Ever wonder what it’s like working here in the Amazon? PAZ is delighted to announce the publication of Moonlight on the Amazon, written by missionary-writer Don Best and beautifully illustrated by six different photographers.

This 80-page, hard-bound book is a collection of true-life stories and poems, letters and funny anecdotes, that capture the real-life adventures of an Amazon missionary. Herein are both the triumphs and defeats, the laughter and tears, that are all part of a missionary life.

Moonlight on the Amazon

“This book was inspired by what the Lord has so beautifully done here in the Amazon,” says Don Best. “It was written as both a testimony and a catalyst, that people in other parts of the world might see the Gospel in action and get involved.”

Three other PAZ missionaries – Betty Best, Dr. Edson Lee, and Josiah Huber – contributed dozens of their finest photos to the book, which has been more than five years in the making.

“I wish to thank you and our Father for the blessing and conviction your stories and photos have been to both my wife and me,” writes Jim Cail, who received an early copy of the book. “What an excellent presentation of the work God is doing there in the Amazon Basin. What reminders also of our wonderful trip down there in 2004. I cannot say anything but thank you Lord for this book!”

Check out a sample of this book by clicking the picture below.

Excerpt 'The Wealthy Ones' from Moonlight on the Amazon

You can see more samples and learn more at the book’s website, http://www.moonlightontheamazon.com. Moonlight on the Amazon is a nonprofit project, with all proceeds going to world missions and ministries to the poor. The book is for sale ($22.98) at the book’s website and also at www.amazon.com.

Reader Reviews

I am quite overwhelmed this evening with laughter…, deep joy and a sense of being wonderfully blessed.  I received a copy of Moonlight on the Amazon today and cannot put it down! – T. Zimmerman

The pictures are absolutely wonderful. Many friends and family pick it up from my coffee table, and everyone remarks how special it is. I treasure it. – H. Morrison

Read the rest of this entry »

The great Amazon flood of 2009 continues to plague the residents of the Amazon Basin – destroying homes, disrupting farming and business, and inundating entire communities. Locally, the flood has risen past the flood of 2006 and even – according to some authorities – past the great flood of 1953, making this the greatest flood of our times!

Project AmaZon, its local PAZ churches, Asas de Socorro (the Brazilian branch of MAF) and Operation Blessing joined forces to bring disaster relief to those most affected. Hundreds of food baskets were packaged, wood for temporary floors was bought and many clothes were collected. Jump on the relief boat and see for yourself the amazing impact this relief has had in these communities! Here’s the next installment of SOS Ribeirinho (”SOS River Village”), a video series produced by our local PAZ church.

A great big thank you goes out to all that have donated. You can see how important these donations are, and you can see the tremendous eternal impact you are having. This is merely a start in bringing relief to the thousands of communities in the Amazon Basin. Many more relief trips will be taken, and we are still collecting donations to help fund these trips. The flood has opened a door of opportunity to share the love of Christ in a very tangible, physical way. Let’s not waste any opportunity that comes our way, but treat each one as if it could be our last! Donate Here

The record-setting flood of 2009 is making international news and leaving many in near impossible situations with flooded homes and little food. We urgently need your help! The current need is tremendous, and there is a great opportunity to reach out and help the victims of this great flood. The Santarém PAZ church produced this news documentary to show the intense need. We present it to you.

The latest estimates are that 300,000 people are currently homeless because of the flooding. Many people continue to live in their flooded homes because they have nowhere else to go. Project AmaZon, its local churches and several other churches are raising money to aid those most affected by the flood.

A missions team recently visited a local flooded community to help build a new church and provide such assistance. This community has been very resistant to the Gospel up to this point, but in the midst of these great and challenging circumstances, 6 people gave their lives to the Lord! While the need is great, people are open to receive the help they need and be transformed. Let’s make the most of this time, and show Christ’s love! The need is most urgent. We are poised to make a huge impact together in the lives of thousands. Click here to donate now.

“For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me… I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.” Matthew 25:35-36; 40b

At the bottom of this article are the names of the 75 communities in which, by God’s grace, Project AmaZon will plant churches in 2009! Each one of these community names represents a community with real people and real needs. Most of these places don’t even have an evangelical church. It’s with great excitement that we share this list with you so that you can be praying and interceding on our behalf. The harvest is great and it’s a huge work that we absolutely cannot do without your support. This is all a part of our goal to plant 500 more churches by 2014, to give us a total of over a 1,000 churches. Let’s go win the Amazon for Christ!

