2006 Mission to Brazil

Here are the daily updates from the team as they worked to serve the people of Menaus, Brazil and enjoy the company of fellow Methodists there.

June 8th -

After finishing our week of work and VBS, the group today went out on a "cruise" through the Amazon River and the forest. Tomorrow will be our last day in Brazil, but there will not be an update for tomorrow. We will plan to visit the Market, and then on Saturday we are leaving on the all-day flight back to Athens! Our trip this year of Brazil has been a great success and that we have touched the lives of many children to give them hope in their lives. See everyone on Sunday!

June 6th -

At our work site, we finished painting the main room of the church and then began painting the kitchen windows and the back rooms windows, as well as the bainister on the stairs with their first coating. Also, we worked with the support bars of the roof and the walls. After the work, half of the group went to see the poverty areas surrounding the rivers running from Manaus. Tomorrow is our final work day and we are hoping to finish the final coating of all the paint and to add a roof on the second floor.

June 5th -

We rebegan our work from Friday and continued building the 2nd floor of the church and began painting the church's doors and windows brown. We plan to finish the second floor and put a roof on the church. The second floor is being built for Sunday School rooms for the children during church service.

June 4th -

We traveled to a new church for another Vacation Bible School. In the new church, there was a backyard where we held the events and in the front of the church they gave away free haircuts to the kids. Afterwards a break, we left to the Church - "Igreja Central de Manaus" for church service and communion, also Maisa lead a sermon for us. The children from today's VBS was there and gave all of us candy they had wrapped by themselves. Then, for dinner, we had a celebration of thanks at Maisa's house with hotdogs, pizza, and God's Love.

June 3rd -

Today we began VBS at the church for the children who live in the neighborhood. There were about 100 children and we split them into 4 groups with each group having a leader to guide the activities. Our activities were Arts & Crafts personal banners with symbols of God's love. After the activities were over, everyone gave the chldren their own baggies of jump ropes, clappers, school supplies, candy, and toys. Tomorrow, we will be visiting another church for Sunday School.

June 2nd -