Rio Medical Mission Journey Update: Day 8

This week...

144 people requested that a church member visit their home.

158 people requested to be placed in a Bible study.

196 people made decisions to follow Christ.

202 fluoride treatments were given to children.

402 people received eye exams and glasses.

596 people went through our medical clinic.

1,629 prescriptions were filled.

This is the end. Today was bittersweet. We embraced the least of these as they filed through the clinic—sharing Christ, healing wounds, giving sight. And we embraced our Brazilian family as we left in tears.

At the end of the clinic, we participated in a sort of closing ceremony. Raja O'Brien presented a love offering to the young 3-year-old church and Pastor Wellington. Then Ken Gross stepped up to give Pastor Wellington a stack of all those who wanted to be contacted by the pastor and church.

Many people who came through the clinic didn't recognize our host was a church sitting in the middle of their own neighborhood. And, anyway, Pastor Wellington said most of them would've never darkened the doors of a Baptist Church had they known.

Along with the church members, we were all able to shed a new light on the place. Once those in need entered the clinic and saw that our love was genuine and our care for their lives was sincere, many responded with gratitude and interest. Today, we're sad to leave behind so many that we can't journey on with, but the work will go on. The church is picking up where we left off to reach their community for Christ.

Portuguese Version:

Por tudo o que tens feito

Por tudo que vais fazer

Por tuas promessas e tudo tudo que és

Eu quero te agradecer

Com todo meu ser

Te agradeço meu Senhor...

Te agradeço por me libertar e salvar

Por ter morrido em meu lugar

Te agradeço

Jesus, te agradeço

Eu te agradeço

Te agradeço...

English Version:

For all that you've done, I will thank you

For all that you're going to do

For all that you've promised
And all that you are
Is all that has carried me through
Jesus, I thank you
Thank you for loving and setting me free
Thank you for giving your life just for me
How I thank you
Jesus, I thank you
Gracefully thank you
Thank you

During our last debriefing session as a team, I think Kara Herblin said it best in her devotion: "No, we couldn't understand every word they said. And, yes, we needed a translator to help us communicate. But the Lord was our translator for love."

By the way, remember the story on the Brentwood Baptist website about 10-year-old Cameron Powell who raised over $600 for Portuguese Bibles for our summer mission journeys? Here's the fruit of his labor. Some of the kids signed a soccer ball for him and another man went to each of our team member's and had us sign his New Testament.

What a cool story! Click here to read it.