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Finger of God Mountain Size: 101k	Poster - Teresopolis Size: 88k	SMOT Wives Teresopolis Size: 96k	Teresopolis - Candlelight Size: 86k
Teresopolis Arena Crowd Size: 111k

The City Too Far…

The restaurant in this hotel is located on the fifth floor, and commands a view of a relatively private beach—private in the sense of size, not ownership as all Brazilian beaches are open to the public. Looking out on the South Atlantic with the sun breaking through the morning haze during breakfast is not something that is easily ignored. Often, large ships can be seen out on the horizon. And swimmers braving the cooler morning temperatures can be seen either diving into the surf from the large rock immediately before the hotel, or simply enjoying the waves as they pound the sands in compound rhythms of chance.

A vignette that was missed in yesterday’s report from Wednesday morning’s breakfast was interesting… I happened upon Charlie Barganier and joined him in the corner table of the brightly lit restaurant. After sitting down for our morning sustenance, we were joined by yet another Charles—one Mr. McCloud, who is our group’s extremely talented pianist. With all three Charles’ sitting at the table, it seemed we all had a story about the youthful experiences of our common first name. Mr. Barganier was raised carefully to be called only “Charles” by his parents. One older Charles was already a member of his youth group, and so, unbeknownst to his family, he became the “Charlie” of that group. One day during his sophomore year, he related, the telephone rang, and a young lady called to ask for “Charlie.” His mother, who had answered the telephone, blankly replied that “no one with that name lives here.” After hanging up, she quietly realized and confessed her innocent faux paux. Next, Charles McCloud relates that that he as well grew up with a family who carefully insisted upon the name “Charles” being used, avoiding at all costs the “Charlie” moniker. Charles related that at the first introduction to his future wife that his name was misunderstood, and she heard it as “Charlie.” And, of course, he being starry-eyed and smitten never attempted any correction for the soon-to-be love of his life. His poor family it seems, despite all attempts, had the Charlie they had tried so hard to avoid. Finally, your journalist related the time that he grew disenchanted with his first name. Taking the change of grades at a school as an opportunity to change to the use of his middle name, “David,” he convinced his mother over her objections to engrave the gift of an ID bracelet with that middle name. The next opportunity to wear it at school resulted in one of his friends exclaiming: “David! Who are you going with!?!” The bracelet disappeared quickly, never to be seen again. And the mother… oye ve!

Today’s is Friday, and the Rio city holiday is taken in honor of St. Peter, and so half of the ocean front drive is blocked off for foot traffic. As we drive along a double-decked highway here in the city for our longest trip in our cavalcade of concerts to the mountain city of Teresòpolis, we are again informed by Licia of many of the facts and figures of our host country. Originally ruled by an emperor, the country became a republic in early 19th century. The country was a dictatorship for a brief but horrible time (from 1964 until 1984.) In the larger cities, gangs fueled by drugs still compete for the allegiance of the people; many times they step in and provide everyday necessities that the government should but cannot or will not. This “godfather” appeal to the masses keeps their authority intact. To counter this, the government tries to appeal to the masses with not only the basics of life, but offers instruction in both ballet and classical music. Christians that are represented in the slums are exclusively protestant; Catholics have no presence in the poorest areas of the cities. As we pass over bridges, massive pollution is present in the backwater areas of the large bay. This comes from not only industry, but from much of the slums that line the waterfront in the areas farther from the ocean. Average income per capita is just $3,000—but even with this modest income level, there are people earning $1.00 per day or less! Keep in mind that a basic automobile in this country costs about $4,000.

Teresòpolis was the 18th century home to the emperor. Once viewed as a city of relaxation, this community has grown, and now numbers 140,000 with some even commuting down the mountains for 1½ - 2 hours to Rio to work. The city is high—some 2,500 feet surrounded by peaks of up to 4,000. On our way up, Licia decided to give us a treat—literally! She had the bus driver stop to pick up one of the street vendors selling sweets from a basket. They ranged from peanut patties to bars of cocoanut and pineapple. While he thought he really cleaned up by staying on the bus for an extended ride up the mountain, it was really the busload of Americans that cleaned up by experiencing a part of the reality that is this Brazil. We took an impromptu potty break halfway up the route, and in the serendipity that is found in the providence of God, we met an American missionary from Amarillo, Joe Flippin, who has served the Baptist Bible Fellowship for now 25 years as he plants churches in the Teresòpolis. And evening more amazing, he told us that if he was able to make it back in time, he was the very one scheduled to translate for our concert this evening. We continued up much steeper roads from this point on, passing underneath mountaintops that decorate the western skyline as seen from Rio. One of them is known as “the finger of God” as it is an extremely vertical shaft of granite that is silhouetted in the descending line of mountains that is in front of Teresòpolis.

Upon arrival in the city, we were greeted with our own group picture hanging from a banner along the side of the street. It seems that the church here has been hard at work as they publicized this event with T-shirts with our group picture on it. Some of group bought the shirts for a mere $3.00. After our arrival and set up at a covered, but open air stadium, we trekked across the town to a shopping mall. Along the way we passed out cards about this evening’s free concert to many who we met. After catching a quick snack in the cramped food court, we packed ourselves sardine-like onto the small sound stage for several songs:

Amen

Jesus Loves Me (in Portuguese)

I’m Gonna Sing

Ride the Chariot

There were 8 singers that accompanied Don Blackley at this point to a local radio station for a brief on-air interview and selection of music. Next, with the rest of us still filling our time with opportunities to spread the good news of the gospel through song, we moved to several different open air presentations. During the first one, there was an interesting juxtaposition of the choir’s words that were pointed directly at a news stand covered with the lust of the flesh as copies of Playboy were waving in the breeze created by our song. And as a seeming authentication of the words that were sung in Portuguese, God allowed one of the local pigeons to come right down to our director’s head (Chuck Bridwell) as the choir sang, “YES, JESUS LOVES ME.”

