On the 28th of February 2001, Buck and Luciene moved to the Amazon Basin of Brazil. We lived in Macapá, right on the equator. Why would a web designer give up his career and take his family from their comfortable life in Columbus, Ohio, USA, to live on the Amazon River? We came with a vision to save the Amazon, to tell people about Jesus, and plant a Vineyard church. We have planted a church, and we are turning it over to the national leaders, heading back to the States in Sept. 2009.

 
We took an exploratory trip to Villa Nova this week, to see what doors God may be opening up for river evangelism and work among unreached people groups along the rivers.  Please pray for us, that God would continue to open doors for further ministry among the unreached, and that the Lord of the Harvest would send workers into His harvest field.

This girl is 19, mute, and pregnant.  She would not let us pray for her.  Her brother is also mute.  There are some spiritual strongholds in the family.  Her dad (behind her) is an alchoholic.

Some of the kids got all dressed up when they saw that we were taking pictures.

God, be merciful, and help these precious children escape the spiritual darkness and live free.

This is the church that has just started in Villa Nova.  It is up on stilts because it floods during rainy season when it is high tide.  Even though it is fresh water, at this point the Amazon River has tides because it is right at the mouth of the ocean.

This is Vermelho (Red).  He fishes, harvests Açai, and relies heavily on shrimp.

Lord Jesus, be merciful and compassionate to the children and unreached people along the rivers.  Raise up workers for the harvest Lord! 

Playing in the water.  Luciene asked which way the river flowed, and they replied, both ways!  The current was going one way, downstream to the ocean, and the current was very strong.  Then the water started flowing the other way when the tide started coming in, and it was just as strong.

In front of the church at Villa Nova.

In front of the river at Villa Nova as night falls.

Luciene and Raquel recently made some awesome cinnamon rolls together.

Raquel just lost her two front teeth.

Rafael Guerra, Newton's son.

posted by Eduardo Buck at Monday, July 26, 2004