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 want to thank each one of you that has so faithfully prayed for us.
We just received some really good news. Luciene is two months
pregnant with our fourth child. She has been feeling a lot of nausea,
but other than that, is healthy.

We just got some really good news as far as transportation also. As
you know from previous prayer letters, we have been struggling with
transportation. We have been making payments for a new car in what is
called a "Consorcio". A consorcio is a Brazilian invention. You join
a group, and the whole group makes car payments every month but you
don't get your car right away. Once a month, one person is chosen in
a drawing to receive their car. The rest continue to pay until they
can make the minimum down payment to get the car out, or until they
are chosen in the drawing.

We have been paying on our new car for about a year and a half. We
had to sell the VW Bug recently, and have been getting around by
bicycle. It was kind of difficult, figuring out how to haul both of
the girls to school on the one bike, but we have been doing it.
Raquel got her foot caught in the spokes of the bicycle this week on
the way back from school, bruised her up pretty bad, some blood, bent
the tire of my bike. Now she is terrified of going on the bike. Not
having transportation has been a real test for us, especially with the
second church plant on the other side of the city to supervise now.

We have asked for prayer, and God has heard, and has answered.
Yesterday, on the 22nd of October, our number was chosen for the car!
We need to complete paperwork, pay the fees, etc., and within a
couple of weeks we could have our new car! Please pray that we will
have the US$1,000 that we will need for the fees and shipment costs,
and that the paperwork would all go smoothly, and that we could get
the car without any further delay. We just can't tell you how happy
we are, and how much we appreciate all of the prayer.

My back has been better also. I have been able to get around pretty
normally, though I have to be really careful about bending down or
lifting anything. It was one of the most physically painful things I
have ever gone through. It was also a lesson in the subhuman
treatment that one receives with socialized medicine. My heart just
breaks with the suffering of the poor and forgotten ones.

In the midst of struggle, God has shined upon us with His merciful
favor. Our hearts dance with joy in His presence. Thanks for dancing
with us in prayer!


posted by Eduardo Buck at Saturday, October 23, 2004