenger)…yes that means there will be shared tailgate time for most of the team.
These first few days have been deeply ponderous for me and I believe for the team also as we consider God’s plans for the interior and our role. Please pray for our discernment, wisdom, and clarity of mission in the days ahead.
Love you guys and much appreciate your prayers on our behalf. Thanks for standing in the gap for us and God’s work in Acre. Joe sends.
Correspondence from Rio Branco slightly hindered due to a broken PC at our motel (www.hotelmaju.com.br). Sending this email from Epps home. Learned last night that we should be able to use an internet café in Tarauaca…an answer to prayer about being able to regular correspond w/our interior network.
Enjoyed dinner w/Aaron, Tiffany, and family last night, all are in good spirits. Glad to be home with Evan and anticipating their one-year furlough and transition to Manuas. Had a rich time discussing our perspective of God’s movement in Acre’s interior and our role…food was good too.
Joined the Epps family at Ingreja Batista Da Colina (church of the hill). Enjoyed Sunday School and fellowship w/their local church family. Greeting Wilson (our road man) after 16 months of separation was a little emotional.
The worship service had two aspects that were very personal. First, Bruce shared about our desire for “worship of God” to move from EBC and Rio Branco to the interior of Acre. A key point was issuing an invitation for them to join us in the interior work…plans for next year? The pastor has a heart for missions and his church recently traveled w/a worship team to Manuel Urbano…a movement begins! Aaron spent time sharing about their upcoming move to Manaus to assume responsibility for the northern region of Brazil. He has been sharing this on a one-on-one basis w/his closest associates/friends, this was new news to his church family and was received with bittersweet emotion.
Currently in the Epps home for lunch. Will be joined by Abud and Alcieneia. Anticipating lots of celebration. Will be in their church tonight(at Mario Sergio)…a church that birthed as an outgrowth of EBC’s initial mission trip to Rio Branco.
Tomorrow we will we visit Project Rescue, Wizard School, and possibly House of Indians. We also must finalize our plans/acquire supplies/pack for traveling to Tarauaca to join Pastor Edinaldo and begin our seven days of being in Tarauaca and Feijo (travel 25th and 3rd). Appears the recent rains may cause the bus line to stop transits into the interior and impacting plans for a personal bus experience. Pray that we can at least get bus transportation in on Tuesday as we need this experience for future plans into the interior. Most likely the team of six will travel back to Rio Branco by truck (5 passenger)…yes that means there will be shared tailgate time for most of the team.
These first few days have been deeply ponderous for me and I believe for the team also as we consider God’s plans for the interior and our role. Please pray for our discernment, wisdom, and clarity of mission in the days ahead.
Love you guys and much appreciate your prayers on our behalf. Thanks for standing in the gap for us and God’s work in Acre. Joe sends.
Above photos are of the team leaving Pensacola heading to Brazil (they met up with Laura in Atlanta) and Alcieneia and Abud holding the Epps new baby boy Evan.
posted by "Deus esta conosco" at 5:15 PM
2 Comments:
dear EBC missionary
team,
It's good to know how you are doing. I'm guessing your tired. Plus to snappy dresser and buttercup AUBURN RULES. I am keeping you guys in my prayers.
love always
Amy Eidem !
ps:Auburn beat New Mexico State.
Joe, Theresa, Bruce,
Glad to hear you guys made it safely, that the first answered prayer! I know God has many more answers just waiting to share with you, including the Man of Peace in Feijo. We are continuing to pray for the mission, for God to share His vision with you. Ben took a few minutes to share a little about the mission with our Fuel Cell last night.
Mark started a new sermon series yesterday titled "Collision". That was rather ironic given the week I have had. It started with praying for you all as you left on your mission. Then, after you left on Friday, Lauren and her friend Sarah Smith were in a car wreck, all are OK except for sore necks. The amazing part was the number of folks who turned out to care for them, Rhonda, Ben, PA, Hunter, Coach Trepak, Coach King, Trey Barefield brought us an umbrella, girls from the volleyball team, and on and on. The young man who hit them was a good frined of Travis Peoples who was killed recently in a motorcycle accident, I got a few minutes to talk to him in the hospital (they all went just for precaution).
Have a blessed mission,
Jeff
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