In order to travel to our church in Brazil, you must first fly to São Paulo and then connect to the smaller, coastal city of Navegantes. This was our second time making the all-day trip, the first time having been in 2016 when we established the church in Pomerode.

Pastor Dumassais and his friend, Alex, picked us up from the airport, and we made the hour and 15 minute drive back to his house. Pomerode is a beautiful city with rich farmland surrounded by dense jungle. It is also a highly industrial city, which is what originally brought our Haitian brothers and sisters there in search of jobs. Most of the people who are part of Restoration House church work shift work in the local factories where they make plastic goods, toys, and clothing.

We spent our first day in Brazil catching up with Dumassais and his family and neighbors. We meet with them on video calls regularly for staff meetings, but there is nothing like sitting across the table from a good friend and sharing a meal together! We were also able to meet his new baby, Noah! That night we rode into town to see the church. Last time we were there, Dumassais and his family lived in the building that is now the church, along with several other families. Since then, they have converted that building into the church and purchased a house of their own!

The next day, we went to our newest church plant in the neighboring city of Fortaleza. Fortaleza is 30 minutes from Pomerode by car, and we drove there to do leadership training on Friday night. The first thing that I noticed when we walked in the door were all of the bright colors of fabric that they had used to decorate the church, and it made me think of the joy of the Lord! Chris spoke to the leadership team about Abraham and his journey as a leader and the walk of faith that he made throughout his life. Afterward, we were able to sit down and spend time with the team and do a Q and A session.

The following day was Saturday, and we spent the day with Dumassais and his wife, Renette. They took us to Blumenau, which is about an hour away and a popular tourist destination because of its German architecture and festivals. We spent the day talking about the dreams that God has given them and how we can work together to advance the Kingdom of God in Brazil. Baby Noah came with us while his older sisters were at school! That evening we went to our church in Pomerode and did part 1 of a 2 part leadership training with the board of directors and leadership team of Restoration House Pomerode. That night was very special because we got to take part in a foot washing ceremony. Pastor Dumassais talked about how the Bible says to serve one another in love and we as the body of Christ have a responsibility to serve one another. It was a powerful night as we all remembered the way Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and put himself in a position not to be served but to serve, giving his life as a ransom for many, as it says in Matthew 20:28.

Sunday morning, we woke up early and got ready for church. We went to Sunday School where Pastor Dumassais taught a lesson on different ways to serve in the church based on your giftings. Chris preached the main service, and it was a memorable day because we ordained Henry-Claude Noel and his wife, Mixie. After the service, the church members prepared an amazing lunch and we had the blessing of eating all of the Haitian food! It was so delicious!

We spent Sunday afternoon resting and playing a few games of “Sorry!” with Dumassais and Renette’s oldest two children. We played quite a few games of Sorry while we were in Brazil! Sunday night Chris taught part 2 of the leadership training and afterward we spent some time with the board of directors of Restoration House Pomerode. We were able to hear from each of them about the vision that God has given them for their city and their people, and it was an amazing time of vision and direction from the Lord. We are all believing God for great things to come!

Monday was our last day in Brazil, so we had to go take Covid tests so that we could come back to the United States! The closest testing center that had rapid tests was one hour away, so we woke up early and went there to be tested. The process went very smoothly, and we were emailed our negative test results by lunch. We ate lunch with the Pastors and then visited the homes of several church members. We prayed with them, blessed their homes, and said our goodbyes! That afternoon, we started the long journey home and arrived back to our house the next night!

During the leadership training, we connected with the teams and really caught the vision of what God is doing in them and through them! They have big dreams for their city and their people, and we are believing God for growth and expansion. Currently, the church at our main campus is packed, which is an amazing thing! However, they could definitely use more space, especially as they continue to grow. As we move forward, we are looking toward building a church in Pomerode and creating a space where the body of Christ in Pomerode can continue to transform their community with the gospel!

Thank you so much for sending us on this trip, for your continued partnership that pays for the doors to be open and the lights to be on in two churches in Brazil, and your prayers for this ministry that is impacting so many lives!