MaritimeMercy.com

Back in 1980, Carla and I, spent two years in Rio de Janeiro working with a youth organization called Clubes Biblicos. Our house in the barrio of Tijuca offered refuge to teenagers and young adults searching for a deep connection with God and fellowship with other Christians. It was during that time that we were exposed to Francis Schaffer’s idea of “L’Abri” and the concept of community. If we were not sharing the love of God through dramas, music and speaking one on one, we were engaged in deep theological discussion on the relevant topics of our time. Otherwise use the fellowship to talk about our favorite subject, football (soccer). After Carla and I left Rio to work with Mercy Ships, the Clube Biblicos ministry continued to grow and became a church called Comunidade Jesus Vive. Last April Comunidade Jesus Vive commemorated the church’s 23rd anniversary. My best friend Benoni, the church’s pastor, invited me to preach to a congregation of 400 or more. Overwhelmed by emotion, I could...

I’m impressed by the words of King David in Psalm 37, “Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your hearth.” David’s statement is conditional, one needs to delight. Delight being a condition of contentment pleasure and enjoyment, a tough assignment. The point here is not one being capable to fulfill the condition, but of God being able and willing to give what we desire. I was faced by God’s willingness to give the desire of my heart in our recent trip to Brazil. One of the many wishes on my heart for this trip was to have a “churrasco”, Brazilian barbecue. South Brazil, our first stop, is known as the birth place of the “churrasco”. We stayed there over two week, but we had no chance to eat a churrasco. On our trip from South to Rio I confided to Carla that I was disappointed. In Rio I called my friend Dalmo who invited us for lunch Saturday afternoon. As we got together he asked me: What do I liked to do, I said that I didn’t had anything in mind. He then sai...

In the March issue of the AmericanWay Magazine, Gerald J. Arpay, American Airlines CEO, in an editorial entitled “Help From Above” describes how America Airlines and its employs have responded to the Haitian earthquake. “Within hours of the quake, we flew multiples relief missions into Pot-au-Prince. And since then, we have continued to transport relief workers, critical supplies and evacuees.” He says. Tragedies like the earthquake in Haiti, awakens peoples’ conscious to the misfortune of others. Horrific images shown on the TV, the internet and other means of communication confront to a reality beyond ones imagination. Awaken by this reality people want to know: How to give? How to help? How to donate? Like many other organizations Mercy Ships is also helping in Haiti http://www.mercyships.org/content/home. Jesus said that it is better to give than to receive. Each one of us should be a channel in providing “Help From Above”. May the Lord continue to awaken people to the needs of tho...

Today Christians everywhere commemorated Easter, Passover, Pascoa in Portuguese. I have many Easter memories growing up with bolt catholic and protestant influence, that ranged from not eating meet on Good Friday, which was not a problem because we expected to eat bacalhau (cod fish) to early Sunday mass or service. An Easter egg was a must, Brazilian chocolate taste really good. In the midst of all this the significance of the death and resurrection of Jesus was never lost. So this Easter week here in south Brazil we ate fish on Good Friday, attended an Easter Sunday service with our relatives, got a big Easter egg and celebrated the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Happy Easter!

After a long flight that began in Tyler, Texas we arrived in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. “O Rio de Janeiro continua lindo” (Rio de Janeiro continues to be beautiful) says the Cariocas, people from Rio. My sister Marli was waiting for us. We had lunch together; however, Rio was not our final destination, at least not for now. The next flight took us to Porto Alegre where Reinaldo, Carla’s brother, was waiting for us with uncle Urbano, and cousins Marlise e Maidi. Reinaldo drove us to Sao Leopoldo where his wife Rose was waiting for us with Felippe e Vitor. At the airport in Rio de Janeiro At the airport in Porto Alegre

This is the most recent picture of the Mercy Ships Marine Operations Department here in Texas. Beside me, in the center, is my daughter Cassia who is the Marine Operations Admistrative Assistant.

On February 10 the Africa Mercy arrived in Togo. Togo is a small country wedged between Benin and Ghana in West Africa. My family and I were onboard the Anastasis in the first visit of a Mercy Ships to Africa in 1990. We love our first experience in the African continent. I even learned some Eve, language spoken in the capital Lome. I look forward to go to Togo in June/July.