Greetings for the final time from Bremerton, Washington! In the midst of all the sifting, sorting, packing, and farewells we wanted to get in touch with you one last time before moving back to Belo Horizonte, Brazil at the end of this month. We have been blessed to see many supporters and family members during this last six months home in the US, and now we are looking forward to being home with JAMI colleagues and friends in Brazil.

As we reflect on this very full time of deputation and travel, we have learned and relearned a few things:

•    God’s mission in the world has a new face, and North American Christians for the most part don’t know it.

Every time we have shared with a church that the center of gravity of the Christian faith has shifted to the global south – and with it the center of missionary sending – people thank us and tell us this was news to them. The story of how 70% of the global Christian population now lives in the “majority world” is exciting and encouraging, and leads us to the next learning.

•    Churches in the north need churches in the south – and vice versa.

As the normative expression of the Christian faith becomes that of Asia, Africa, and Latin America (young, Pentecostal) it is clear that there are many things churches in North America can learn from their sisters and brothers in the global south.  We can learn from the dynamism and boldness of believers and churches in the majority world, and they can learn from our holistic ministries and successful organizational strategies. New immigrants in our communities are in this sense a great blessing to our established churches.  Many times these refugees and migrants from the global south bring with them the vitality of their churches back home.  They make it available to our churches if only we are willing to accept them. The recent wave of Karen refugees from Myanmar (almost all of them the fruit of ABC missionary work among their people two centuries ago) is a perfect case in point. But this is equally true for Hispanic, African, and other immigrants who come to our neighborhoods and cities.

•    Being church in the US is hard, and while some churches are reinventing themselves and growing, others are facing decline.

The US cultural and social environment presents the church with some unique challenges that our friends in the majority world do not face. We live in a culture that is materialist, post-modern and post-Christian in thought, and inoculated against the Gospel by the perceived excesses and stereotypes of the church. In every culture and environment, the fellowship of believers known as the church finds a different expression, and then reinvents itself as culture and environment change. In the last six months, we have seen churches in the process of re-contextualizing themselves to better live out the Good News in their community and world. They are seeking new ways to be relevant and meet the needs of people.

•    It is important to ask, “Who does this church exist for?”

We ask this question all the time in Brazil, especially in the context of mobilizing churches and believers for cross-cultural mission.  “Who” the church is for is in some ways a more important question to ask than “what” it is for.  When we as a church effectively disciple our own members, those members naturally want to reach out to others in our neighborhood and world in the name of Christ. We are led to re-contextualize the church’s worship, ministries, and mission – even if it means giving up or at least modifying some traditions. This is a huge challenge that may move us outside our zone of comfort, but it is a step worth taking.

•    It is great to be with friends, family, and you; AND it is great to be going back home to Brazil!

We have so enjoyed being with family, friends, and supporters in the US these last six months.  It has been refreshing and rewarding to spend unhurried time with special people and in special places.  We are grateful we had this time back home.  And now we are excited to return home to Brazil.  Our colleagues and friends there tell us they are counting the days to our arrival, and we certainly are, too.

The next several months:

We’ll be hitting the ground running once we arrive in Belo Horizonte.  Asa will start ninth grade (re-start, actually) with his friends when the new school year starts the second week of February.  We just learned that ten new missionary candidates have registered for the training course that starts the second week of February, and this time there are more men than women!  We are delighted and excited!  We’ll lead the orientation for them and then get ready for the intensive English for Mission month in March.  There is a lot to look forward to!

We are thankful for the opportunities we had to visit so many churches and supporters and tell the story of how God is using our Brazilian Baptist colleagues in the world.  Now we are grateful that we will be taking you back with us, since no missionary ever serves alone. Thanks for your prayers, your participation, and your financial support that make our partnership in Brazil possible.

Com amor em Cristo, (with love in Christ)


Ann, Bruce, and Asa

It was a special joy to celebrate Christmas with Elena this year!