Building Plans - This is just a sketch drawn up by the architect, but we are looking forward to seeing this to completion in the next few years. We plan to start with the back area, then build the front auditorium as the Lord provides.Regional Pastors Meeting - In August, we enjoyed a good time of fellowship with some of the Brazilian pastors in our area.Preaching in Vilhena - Amanda and I travelled down to Vilhena to spend the weekend with the church people while their pastor was away.Josiah, Jonathan and Judson - Recently the boys met up at a friends wedding. We miss them very much, yet we are grateful to God for our family.Deaf Activity - We had 10 deaf people attend a special activity in September.Children's Day - We decided to have an all you can eat ice cream party for the kids instead of having an activity this year.Children's Day - We decided to have an all you can eat ice cream party for the kids instead of having an activity this year.Children's Day - These children received a special gift from the church to celebrate their special day.Election/Politics - This is how they do it here! I am not sure whose vote they think they will be getting, but they did manage to disrupt traffic a bit.Manu is the daughter of a deaf lady that has been attending our church. We are praying the Lord will allow us to point her to Christ in due time.Deaf Activity - We were blessed to see a good group of deaf people come together for this special activity.Maternity Gifts - The Lord has opened an opportunity for our ladies to visit the maternity hospital and share the love of Christ with the mothers in the hospital.Conference for Indigenous Churches - We recently attended a service at this conference and were blessed by the reminder that the Indians also need reached for Christ.Conference for Indigenous Churches - We recently attended a service at this conference and were blessed by the reminder that the Indians also need reached for Christ.Special Music - Recently we have started an ensemble to sing special music in church on occasion.Adaptations - Since I cannot find a dryer part to replace this dry-rotted plastic, I had to adapt with chicken wire. It worked! Maybe we will be able to find a part in the future.Father's Day - This special day is celebrated during the month of August in Brazil. These are all o f our church men.Termite Damage - Living in the Amazon has some challenges. Termites in your roof is one of the challenges we have had.Termite Damage - We had the rotten wood replaced and a few leaks fixed. The rainy season is just around the corner. Now we need to spray for termites and try to get them out of the rest of the roof.Wooden Bridge - This bridge was quite long, but overall it was very sturdy. They have been replacing some of the planks.Zoró VBS 2026 - Since the church is in the village and all are present, we were able to see 7 baptized the week of VBS. The baptism happened just before lunch on a Friday!Zoró VBS 2026 - We had 38 kids enrolled in the VBS.Zoró VBS 2026 - This little grasshopper was about 6 inches long. It is hard to tell from the picture, but even the bugs get big in the rainforest!Zoró VBS 2026 - We held an open air meeting on Wednesday evening of VBS. There were around 80 people present and participating.Zoró VBS 2026 - Gabriel and Eliane Zoró do a great job with the children. It is a blessing to be able to help and encourage them as they reach the children in their tribe for Christ.Zoró VBS 2026 - Shortly after the story was told, we started a small bonfire and they roasted marshmallows for everyone to taste.Zoró VBS 2026 - This is the inside of the church building in the Zoró village. It is amazing how people are content with so little. Church can be much simpler than we make it to be.Zoró VBS 2026 - Eliane told the story of Ester.Zoró VBS 2026 - This young man was a handful all week. He had never participated in a VBS before and does not sit still very well.Zoró VBS 2026 - Some of the adolescents that participated in the VBSZoró VBS 2026 - Shogi is giving a devotional to part of the VBS children. He has been a missionary to this tribe for over 30 years. He rode along with me to help in the VBS.Record Attendance - On the last Sunday of the month we normally celebrate all those who have had birthdays in the church. This was our birthday Sunday in July when we hit our all time record for people attending a regular church service. We have had more during special meetings, but it gets crowded.Josiah and Jaina - We made a quick trip to the US to take part in our oldest son's wedding in June.Josiah and Jaina - We are thankful for the Allreds and how they raised a wonderful daughter to be a part of our family.Josiah and Jaina - The family is growing -Praise the Lord!25th Anniversary - We celebrated our 25th anniversary at our son's wedding!Special Speakers - Pastor Ademir (on the right) is a brother to one of the ladies in our church. While we were traveling he was able to come and preach in our church for the first time.Indian Village Visit - Crossing the river to go back to the car.Indian Village Visit - Crossing the river to go back to the car.Indian Village Visit - Gabriel and Eliane with their two daughters. On the right is Shogi who is a Brazilian missionary to the Zoró tribe and Gabriel's father is standing in the back.Indian Village Visit - Evening gathering and service.Indian Village Visit - Soup! Just get your spoon and dip it in the basin on the floor. That is how you do it!Indian Village Visit - This was a special meal! We were blessed that the entire group wanted to spend time together while we were there.Indian Village Visit - There were many Bible teaching opportunities. Every time we gathered, we had an opportunity to talk about the Lord.Indian Village Visit - Enjoying breakfast together in the village.Indian Village Visit - Soon after our arrival we began asking questions about Bible translation.Indian Village Visit - Sometimes you have to get away from the city to see how beautiful God's creation is.Car Repairs - Just before traveling to the Indian tribe, we discovered that the floorboard of our vehicle were soaked in water. After a recent A/C repair, the drain was left unattached. All the drain water was emptying into the floorboard. I had to remove all seats, pull back the carpet and dry it out for about a week.Young Boys - I have known Juan and Kelvin for nearly 4 years. Though they do not come to church often, we are trying to invest in their lives in every opportunity God allows. Here they are at our house helping prepare Gospel tracts to hand out.Missionary Couple - Shogi and Eula are a Brazilian missionary couple that work with the Zoró Indians. They have been faithful for many years serving the Lord. They are good friends and have sacrificed much in life for the cause of Christ.Couples' Bowling - In March we had an activity to encourage the couples in our church. It helped build the bond of fellowship amongst believers.Couples' Bowling - It was a huge blessing to see so many couples participate in this activity. We had several deaf couples participate in the event also.Cultural Things - While driving down our main interstate highway, we saw this man with a 25-30 foot piece of bamboo. He would have done great in jousting! We could build a book of unique things we have seen on motorcycles.Deaf Activity - We were blessed to have a group of deaf people at our house for an activity.Deaf Activity - Though we could not communicate well, we were able to play a few games and enjoy time together. Deaf are easy to entertain because many of them are children at heart.Deaf Activity - Though we wish we could have done more, our goal was just to show them that the Lord loves them and we love them.Training Men - I had the privilege of challenging a group of men to become leaders in their churches. May the Lord raise up men who will serve Him.Training Men - As we press forward in the ministry, one of our biggest challenges is training men to become leaders in the church. Bro. Sam Rogers organized this meeting to help the men in our churches.Cultural Things - While watching a local news station, we noticed the deaf interpreter. It was very difficult to see her hands because the station logo or ad was placed strategically (or accidentally) covering her hand motions. What good is an interpreter if you cannot see their signs?Baptism - We praise the Lord for Rogério. He has been growing spiritually. We are encouraged by his church attendance and sensitivity to the Lord.Baptism - We have found that in Rondônia, a river baptism is about the only baptism that is accepted. Most people are hesitant about a baptism in a pool or baptistry. We have no plans to build a baptistry in our future construction.Baptism - After our recent 8am baptism, we had a breakfast at church before our morning Sunday School. It is always a blessing to have a full house.Baptism - It is a blessing to have my parents working with us. This picture was taken just before the baptism.Water Filter - This water