The meal was again provided by the host church, but we were taken to a restaurant where their food was augmented by the tremendous beef and chicken that was roasted over an open pit fire. Again, singing for our food, both the Doxology (before the meal as a choral blessing) and our Thank You song (at the end) were offered in grateful praise. After the meal, we met our busses for a short and traffic-slowed ride to the arena. Some of the guys chose to utilize the time and change on the bus, sans modesty.

Tonight’s concert may not have enough adjectives to describe all that happened. And I apologize in advance that some of you may have desired to have short and sweet descriptions of this trip, but they asked the wrong guy for if they wanted brief and concise! We were involved in a tremendous moving of God’s Spirit this evening that transcended any language barriers. There were about 5,000 people that came to hear us tonight. Memorial BC, according to one report, spent 10,000 Real (about $3,800) in renting the arena, renting sound equipment and lights, printing advertisements, Banners (including one above the stage that said: “Homens Cantores do Texas”), etc. With the help of a Rio Campus Crusade volunteer, Cintia Couto, a Brazilian native who spoke excellent English I am able to report many of the names from this evening to you. At 26, she attends school studying architecture and urban science. (Thanks Cintia! I hope you subscribe to the E-group that I offered to you!)

The 2½ hour plus program itself had five basic parts:

A full-blown praise band and youth group leading the worship of the Brazilian and Americans present—about 45 minutes,

Our abbreviated concert—about 75 minutes,

An impassioned speaker, Nilson Fannini, pastor of First Baptist Church Niteroi, the guest of the host church, Iglesia Bautista Memorial (Memorial Baptist Church)—about 30 minutes,

The response of the people to the invitation at the end of the sermon—some 300 came forward,

The closing song and candlelight ceremony.

The praise offering had many songs, one of which elicited rapturous response from the SMOT singers as they recognized “Firm Foundation” and joined in singing the praise song known to so many of us. The music minister of the church is a younger lady whose name is Creuvinete Leal, a recent seminary graduate. She was assisted by 6 other young ladies and 3 young men, as well as a rhythm group. Their ministry is inspiring!

Our concert had to be abbreviated in order to fit the parameters of the event. But we still sang all of the Brazilian songs. As always, Scott Cameron’s rendition of “I Bowed on My Knees and Cried Holy” sung in their native tongue, and the all-English “Amen” always bring large responses. And again the attendees were most warm in their appreciation for our efforts.

The sermon was about the story of Lazarus. His major points were three (can you see the Baptist pattern here?):

When you die, who do you want to come for you—angels or demons.

Once you die, you cannot go back. The destination has been determined before you leave this life.

You will remember the events in this life, as the rich men asked for someone to go back and warn his brothers.

The response to the sermon began with prayer, and it was obvious that the promotional efforts resulted in a Billy Graham-like response as many (more than 30?) raised their hands indicating their desire to know Jesus this evening. These along with other Christians desirous of prayer were asked to come forward. How wonderful to know that “Just As I Am” will be remembered by these new Christians in Brazil as the song with which they announced their new life in Christ to the world even as we do so many times in the U.S.A. A very large number filled the area between the seats and our handbell tables. It was a glorious sight, and humbling at the same time to be used of God in such an eternal event for so many now in the kingdom with us.

Finally, the group joined in with “oohs” to the song, “Shine, Jesus, Shine.” Candles were lit for many that held them as the overhead lights were turned off. Again, I saw the wonderful creator at work in the choice of this last song. Earlier with some free time, I had purchased two Portuguese praise songbooks at a bookstore on the mall. The one song that I had spent the most time in attempting to sing in the Portuguese was this very song—Shine, Jesus, Shine! God, I am sure, chuckles at times as he works all things together for good for those that love Him and are called according to His purpose.

For those of you wanting a little more information about the medical aspect of our trip, there are some details I left out of yesterday’s report… The clinic that was the first stop o the day is a concrete building with no windows. For the most part, it does not receive the benefit of air conditioning. There are twenty specialists treating up to 1,000 patients a day—on a busy day. The cities inhabitants begin lining up before the 8:00 am opening time. Most of the patients are insured under a private insurance plan costing as little as $12 a month for a family of four. It seems that while free healthcare is an option, the waiting time is much greater. Many of the staff doctors that work at the clinic are not there on a daily basis, and in their absence there is not another specialist to take their place, so healthcare can be delayed to the appropriate day. They offer the same services that we would find at a typical U.S. clinic, and in addition to the standard fare ophthalmology—they can even find dispensation of glasses at their choice for a reasonable choice all under the same roof. The general staff does not provide emergency care, but on the other hand dentists and orthodontists are present. And while gynecological services and prenatal care are provided, the actual baby deliveries are not made at the clinic.

Across town at the hospital, they found the many windows in this building open, and encountered brick walls that were, at times, constructed with an open weave allowing for the movement of air through the hallways. The rooms were comparatively tiny: a room holding the patient’s bed with four to six patients with a family member could easily be as small as 12’ x 20’. The patients in a single room were anywhere from 2 week old infant to toddlers. (In order to comply with a Brazilian law, no pictures of the children were permitted during their tour.) Medications that were observed were either the same as the U.S., or named in an identifiable name variation.

The medical group will join together with us for Saturday and Sunday’s trips. I hope you find rest in the Lord as we rest solely in Him during out long ride back. We arrived after midnight in Rio and are due to leave on Saturday morning at 9:00 am.

Charles Ashley, journalist
John Bell, photographer
(with thanks to Rex Campbell from the BGCT for additional shots)

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