Missionary Update: The Wacasers in Brazil [November 2012]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
Dear Friends,
In the beginning of October I had the opportunity to meet with several men who are involved with football in different capacities. Each of them uses the sport to find an opportunity to share the gospel with the lost and also to mentor young men in their walk with the Lord. I mentioned last month that I was in a unique situation in Brazil because of the rapidly growing interest in American football here. The men I met are working with me to put together the details for holding football camps/workshops for both Brazilian coaches and players. I am still looking to fill some slots with other volunteers who either play or coach football and who would like to use this opportunity to share their faith with many who do not know Christ. If you can’t come, but know how I might obtain good condition donated football equipment, you can also be greatly helpful through that means. Please contact me at the addresses and/or phone number below.
Two of the Projeto Vida motor homes had some costly expenses this month. We are keeping up our commitments to reach the areas we had already laid out as goals, but these expenses have stretched our already tight budget. This is especially crucial this month since we have a trip scheduled to cross the Brazilian/Argentine border about an 18 hour trip from our base. We have been invited to take the gospel into some public schools in Argentina. We are very excited about this opportunity, but the funds will be very short. We will travel by faith and trust that God has opened this door for us and will expect to be carried by Him each kilometer of the way. We would appreciate your prayers and offerings toward the accomplishment of this outreach effort.
I learned a lesson a little over a week ago. Do not try to do a back flip in shallow water. A person can get hurt doing that. I know. I did. My intended 360º back flip ended up at about 355º and I with my first broken bone at 54 years old. From now on I will only do back flips in deep water…if at all. The old saying that “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks,” ought to be changed to, “Old dogs shouldn’t try new tricks”. Now I will have six more weeks in an air cast to learn better to delegate the physical work of construction at our new churches. I will also have a great opportunity to learn personally the struggles of the disabled. I am grateful that the damage wasn’t worse.
Charlene, Brennen and I are very grateful to you who pray for us faithfully. We know that God hears and answers your prayers. We are also thankful for the offerings of love to God so that we may continue to spread His word.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby, Charlene and Brennen Wacaser
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
robertmw[at]brturbo.com.br
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Missionary Update: The Wacasers [October 2012]
Bobby, Charlene, Jessie, and Brennen Wacaser have served the Lord as church planters in Curitiba, Parana, Brazil, since 1985.
October 2, 2012
Dear Friends,
About 6 years ago a 16 year old boy came to visit our former church. His visit was based on the interest he had in a tall blonde 16 year old girl who was a member there. His name is Guilherme. He and and his friend had met the girl on the city bus and she invited them to church. Guilherme began to attend church and our youth meetings regularly and was eventually saved and baptized. He was raised in a broken home, his parents having divorced and remarried. He was living at the time with his father because his mother had married a man from Portugal, but was working and living in Spain. After 2 years of growth and discipleship at our church, Guilherme went to live with his mom and his stepfather in Spain. As many of you know, most of Europe is steeped in agnosticism and atheism. While Guilherme was there for three years he found it very difficult to locate other Christians with whom he could fellowship and grow spiritually. When he returned to Brazil about a year ago, he had become distant and somewhat cold toward the things of the Lord. But God had not grown cold toward Guilherme. I heard that he had returned to Brazil and I found his new telephone number and began to call him from time to time and would drop by to visit him at his job. The Lord used this to stir in him a sense of homesickness for the fellowship he had experienced earlier around the time of his conversion. In recent months, Guilherme has been coming very regularly to church and has been showing great signs of spiritual growth. On many occasions he brings visitors with him. He has already brought his dad and stepmother, his mother and stepfather (who now live in Brazil) and last week he brought his younger sister and her baby daughter. He has also brought several of his friends to the youth meetings. In the place of that coldness that had slipped into his life we now see a rising passion for the Lord in Guilherme and we are praying that God will continue to use him to reach others with the good news of Jesus Christ.
Charlene and I sold our house. We had it on the real estate market for 3 years and last month we closed the deal. Since we bought the house in 1987 it had gone up quite a bit in value. Of course, so had the rest of the real estate market in Brazil, much like what was happening in the US market back before 2008. But, we bought a house at a lower price and we plan to use part of the difference to complete our construction and finish the work at our new church. The Lord blessed us and we want to honor Him because of His grace toward us.
Our Projeto Vida motorhomes and teams have been very busy. Three teams are in the interior of the country sharing the gospel in public schools and parks as I write this. We had the opportunity to be in six cities this month and present Christ’s love to over 5,000 people. We know that God’s word is powerful and that many lives have and will be changed eternally because of their having heard it preached and through their surrender to Christ as Lord and Savior. Our missionary volunteers are a constant source of joy, excitement, and encouragement to us as they return from each trip bubbling over with the joy of serving the Lord and being used by Him to touch people’s lives with His love and salvation.
My son, Brennen, has grown quite a bit. He is now 15 years old. As most of you know, soccer (or “futebol” as it is called in Brazil) is a major pastime here. Brennen plays soccer quite well since he has been playing it nearly all of his life. But a few years ago regular “football” (American style) caught hold here and interest in it is growing rapidly. New teams are sprouting up quickly and Brennen has become a player on one of these teams. The most important aspect about this to us as servants of the Lord is how we might use this phenomenon to gain a platform to share the gospel. Since the sport is so connected to American culture, our nationality provides an open door of opportunity to the enthusiasts of the sport. A good friend of mine is the coach of one of the most successful teams in the league. He has told me that any US coaches and players interested in teaching or demonstrating the skills would be more than welcome to come and share both their expertise and their testimonies of Christ’s work in their lives with the players. There is also a great need for football equipment; pads, clothing, helmets, balls, cleats, etc. If any of you have football skills (either to teach or play) or football equipment and would like to use them to share the gospel, we have a prime opportunity for you. Contact me at the numbers/addresses provided.
Thank you for your prayers and faithful support.
In Christ’s love,
Bobby, Charlene and Brennen Wacaser
Important Notice: New Address!
Rua Laudelino Ferreira Lopes, 279-1
Bairro Novo Mundo
81050-310 Curitiba, PR Brasil
(813)436-9980
robertmw[at]brturbo.com.br
Click here to give.
Read more
