Heiderich News Brief - June, 2008
posted in Missions, South America |Heiderich News Brief - June, 2008
Family Institute of Latin America Website
Salvador, Bahia
Salvador is the third largest city in Brazil, after Rio and São Paulo. It is 550 years old and was the first capital of the country. The ICOS (church of Christ Salvador) is one of 6 Churches of Christ in this great city. This congregation is being evangelized by 4 American missionary couples. They have 35 members and an attendance of 70 after 3 years of work. We spent 5 days with this mission team at the end of April. This was our second teambuilding workshop with this talented team. Last year they were in the midst of loosing one of their team members and things were very stressful and uncertain. This year we found a team that is working well together and focusing on evangelizing their part of the huge city of Salvador. We admire their desire to keep growing as a team and not to let anything hinder their effectiveness.
Thanks
We are so thankful that Jerry and Gail have been able to work with our team and family over the last two years. It is such a blessing to have a couple come in with so much experience in church planting. We know that when we share the challenges that we face as a new church plant here in Salvador that we are speaking to people who can truly empathize with our situation. Their experience gives them much wisdom that has allowed them to confront, head on, the problems and conflicts that our team faces. But the greatest thing is that they do this with so much love, care, and concern. At the end of our last workshop we commented to each other how comfortable we felt sharing our deepest fears and challenges, as this is not something that we would have to or want to do in any other profession. But after 2 short weeks of conversation over the 2 years, Jerry and Gail have gained our confidence. It is so freeing to be able to share with someone some of the deepest aspects of our lives, knowing that they will treat us with the love and care that we would expect from deeply concerned mentors or overseers. This is so important because as missionaries we do not have these kinds of relationships here on the field, as our mentors live so far away and don’t have the same perspective that Jerry and Gail can have when they come and work with all of the families of this church plant. Thanks again Jerry and Gail for your lifegiving, spirit-renewing, ministry.
In Him, Travis and Alicia
To me, the ministry that Jerald and Gail offered our mission team was a depth of understanding into our lives and our families that cannot be measured. They helped us to understand ourselves, our marriage, and our teammates in new ways while encouraging us to trust each other. They have seen it all and done it all, and they somehow manage to stay impartial while each family shares their defeats and victories over the life of their ministry. We believe that every family in mission work would benefit from an intensive workshop with the Heiderichs and hope that they continue to offer their considerable expertise to struggling families and mission teams who want to improve their relationships but do not know how. We have more fun and less conflict because of them. Thanks guys!
Em Cristo, the Quireys
We have been so blessed by our time with the Heiderichs. They have worked with us personally as well as our whole team. The first time they came to work with us was at a crucial point for our team. Through their guidance and counsel our team was able to be more open with one another and build a deeper level of trust than we had ever experienced. We know that God sent them to our team at just the right time and we continue to benefit from the tools they have given us. Through their second visit with our team we were able work more on how to be a healthy team and work together in productive ways. The Heiderichs worked to challenge us individually and as a team to grow for the betterment of the work here. Personally they challenged us to not have blind spots in our life that leave room for Satan and to stay focused. We are grateful for what the Heiderichs have done for our team and us and by extension the church family here in Salvador.
Randy and Jennifer Porter
Jerry and Gail helped our team work through some things that have come up in the first few years of our ministry here in Salvador. It was good to have them help us do that. We now have some great suggestions on changes we need to make to become stronger in our walks with Jesus and in our work together as a mission team and young church leaders.
Matt and Mary Virginia Mabery
Other News
We will be arriving in the US on June 24th. We will be traveling to report to our supporting congregations, fundraising and visiting with family until August 24th. Give us a call!! 214-669-8296. Your encouragement makes our work a joy and your prayers keep our spirits lifted. God is doing great things in the country of Brazil!!
Remember
All contributions for this ministry should now be sent to the Prestoncrest Church of Christ in Dallas, Texas: 12700 Preston Road, Suite 210, Dallas, Texas, 75230. We want to thank Continent of Great Cities for handling this for us for so many years and thank our sponsoring congregation, Prestoncrest, for being willing to take on the task. Please write to us if you have any questions about this change.