filter is an answer to prayer. It was installed in February. We are now able to filter all the water that comes in from the street. Look at the picture of our water box for an idea of why we need a water filter.Water Filter - What a mess! This is what our water box looked like before it was cleaned this month. We have been getting quite a bit of mud in our street water, so we decided it was time to do something about it.Happy Birthday Dad! 77 years and still serving the Lord. Though he is slowing down just a bit, we are grateful for his help in the ministry.Birthday Celebration - At the end of each month, we recognize those who had birthdays and enjoy a time of fellowship after the service. This February we celebrated with Danielle (deaf lady), Garry Tyler (my dad), Daniel (our sound guy), and Ivone (prospective member).Bruno - This man lives on the street and is always in front of our church. Of course he is there waiting or begging every time we have food, but he has come by many times to ask for a tract to read. In this picture, he is standing outside the church in the rain reading a children's booklet entitled "How To Get To Heaven." Please pray for his salvation!Ladies' Meeting - Our church ladies were invited to a church about an hour away to participate in a special meeting. We were pleased to take a group of seven ladies to this meeting.Guest Piano Player - Davi played the piano for our Wednesday evening service. Our people enjoyed watching him play and singing along.Guest preacher - Pastor Reuel and his family were driving through on their way back from vacation. We were able to spend a day with them. Their children are a joy to be around.Men's Night - We have been trying to encourage the men of the church. We desire to reach more men for Christ, but few come to church. We are hoping through this we can gain some trust and friendship with men in the community outside of church.Zeferino and doCarmo - We have been praying for this man for years now. He is not a Christian, but attends our church almost every Sunday night. We had a special opportunity to show him some love this month by celebrating his birthday together.Children's Class - Every week Amanda teaches this class. Each week we are amazed at the projects these kids take home. These hands on activities help the kids remember what they have learned.Deaf Class - These are the deaf people that God has sent to us recently. They are hungry to learn the word of God, but we are praying that God will send us another interpreter very soon.Welcome home! - Since we arrived back at our house, we already have new neighbors. These four houses were being constructed while we were on furlough, but one house is already occupied. We are expecting the other three families within the next few months. Since we only had three houses on our dead end street up to this point, this will more than double the population.Pastor Márcio - Visiting from the southern region of Brazil.Children's Day - October 12th is a special day in Brazil when we do something special for the kids. Since it fell on Sunday this year, the celebration was on Saturday.Deaf Appreciation Day - We always try to recognize the deaf. September 26th is the day set apart in Brazil for the deaf. God has blessed us with four times as many deaf as we had last year.Friends - We were blessed in a wonderful way to spend time with the Bixlers during a Bible conference they had in September. An added blessing was being there with Pastor Morlan, our pastor.Friends - We had the privilege to visit pastor Leo and his wife Renae while we were in the northeast. We were on deputation at the same time back in 2008. We enjoyed seeing them again after so many years.Atlantic Coast - While on furlough we have been from coast to coast.Friends - God has blessed us with many opportunities to visit with friends. The Hickoks in the center were missionaries in Brazil for well over 40 years.Home visits - The church ladies recently went to visit a deaf lady in the church. The Lord has blessed these visits.Friends - Enjoying fellowship with one of our new supporting pastor and his family - Pastor James MohlerFriends - It is always fun to go back to our supporting churches and spending time with friends. Some families have grown and we enjoy spending time with the children. They keep us smiling!God's Creation - We have tried to enjoy some of God's creation when we are able. We have seen some breathtaking sights over the past few months.4th of July - We were in Clark Fork, ID on the 4th of July. It was a blessing to get to know some of the Crown College students that were helping at the Passage in Heron, MT.Scenery - It is hard to describe how beautiful God's creation is. We have enjoyed seeing mountains, rivers, lakes, oceans, forests, and much more. We truly have a majestic God whose creation shows his handy work.Friends - Being a missionary kid is a challenge. Violet Rogers was doing an internship in CA. It was a blessing to be able to visit with her for a little while as we passed through the area.San Fransisco - Driving across the country has allowed us opportunities to see some places we would never have seen otherwise.Friends - We are always blessed by the fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ - Brother John Evertson and his wife were a blessing to us while we were at the North Valley Baptist Church in Santa Clara, CA.Pacific Coast - We have been from one coast to the other on this furlough!Friends - The Davidson family has been a blessing to us. We met them out in California and then again in Florida!Friends - Jim and Susan Lee have been our friends for many years. It was a blessing to see them again in Camarillo, CA.Fellowship - Pr. Hudson (in the center) is the closest like-minded pastor to us. He has been very kind and has offered to help quite a bit in my absence.Graduations - Judson walked in our home church's graduation on May 16th. God is working in his life and we are glad to be his parents.Mother's Day - Each mother received a mug with a picture of her with her children from the church for Mother's Day.Graudations - Josiah graduated from Pensacola Christian College on May 9th! We are proud of how God is using him.Fellowship - These are our dear deaf ladies with my mother, Pam Tyler. Now that several are attending, they are able to fellowship more easily.Fellowship - Food has a way of getting people to talk. I love seeing God's people with smiles on their faces enjoying the time together.Fellowship - It is such a blessing to see everyone at the church having fellowship together after the services even when we are not there. Zeferino, the man on the left is unsaved, but has been attending almost every Sunday since February.Furlough - This is the beginning of a 5 month journey! It will be a tough one because we will return by ourselves. (My niece Sunshine traveled back to the US with us.)Sophia - Every time Sophia comes to our house, we like to give her and her sister a game and teach them how to play it. Here she is teaching her friends in the tribe how to play Uno.Church Fellowship - With lots of food, people were glad to hang around and play together.Gabriel giving us an update on what God is doing through their ministry in the Indian tribe.Church Fellowship - Having these missionaries in, gave us the opportunity to spend time together as a church. The fellowship was wonderful.Gabriel and Eliane along with their daughters Sophia and Heloisa spent a weekend with us. They are missionaries to the children of their own tribe.Repairs - Due to infiltration, the paint was falling off the walls. We recently repainted the church building.Faithful MembersFaithful MembersMarcos is one of our faithful men. Each Sunday one of the men lead our church in reading a passage from Scripture.Indian Village - This was a failed trip to an Indian village. We set out in the afternoon, but the rains were strong and the rivers overflowed blocking the roads so that we could not get to our destination. We planned to participate in a 60 year celebration since the gospel had reached the Gavião tribe.Visits - Recently we drove about 30 minutes to a nearby town to visit Bruna. Though she lives a little ways away, she drives to our church every Sunday morning, then eats lunch with us and hangs out at my parents' house until the evening service.CREATURES - Here is another wonder we found recently. This moth (between 8-10 inches wide) is one of many large moths that live in our area.CREATURES - This beetle was about two inches long. The variety of insects and critters that come around our house is unbelievable.CREATURES - Our world is full of creatures. I think about half of them live withing a mile from our house. This little lizard was only about two or two and a half inches long. He has been domesticated and makes a living on mosquitos and moths that live in our house.Friends - Pastor William and Silvia are friends from many years ago. They were a great influence on me when I was a teenager. They were in my trained