July 14, 2012

Moving back to Maribel has been challenging as always to live in a simple way with the people and yet so rewarding as we have built some amazing relationships with the folks out here.

We arrived July 1st in Altamira to a city that has changed so much that we can’t believe it. Because of the hydroelectic dam, many people from far and wide are coming in by the droves to get work. Rent has soared. The nice 3 bedroom, 2 bath house we rented in 2010 was something like R$700 a month and now it’s more than doubled, maybe even tripled!!!

The amount of cars and motorcycles on the road going somewhere with no regards for the law and anyone else is insane.  Clyde told a story everyday telling me how many close calls he saw or had himself with other motorists. He was ready to get out of Altamira shortly after arriving!

The mission face has changed and the guest house is totally walled off. We had to rent it out as the economy for the States has brought the teams to just a few each year and we don’t have hosts for the house anymore. The quiet community we once had is now very isolated feeling. We have a mission duplex and office and yard. That’s about it. Community isn’t the same like it was. Doesn’t mean the people have changed, but when your setting changes, it does affect some part of your comfort levels! I guess I love community.

We traveled to Uruara’ Saturday July 7th. Clyde ran into a friend from the Iriri River. Neiniha is a sweet gal, who put herself in a place for the Lord to use her when she went along to helped deliver a baby in the back seat of our Ranger, back in September 2011. Neiniha and her 10 yr old daughter, Regina needed a ride to Maribel, so they came along. We squished everything and everybody in for an always snug and bumpy ride. Neiniha was a happy camper because many times she has to get a ride from the fish trucks to Altamira to save money. That means she literally sits on top of the stinky fish truck cab and holds on for dear life through all the bumps and pot holes, dust and sun. She is a trooper!

While in Uruara’, we were pleased to see the pastoral house completed and Poli and Nega and their family living there. The church meets in the spacious living room. If they grow much more, we’ll be planning another add on so they can function better.

We had great fellowship with them there.

Our truck packed to the gil for the trip from Altamira to Maribel

Uruara' welcome home lunch

The pastoral house that Clyde and Poli built before we left to the US and now Poli and Nega live in it with their family! Very spacious to fit 7 hammocks and that is where the church meets too!

 We left there a bit heavy as Poli gave us a heads up that there is a pastor from a church in one of the cities who was invited by a newbie in Maribel to come and plant a church in the village. Since we haven’t been in Maribel for the past 8 months, the community leader allowed the pastor to put up a plaque that says “Future Site of....” and the church name. I’m not going to say the church name because I am not interested in attacking the denomination. It’s God’s people!!  Evangelical churches that are very legalistic and use the “turn or burn” tactic always have a bad taste in many peoples mouths. This news has disturbed us because we are hearing the aftermath of some of this pastors messages to the people. We feel protective of the peoples hearts and want to share Jesus with them so that they fall in love with Him, not run from hell to get into heaven.

When we arrived in Maribel, there it was. Right near our house. 

The village has changed a bit and there are a few new families that moved in.

For the people we have been working with, the welcome was warm. For those who we don’t know too well, it’s a bit awkward. Everyone knows who we are and yet we don’t know them yet. It will take time.

We are seeking the Lord for  His wisdom. He gave us many confirmation and we feel that this is just a mere test for the people and for us.

This is His ministry and we are His vessels. 

We do appreciate your prayers. It feels a bit strange to go where no churches have been and now there is one knocking on the door to come and we feel protective.

We want His will in this. We are willing to share this field, but it would help that the pastor is sensitive to the people and their hearts.

Line trucks are a huge help to the Brazilians who live on the long road to the Iriri River and a huge asset to the river people. This one was packed top to bottom and dust for 7 hours straight!

This is our community of 5 houses up top and many more up and down the river. Our house is the furthest one  just under the ridge line of hills and sky.

Kelsie back in the saddle washing clothes in the river with her best partner, Hannah! The water will go down much more and the washing door will move many times until the water rises again. 

We head to Santarem this week to meet up with the Grants Pass Vineyard missions team. We will take one of the members home with us to Maribel for several months.

Please keep us in your prayers as we travel this week. We’ll try to send out a update as soon as we can!

How to Pray!

The month of August we hope to be making a trip up river to meet and teach at all the villages. We pray for favor, wisdom, stamina, excellent health and for God encounters!!!!

Nathan Chavarria is our short termer we are picking up. Please keep  him in your prayers as he’ll be living and ministering out here with us. He’ll be learning the language as well as teaching guitar to some of willing vessels here on the river!

Pray for Kelsie as she is starting up another year of homeschooling and feels a bit anxious as there are many trials in a day outside of teaching! Routine and patience!!!

Blessings from the Bergquist Family! We miss you all and love you so much more!

