KENNY SMITH and I RETURN TO BRAZIL

In late June and early July Kenny Smith and I will travel to Carpina Brazil to the World Renewal Brazil campus.

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OUR GOAL as always is to do whatever we can to serve these faithful church planting pastors and their congregations by meeting their request to build what they need within our capabilities.

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We will be there during a construction and medical team trip with folks from central Indiana. I will also stay for a week of music and worship training as well as a youth music and work camp with 40+ students from Brookville Road Community Church (Indianapolis). They will be performing the musical "Shout" written by their music pastor, Jay Fern. They have spent the last few months learning the Portuguese translation. Many performances in several locations will have major outreach potential in surrounding communities.

Josemar (above with Kenny and me) is pastor of Carpina Community Church. He has given me the privilege of preaching there twice. CCC was the first one planted by Tele Moraes 15 years ago. His first convert, Ricardo has since planted two churches, raised up leaders and is now planting another. The whole World Renewal Brazil story is thrilling and gets more exciting every day. It includes hundreds of testimonies of lives changed. To learn more see http://www.wrbrazil.blogspot.com/ (scroll down to March 15, 2007 and read Ricardo's testimony).
We travel to Brazil in order to fan into flame the fire God has begun and continues to build in the mostly gospel-barren northeast area. That fanning happens when we share our talents, friendship, prayers and much more...including resources of all kinds (finances plus).

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THE PLAN right now is for Kenny and I to build some portable storage units for rooms at the seminary. Most have only two beds, and a small table for a fan.

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Pray for us and if the Lord leads you, help get us there and pay for materials. Any financial gifts can be sent to World Renewal International PO Box 399 Greenfield, IN 46410. Please send a note (not on the check memo line) indicating it is for Penna/Smith Brazil.

Coahuila, MEXICO March '08

I was gone 10 days in early March on a construction trip to northern Mexico in the state of Coahuila. The adult team from Northridge Friends (Larry Sangals, Steve Sigley, LeRoy Willis, Mindy Sullivan, Wayne Dilts) plus 2 from Austin, Texas (Roger and Jonathan Dilts) went to do some prep work for Mid-America Friends Church Youth Spring Invasion. During the two weeks of Spring Break, 150 students and their leaders worked in 9 churches under the excellent direction of Matt Macy and Ralph Corbet. This annual ministry event has been happening for 15 years. I was privileged to be part of the first two Invasions (back then we called it "Mexico Invasion" until we realized maybe that wasn't the best word picture!), and then again 2 years ago. What a blessing to see what God has done over time. Coahuila is a home away from home for hundreds of us. My whole family has been deeply impacted by these mission trips.

Our team with Nueva Rosita pastors Sergio and Louisa Ayala

(with children Jael and Jeremias)

Iglesia Amigos in Nueva Rosita (front and back). The second story of the Rosita church was added several years ago and each year Invasion teams have kept working to complete it (bottom floor is sanctuary only...no classroom space). Our adult team finished the sheet rock, hung doors and windows and started the dropped ceiling in a small kitchen, two large rooms, bathrooms and 4 small classrooms. The happy pastors in their almost finished and much needed second story. I spent most of my time finishing sheetrock in the classrooms and hanging exterior doors.

Notice the open walkway to each with a nice "view" to the walkway and street below. I also helped frame in and mount this ceiling fan in the Agujita church.
Of course, Zach made it to Mexico, too with two very important additions. Adam Monaghan supplied translation as I sang, and Zach danced with Jael. I was Adam's pastor when he was a small boy. What a blessing to do a bilingual "duet" with him in Mexico!!

Matt Macy, Ralph Corbet and Samuel Vasquez sponsored a homemade ice-cream party and meeting for the Mexican pastors and spouses to finish details before 150 people arrived the next week. What a great team God has assembled...all the right gifts needed and used at just the right times...Mexicans and Americans...young and old...construction workers and VBS leaders...pre-Christians, baby Christians and mature followers of Christ...for 15 years! Samuel (with wife Christina) is the Superintendent of the Coahuila churches and also pastor of the Agujita congregation he planted. Our team started installation of a drop ceiling there.
Below are 6 of the nine pastoral couples, along with Samuel's parents Felipe and Suzy Vasquez (second from the right) who planted the Nueva Rosita church 20+ years ago. Momentum is growing, and new missions have been started in just the last two years, with plans for more. One of the many ways God blesses those who go on short-term mission trips is through relationships. Two years ago a 15 year old Mexican boy named Johnatan was my guide through the windy roads of Nueva Rosita both morning and night as we dropped off and picked up people from 7 different houses. We could barely communicate but became good friends. His family (Juan, Maria, Samantha and Brandon) requested me to stay with them this March. It was my great privilege to spend a week with these precious people. Brandon gave up his bed for me while he and Johnatan slept together on a twin. When the Mexicans tell you that their house is your house, they really mean it. They love to share what they do have with others.

Anyone who has ever been to Rosita for Invasion knows all about Hugo and his wonderful food. We cannot speak to each other except through an interpreter, yet I also consider him a good friend. I say that because even when I had not seen him for 10 years, he greeted me warmly by name, and asked about each of my family members by name. I gave him a copy of The Purpose Driven Life, and he reciprocated with a Jugo's Veracruz shirt and hat. I pray the Lord will fill his life with the light and love of Jesus Christ.