Watch one of our church planters in action!

Pastor Nilton is one of our many church planters out on the rivers, winning people to the Lord, making disciples and planting churches. His testimony was recently featured in our Easter Newsletter. See just a glimpse of his life on the river in this short video.

75 Communities to Reach in 2009

• São José
• Secretaria
• Vale Verde
• Volta Grande
• Piranha
• Nova Esperança
• Jaquara
• Lago do Mouro
• Boa Vista
• Acaré
• Bacabal-ensiada
• Lago do Ajudante
• Juquirizinho
• Faro
• Revolta
• Marai
• Morada Nova
• Açaizal do Prata
• Oerupapo
• Km 50
• Km 72
• Poço Branco
• Pau dÁrco do Ituqui
• Patas do Ituqui
• Aventurança

• Água Preta
• Boat Vista
• Mucambo
• Jaburú
• Pindurí
• Surubiu-Açu
• Arapiri
• Ipaupixuna
• Membeca
• Bom Jardim
• Ipaupixuna
• Paramamiriu
• Fordlândia
• Mussueu
• Piaui
• Caroca
• Nova Vista
• Fé em Deus
• Novo Lugar
• Cachoeira do Maró
• Tapuana
• Catiespera
• Audirobal
• Ipixuna
• Riozinho

• Santa Helena
• Ubizal
• Una
• Baixa da Onça
• Vigia
• Palmas
• Outeiro
• Cametá
• Nova Galiléia
• Marajó
• Caburi
• Laranjal do Jarí
• Ferreira Gomes
• Piquiazal
• Maracá
• Ponta de Pedras
• Laranjal
• Andirobalzinho
• Aramanai
• Caratinga
• Mato Grosso
• Epitacionlandia
• Cedro
• São Francisco do Moju
• Placas

Download the Wallpaper!

Keep this list in front of you on your computer screen so that you can often be reminded to pray for these places, the people in them, and the work going on to reach them! Choose your screen size (or closest equivalent) and click to download. Open the picture, right click and choose “Set as Desktop Wallpaper.”

The 75 Target Community of 2009 Wallpaper

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Last November, Project AmaZon participated in “My Hope: Brazil,” a three night evangelistic TV program that aired throughout all Brazil on the weekend of November 6, 7, and 8. We were honored to be chosen as one of two locations in Brazil where the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association would film. (See article). Just recently their program aired and it’s with great pleasure that we post it here as well! It’s in two parts, so you’ll have to watch the first part, and then the second. It’s a great quick look into our life down here on the rivers. Also Joaquim, Project AmaZon’s Church Construction Coordinator, is featured in this video.

Wonder what happened? Watch part II below.

Wow! These videos show the reality of much of what we deal with here in the Amazon, and what we’ve been doing the past 30 years – going to the hard to reach, forgotten areas and paying the price to take the Good News to the ends of the earth, make disciples and plant churches! Soon, as a part of our 1,000 by 2014 initiative (click to read more about this initiative), you will be seeing a list of the 75 places we want to go and plant churches this year, so that you can be praying and giving towards that goal!

We recently received a visit from a US representative of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Greg was in the Brazil office when the statistics of the “My Hope Brazil” were being collected. One of the workers came in to dump a box of envelopes onto the table for counting (each envelope represented a home that participated). Greg asked what region of Brazil they represented. He was told, “This is not a region, it’s just one church!” Greg replied, “I have to visit this church and find out how they had such great results!” Well, the other day we met and discussed our strategies. We were told that we had the best results in all of Brazil! Two of the three clips being aired by the BGEA around the world about the outreach in Brazil were from PAZ!

We felt so honored and yet so humbled to see God’s mercy poured out upon us. We know it’s only by His grace and your prayers! We could never experience these kinds of results without you standing together with us! Thank you so much! Especially, thank You, Lord! You are so good!

PAZ Director Jeff Hrubik shares about 1000 by 2014 at the 2009 PAZ Leadership Conference

At PAZ’s 2009 Leadership Conference, we unveiled 1000 by 2014: PAZ’s short-term goal of planting 1000 churches by 2014 (we have planted 530 so far). This all works towards PAZ’s two overall goals: 1) planting 100,000 churches, and 2) reaching the Amazon Basin by 2045.

