Water rising: Emergency need!

A team of college age young adults from Westside Baptist Church will leave for the Amazon on May 10.  Fund raising for this group has been difficult, but the Board of AVM is committed to helping this group fulfill their call to minister.  The funding for the group is NOT the reason for this post.

Word from our Brazilian team is that the water continues to rise along all the tributaries that make up the western Amazon basin.  Predictions are that the water could reach, or exceed, the record levels set in 2009.  Traditional sources of food are being covered and many in these villages are hungry.  To be honest, Amazon Vision is not in the position to be able to offer relief to all who suffer.  Our concern is that when this team arrives, the people of the village will be in need.  It would be wonderful to be able to send a stock of rice and beans along with the good news!  Could you help?  If you would be willing to designate a gift for the purchase of these food stocks, please email don@amazonvisionministries for more details or go to www.amazonvisionministries.com; select the "Get Involved" tab and click "Donate".  Please make sure that you put "Emergency relief" as a note.  God bless you as you ask Him about your need to be involved with this very real need.

Great time in Dominguinho and on the move!

Dominguinho has turned out to be an incredible expression of God's grace to this old community on the Lago Grande de Manacapuru (the Big Manacapuru Lake) and a great start toward the establishment of a New Testament church.  During the time of house to house visitation as well as during the worship services at night, 42 people gave testimony that they had met Jesus Christ as Savior for the first time.  One incredible blessing is that among the translators for our team is the pastor of a significant Baptist church in Manaus.  He plans to return and organize his church to begin to disciple these new believers.  Amazon Vision will undergird this effort, constantly praying that the Lord would fulfill the potential evidenced by these new believers.  Won't you join us in this prayer effort?

The medical team was very active in Dominguinho with over 140 patients treated; the dental team was able to work with over 30 patients.  This demonstration of the love of Christ in the village was undoubtedly used by the Lord to prepare hearts for the good news that was proclaimed in the services.  

The team leaves this evening and will travel by night toward the northeast.  Their next port of call will be where the Lake begins.  We will publish the name of the village and the initial results as we recieve news from this great team led by Westside Baptist Church.

First Team of the Year on the River!

Westside Baptist, Gainesville, Florida team on the river
Look on the map.  See Dominguinho?  Dominguiho is situtated on the Big Lake (Lago Grande) of the Manacapuru River, one of the tributaries that contributes to the western Amazon Basin.  A great team of doctors, dentists, nurses and evangelists (both laypeople and ministers) are currently working in Dominguinho.  They arrived yesterday   The afternoon schedule was compromised by torrential downpours that are happening right now.  Pray that the Lord would give them grace today to share with all the homes and in the worship service that will happen tonight.

(( AVM & YOU ))

AVM is Celebrating 10 years of Ministry in the Amazon and it is with great joy that we invite YOU to join us for a day of thanksgiving, great memories and inspiring moments for the future!

Come and share these moments with us!

This coming Friday...

What? Open Door Banquet

Where? Westside Baptist Church, Gainesville - FL

When? Friday, Feb 24

Time? 6:15pm
With? Dr. John Sullivan

Free to attend --Please RSVP.

We will wait for you!!! :)

Sarah Castro

Amazon, Brazil. 

IT'S JUST THE BEGINNING

AVM Moments

Westside Church on Missions Again! :)

It's coming the time to go back to the river! 

AVM had a blessed year in 2011 and we are so ready to continue to pursuit God's will and His kingdom in the Amazon. 

We are blessed to serve along side the Amazon Baptist Convention and many of it's pastors. It has been an honor to be blessed by their service and serve the Lord with them. We celebrate their life and effort! Please support these men and their families through your prayers.
Our first team of the year, lead by Bill Lassiler, is coming out of Westside Baptist Church in Gainesville, FL. We are going to Manacapuru Lake, an area where we have found great needs and communities with no work what so ever. They have about 52 communities of which 16 of those have no work. Dominguinhos is a community with 90 people approximately and there are 2 other communities close by in great need as well. Most them call themselves Catholic, but they are not very involved with the religion. We have one lady (believer) from Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais State working in those areas with the support of different churches trying to start a work there in. Gi (her name) is a dentist and is living in Santa Luzia (Baruá) close to dominguinhos e she goes back and forth to 4 communities.  Some of the people in the area have attended bible studies, but very few have surrendered their lives to Jesus. I believe our week in the lake can have great impact in the lives of the people there.


This team is coming to do evangelism, discipleship, VBS with the kids, and their are also bringing medical and dental clinics. We are praying that God will prepare these 3 communities to hear the truth of Jesus Christ and that they would want to have a true and close relationship with their Creator. 


It is time to pray:

1.      Please pray for Pr Francisco and his family– the community leader you will be working with.  

2.      Pray for Gi, the young lady who has been working to start a ministry in the area.

3.      Pray for the people we will be in contact with. A couple of weeks before you arrive at the community, Carnaval Festival will take place. Carnaval is a BIG party in Brasil, the whole country stops for this party that is similar to Mardi Guas. There is much drinking, smoking, drug use, unexpected pregnancies, etc. So pray that when we arrive people will be ready to hear of a Savior who will give them more joy than any party/material things in the world.

4.      Pray for Christians among the area to rise up to disciple those who will give their lives to Jesus. 

Its been a joy to be a part of the AVM family and to follow God through this ministry. Stay connected!

Blessings,

Sarah Castro

Amazon, Brazil