BBQ Turtle with Seredipity Seasoning Salt that our friend Cheryl gave us! Thanks Cheryl!!!

Back in Brazil

The theme song that comes to me is silly,  it's "Back in the Saddle Again". I didn't know the words until I looked it up and think it fits my feelings!
Since leaving our hometown of Grants Pass June 20th, it has been a long journey and emotionally more draining.  I guess in staying as long as we did, we may have put some roots down, but I don't think it is a bad thing.

This past 6 months in Grants Pass, I understood an old concept from the Bible.  In James 4:14 and many other passages throughout the Bible it says "our life is as a morning fog" or a vapor. I've thought it was pretty poetic until we lived it. One day our family and friends are with us, then suddenly a tragedy happens or an illness comes knocking at our door and "poof" they're gone. I felt this more than once as we lost a dear friend in less than a month from cancer, several around us are fighting cancer and trying all they can to win through their faith, prayer and diet control and other treatments and one young man lost his life from complications of pneumonia. Poof, they are gone from us. And we never got to say good bye to either one of them.
I felt that I  needed to take saying "good bye" with family and friends way more seriously. So, saying good-bye was much harder with each one. Especially our grandparents. They are in their mid to late 80's and one is 90 and living out the hospice phase.
On the lighter side, with Jesus in our lives, we have hope and confidence that eternity is forever and not that vapor or morning fog that disappears. We'll have forever to be together when we have decided to accept Jesus as our master and savior! If you have not decided, please consider it so my forever can be spent with you as well! You will NOT regret it! I promise!!! Check it out for your self!

Romans 6:23 "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord"
Romans 10: 9-10 " That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord" and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" verse :10 "For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."
Good news people!!!!! 


And this is why we are returning to Brazil...

We left for LAX Friday night at 10pm. We got there with plenty of time to unload our 12 totes, carry-ons and 2 little sleepers(Nate and Hannah), 2 tired girls and 2 already tired parents. The airlines didn't have a problem with our totes, but had problems with our carry on's. We were forced to pay for an extra tote by leaving the airport at midnight to find something that would fit 3 of our carryon's(which for the record were the right size???) So the total paid was $175 and we weren't sure why exactly, but we got on the plane on time. (Thank you Dad for your willingness and flexibility at such a crazy hour to look for a bin...it ended up being a Brawny cardboard box from CVS Pharmacy=-)
Our flights were good. Copa Airlines added a new feature to their planes!! An iPad kind of deal on the back of every seat loaded with entertainment for everyone. Games, movies, TV series and documentaries and even the map of our flight and how long it would take to get there!

!

Excited about the media in front of them and the journey back home they didn't sleep until 4am
LAX to Panama City

Leaving Panama City for Manaus...a bit tired but ready to get there!

After 4 hours of good sleep, they were ready for the last flight from Manaus to Altamira

Sunrise over the Amazon Basin

First Guarana after 8 months! Even at 6:30am!!

First Brazilian Coffee!!! So needing it about now!

Nate, so amped to get back to Altamira!

We traveled to Manaus that night and our sweet friends, Jim and Julie Benson and their neighbor, Grant had us for a short night and served us by getting us at the airport with our now 13 bins and carry on's, taking us to their house and getting up at 4am to take us back to the airport! We were so grateful for their sacrifices to help us!

When they dropped us off at the airport in Manaus at 5am, the airlines looked at all our bins and pretty much told us that the plane wouldn't hold that much! They wanted us to go another direction with our totes. Cargo with another airport next door or a line boat that would take 5 or so days. We were a bit taken back, but began to pray and trust the Lord for a solution so that we wouldn't miss our flight.
After some persistence and talking to the clerks at the check in desk for the airlines, they were willing to try it. We were so blessed and pleased when they got all the totes on and we weren't charged anything for the extra weight. We were speechless!

We arrived on time in Altamira and our friends Steve and Joao came to get us and all our stuff with our truck and Steve's truck! Nate was so excited to see "Smokey" our Ranger. It was a bit fast for us to already function in Brazil, but God is faithful to prepare us for every moment!
All our things were in tact when we got to the mission apartment. AMAZING!!!

We'll stay in Altamira til Friday. Then off to Uruara' to see the church there and Poli and Nega, who we church planted with last year. Monday we'll be looking to head out to Maribel.

Thank you for all your prayers. I know many of you have been praying daily for us and we just couldn't expect better results without you guys praying for us!

We'll be getting our friend Nathan Chavaria, from Grants Pass, July 20th or so and bringing him back to Maribel with us. He'll be staying with us til December. He'll be learning the language, teaching guitar to some of the guys and traveling with us. He feels called to missions in Brazil and is praying about Xingu Mission as a good fit for more full time missions.
We appreciate your prayers for his transition to Maribel and with our family!