in my parents' church years ago. It is always a blessing to see them again.Visitors at Church - Suyane came to church for the first time in December. Her mother (left) attended our church for a while, but passed away this last year.Christmas 2024 - The Tyler FamilyChristmas 2024 - Time spent as a family was precious this Christmas. Soon all of our children will be away from home and we cherish every opportunity we have with them.Young People's Activity - Coordinating six people to draw a picture together is not as easy as it seems. This team did a great job!Young People's Activity - Learning to work together is a challenge. This activity was fun for everyone and helped them learn to communicate.Young People's Activity - The teens enjoyed the games and participated with great attitudes.Young People's Activity - CompetitionYoung People's Activity - The teens were divided into smaller groups. These smaller groups provided interaction with teens from other churches.Young People's Activity - Fun and gamesYoung People's Activity - Fun and gamesYoung People's Activity - Fun and gamesYoung People's Activity - Along with the games, the teens had studied the book of I Thessalonians. They answered over 100 questions about the book while competing for their team.Young People's Activity - These teens are natural artists!Young People's Activity - Working togetherYoung People's Activity - We provided lunch for the teens.Young People's Activity - John Kokenzie preached for us at the teen activity.Young People's Activity - During the quizzing, we have a panel of judges that make decisions on answers given by the teens. These guys took their job seriously.Young People's Activity - Bible Quizzing timeYoung People's Activity - Before a day of working together, we used a few ice breakers to help the teens get to know each other.Young People's Activity - While some sing, others watch for cameras.Young People's Activity - Judson has been our pianist for the last few years. We are grateful for his willingness to help.Children's Day - In this picture you can see multiple cotton balls spread out around the room. The children found 99 "sheep" scattered around the room. The 100th "sheep" was lost.Children's Day - Garry Tyler (my father) teaching the Bible verse to the children.Children's Day - The ladies decorated a few tables full of treats for the kids.Children's Day - Along with the story of the prodigal son, the children made a craft to help them remember the story.Children's Day - Amanda helped the children with the craft.Children's Day - Even the very young children had fun playing the games and listening to the story.While celebrating a birthday, we got together with a few other missionaries and went on a walk. You know you are in the rain forest when the jungle takes over the walk!Missionary Camp Meeting - Bro. Dave Whitmore came up to Rondônia to preach and we were invited to a missionary gathering where he preached to us in English. It was a blessing to spend time in fellowship with American missionaries from all around the state of Rondônia.VBS Suruí Tribe - Being the first VBS ever in the Suruí tribe, we were not quite sure what to expect, but God did a wonderful thing in the lives of children, teens and adults.VBS Suruí Tribe - The dinner line. After a day of many activities, most everyone was anxious to get some food.VBS Suruí Tribe - It is hard to describe the joy that is seen in the eyes of children who get to participate in some very simple activities. They are very expectant and enjoy even the wait for their turn.VBS Suruí Tribe - Though age limits are set, who can resist a little face like this wanting to participate?VBS Suruí Tribe - Notice as the children are having fun that the adults are in the hammocks in the background taking care of the young children or just relaxing in the heat of the day. This covering was my sleeping quarters while I was in the tribe. Though only two of us slept there at night, several people set up their hammocks under the covering during the day.VBS Suruí Tribe - Though very inexperienced, these ladies volunteered to help with the songs for the children.VBS Suruí Tribe - Children of all ages attended even if they could not participate.VBS Suruí Tribe - Rubens is the man who headed up the VBS. He is the most trained person in the Suruí tribe because he has had two years of basic Bible teaching. The pastors have very little to no training at all.VBS Suruí Tribe - Beautiful faces!VBS Suruí Tribe - Our meeting place.VBS Suruí Tribe - Soabá is Rubens' grandmother. Notice how she carries this basket.VBS Suruí Tribe - In order to get to the meeting location we had to park by the river and cross on this bridge supported by two long logs.VBS Suruí Tribe - Notice the smoke that can be seen in the trees further in the background. Visibility has been low all over the country due to recent fires.VBS Suruí Tribe - Along with the one weak light bulb that was illuminating the speaker, we set up a few flashlights to brighten up the area up front. The children never complained about it being difficult to see. They were enjoying the activity too much.Piano Repairs - Along with many other hats, sometimes a missionary has to repair his own refrigerator, washing machine or in this case, an electric piano. I began tuning pianos until I realized that after a week in Rondônia's climate, any piano gets out of tune. A digital piano has been a huge blessing.Culture - This picture is full of cultural information. It was taken right out in front of our church. Notice the dozens of wires running everywhere and the man leaning his ladder against the wires to work on them. Just notice the other things in the picture and you might find some other cultural tidbits.Father's Day - These were the men that were at church in August when Brazil celebrates Father's Day.Adventures - Memories are made when things go wrong! This just happens to be one of those memories. We were taking our children for a hike. The Kokenzie's car had one flat right after the other forcing us to put 9 people in a 7 person vehicle for an hour.Zoró Tribe VBS - I had the privilege to help baptize Sofia. She is the daughter of the missionary we went to help.Zoró Tribe VBS - Gabriel and Eliane (left) are Zoró missionaries to the children. In front of me is Shogi, a Brazilian missionary of Japanese descent, and to our right is Rúbens a missionary from the Suruí tribe. It was a blessing to spend time with these great people.Zoró Tribe VBS - There were 86 attendees and 24 workers involved in this event. Many other adults and teenagers were present also.Zoró Tribe VBS - Though he did not participate in the VBS, this man was very talented and was showing the children how to make calls for many different animals.Zoró Tribe VBS - Children everywhere love to have fun. Vacation Bible School is just one way to reach their hearts with the Gospel.Zoró Tribe VBS - Water balloons are always fun!Zoró Tribe VBS - Children love to playZoró Tribe VBS - Game time!Zoró Tribe VBS - These children enjoyed playing very simple games.Zoró Tribe VBS - ChildrenZoró Tribe VBS - ChildrenZoró Tribe VBS - It was a blessing to be able to help a bit with the music.Zoró Tribe VBS - It is exciting to see young men serving the Lord and helping teach songs and verses to these kids.Zoró Culture - These baskets were full of fish. I was not able to get a good picture of the fish before it had been devoured. Once they are opened, it is a free for all and people just reach down and grab what they want. I did get a piece though, and it was good!Zoró Culture - Twice we were served soup in the afternoon. The men gathered around this table to eat a fish and corn soup. It was served just as you see and eaten with leaves. The leaves were folded to make a spoon. The following day we were served stingray with stingray soup.Zoró Tribe VBS - Gabriel teaching about the life and ministry of Paul.Zoró Tribe VBS - This man dressed up as Paul and came to speak to the children.Zoró Tribe VBS - Packed Pews!Zoró Tribe VBS - These were our sleeping quarters for the VBS. Nights were cold. Small fires were started under this covering to keep people warm.5 Year Anniversary Conference - Fellowship usually centers around a good cake or some food.5 Year Anniversary Conference - The church logo was printed on the cake. The ladies did a fabulous job making this special cake!5 Year Anniversary Conference - Pastor Wanderley was our guest speaker.5 Year Anniversary Conference - God blessed us with heart stirring Bible preaching.5 Year Anniversary Conference - In this picture the people are watching a video of memories from the past five years.4th of July - Most years, we try to get together for a time of fellowship on the 4th of July. There are normally a few missionaries on furlough, but we were grateful to spend some time with those that were able to participate this year. Tylers, Kokenzies, Rogers, Lawsons, Divinos and Schmidts.As we travel we receive a few reminders of our home country. Some people still