Ministry trips to villages are a highlight of the indigenous training program at Ammi in Brazil. In October, Ammi staff and students visited three different villages. They visited churches, cared for pastors, offered children’s ministry training, and enjoyed fellowship and prayer. Pray for the pastors and churches in these villages.

Praise God that we have completed initial renovations on the SAM Center in Recife, Brazil. We are currently using the facility for ministry activities such as youth retreats, ministry retreats, and discipleship training. Pray for opportunities to rent the facility to local churches for their activities and to generate income to sustain the Center.

Tracey will be moving to Brazil tomorrow to serve with the Recife Redemptive Ministry. Please pray for her as she says goodbye to friends and family, for safe travels, and for her as she transitions to her new home in Brazil.

Tim and Mindy Callahan have been in Brazil for one year, studying Portuguese in the city of Cuiabá. They moved to their new home at the Ammi Training center this week. Pray for them as they settle into their new home and begin serving in the ministry at Ammi.

One of the Bible classes at Ammi is called “Termos Chaves” or Key Terms. Most students only have portions of the Bible in their language, so a primary need for the students is to learn how to translate natural, accurate, and clear explanations of basic concepts like God, life, death, angel, or grace. 

One example from the Key Terms class is the word forgiveness. Most of the students’ cultures do not practice or understand the idea of forgiveness, so there is no word for it. The students shared that when someone wrongs another person in their village, it is typical for the recipient to hurt the perpetrator back in the same way that they were hurt or to ignore, isolate, leave the village, or try to forget, always seeming to carry the weight of bitterness toward the person who wronged them. The translation process requires an entirely new phrase to be developed in each language explaining the process of receiving forgiveness from God and extending forgiveness to others.

Pray for the ways this class allows the students to develop new language to share the gospel in their home cultures. Pray for the ministry of Ammi and for God’s Word to reach all the tribes of Brazil.

Last month, SAMAIR Bolivia flew two dentists and a doctor to serve for two days in the community of San Fernando in eastern Bolivia. Alas de Aguilas (Wings of Eagles), a ministry started by students at the school SCCLC in Santa Cruz, helped sponsor this trip. Praise God for all the hands that served. Pray for the people of San Fernando to know and experience Christ’s love and care for them.

Ammi Training Center, located in indigenous Brazil, celebrated their last semester with a musical conference, where students planted trees, played music and used other forms of creativity to bring glory to God. Please pray for their new semester that began on August 1st. Please pray for the beginning of classes and guest teachers that will be traveling to teach at the campus. Pray that Ammi will continue to seek creative ways to teach their students about glorifying God in all they do.

Last month, a group of Ami students and staff traveled to serve in a village located in the midwest of Brazil. Students led the trip where they cooked, did construction and conducted ministry for kids, youth, and adults. The students did some home visits where they met and prayed with the people in the village. In the afternoons, students played soccer, did children and youth activities, sang songs, and taught Bible Stories. Some nights were spent sharing testimonies in the church, doing drama skits, and leading worship. Pray that the students will feel empowered to lead and do mission trips on their own to other tribal groups and villages.

In April, the Ammi training center in Brazil celebrated Day of the Indian. This was a great time of fellowship, dances, and a cookout celebrating the rich diversity of these cultures and peoples. Pray that God will use Ammi, the staff, and the students to glorify Himself in each tribe.

The Ami training center provides indigenous pastoral training to the many tribes scattered throughout Brazil’s Amazon region. Students come to the Ami campus where they live, study and serve for eight months of the year. The Ami staff is multi-ethnic and participates in all aspects of the students’ training. Students train in scripture knowledge and practical life skills such as agriculture, health and sanitation.

Pray for missionary Vera Bergson who coordinates classes and academic activities. 

Pray for first year students who endure the challenge of traveling and adjusting to the training center, while also often learning portuguese in the process. 

Pray for one young lady in particular who decided to repeat the first year to better understand Portuguese. 

Pray for second year students as they continue studying and learning to engage with different cultures. 

Pray for third year students who will be graduating this year. Pray that God will guide their next steps as they seek opportunities to apply what they learned during their time at Ami.

Pray for the other missionaries and Brazilian staff serving at Ami.

Pastor Alcimar is a graduate of the Center of Formation of Leaders in Cruzeiro do Sul, Brazil. He is an effective pastor, shepherding well the two congregations with whom he has served. He is gifted in disciplining others and in communication. Pray for him and his wife, Geiciana, as they juggle work, school, and ministry. They would appreciate prayer for the building of a more adequate church in their new location.