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.
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!
Download our latest letter featuring the story of Pastor Reinaldo and the church built on a flooded plain on the Amazon River or donate to the Revolving Construction Fund which funds these projects.
In our most recent mailing we tell the story of the community of Piracãoera de Cima, where a church was recently built in the midst of the worst flooding in the Basin our generation has seen. It’s amazing to see how much God uses a physical building to build his eternal kingdom, as evidenced in the story of Piracãoera de Cima and its overseeing pastor, Reinaldo. Click to open this letter and take a quick trip with us down the Amazon River to see first hand how God is working through your prayers, donations, missions trips and support.
Help us build several more church buildings this year! Eleven teams are on their way down to physically contribute to our building projects. You can contribute to this most excellent work and donate to the Revolving Construction Fund.
Do you live in Canada or the United States and would like to receive these mailings? Please contact us and let us know, providing us with your address.
This Christmas, Project AmaZon director Jeff Hrubik sensed God leading us at PAZ to make a very different type of appeal – one I’ve personally never seen done, even heard of being done before! All I can say is that I believe God has something very special in store for you this Christmas and how God wants to use you! I’m expecting to hear testimonies of how God will use this challenge. If you have a great testimony or story to share with us that happened as a direct result of this letter, please send us that testimony. Either post it here or send it to one of our missionaries. Click the letter below to open and read it. Open your heart to receive what God would have you do this Christmas.
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.
Loading the boat with supplies
This local man points out how far the water came up on his house
The team enjoys their time while helping others rebuild their homes
Job well done
The PAZ church in Atumã, needing lots of love and attention
Unloading supplies in Atumã
New filters being delivered. Not work for the faint of heart!
Maria Campos overcome with emotion.
Once a green island, Bom Vento was completely submurged and covered in mud
Zenilson
Zenilson’s son
Zenilson’s house when PAZ first visited. The current destroyed the structural integrity of the home.
Zenilson’s land is cleared of the old house and ready for the new
The high water even entered functioning water filters, making them nonfunctional
Several churches needed to (quite literally) be pulled back together
The church in Aritapeira would receive much needed assistance
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!
This website and its portuguese counterpart www.missaopaz.com are produced and updated by these PAZ Missionaries living at the PAZ headquarters in Santarém. Click on their pictures to read their profiles.
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Congresso da Paz 2010
New PAZ Base: Sinop
An Historic Night
Gospel Power
Building the Kingdom
National Fast
PAZ 2014 Website
PAZ 2009 Highlights
A Christmas Non Appeal
Overwhelming Thanks
