From Brasil

Since the summer of 2007, missing none but one, I have been privileged to travel to Brasil and work with our ParkwayHills Foreign Mission Partnership, called P-70. This partnership of our church is for the purpose of planting and strengthening Baptist churches in the state of Minas Gerais, and we work here with a missionary and friend whom ParkwayHills supports -Jairo Campos, the ministries founder. The region of Minas Gerias that we cover is huge, and over 20 churches have been planted by our efforts since we first began. It is a wonderful work, one well worth our support.


This year we are working in 2 new cities. These cities, which form the seat of 2 municipalities (counties) are small in terms of size, with populations within the cities themselves of less than 3,000 persons - but... the cities are growing. Their names are Itacambria and Francisco Dumont, and neither of them have an evangelical church faithfully sharing the gospel. Our sister church - started by Jairo - is actually traveling to these cities on a weekly basis, in an effort to win some adults to Christ, that they may be the beginning of a new church plant.  In other words. this is a 'from the ground up' work we are engaged in. 

We have several teams working with us in reaching these two cities.  There is a visitation team, which this year features our own Glenn Sampson and Carla Cox, along with others. And there is also a Vacation Bible School team, which is led by Debbie Irons and also has Claire Davenport and Taylor Dennis Butler, my daughter, as key leaders/teachers.  Dave Davenport is our logistics person this year, and he has been a major translator for me and others as we have witnessed to persons on the street and in the market.

In the afternoons we divide into two groups, and travel to villages in outlying areas of the municipalities - most of which have less than 1,000 persons, and often less. In these villages we 'round up' the children by passing through the streets with music, games and Bible Stories, and - of course - with clowns.  Then, if a crowd of adults are gathered, as well, I or another Norte Americano will preach.  In the evening we hold evangelistic services, and I am privileged to preach in these.  Already we have seen over 200 persons come to faith in Christ, as a result of these efforts, and we give praise to GOD.

Pray for our continued safety and success as we complete our work in these villages. Then, pray for us as we travel back to Montes Claros, where we will participate in a service, which will be the 'admission' of our ParkwayHills mission, the P-70 Church of Montes Claros, being admitted into the Baptist Association of Churches for Minas Gerais, as a fully accredited and participating church within the Baptist Convention of Brasil.  It will be a great day for ParkwayHills, and for P-70, in completing this step.

Blessings in Christ,

Pastor Sam