Photos
Here are some of the latest photos from our ministry. Click on a picture to see a larger image and read the description.
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.
Peter and Zirlene Doolittle along with their boys Stanley and Kevin. They were a great blessing to our church when they had the opportunity to stop in for a service.
Cleonice, one of our new piano players, playing as the church service ended.
June 2023 Family Picture
Thank you Pastor Sexton for your encouragement to us and our children.
Jonathan with Selina Kokenzie
Missionary 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 graduation
The 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 Graduate
The Graduate
The Graduate
The Graduate
Never 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 Children
This cake is a good description of Jonathan. Happy Birthday!
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná – Our young people once again won the Bible quizzing competition that was held in January.
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná – Pastor’s wife and a Missionary’s Wife
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná – Bro. Mike Schmidt preaching
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná
Youth Activity in Ji-Paraná
Children 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 church
Christmas Day Fellowship after church.
Christmas Day Fellowship after church.
Christmas Day Fellowship after church.
Christmas Day Fellowship after church.
Christmas Day Service
Christmas Day Service
Christmas Day Service
Christmas Day Service
Children’s Christmas Program – The boys came in as shepherds singing “Come and Worship”
Children’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 Geisa
Ladies’ Christmas Tea
Ladies’ Christmas Tea
Zinélia is a pastor’s wife from a church in Ji-Paraná.
Ladies’ Christmas Tea
Ladies’ Christmas Tea
Ladies’ Christmas Tea
The 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 Tea
Children’s Day – This is a special day in Brazil. Most children receive a gift from their parents as well as candy and chocolate from relatives and friends. We had a special service at church for them and filled the auditorium with balloons. We normally have 3 kids in Sunday School, but we had 12 children present on that day. I think even the adults paid close attention to the Bible story!
Children’s Day – Samuel is very young, but he enjoyed all the balloons and activities. His grandmother is one of our faithful members.
Children’s Day – Garry Tyler taught a missionary story. The children paid very good attention and learned about a young girl who grew up in Brazil and is now a missionary in Africa.
Children’s Day – Kids are always fun! They enjoy games of every kind. We had lots of fun with them on this special day.
Children’s Day – We gave the boys and girls an opportunity to blow up these small balloons, but none of them were able to do it. They tried hard!
Children’s Day – These girls are neighbors to Garry and Pam Tyler. It was a blessing to have them in church for this event.
Children’s Day – Jonathan has a love for children and does a great job getting the children to interact while singing.
This 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 Meet
Independence 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/Acrocinini
Father’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 – These special shirts and ties were given to each father. The ladies liked the wrapping so much some had their husbands open the bag from the bottom so they would not mess up the wrapping. The church key-chain and chocolate inside were also a hit!
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.