Missionary Update: Mike & Beverly Creiglow in Brazil [June 2014]
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together since 1971. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
June 12, 2014
Today is a big deal any way you look at it. Today is “Valentines Day” in Brazil. Today is the opening game of the World Cup soccer tournament, which is being held in Brazil. The tournament returns to Brazil after our loss in the final match in 1950. The really big deal today though, is that Bev and I have now been married for 44 years! Time flies when you are having fun and boy are we having fun.
Last month I made 2 river trips and 2 road trips visiting our works in the interior. The first trip was to preach a couple of times at Pé da Terra. The church there has really picked up since Aésio took over as pastor. This church is on the road to Mâncio Lima. They are having an attendance over 100 in a very rural setting.
Bro. Creiglow and Pastor Alexandre with floor plans for the new building at Port Walter on the upper Juruá River.
The next trip was up the Juruá River to work with the congregation there on their plans to build a new building. Their old wooden building is shot. They have such crowds that the floor is starting to sag. Even so they are going to shore it up and add another 12 feet to the length of it until they can get the ball rolling on their new facilities. We came to the consensus that they should build a 2 story brick building with 8 classrooms and other rooms on the lower floor and the second floor will be their new auditorium. They will have access to the auditorium directly from street level via a ramp, since the property is on a slope. Upon my return home I drew up the floor plans and virtual views. Last week I took those up to present and explain to the congregation. I have included a picture with Pastor Alexandre and me holding up one of the sets of drawings. They don’t have much money, but they are excited.
PMy next visit was to Santa Rosa. They called one of our guys from First Baptist to be their new pastor. They had been without a pastor for a few months and we had been helping them by sending someone every weekend and sometimes during the week, too. They called Alquimar, nicknamed “Guima”. He and his wife, Isabel, have a little boy called Douglas. Their building is very nice and even has AC! It was packed for the Sunday night service when we officially “installed” him in the pulpit.
Somewhere in there Hudson and I made it back to the mountains on the Moa River. There was still quite a bit of water in the river, so the trip was long but a breeze. We didn’t even get rained on! We had the congregations from República and Serra together for the weekend. On Sunday morning we held a baptism and 14 were baptized.
Last week Hudson and I went all the way back up the Juruá River to the Peruvian border where we gathered 4 of our missionaries and had a 3 day visit with our congregation, too. The river is now very low. We went in my 16’ shallow water boat with 25HP outboard. We managed to get there with the prop drive. However I took the jet drive, just in case. Well it was the case. The river went down another 12 to 18 inches during the days we were there. On Sunday afternoon it took us a couple of hours to switch out the prop drive for the jet pump. We got it all checked out and tested before the last service that evening. We got up at 4 something in the morning and were already on the river by 5:00AM. It was still pitch dark, but that is not a problem for the jet drive as long as you can keep the boat between the river banks. It took us 15 hours to come down stream. It is over 455Km (284 miles) from the border to Cruzeiro do Sul. After we got past the last set of rapids we stopped and switched back to the prop drive. It took us only 28 minutes to make the swap. Otherwise we would have been on the river for 18 hours. By 8:00PM I had the boat out of the water. That was an ordeal, which I am trying to forget. We still have no boat ramp in the largest city on the Juruá River! Beverly was waiting to make me some supper after the 24 hour fast.
Thanks for all of your prayers and support. God bless you as much as He has us.
In Christ,
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
Read more
Missionary Update: The Creiglows in Brazil [May 2013]
I really had no idea what I was getting into when I married Mike! Visiting another country was always something I wanted to do, but living in another one is a completely different story.
I grew up in city where there was running water, electricity, and telephone service 24 hours, paved roads, (cars, of course) and plenty of grocery stores. Even way back then there was a variety of products.
Mike and Beverly Creiglow have served the Lord in Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil together for 40 years. In addition to pastoring First Baptist of Cruzeiro do Sul, Mike builds his own boats and frequently travels up and down rivers to share the Gospel with those who have never heard.
When I arrived in Cruzeiro do Sul in 1971, there was a huge difference. Just for starters, electricity was only from 6–10 pm and there was no running water. Drinking water had to be carried in by a man who had pole across his shoulders, balancing two 5 gallon cans of well water. Rain water was caught off the roof for baths, etc. At that time I think there were only two or three bricked roads, dust in the dry season and mud in the rainy season. Only two seasons here.
It took me a while to adjust to this very different kind of life. There were many ups and downs. Insects galore! I never knew ants or caterpillars could be so harmful. Ever touch a fuzzy caterpillar that releases its “fuzz” in to your hand? It can be so painful and then itch for days. Then there are tarantulas, roaches and stink bugs that release oil that can burn you like a third degree burn. I finally did learn (and am still learning) what is hands off!
It can be depressing when you see everyone talking with their biological families; Dad, Mom, sisters and brothers. Mine were a few thousand miles away. I only get to see them every few years. Church became my family. Thank the Lord for them! I now have many “adopted” sisters, brothers and daughters. I’ve been asked if I’d ever want to return to the USA to live. I answer; ONLY if I can take my whole church family with me!! There is no church I have ever visited that comes close to First Baptist Church of Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre. I love my church.
My four children were born here. I am glad I raised them here without people breathing down my neck about how I could discipline them. I home schooled all of them through high school and then they took the GED. They learned two languages and two different cultures, besides many other advantages. Mike and I “adopted” a few sons, one of them being Odali Barros. Jader and Carlos are orphaned brothers who came to live with us as teens. They spent five years in our home and became brothers to my own children. My grandchildren call all of them uncle. Today Odaliis a missionary and ran a children’s home for years. Adam is the IT manager for a court house in CA. Monica is an office manager for a law firm in KY. Andrew owns River Craft that builds aluminum canoes and boats. Crissy, besides being a pastor’s wife, manages an English school. Jader graduated from law school and Carlos is a pilot. These last four still live in Brazil. They all make their mother (and Dad) proud.
All the Creiglows’ Children
Top Row (Left to Right): Adam, Monica, Andrew, Cristina
Bottom Row (Left to Right): Odali, Carlos, Jader
I don’t know where or what I would be doing today if I had not come to Brazil. The Lord knew though and wanted me here with Mike. I do my best to support him in all he does. I’m his full-time wife and part-time secretary. Brazil is my home for now and probably will be until I die.
Thank you for your support and prayers,
Beverly Creiglow
You can visit the Creiglows’ website at www.creiglowsinbrazil.com.
Mike and Beverly Creiglow
Caixa Postal 24
Cruzeiro do Sul, Acre, Brazil 69980
mdcreig [at] hotmail.com
Read more
