Back to the bush

Ella and I and some dog enjoy a moment of quiet.

These things often come together at the last minute.  I learned the night before a visit to Surubim (a bush community where we have been planting a church) that a few members of our team had backed out and there would be room to take Ella.  

It felt like every one of the 5 months that it had been since my last visit.  It was good to catch up with some of the believers there... not much changes in jungle life though.  We were able to participate in a service in a new area, about a 10 minute drive down the road from our normal location.  And we spent some time with some of the main leaders.

Since I'm leaving in January and Alison (my ministry partner in Surubim) will probably be starting college, we've been talking about a couple different options of how to maintain support for the leaders in Surubim.  I know that God has a plan, He has been working so vividly in lives there.  The little group of believers have even taken it on themselves to start construction of a structure for them to meet in during the rainy season.  Please be in prayer for the small group of believers in Surubim, and especially the main leader Carlinha.  

Watching a soccer match with the locals.

Ella cools of with a "shower", the creek was dry so we had to settle for hauling buckets up from the well to clean and cool off.

Alison and I spend some time discipling a few of the leaders, Carlinha is in the middle.

Ella was thrilled at the chance to play her guitar during an actual worship service.  Expectations are very low and not many people would catch a goof up, so I thought it was a great opportunity for her.  Here Ella and Alison are practicing while a few curious onlookers watch their every move.