envy the freedoms we are so quickly losing.Friends - One of the highlights of our trip was getting to see friends once again. We had the privilege of staying with Dan and Gerri Johnson (Uncle Dan and Aunt Gerri). A good portion of my teenage years were spent in their home.My parents are off on a furlough. We will miss their help over the next few months, but we are happy they are able to get away.Pizza Hut - The airport in São Paulo has several American restaurants. The Pizza Hut buffet was the choice for the day, complete with a Brazilian version of cinnamon rolls, breadsticks and more.While in Limeira, we stayed with a family that has three young children. Laura, the youngest, was always entertaining. We had a precious time in the home of these friends.Cacoal - In our absence from Cacoal, a young preacher fresh out of seminary filled in for our services. Lucas and his wife Beatriz were a blessing to our church.My parents - Garry and Pam TylerSunday School - The Lord has sent us some precious people through the years. These twin sisters came to Sunday School for two weeks before their grandmother moved to another state and took them with her.Outreach - One of the men in our church witnessing to this lady.Outreach - In May we were able to set up a table down at the local market and give out cold water, Bibles, tracts, and Bible story books for children. We spent several hours telling people about Jesus and sharing the love of Christ with others. The Bibles went like hot cakes!Outreach - In May we were able to set up a table down at the local market and give out cold water, Bibles, tracts, and Bible story books for children. We spent several hours telling people about Jesus and sharing the love of Christ with others. The Bibles went like hot cakes!Outreach - In May we were able to set up a table down at the local market and give out cold water, Bibles, tracts, and Bible story books for children. We spent several hours telling people about Jesus and sharing the love of Christ with others. The Bibles went like hot cakes!Judson is now 17!!! Happy Birthday, Judson! It is hard to believe how quickly the time has passed.Cookies - Some of the ladies and girls in the church got together to make cookies.Visitors - This is not the kind of visitors we hope to have, but in our new house, this is one of three snakes we have run across. This one was a boa constrictor about 4 ft. long. Though mostly harmless, we were not hospitable when we found him at our kitchen door.Easter Morning - Just before Sunrise, we began our Easter service out at the farm of some of our church members.Easter Morning - Celebrating the Lord's Supper with a sunrise service.Easter Morning - The family at whose farm we held our Easter Sunrise Service decorated a special table for the event.Couples' Activity - The statue of liberty is the iconic symbol for one of the large department stores here in Brazil. At our activity, each couple was required to complete several tasks around town. One of the tasks was to take a selfie with the statue of liberty in the background.Couples' Activity - Another one of our church couples taking their selfie.Couples' Activity - Another one of our church couples taking their selfie. Please pray for this man. He has yet to trust the Lord as his Savior. His wife has been saved for many years, but we believe God is working in his life now.Couples' Activity - Another one of our church couples taking their selfie.Couples' Activity - Another one of our church couples taking their selfie.Couples' Activity - Though my parents did not take a selfie in front of the statue of liberty, they were hanging out at the mall waiting to give each couple their next set of instructions.Couples' Activity - God has blessed me with a beautiful wife! The ministry is more delightful with her by my side.March Teen Activity - Each of these activities also is an opportunity to study the Bible. The teens are quizzed over a story or a number of chapters.March Teen Activity - The term "teen" or better "young people" is given to anyone who is not married. Occasionally we have someone near 40 years old participate, but young adults in their 20s usually participate.March Teen Activity - There were 10 different churches represented at this activity.Teen Activity - We participated in a teen activity at a church about 90 minutes away. The young man (Jhonata) next to me had just come to church for the first time the week before.Camp - I was invited to preach at a camp about five hours north of us. It was a blessing to see many people I had not seen for more than 10 years.Camp - Each evening several adults drove out to the camp to participate in the church services. There were about 100 people there throughout the 4 days.Camp - The teen boys were enjoying their moment in the spotlight after winning their competitions. They were typical teenagers.Wow! There is not anything quite like a bus ministry here in Brazil, but this church van is about as close as it gets. It is used weekly to pick people up for Sunday School and church.Camp - Some children's workers really get into it! Each day someone took the younger children out to teach them during the services.Thinking back on the 15 years since we were sent out as missionaries of the Temple Baptist Church under Pastor Clarence Sexton. This was the day I was ordained into the ministry in March 2009.My father had cataract surgery this month. The surgery was in another town about three hours from Cacoal. Thankfully, everything has gone as well as expected and he is seeing much better.Our teens sang together in our Christmas Eve service. It was a blessing to hear them sing about the Savior's birth.Pr. Emídio (left) and his wife were a great blessing to me. I was invited to preach a three day conference for them in Rio Branco. It took about 18 hours by bus to get to there and the same coming back. What a blessing it was to preach on the second coming of Christ and enjoy fellowship with brothers and sisters in Christ.Ladies' Christmas Tea - This event has brought in many ladies who do not attend our church.Ladies' Christmas Tea - Sabrini and her daughter GabrielaLadies' Christmas Tea - All but one of these ladies attend our church regularly. This is just a small number of the ladies that were present.Ladies' Christmas Tea - Bruna, and my mother Pam with Amanda. Bruna lost her mother last year and we have tried to encourage her through these difficult days. She lives about 45 minutes away from our church.Ladies' Christmas Tea - Luciene (sitting down) is our neighbor. She works every evening we have church, but this gathering gave an opportunity for her to participate in a church event. Her daughter who is twelve years old has been coming to church most every service.Ladies' Christmas Tea - Though it is quite a bit of work running after everything, Amanda always does a great job at preparing and getting things set up for this event.Missions Month - Rúbens is an evangelist to children in the Suruí tribe.Missions Month - Try out reading this Portuguese in black and Suruí in red.Missions Month - We had an exciting Sunday School with a native Indian missionary teaching the children.Missions Month - Rúbens taught all the children to sing God is so good in Suruí.Missions Month - This is s slide of the song God Is So Good in the Suruí language.Missions Month - Jefferson and Epi are Brazilians who are serving in São Felipe. They are working in a small church which is around and hour from Cacoal. Previously they have served in several different countries and still carry on weekly training after their visas were denied in the country where they served.Teen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - We had teens from seven different churches participating in this event. It was a great blessing to see these young people study the Bible and enjoy a day of fellowship together.Teen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - Unscrambling a Bible verseTeen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - Unscrambling a Bible verseTeens Activity - Though our system is a bit primitive compared to some, having a bell on a table actually worked pretty well.Teen Activity - Renan is one of the men in our church and he did a fabulous job of coming up with about 150 questions out of the book of James. He also had the opportunity to ask the questions on the day of the event.Teen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - Young ladies practicing their posture and balance. Just don't let anyone knock the cup off of your head while you are practicing.Teen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - This is a game of Tug of War without a rope. They boys enjoyed the challenge.Teen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - The judges panel.Teen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - Scavenger HuntTeen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - Pr. Hudson preaching to the young people.Teen Gathering and Bible Quizzing - We were blessed with a good group of