This morning my family and I are headed for Brazil for the annual FIEL pastors’ conference. FIEL serves the Portuguese-speaking world in a number of ways–conferences, translations, and magazines. They also operate an “adopt a pastor” initiative that provides resources to pastors in Brazil, Portugal, Angola, and Mozambique.
We’re looking forward to fellowshipping with the saints in that part of the Portuguese speaking world. We’ve had two fine Portuguese families in our church attempt to help us with tips about the country and crash courses in the language. Despite their wonderful efforts–and cooking!–I’m afraid this student has a thick head!
One of the blessings of serving a multi-ethnic church is that you get to see life through many different eyes. Whenever I’m traveling to another country chances are there is someone in the congregation from that part of the world who acts as a cultural attache. They teach me much, including something of the passion they have for their country and “kinsmen according to the flesh.” And there tends to be an added connection between us as the Lord grants me opportunity to express love through preaching to their country. It’s a wonderful blessing.
We’re excited about seeing some of Brazil for the first time. Lord willing, we’ll arrive in Rio de Janeiro tomorrow morning, spend a couple days there, before heading to Sao Paulo. As the Lord would have it, one couple in the church boasts a husband from Rio and a wife from Sao Paulo. Their rivalry about which city and area is better comes pretty close to the epic rivalry my wife and I have over which of our hometowns has the best N.C. barbecue (of course, everyone knows Lexington-style is best). We’re looking forward to staying out of their dispute, though. I’m sure both of the cities are distinctively beautiful (how’s that for pastoral diplomacy?).
Brazil is a massive country. I think it’s the fifth largest in population with 190 million inhabitants. Seventy-three percent of the country is Catholic, with another 15 percent Protestant. We’ll be hours from the rain forest, which I wish we could see. And the country is home to the largest number of people groups with little to no contact with the outside world. If you’re praying about missions, please pray for these people and for the laborers in the Brazilian harvest. And if you think of us, please pray for us, too.