Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [July 2012]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
July 11, 2012
I enjoy life. Not every single detail of it, you understand, but life itself is good. There is a wonderful reason that this is true. My purpose in life is what makes it grand. I have the privilege to serve, fight for, honor, make famous, and love the Creator of everything, who is my God and Savior.
Some details in life are honestly a pain, some literally, others metaphorically. For example, a couple of mornings ago I woke up with a terrible headache. I didn’t like it, you know? It hurt. It didn’t want to go away. I was happy, though, that I had the ability to FEEL. I was thankful that it was only a headache and not something more serious. A few days before that I was working on the electrical installation of our new church plant and I pinched my finger in my own pliers (not on purpose, of course). It hurt. I did not immediately say, “I thank Thee Lord for that sharp reminder that I am frail and prone to errors.” No, I gasped and groaned and murmured for a few seconds. I am grateful, though, that I have the mobility and strength to be able to work with my fingers in the Lord’s service, because I know that many do not have that gift. The work on the new building is progressing very well and, in fact, we will be holding our official inaugural service on the 22nd of July. Life is great because after a year of very hard work (with some minor injuries) and much prayer and sharing God’s Word with neighbors and friends, God has tripled our attendance and those who attend are helping us to invite more friends and family to the special inaugural service.
Life is great because the absence of it is just awful. I do not fear death, neither do I seek it. I am ready for it, because the One who makes and gives it, Jesus Christ, has already done everything needed for me to obtain and keep it. Some of the details of everyday life are disheartening, like poor health, betrayal by friends, being ridiculed by unbelievers and the letdowns that come from my own errors. But, God’s word sheds light on even these shortcomings so that I might see that He uses them for my good and His ultimate glory. The knowledge of that fact makes life very good indeed. Even the bad – results in good! Who could ask for better, or more?
My hope and my efforts are not based on improving or lengthening this earthly life. What I see in this life is the opportunity to invest in the real one that awaits me. This one is a shadow of the real thing up ahead. What make this one good is that even it is lived in fellowship with my Savior and King who has promised that He’ll return to take me to LIVE with Him eternally. And He assures me that that LIFE has no undesired details, not even little ones.
The God that provides a life that grand deserves to be worshipped, honored and loved. It is my joy to use this life that He has given me to do just that. I don’t have plan B! I rejoice that God also gives me the privilege of partnering with you in making Him known and praised. That way, both you and I are blessed when I speak God’s message of love and salvation here; you are a co-laborer in that ministry. Without you, I couldn’t be here. I thank God for you.
We are training over 20 new missionary candidates at our Projeto Vida Mission School this month. There will be two weeks of intensive study and rehearsals of skits, then our four teams will head out into the interior on their buses together with these missionary candidates to work in the public squares for another three weeks. Pray with us that many lives will be reached and that God’s name will be glorified.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby, Charlene and Brennen Wacaser
Rua Manoel Valdomiro de Macedo, 2281
81170-150 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
robertmw[at]brturbo.com.br
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Missionary Update: Bobby & Charlene Wacaser in Brazil [February 2012]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
February 8, 2012
Dear Friends,
Charlene isn’t really fond of public attention. She will speak in public if it is for God’s glory. She will stand in front of a class and teach for people to come to know the Lord, or to know him better, but not because she enjoys the limelight. She hates either side of a camera, and a microphone even worse. But recently I was mentally going over nearly all the names and faces of the people we have involved in our new work and I see that these relationships began with contact with Charlene. She is unassuming, but is amazingly captivating. Though she is beautiful, other women don’t feel threatened. Though she is shy, she notices others in their need and gets beyond her comfort zone to reach out to them. This letter will become public soon, and knowing her, she’ll be embarrassed, but because of what I’m about to say, she’ll be glad it was written after all.
You see, Charlene doesn’t start up new friendships because she seeks attention to meet her needs, nor does she make herself available to help others because she feels incomplete herself. Her motivation behind all these acts and attitudes is her love and gratitude to God, who through Jesus Christ, has given her joy, salvation and a purpose for living. With Charlene, I can say, Thank you Lord for calling us into a relationship of love and service for your glory and our happiness.
School started back again this week, so our main venue for taking the gospel to unreached masses has opened again. Projeto Vida started planning and practicing this week to have gospel skits and musical presentations ready to go into the hundreds of cities where there are no evangelical churches. We are also getting the buses/motorhomes ready for highway travel. The first two weeks of February are spent training new volunteers and tweaking programs and preparing equipment. Last year we reached nearly 100,000 people with the gospel through this ministry and we hope to do the same or better this year, with God’s help.
Bro. Wacaser in front of their new work.
The construction on our new work is progressing steadily. We had to install some protective fencing around the property because of the constant threat of theft, so we are now able to install electrical wiring and bathroom fixtures that would otherwise run the risk of being stolen. It would be nice to live in a world where we didn’t need to spend our precious little resources on barricades, but this is part of the reality that we face in a fallen world. We pray, hope and work in such a way that some of those who would today steal from God’s servants, may shortly become his servants. But in the meantime, we need to keep our guard up to safeguard what has been entrusted to us to build a lighthouse in the community.
They have installed some protective fencing around the property because of the constant threat of theft. Now they can install electrical wiring and bathroom fixtures that would otherwise run the risk of being stolen.
We have Brazil’s Carnaval week coming up soon and we are really excited about the opportunities for evangelism that are available. Our mother and daughter churches will be holding an evangelistic camp for the entire family (as opposed to “youth camp”). We are encouraging all our members to invite lost families to participate since this holiday weekend is usually a carnal mess in Brazilian culture (picture Mardi Gras over the whole country, not just in one city). Also, Projeto Vida will be heading to three beach cities to evangelize right out among the throngs of party-goers, being with them, but not like them. We have seen some amazing results in years past through this avenue of outreach and we are praying that this year will be even greater.
We are thrilled to have all these ministry opportunities to make our great God and Savior known. We thank Him also for your partnership with us in this endeavor. May you be blessed for your love, prayers, concern and support of our ministries.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby, Charlene and Brennen Wacaser
Rua Manoel Valdomiro de Macedo, 2281
81170-150 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
robertmw[at]brturbo.com.br
Click here to give.
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