teens for this event and the Lord provided an air conditioned building for us.Children's Day - Which team can draw the best LION? It is a little unpredictable when they are blindfolded and each child one only draws one part.Children's Day - Everyone like trying to win candy.Children's Day - Even the little ones enjoy the activity in one way or another.Children's Day - You don't always have to be the best person for the job. You just need to pour your heart into it. Working with children can be a huge blessing.Children's Day - Bible Story time.Creation Conference - We had a full house on Friday night for the closing session of the conference. The topic was Dinosaurs and the Bible.Creation Conference - Mrs. Johnson did a chalk drawing for the ladies and taught them a lesson. It was a great blessing.Creation Conference - Dan Johnson has been a missionary in Brazil for nearly 50 years. He was a great influence in my life as a teenager and was a great help to our church through the week.Father's Day - Connect 4 is actually a pretty fun game to play. Here we have a father and son playing against a grandfather-grandson duo.Father's Day - We enjoyed an activity with some of the parents and their children.Father's Day - Zach and his daughter Michele are working on a puzzle together.Indian Tribe VBS - This looks like a painting, but the photo was taken right near the tribe as we went down to the river.Indian Tribe VBS - Beautiful children!Indian Tribe VBS - The young man in the front is from a different tribe, but came to help with vacation Bible school. He also did not speak their language.Indian Tribe VBS - Young people participated answering questions about the stories.Indian Tribe VBS - Gabriel teaching the Bible story of Joshua and Caleb.Indian Tribe VBS - Eliane taught the story of Jim Eliot and Nate Saint to a group of Indian children. The story was full of emotion as she described the missionaries giving their lives to share the Gospel. What a marvelous change the Gospel has made in this tribe!Indian Tribe VBS - The kids sat in the chairs, but the adults sat in the back and participated in everything.Indian Tribe VBS - Kids are the same everywhere! They light up when they get an opportunity to have fun.Indian Tribe VBS - The afternoons were full of fun and games for kids and adults. These are beautiful kids that were full of energy.Indian Tribe VBS - As you can see on the sign near the guitar, the name of the village is Pawãnewã. This was the setup for the Vacation Bible School.Indian Tribe VBS - Many times the fish was set out on this table. Once something is set on the table, it is free for grabs. The dogs eat any fish bones or leftovers, so just drop anything you don't want on the floor!Indian Tribe VBS - This is the supper line! Grab a plate and they will fill it for you with fish, rice, spaghetti or whatever the menu for the day includes.Lorraine has been excited to come to Sunday school. She repeated the entire lesson on the way home. This is the result of a young lady who has dedicated herself the last three months to teach Sunday School. Look at the effort she put in to building a well. The amazing thing is that it actually works. You can raise the bucket in and out of the well. Can you guess what story this is?God has blessed us with three wonderful children. We are very thankful for each of them.Bible Story Time! (At least they look like they were enjoying it.)Bible Story Time!!! No story, no play time. That is what one of the ladies decided as she asked these boys to come over to her house.June 2023 Family PictureThank you Pastor Sexton for your encouragement to us and our children.Jonathan with Selina KokenzieMissionary kids!!! They are an interesting bunch. They can't even figure out which camera to look to. Jonathan enjoyed having the Kokenzies and the Rogers at his graduation.Jonathan's graduationThe graduate and his mother.Sometimes you have to travel over 5,000 miles to see friends who live just two hours away! We have been friends with the Kokenzies for years. Though we have not been working together for almost ten years, our children have been very close friends through all that time.Church ladies having a bit of fellowship after church.Jonathan and I in Chicago, getting him registered with the consulate.Heading to the airport for the beginning of a summer trip.The GraduateThe GraduateThe GraduateThe GraduateNever a dull moment!Watch out below! This is not a tree I want in my yard. Look closely.Some of the ladies gathered for a birthday.Raylda training our people to teach children.Raylda is a missionary to children. She works in the public schools and holds Bible Clubs, Vacation Bible Schools, teaches in Day Care Centers, and has been doing this for over 40 years.Raylda - Missionary to ChildrenThis cake is a good description of Jonathan. Happy Birthday!Youth Activity in Ji-ParanáYouth Activity in Ji-Paraná - Our young people once again won the Bible quizzing competition that was held in January.Youth Activity in Ji-ParanáYouth Activity in Ji-Paraná - Pastor's wife and a Missionary's WifeYouth Activity in Ji-ParanáYouth Activity in Ji-Paraná - Bro. Mike Schmidt preachingYouth Activity in Ji-ParanáYouth Activity in Ji-ParanáYouth Activity in Ji-ParanáChildren admiring their attendance chart in the Sunday School classroom.Christmas Day at church. What a blessing to see young children at church.Christmas Day Fellowship after churchChristmas Day Fellowship after church.Christmas Day Fellowship after church.Christmas Day Fellowship after church.Christmas Day Fellowship after church.Christmas Day ServiceChristmas Day ServiceChristmas Day ServiceChristmas Day ServiceChildren's Christmas Program - The boys came in as wise men singing "Come and Worship"Children's Christmas Program - the boys came in as angels singing "Come and Worship"One of the ladies in our church with three of her visitors at the Ladies' Christmas Tea.Ladies' Christmas Tea (4 of these ladies were visitors)Talyeni, Bruna and GeisaLadies' Christmas TeaLadies' Christmas TeaZinélia is a pastor's wife from a church in Ji-Paraná.Ladies' Christmas TeaLadies' Christmas TeaLadies' Christmas TeaThe guest speaker for the Ladies' Christmas Tea with two daughters and two other ladies from their church in Ji-Paraná.Amanda with my mom (Pam Tyler)Pam Tyler (my Mom) and one of the young adults in our church.Ladies' Christmas TeaThis may not mean much to most people, but we enjoy seeing Brazil flags. Recently there has been increased numbers of flags being displayed. It probably is because Independence Day, presidential elections, and the World Cup have all been very close this year. Yet, we enjoy seeing the revived patriotism.Deaf Sunday - Pam Tyler interpreting for the special service in São Felipe.Deaf Sunday - This deaf couple in the center of the photo has been attending church in São Felipe, but no one knows how to communicate with them very well. The services and transcribed by means of Google Meet and they read on a cellphone what the pastor is preaching. We were able to help encourage the people to learn sign language so they can help this couple.Deaf Sunday - Judson translated as his grandfather, Garry Tyler led the singing for the service in São Felipe.Deaf Sunday - This was a very special day for Raquel because she was not only recognized by the entire church, but she was able to participate and teach her language to other people.Deaf Sunday - The sign for Jesus is the same in ASL and in Libras (Portuguese sign language). These people are learning the basics to be able to invite deaf people to church.Deaf Sunday - Judson and Raquel teaching signs.Deaf Sunday - Judson and Raquel teaching basic signs from Brazilian sign language to our church and the church in São Felipe.Deaf Sunday - We presented Raquel (our deaf lady) with a present. She also had a special gift for each of the interpreters.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Our young people excelled in the competition. We took 1st and 3rd in the individual competition and 1st in the team competition.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Strogonoff, rice and a salad was the menu for the day. We also had hot dogs later in the day and ice cream for a treat.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Each team competed with several other teams to see who could organize the books of the Bible more quickly. The names of each book were written on the sides of the cups.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Without any electronic quizzing apparatuses, we were able to create a simple way to present the questions and determine who should answer first. This is the "Brazilian Way" of making do with what you have. (We are getting good at this.)Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Pastor Cleis gave his testimony during out meeting. He was born of an Indian father and a Brazilian mother. He was raised by his grandmother and did not know either of his parents during his childhood. He met his father as a teenager. After a very violent and difficult upbringing, God took him out of that life, put him through seminary, and now he is a pastor and is working about an hour from us.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - What a blessing to hear all these teens lifting up their voice in praise.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Most of these girls were a bit young to participate, but they wanted to see what it was all about.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Everyone was very attentive and we never had to ask anyone to be quiet or sit still during the 8 hours of the event. All the teens were very well behaved.Teen Bible Quiz Meet - Some of our helpers.Teen Bible Quiz MeetIndependence Day - September 7th
