Medical mission journey to Brazil results in 151 decisions for Christ

By Kaylan Christopher, Staff Writer

Our Partnership

Quintanilha Baptist Church – New Building

"Four years ago, Pastor Jonanias—a Brazilian Pastor—took me to look at a piece of property in the City of God in Rio de Janeiro. His desire was to plant a church and he needed help," said Sharon Fairchild, Mission Journey Minister.

Brentwood Baptist responded and entered into a 3-year partnership with his new church plant, Quintanilha Baptist Church.

In June 2011, a medical team traveled to the slum and joined a small group of dedicated church members to host a four-day clinic on their property. At that point, their worship center was merely a pavilion and the crowd waiting to get in lined the streets every morning.

"That year, we saw so many people come to know the Lord using Brentwood Baptist members to minister to physical and spiritual needs," Sharon said.

Members of Brentwood Baptist & Quintanilha Baptist

After the team left, the congregation grew rapidly, leaving them with an immediate need for a new building to house them all. Before we could send a team to help the next year, they'd already begun constructing one by themselves.

This once-small church now continues to bloom and grow in a drug-fueled, poverty-stricken area.

This Year’s Journey
From June 6-15, another medical team was sent for our last year of the partnership. Sixteen people were on the team, and they were the ones who got to see the culmination of what God has done through this church plant over the last three years.

Eye Glasses Team

"The Sunday morning service is the light service in Brazil," Sharon said. "It's the Sunday night service that's packed out. When we were there, there was no room to sit. People were standing in the doorways and at the back windows. It filled our hearts."

In four days of clinic, the team saw 319 medical patients, filled 791 prescriptions, gave 311 people reading glasses, and cleaned the teeth of 128 children. But the best part of all was those who decided to give their lives to Christ.

"There were 151 decisions to follow Christ, including our bus driver!" Sharon said. "This is what it's all about when it's all said and done—lives that are forever transformed. As one team member said, ‘It’s not bad people becoming good. It’s dead people coming alive.’”

Katie – First-Time Mission Journeyer

Answered Prayers
It’s well known that no one was to leave the clinic without being prayed over. Following protocol, one Brentwood Baptist team member, Rachel, working in eye glasses, sat across from her female patient and asked, “Is there anything I can pray with you about?”

The woman launched into the story of how her husband had left home about 10 months ago. She didn’t know where he was. Their family loved and missed him. And their teenage daughter wanted her dad to come home.

Using an interpreter, Rachel prayed with her, asking God to intervene and bring her husband home.

The next morning, that same woman was waiting to talk to Rachel. She’d brought a gift—a pillow that was stamped with “I Love You” in Portuguese. God had answered their prayers.

Evangelism Team with Brazilian locals

The night before, her husband had finally returned home. He asked his family to forgive him and asked the pastor of Quintanilha to pray for him that Sunday.

Sharon said, “You cannot be involved in kingdom work and it not blow you away. That prayer, sent through an interpreter, was heard and answered. He longs to show us great and mighty things just like that.”

A First-Time Experience
Elizabeth Cantrell is a nursing student at the University of Tennessee. Through one of her best friends, who’d gone on the medical trip to Brazil in 2011, she heard story after story of how people’s lives were changed. So she had to go and see for herself.

Elizabeth & Gilmar

“When I saw I could use both my passion for people and my passion for healing people physically, I knew He’d called me to this,” she said.

But it wasn’t the medical team she served on. She was a part of the evangelism team, those whose roles were to share the Good News of the gospel with every patient who came through the clinic.

One day at clinic, Elizabeth met a man named Gilmar. After sharing the gospel with him, he started weeping, quickly speaking Portuguese to her translator. She was sure she’d offended him.

But it was just the opposite. The translator explained Gilmar was touched by the way she spoke, which reminded him of the daughter he hadn’t seen or heard from in 10 years. And he was moved by the gospel, in awe of what Jesus had done, unable to believe someone would do something like that for him.

“There were many other stories of people who heard the gospel and came to know Jesus one day, then returned to clinic the next day bringing gifts to show how grateful they were that someone told them about Jesus,” she said. “It makes me wonder who else is waiting for us to tell them about Jesus—not just in Brazil, but all around the world.”

Leia Mais…

God Encounters from Clinic

What an amazing week we've had in Rio.  Here are a couple more stories of God Encounters from the week:

One of my patients yesterday shared with me this heart breaking story of how her daughter had been missing and she hadn't heard from her for 4 years. Her daughter  had gotten involved with drugs and she had tried to help her, but her daughter had run away from that. She was worried about her. I prayed with this mother to have peace and hope. She left saying she felt better. The next day she came back and came running up to me with such joy on her face. There was a light of hope that wasn't there the day before. She showed me a picture of her daughter and her together. She kept pointing heavenward and saying she had a peace she hadn't had in a long time. Even though her daughter was still missing she was putting her trust in God to take care of everything. 