This goal stands as a reminder that we see, wear and constantly pray for. To maintain an annual growth rate of 15%, we will need to plant around 75 churches this year. We will have to plan, travel, build, supervise and fund raise like never before. We will need a level of prayer like never before! We are excited and dedicated like never before to the task at hand, that Jesus would admire our faith like he admired the faith of the centurion in Matthew 8:10.

So the goal is really quite simple: each base needs to double in size by 2014. You will be seeing more and more great giving opportunities that reap eternal rewards here on our website as we press forward towards the goal. You will encounter our latest prayer requests so that you can join with us and pray, by name (even if you can’t pronounce it!), for the very areas where we will be planting and the leaders of the planting. Take advantage of the brand new PAZ 1000 by 2014 wallpapers for download and keep the vision in front of you as well! Together, through the power of Christ, we’ll reach what is lost!

1000 by 2014 Wallpapers

Just like a prayer card on a refrigerator reminds one to pray, so does a wallpaper on a computer! Enjoy these great reminders of God’s work!

Choose your screen size (or closest equivalent) and click to download. Open the picture, right click and choose “Set as Desktop Wallpaper.”

The 1000 by 2014 Wallpaper

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The 2009 PAZ Leadership Conference was a huge success! God brought us just the perfect speaker for our conference: Pastor Harold Weitsz from South Africa. The man embodied the very faith, prayer life and knowledge of the Word we want to develop as we set out to double in size over the next 5 years – an initiative we call 1000 by 2014.

Pastor Harold Weitsz

PAZ pastors and leaders from all over the Amazon converged at beautiful Camp Shalom near Alter do Chão for 5 days of faith-building, vision-planting, strategizing, fellowship and food. These are the very heroes living their faith by planting churches and making disciple-making disciples all over the Amazon. Together, we thanked God for all that He has already done, and all that He is going to do in the great task He has given us.

PAZ Leaders, missionaries and pastors worship together at Camp Shalom

At the conference, we laid the road map for our PAZ churches. Our goal is that in the next 5 years, each one of these bases doubles in size – and by result give us 1000 churches by the beginning of 2014! Here’s our most current church count:

Churches in the Amazon Basin:
• Belém/Castanhal: 37
• Macapá: 8
• Monte Alegre: 40
• Santarém: 398
• Parintins: 4
• Manaus: 18
• Boa Vista: 3
• Porto Velho: 4
• Rio Branco: 2
  Click here to see these bases on a map

Churches outside the Amazon Basin
• Fortaleza: 6
• Goiás: 3
• Venceslau Bras: 1
• Porto Murtinho: 1

Churches outside Brazil
• Japan: 3
• Chicago: 1
• Switzerland: 1

Grand Total: 530 churches

It is a vision greater than any one man, which can only be accomplished as the entire body of Christ comes together in unity, each doing his own part, to see God’s Kingdom expand and the love of Christ reach the darkest corners of the world. You play a key part as well in our success: praying, donating, visiting and being a part of God’s great work!

To read more about the leadership conference, learn more about Pastor Harold Weitsz and see lots of photos from the conference, click here.

We are thrilled to report that through your generosity, we raised R$42,000 and met the C&A Challenge, a matching grant that promised to give us R$2 for every R$1 that we raised. All together we received R$126,000 for transportation! We have already put the donations to good use and are currently making ten more speed boats that will carry more river supervisors and pastors, just like Reinaldo, along the rivers. This is a big step towards not just planting new churches, but strengthening our current churches. Thank you so much for your donations and prayers! Enjoy these pictures of the boats being made (to see any one of these pictures larger, just click on the picture).

Who every thought that coloring was useless never saw how boats are made

The boat is already in the metal, you just have to know where to cut to get it out

One of the finished products

Everything we do at PAZ in planting churches, making disciples and impacting the world around us is based on the precious truths found in the Bible. It shows us how to live, act and love. It teaches us what really matters. How vitally important it is to know the Word and get it out to those who don’t yet know it, teaching them to obey it’s every word.

PAZ recently made 5,000 Bibles in Portuguese to distribute to our churches, workers and river people. These large print, NVI (the Portuguese equivalent to the NIV) Bibles also include a beautiful, illustrated preface about the conception of PAZ, the MDA vision and the wonderful work God is doing here in the Amazon. The NVI version uses good, modern-day Portuguese that is much more understandable to many of our precious river people (and we missionaries with limited vocabularies as well). It is our prayer that the Word of God will continue to transform us more and more into the disciple-making, soul-winning, Amazon-conquering church God has called us to be!

Help get the Word out: $12 provides a new PAZ Bible to someone who needs it.