View our latest 4-page letter featuring the story of Cídia and the new base plant in the strategic city of Sinop. Want to help with the one-time start-up costs of this new base in Sinop? Donate to PAZ’s Sinop Base Start fund.

DonateView Letter

Recently, PAZ has been busy investing in Sinop — a strategic city located several hundred kilometers south of Santarém along the muddy Cuiabá/Santarém Highway. We recently sent out a letter detailing the exciting and challenging venture of starting a new base there, our 12th in the Amazon Basin. These bases are the launching points for church-planting in the unreached areas around them (read more about how this works and see an interactive map of our bases). We’ve sent some of our best and most fruitful pastors to be missionaries in another critical area of Brazil that has yet to hear a clear presentation of the Gospel!

In this letter you will read the testimony of team member Cídia, who — in-spite of making a blood pact with the devil — had a powerful encounter with God that changed her life and the lives of people around her forever. You’ll also read about the work starting in Sinop and how the new base is already moving forward, seeing fruit from their efforts. We also present a great Kingdom-opportunity to you: to give to the one-time start-up costs of this base plant. Praise God, His Kingdom of Light continues to expand in the darkness!

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Zenilson

Meet Zenilson. He, his wife and family live near Aritapeira on the Amazon River. His home was destroyed by the record flooding and his family was forced to live in the shed behind their house. His wife began to look to God for help. She started attending the local PAZ church and invited Zenilson, who was not a Christian and had no desire to go to church.

Pastor Reinaldo, the overseeing pastor of the churches in that area, visited their house and after seeing the immense damage, he asked PAZ to help. PAZ first visited in late June when the waters had already subsided a full meter (and yet the ground was still covered with water). You could see how high the water rose on the walls. You could see that even though the house was standing, it’s structure had been completely ripped apart by the strong current and left barely standing. Plans were made to come back when it was dry enough to begin rebuilding.

In the meantime, Zenilson’s wife continued to invite him to church, and he finally went. Pastor Reinaldo began to visit them at home, and one day asked Zenilson if he had made his decision to follow Christ yet. After seeing the love of Christ in action, he made his decision to follow Christ!

Months have passed since the worst recorded flood devastated the Amazon Basin and PAZ began a special flood relief initiative to help the victims of the flood. With the help that you gave, we have sent out a number of teams to minister to the worst hit areas around Santarém, and lives like that of Zenilson’s family have been transformed. Houses have been rebuilt. Construction supplies donated. Churches rebuilt. Medical teams sent. Water filter have been installed and maintained. The Gospel has not only preached, but has been lived out in a very powerful and practical way. Hundreds of people have made decisions to follow the Lord as a direct result of the flood relief! These people have been integrated into cell groups, given the opportunity for one-to-one discipleship and have what they need to grow deeply in Christ.

We recently went back to Aritapeira to maintain water filters, hold a medical clinic and fix the church. We also went to deliver new supplies and begin construction on Zenilson’s new house. We helped them square off their new house and get it started. The rest of the work is now up to them. The whole family was filled with joy and thankfulness, praising God and thanking you. Watch this short clip and be blessed: it’s a simple thank you from the heart of the Amazon to you.

Finally, have a look at some of the photo highlights of the last couple of months of river trips to hard hit areas. It really is amazing to see that all things work together for the good of those that love the Lord! Look at the harvest that is being reaped in the midst of difficult situations. Praise be to God! Click any one of these photos to see them larger. Then use your arrow keys to navigate the slideshow.

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Download our PAZ 2010 Internship Flyer to kick start your life-chaning internship with PAZ! There’s still time to apply.

Just announced: Project AmaZon’s Summer Internship program for 2010! This is a wonderful opportunity for any person seeking to develop their calling and use their giftings in an adventurous way, all while being obedient to the mandate to “Go and make disciples of all nations.” The experiences of missions impacts a person and the people around them forever, so if you or someone you know is interested, download this flyer and spread the news!

The Details

Participants must be at least 18 years old and will come to Santarém, Pará in the heart of the Amazon Basin for June through July 2010. The fee of $1,500 covers housing, groceries, ministry trips and some Portuguese lessons. Those interested can contact us for more information and to get the application. So what are you waiting for? This is your great chance!

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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

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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

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