Antonio came in to have his blood pressure checked. After checking it and treating him we started asking questions about his faith, because he put that he was away from God. He said that his heart was closed to God. We started talking to him more and telling him that he didn't come here by chance and how God was running after him.  We prayed with him and shared Jeremiah 29:11-14. After talking with him more, he said that his heart was open now and he was ready to come back to God.. He said that as we were praying and talking with him, it was like a worship service. He was like a lost sheep that had come home.

Another man came in with his son. This man, I could tell before he sat down that he was suffering with Parkinson's. He came in for some allergy medications and to get some medications for his Parkinson's. I let them know that this isn't something we have. I then asked if I could pray for them and he asked prayer for his health. After praying with them I looked up and he and his son were crying. Tears streaming down there face. It broke my heart and I started crying. I gave the man a big hug and felt led to pray for him with no interpretation. Afterwards he said that no one had ever prayed for him like that before.
I later learned that this was a big deal, my interpreter stated that this was a miracle, because Brazil men don't cry, and for both of them to be crying was a big deal. It was really hard for me to watch them leave. I will forever remember there faces. For the impact they had on me. I know that I leave them in God's hands.   

These are just a couple stories of the lives that were changed this week.  We praise God for the 758 people that came through clinic this week, for the 150 people that made a decision to accept Christ and for the countless others who were encouraged, prayed for and challenged.  We thank you for your prayers and for being a part of this journey with us!

Leia Mais…

Thursday Night God Moment

Twelve of our team walked to the Hippie Feita on Thursday night, our last night in Rio, to buy last minute gifts for friends (& maybe ourselves, too!!).

Our 3 Portuguese speaking team members went to a different shopping area, so we had no interpreting help.  We were on our own with our limited Portuguese vocabulary.  We did, however, have a secret weapon.  Raja O'Brien, speaks her own Raja Dialect of Portuguese!!

We shopped happily for two hours or so, then headed back to the hotel.  As we walked past a hair salon, we saw several women inside sitting around talking.  Someone noticed they had books in their laps & asked if they were Bibles.  We all stopped & looked & realized they were having a Bible Study!!  We waved at them, they saw & waved back.  We walked on a few steps, & Raja said, " let's go back & tell them why we're here !"

We turned back & walked up to their door!  We must have looked friendly, because one woman came to the door & cautiously opened it a little.  We said, " estamos aqui porque Jesus te ama!"  (Translation:  we are here because Jesus loves you!...we've said that all week to the people coming to clinic!)

Between that lady's limited English, our limited Portuguese, and Raja's special Dialect, we communicated!!  She came to understand that we came to Rio to work at a Baptist church!  She said they were Baptists!!

She asked if we would like to come inside & pray!!
We all piled inside the tiny salon, & we circled up to pray!  Al Alwahab was selected to pray in English & one of their ladies prayed in Portuguese at the same time.

Al finished in a few minutes, but their lady kept right on praying!  We decided that she was a Charismatic Baptist!!  She was filled with the Holy Spirit, & she prayed fervently.  The longer she prayed, the hotter that little salon got!

When we end prayers at our clinic, we say "in nome de Jesus, Amen."    She must have said "em nome de Jesus" a hundred times... But not "amen."   As we started to wonder about heat stroke, she said, "Em nome de Jesus, Amen!!"

Kevin & Al opened the door to escape the heat, as all the ladies began to hug each other.  There were lots of tears & laughter.

We left that salon with surety that we had just experienced a wonderful God moment.   There was no language barrier even though we didn't understand the Portugese.  We all understood the presence of God

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Wonderful Wednesday - Clinic Day 3

Today was filled with many "God Encounters".  Here are just a couple of the stories...

From the dental clinic:
         My God encounter has been with my interpreter, Roberta.  Before I came to Rio I asked God to show me how to be a better witness for Him in the little time I had with each child. She came to the clinic on Monday, not hired to translate but to volunteer, as she recently lost her job. She stepped in as my interpreter in the dental clinic and the blessing began.  She loves children, never left my side for a minute and anticipated what I needed even before I asked for it. I was blessed not only with a translator but a wonderful assistant and friend!  To God be the glory!

