Best Brazilian Friends

Now I'd like to tell you about a family that Waleska & I have become very close to: Joao and Clarice Spencer and their son, Joca . They participate in the church that meets in our home. I first met them seven years ago on a trip to Fortaleza in NE Brazil, before I moved to Porto Alegre. At that time they said they might be moving to POA in the future, so I tried to keep tabs with them. On another trip to NE Brazil in 2003, this time to Natal, I happened to meet them again. They moved in POA in January 2004, and thus began one of our most meaningful friendships, especially since Waleska and I married.This picture is funny because it is a complete role reversal: in real life, Joao is the soldier and Clarice is the doctor! Joao is a captain in the Air Force, a fighter pilot. Clarice is an organ transplant specialist at two major hospitals in POA. Joca actually is a pirate...I mean personality wise, he is a real card! They are from Recife in NE Brazil. Joao and Clarice met in the church youth group; she invited him to participate, and they found each other through Christ. They have been married for eight years.

Joao travels frequently because of his job; he conducts and participates in various training courses in fighter operations and radar management throughout the year, so he and I don't get to meet as often as we'd like. But when he's in town, we try to get together as much as possible to pray, discuss our walk with the Lord, and eat greasy fast food - and as you saw from the previous post, work in the Kingdom. Clarice and Waleska have become very close; when either one has gone through a difficult moment in life, they come together to pray and support each other, and laugh it off. Waleska will start teaching English to Clarice next month, so that will be one more excuse for them to enjoy each other's company!

Joao and Clarice have a very firm and grounded faith and love for the Lord, and they have been a real blessing to us as a young married couple. They helped Waleska and I endure many trials during our first year of marriage. They embody, for us, what Jesus called the "salt of the earth:" people who, whenever they are around, just make those around them better because of their presence. We enjoy this family a lot and try to spend time with them as much as possible. Thank God for this family and for our friendship, and may it grow ever stronger and deeper!

Training up the Youth

When I was in my late teens, I was fortunate to have, at my home church, several men in their early 30s who took an interest in myself and the other teenagers. They would take turns teaching our Sunday School classes, planning activities for us, and just serving as ears to listen or an open door when we needed someone to talk with about life, love, faith, and struggles. Today, I am grateful for the influence that these men had in my life. Kevin Taylor, Steve Smilek, Warren Enstminger, and others - thank you for making a difference in the name of Jesus!

Now that I'm in my early 30s (did I just write that?!) it's time for me to give back the joy. Recently, myself and my good Brazilian buddy Joao Spencer (kneeling next to me in the photo) began meeting on Saturdays with some of the teenage guys in our church family. Top row L-R: Guilherme, Lucas, and Vinicius, bottom row kneeling, Wagner. These guys have all been raised in Christian homes - their parents are part of the house church network. They are good kids and have always participated in youth activities, yet for some reason they have not made a public commitment to Jesus in baptism. Spencer and I decided that this year, God could utilize the two of us as "spiritual uncles" in house churches to grow our friendships with these guys. We hope to help them get past the awkwardness that exists when it comes to discussing spiritual life and growth, and help them discover & claim their own faith. We have to start somewhere - and so on a hot summer day, we hooped it up last week. (Vinicius and Wagner play for their high school, but I showed them my skills!) Please pray for this project; that Spencer and I can build our friendships with them and, as the year goes on, we can look into the Word together, have meaningful conversations about God's work in our lives, and help these guys become disciples of the Master!