Flavio, the man standing in a black shirt, is unsaved. After the cookout, he said, "I don't think I have ever been to a place and had this much fun without drinking."Independence Day - September 7th
The Lord has blessed me with a beautiful wife. She is a virtuous woman and a godly mother.Independence Day - September 7th
Though it is not a well-known game here in Brazil, the boys enjoy teaching people to play Pit. A few of the ladies were worried the neighbors would think we were all crazy.Independence Day - September 7th
A lively game of Chicken Foot. Actually, it was very calm until they decided to play Pit. We do well with games that do not have words.Independence Day - September 7th
We had a little cookout at my parent's house. The ladies enjoyed some fellowship while the men cooked the meat and played games.Sometimes, you just run in to unexpected surprises. This guy decided to pay us a visit at church. He was waiting in front of the door when we arrived at church. What is it? A longhorn beetle.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/AcrocininiFather's Day - Here in Brazil, Father's Day is in August. It was a blessing to have several visiting fathers on that day, including one of the former governors of the state of Rondônia.Father's Day Men's Retreat - Along with those who brought hammocks, there was also a group that brought tents. The men enjoyed camping out, swimming after midnight, three preaching services, fellowship and plenty of food.Men's retreat - This is one of the most common ways to sleep at any camp or retreat. Just take a hammock. The platform worked as a makeshift lodging because the beams were lower to the ground.Garry Tyler preaching at a regional men's retreat around Father's Day.Celebrating Amanda's Birthday. She is finally 29!While we have older trucks around here, this one was a rare sight! Do you know what truck it is?Basketball anyone!? VBS can bring out the creativity!Nine young people trusted Christ as their savior as a result of this young man's vision to reach his own people with the Gospel.VBS in the Indian tribe. - We wanted to be a part of this, but the Lord did not allow us to this year. Maybe next year.Gabriel and Eliane Zoró are missionaries to their own people. Please pray for the Zoró people to come to Christ.VBS in the Indian tribe. - We wanted to be a part of this, but the Lord did not allow us to this year. Maybe next year.This couple spent the night with us and I took them to the airport the next day.Lunch with the seminary students!Lunch with the seminary students!Lunch with the seminary students!Lunch with the seminary students!Dad was preaching in a conference in another state on this day, but here is a picture of our family with my mom.Here is a more recent picture of our family. Though not the best quality, at least you can see how we have changed before you see us next time.Renan and Geisa and little Miguel are part of the reason this church exists. Raquel (with the Mickey shirt) is deaf. Jô (on the right) is Renan and Raquel's mother.Artur and his wife Cleonice are pillars in the church. Here they are pictured with Ester an elderly lady they pick up for church and Engrid who lives down the street form the church.Marcos and his family are a huge blessing in the church. We are praying that the Lord will use them in a great way.Abiu - a fruit that has somewhat of a nutty flavor. It has a few large seeds in the middle and the fruit is very sweet. This was a first for us.This is Pr. Ernandes, his wife Rose and their children Sofia and Gabriel. It was a blessing to spend time with them while we were in Rio Branco.JESUS - Do you like Jesus? On this trip, we were introduced to a new soft drink. The man who started the company was named Jesus (a somewhat common name in South America). Coca-Cola bought it out because they could not compete with it in one state in Brazil.Practicing to play for the evening service.Practicing to play for the evening service.We had some technical issues, but in the end, the choir did a great job and it was honoring to the Lord.I had the privilege to preach a Gospel message to all that gathered to hear the choir sing.Singing on the steps of the governor's palace in Rio Branco - Acre.We spent the entire week practicing songs for the presentation on Saturday. The numbers were down due to a COVID increase in the area.Some of the young people that participated in the week of music in Rio Branco.Hello Sam! Though this one was in a zoo, we have seen toucans on the loose.Notice all of the capybaras in the background.Capivara - Or as you might call them "capybara". Maybe you would just not call them. These rodent/pig animals are very common all over Brazil.Rio Branco is the capital of the state of Acre. Most cities in the Amazon region are built along side a river.Rio Branco is a city that was established many years ago on the rubber industry. These trees indicate its age in comparison to most cities in our state that are only about 40 years old.Checkpoint - We were stopped while traveling near the Bolivia border. They went through everything we had in the trunk of the car. Most likely, they were looking for drugs.Beautiful sunset over the river as we neared the city of Jaci-Paraná.Rio Madeira - One of the Amazon tributaries flowing through our state. After living here in Rondônia for 10 years, Amanda and the boys finally saw it for the first time.God used this missionary to challenge us.It was a privilege to have this guest speaker in.Jonathan wanted to settle the matter of his baptism. Though already saved, there was some doubt as to his baptism. It was a privilege to be able to baptize him.Geisa giving her testimony of salvation.Jô giving her testimony.Irani giving her testimony of faith in Christ.Marcos is one of our faithful men. This family is a great encouragement to us. His testimony, though simple was a blessing.It was a blessing to hear DoCarmo give her testimony. Pray for Zeferino's (her husband) salvation.Salvation testimonies being givenSalvation testimonies being givenSalvation testimonies being givenSalvation testimonies being givenSalvation testimonies being givenConference in Indian Tribe - Specifically geared toward young people. Notice the Wifi router. I have a feeling many of these Indians are more civilized than I am.Conference in Indian Tribe - This is one of the native leaders in this tribe. He is a young preacher who spoke at the conference.Conference in Indian Tribe - Singing by different tribes that were present.Conference in Indian Tribe - Singing by different tribes that were present.Conference in Indian Tribe - Singing by different tribes that were present.Conference in Indian Tribe - Singing by different tribes that were present.Conference in Indian Tribe - Singing by different tribes that were present.Conference in Indian Tribe - Beside me is Shoge a missionary to the Indians and three of our church people that were able to attend with me.Conference in Indian Tribe - Here is where everyone sleeps. There are hundreds of restrooms all around, just pick any one of them.This is the main tabernacle where church is regularly held every week as well as these special conferences. Here is a list of all the tribes represented... Zoró MT / Aikanã RO / Arara de Rondônia / Palmari AM / Kayapó PA / Parecis MT / Terena MS / Xavante MT / Suruí RO / Cinta-Larga RO/MT / Apurinã AM / Guarani SP / Amondawa RO / Karajás MT / Gavião de Rondônia / Dwou AM / Kuikuro MT / Bororo MT.A couple from our church speaking to the missionary that invited us.It is always a blessing to have help in church! I think my dad was trying to give some practical application to the chronology of Revelation.Artur has been a great help in the church. He does everything he is asked to do and more. He is now helping us prepare people to readily give an answer to anyone that might ask them about their faith.Mother's Day 2022Amanda was invited to speak at a ladies' event the Saturday before Mother's Day. I went along to help with some important business.Amanda spoke to the ladies at Bro. Brian Lawson's church. The fellowship on the outside was a blessing as we helped prepare a meal for the women.Amanda speaking at a ladies' meeting at the Lawson's church.Amanda with Mrs. Lawson and a lady from the church.Activities during the ladies' meeting at the Lawson's church.Amanda, Mrs. Lawson, and Zinélia another pastor's wife.I admit that driving in Brazil has its challenges, but I still cannot figure out what to do at this light!For his birthday, Judson received a three volume set Brazilian sign language dictionary. Does he look happy?Missionary Kids - This group has grown up together. Two are in college, one leaving and several graduating soon. Many memories have been created and life long friendships developed.Fellow Missionary - Sam Rogers