From the eye clinic: 
       Today my interpreter could not come, so we decided I would use the time taking pictures.  Just as we were starting, someone brought Sintique, an interpreter, to me & said she was available only for the morning.  Turns out Sintique is the daughter of my Monday interpreter!  We got along great & the morning flew by.  Our last patient was a young, handsome Brazilian named Bruno.  He was a Christian, & we quickly fitted him with glasses.  I then asked how I could pray for him.  He quickly responded that he needed a job.  He is married & has 2 young sons.  I then asked him what kind of job he was looking for.  He replied, "Security."  Sintique & Bruno had a short, lively conversation.  She told me that the company she works for has two positions open in Security!!  I prayed for him with a sense of amazement & awe at God's timing.  She gave him her contact information.  God knew that Bruno needed help with finding a job more than he needed glasses.  God knew Sintique was only coming on Wednesday morning & he directed Bruno to come on Wednesday morning!  Bruno could have been directed to one of four eye stations, but God directed him to my station with Sintique!
When Bruno left, I looked at Sintique with a look of astonishment, & I said, "we just witnessed a miracle!"  She told me over lunch that she had to get up at 4:30am & ride for 2 hours to get to our hotel  leaving immediately to go to her regular job from 2:30-10:30 pm.  She had pondered whether she should come or why she should today for just a short time.  NOW we know why she was supposed to come!!!!  She & I got to watch God in unbelievable action as He worked His miracle.  It wasn't what we thought might happen...a conversion experience or an eyesight improvement...it was a job possibility for a young husband & father!!

God is moving here and we are blessed to be a part of it!!

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Terrific Tuesday - Clinic Day 2

A great second day of clinic! We thank you for all your prayers and we want you to know that God is working here in Rio de Janeiro.  Here are just two stories of the almost 200 people that came through clinic today...

Today one of the people from yesterday that was prayed over at the eye

clinic returned to let her team member that prayed over her know that

her prayer was answered. Yesterday she said her daughter had left her

and leaving her to take care of the grandchildren. She was staying

with her boyfriend who was very bad to her, mean and abusive. So we

prayed over her that the daughter would be safe and return home. Today

the daughter returned home to the mother!! What a true answered prayer

from God!

Today a man around the age of 40 came to the eye clinic. He was a

believer but he had strayed from God. His wife had left him because he

was doing drugs and drinking. He said he didn't think God could

forgive him. I told him that Jesus loved him and he died on the cross

for all his sins. Then I went on to say that there is nothing you can

do for God to stop loving you. I prayed with him and told him that God

loved him and that he will never forsake him. Tears were falling down

his face as we were praying. It is truly amazing that such simple

words can bring so much comfort to a person in need.

Numbers aren't what are important, but the people they represent are important indeed.  Our team worked hard today!  We praise God for all that He did! Eyes-82, Clinic - 76, Pharmacy - 167 prescriptions, Fluoride - 36, Decisions - 35.  

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Clinic Day 1

The Lord was so good to us on our first day of clinic. We started the
day off early on the bus at 7 am.  We sang songs of praise and
worship on our way! As soon as we arrived we set up the different
stations: the pharmacy, eye station, dental, medical, and evangelism.
We had a prayer and devotional with the Quintanilha church members,
interpreters, and BBC team members. Then it was time to head to our
areas to get ready to share the love of Jesus with the people of
Brazil.

We met with so many special people today at the clinic, one was a 77
year old man who asked Jesus to be his personal savior for the first
time today. Another man was so touched  from the gospel shared by one
of the "newbie" teammates and how she resembled his daughter. He also
made the life changing decision to ask Jesus into his heart. There
were also 25 other Brazilians that accepted Christ. Many already had a 
relationship with him, and were able to share their prayer requests with 
the other team members.

Here are the number of people we ministered to today:
eye-81
Medical clinic-65
Pharmacy-150 prescriptions
Fluoride-27
Evangelism-27 decisions for Christ

Thank you so much for your continued prayers! Looking forward to what
God will continue to do in the hearts of the Brazillian people these
next few days at clinic. Keep praying!!

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Sunday worship

What a wonderful morning of worship at Quintanilha Baptist Church!  There is something special about being a part of a Brazilian church service!  This morning we went to the church where we will be working this week.  Even though it was all in Portuguese, they translated some of it... But even when we couldn't understand the words, we could tell they were praising God by their faces! The pastor preached a powerful message about discipleship - we are the salt of the earth and we are here to make a difference.  The church's motto is "To be, to do, to say - the Gospel beyond words" and they are grateful that we would come spend a week with them to help reach their community.  It's going to be a great week!! We know that God is going to do awesome things in this community and we thank you for your prayers!

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