Bro. Sam was a blessing to the church with his soul-winning message on Stephen's influence in the salvation of Saul.Fellow Missionary - Sam Rogers
Though I was not present, our people enjoyed the message. Please pray for the Rogers as they return to the US for a furlough.Renan was willing to help in so many ways so that I could go preach at another church. It is such a blessing to see people volunteering to help.The Lord used a generous person to donate some electronic equipment to our church. Though we are still learning how best to use it, Renan enjoyed using it to help explain the Bible chronology for the book of Genesis.Renan, one of our men, teaching Sunday School.Amanda teaching her SS class.Spending time with friends.Spending a day with friends. Jonas and Miriam are great friends and he keeps his pond stocked. They boys enjoy catching fish here because it is easy!Outreach - So far, our outreach has been very successful and we have seen visitors come to church every time we have done this.Outreach - When asking the church what kind of evangelism they thought would be good, the decision was to hand out water, tracts, Bibles and other literature right in front of our church to those who walk by.Lately, we have been seeing many towns in our area putting out public dumpster bins. These were placed just about 50 feet from our church doors.Rainy season in our neck of the woods bring a beautiful rainbow (sometimes a double or triple rainbow) almost every day. God keeps his promises even in the rainy season!Activities in the children's class after the story.Raylda teaching the children's classRaylda teaching the children's classFebruary 18th flood in Cacoal. I think he got stuck on the speed bump.February 18th flood in Cacoal.February 18th flood in Cacoal.Garry Tyler preaching.Amanda's Sunday School class. Not many kids right now, but the Lord has blessed us with a place to teach them, so we are using it.Jonathan leading singing while Judson translates for the deaf.Jonathan leading singing while Judson translates for the deaf.This is what parrots do to your wires. They are beautiful creatures, but VERY noisy and love to short out wires by chewing on the plastic coating.Look closely at the feet sticking out of the back. Not the most common place to take a nap.Upgrades - As you can see from the picture, we have added service times and contact info on the building.Upgrades - We were able to darken the front glass to avoid visibility during the week when nobody is around the church.Though a bit hard to compare, our auditorium is now about 60% larger than it was at the beginning of the year.Soccer - It is hard to get a good picture with the less than desirable lighting, but our church men have begun playing soccer with men in the community. Though we do it for exercise, the Lord is using it as an outreach. We have several unsaved men playing with us.Prospective Pastor - A visit from our friend Jonas (left) brought along a pastor who is considering working in our area. Pastor Claudemir (right) is praying about the possibility.In preparation for the next few months, we decided to go ahead and expand our auditorium.In preparation for the next few months, we decided to go ahead and expand our auditorium. It is always a blessing to have men in the church who are willing to help.In preparation for the next few months, we decided to go ahead and expand our auditorium. With help from the men we were able to finish everything in one day.Deaf Ministry - This is our deaf ministry for the time being.New Years Eve - We hosted a cookout at our house for the church. It was a great time of fellowship.New Years Eve - We hosted a cookout at our house for the church. It was a great time of fellowship.New Years Eve - We hosted a cookout at our house for the church. It was a great time of fellowship.New Years Eve - We hosted a cookout at our house for the church. It was a great time of fellowship.Christmas Program - This event was a special night for our church. We had a packed auditorium with many visitors.Christmas Program - This event was a special night for our church. We had a packed auditorium with many visitors.High quality bulletins for our Christmas Concert.When starting a church, there are many little things that must be done. This installment was simple, but the ladies were happy to have somewhere to get water.1st Teen Event - Competition winners1st Teen Event - Popping balloons with an airsoft gun.1st Teen Event - Tug of war is always fun. Especially when we win.1st Teen Event - All that were present1st Teen Event - The group from our church1st Teen Event - A bonfire in the rain!1st Teen Event - The event was in the city we lived in from 2012-2015Our 3rd serviceThe repairs on our church buildingThe repairs on our church buildingAfter renting the building, we found a few problematic places that needed repair.After renting the building, we found a few problematic places that needed repair.Josiah playing in a concert at PCC! We sure do wish we could be there to see him play.Our first service in the newly rented building.Our first service in the newly rented building.Our first service in the newly rented building.Our first service in the newly rented building.Jonathan has become our pianist for some of the services.Here is a picture of the outside of our clean building! Just don't pay attention to Jonathan in the window.The new church pianoThe new church pianoCleaning day!Cleaning day!Cleaning day!Cleaning day!Cleaning day!Cleaning day!Cleaning day!One thing we have missed is Jabuticaba jelly. Jabuticabas are a fruit that grows on the trunk of the tree. Look it up!A church service in our backyard.A church service in our backyard.Our new home!Boy did we miss this... eating on the sidewalk with dogs begging for your scraps, cars driving by, and smelling the exhaust of Brazil city life!Tired, but definitely hungry!Churrasco... hard to beatSpoiled on our first day back in Brazil.Spoiled on our first day back in Brazil.There are a few fun things to see in airports now and then.Traveling again!Just getting wired for several days of travel.And off we go...Enjoying a few last fun hours with Josiah.Jonathan having fun.Josiah playing a special in Gainesville, FL.Our last fun family event before taking Josiah to college.Enjoying a little family time.President Josiah and his bodyguard Jonathan!Enjoying a little time with missionary friends in Oklahoma City.It is always a blessing to be in the US for July 4th.In June, we were able to celebrate my parent's 50th wedding anniversary with my siblings and their families.Honoring a veteran and helping raise the flag in Spokane.Jonathan having fun on a hike near Bonner's Ferry, IDBonner's Ferry IdahoHiking in IdahoHicking in IdahoKootenai Falls - MontanaKootenai Falls - MontanaKootenai Falls - MontanaKootenai Falls - MontanaKootenai Falls - MontanaKootenai Falls - MontanaKootenai Falls - MontanaKootenai Falls - MontanaButte, MTButte, MT - A mile high and a mile deep! This picture was taken just before our tour into the mines.Hiking in Butte on an old railroad passage and tunnel.An old railroad passage high up in the mountains near Butte, MT.Hiking in Butte, MTHiking in Montana with Pastor Loewen took us high up the mountain to an old tunel built for trains.Josiah "seriously" practicing his driving skills before getting his license.Special time with Cristiano, Tamira, and their family just before leaving for furlough.Masked and ready to board from Cuiabá on the first of three flights.Heading to the airport - 2021 furloughChurch lunch activity about a week before our furlough.Church lunch activity about a week before our furlough.Amanda with Tamira at one of our last church activities in Vilhena.Josiah with some of the boys at church.God's creation is beautiful! Here is one of around twenty small rivers we passed on the way back from the waterfall.This was not our main attraction, but we stopped to take in the view as we slowly drove over a log bridge.This was the smaller waterfall. It was surrounded with fewer rocks and more green foliage.A waterfall of around 120 feet.The boys and I swam in this pool of water below the waterfall. The strength of the wind and the blast from the water made it difficult to see much once you were in there.You can imagine the roar of the water! Now just picture a few blue and yellow macaws sitting about 200 feet above us talking back and forth and you will get the idea of what we enjoyed.This waterfall of over 180 feet was an absolutely stunning sight. Nested out in the middle of nowhere, it is very difficult to find.This is Judson as soon as we arrived at the waterfall. It was not the same expression as we saw on his face when we were digging the truck out of the mud on the way home!My mother (Pam Tyler) translating for a deaf girl at one of our services in Cacoal.I think that is enough rice! At least for me, it is. This is how we are served at camp.A makeshift ping pong table can give you hours of entertainment if you do not have an official sized one. The boys helped make this table a few years ago and we are still getting use out of it.Kids enjoying the activities at the camp.Camp is always fun for the kids.I think this guy is up to something! Surely he is not just enjoying the water that much.This is camp! This couple came from three hours away to stay for one night.What you are seeing is all of the facilities we had for camp. There was a kitchen, a couple of bathrooms and this big covered area. Oh... and a big fire pit behind this building.Happy Birthday Jonathan!!! Can you find a cake that is cooler than this one?The Midnight Cry! - A man woke people up driving around with a loudspeaker at 2am proclaiming the end of the world and distrust in the vaccine.Our family was asked to sing for the service in São Felipe. This church has always been a big blessing to us.FELLOWSHIP - The older couple down at the end are in their 80s and still serving the Lord their son Jefferson is a missionary. He and his wife are on the back right of the table. Jefferson's sister and her husband are also a joy to be around. We enjoy spending time with them every time we go to São Felipe.My dad, Garry Tyler, preaching in São Felipe at one of the churches we have helped over the past six years.These kids are always fun to have around. Sara was just a little baby when we first met. Samuel has also grown quite a bit. Their parents have become very faithful and participate in everything at the church.As a few played four-square, the younger ones enjoyed a walk down the street and playing other games.Everyone enjoyed the game of four-square out on the road in front of our house. Even some of the neighbors looked curious as they drove through the event!Everyone enjoyed the game of four-square out on the road in front of our house. Even some of the neighbors looked curious as they drove through the event!A gathering in Brazil is not usually much of a gathering unless there is "Churrasco" - a Brazilian cookout.It is always fun to play a game or two of spoons with a lively crowd.Hours were spent on this new chalkboard. It was fun to watch everyone try out their artistic talents.It looks like the teens enjoyed the wall just as much as the young kids did.A New Years gatheringThere is not a much better way to entertain kids than to give them a handful of chalk and a HUGE chalkboard.14 years and almost nothing has changed!Taking advantage of the decorations that were set up at church for Christmas.Amanda and Mom enjoyed the time they had with the ladies from the church at the Chirstmas Tea.Amanda helped these ladies with all the decorations for the ladies Christmas Tea.Decorations for the Christmas TeaChristmas TeaMy parents moving truck - Glad we had some strong guys to help.My parents moving truck - Glad we had some strong guys to help.Moving is always fun!Dad and I were well fed while we spent a few days in Limeira loading the truck with my parents belonging in their move to Vilhena.While I was away loading a truck, the boys created another memory with some friends playing a round of bowling at our local mall. Don't be deceived! Bowling and the food court make up about 90% of the mall.I am glad the boys have learned to make friends and encourage other teens. Malu and her parents have been attending our church for a couple of years now. The Lord continues working in their lives.A missionary Thanksgiving with the Brewers, Kokenzies and RogersThere may be just a few of them, but they usually manage to have fun at the youth meetings.November Teen Meeting - Our boys make up a majority of the youth group.Staying at home sometimes can be a blessing! We have found a few new places from which to order food.Handing out tracts near the cemetery.The boys sang a special with the youth director after their youth meeting.The rainy season has begun! Many times the power goes out and the automatic gate does not open. So you have to get out in the rain to get inside.Our friends house out in the country.Our friends house out in the country.Notice all the flip-flops. That is one way to tell if people are home.Though very hot, this was an enjoyable place to stay.We recently finished painting our house.New storage cabinet in bathroom.New cabinet for Sunday School maerialsTedious task of building all the drawersBuild frame, build drawers, FINISHED! Those were all the instructions acompanied by a few pictures.Our Sunday morning services in August. We have about an hour before the sun starts getting to the people.This is our beach church! Temporary shade for the preacher.Açaí! Best birthday celebration desert. Come try it!The building has finally been painted!My Father's Day giftNotice how the scaffold is being supported by a bunch of boards and bricks to keep it even.One of our first services back to church taking advantage of our newly walled-in property.The new gate on the back propertyAll of this just to be able to park our car in the shade! This is construction in Brazil.Beginning our garage addition.Cleaning the church after the paint job.Josiah's 17th birthday!Josiah's 17th BirthdayLive Streaming setupA guest speaker on our livestreamEven the parking spaces were social distancing! Every other space was blocked off.Easter Project for the church kids.We delivered the materials and allowed each family to do their own project at home.Soraya completing her Easter maze.Muryllo fingerpainting his tomb.Well done!Coloring time!Each child has their own style.The wall and sidewalk have been finished.Our back lot has been filled to avoid rushing water during the rainy season. Now we have a bit more space.One of the men of the church built the wall and finished the sidewalk.There are lots of different ways to do livestream. With our limited equipment, we have to string wires across the floor and make do with what we have.Judson is 13!Happy 13th Birthday to JudsonProgress on the work as the sidewalk is being poured.Marcio is a member of our church. He is a builder by trade.Putting up the back wallWork being doneThe land has been filled13 truck loads of dirt and we are still lacking just a bit.Easter Project for the kids.This is the start of the construction as we close in the back lot.A view of the land before constructionCreative Bible Lessons - Can you guess what story this is?The wives shaved the whipped cream off of their husbands.Shaving in action!I think she missed a spot.A retreat game for the couplesOur dorm rooms at the retreatThe property we rented for the retreat did not even have a refrigerator. We had to take just about everything.Kids being rewarded at the retreat.Amanda and I having fun with the little kids.This ping pong table would not work for most, but being homemade, it has provided endless hours of competition.MurylloWaiting around for lunchGood old makeshift auditorium with tents and all under the same roof.Each lady had to do her best at tying the tie around her husband's neck.Camp fireCamp fireTesting the ability of the men, we rewarded the best knot.Retreat gamesRetreat gamesDavid and Goliath - our two midgets.Juanita Garland's arrival.Juanita Garland's arrival.Juanita Garland's arrival.Lunch at our house immediately after our arrival back in Vilhena.This is our welcoming party! We were greeted outside the airport by a crowd of people shouting, "Welcome home pastor!"4 months is a long time to be gone. Everyone was happy to be going home.Friends from the church in Limeira.Pr. William and his wife Silvia were a great influence on me as a teenager.Preaching to my Dad's church.Preaching in LimeiraJoshua fought the battle of Jericho in our absence!The walls of Jericho! A practical Sunday School story illustration.Memorial day tract distribution.Memorial day tract distribution.Memorial day tract distribution.Memorial day tract distribution.Grandchildren being spoiled!In our absence, my parents helped in the church.Unexpected tripChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayChildren's DayMy first official outing after sugery.Handing out Children's Day invitationsHanding out Children's Day invitationsHanding out Children's Day invitationsI think this was the first time sitting in after my accident.Heading to surgeryA picture of the medical air ambulance that took me to São Paulo.The hospital in Albert Einstein Hospital in São Paulo.Amanda's view from the inside of the airplane.Poor thing! She got stuck way in the back of the plane.Youth activityRegional Hospital with about 15 other patients in the same room.A look at the spot from where I fell.
