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.

 

Dear Prayer Partners, thanks so much for your prayers for us. I would to ask for prayer for Vaneia, a first time visitor who accepted the Lord this last week at the church.

I would also like prayer for Ronaldo and his family. He is an alcoholic, but is very interested in God. His family is praying that he would accept Christ and stop drinking so that he could keep a job for more than a few days, will stop spending their grocery money on alcohol, and stop beating them. I have been witnessing to him, have loaned him a book, and have had some good conversations. But he needs to get free.

The most common complaints we have heard in the neighborhood right behind the church are lack of good drinking water, the high level of violence, and alcoholism. Many women asked for prayer that their husbands would stop drinking so that they would stop beating them. Pray that we would have wisdom in how best to reach out and help this poor community, so troubled and desperate.

We don’t have our car yet. After giving them all the paperwork, they asked for more. We contacted the church, and they sent additional paperwork down by fax, and everything looked good, it looked like they were going to give us the car. But because I am a foreigner, they decided today that they couldn’t give us the car after all, without either a cosigner or a large down payment. The cosigner has to be Brazilian, can’t be a foreigner, and it can’t be Luciene. It seems so impossible. Please pray that even though it seems impossible, that God would make a way, and it would be His way, and His name would be glorified.

posted by Eduardo Buck at Tuesday, November 16, 2004

 
We finally have electricity in the new house, at least part of it. It was really nice to see lights on at last. The construction is big, and dark without the lights. Thank you Lord, for helping us this far. Help us finish it and be able to move in soon!
posted by Eduardo Buck at Monday, November 15, 2004

 
My absentee ballot finally got here November 9th, a bit late for me to participate in the election, but it was neat to see it finally arrive.

It was a little like the Reader's Digest Sweepstakes things, envelopes to fill out and sign, punch cards, little rings to seal the envelop, little pieces of paper with special instructions, etc.

Hopefully next election it will come a little sooner, so my vote will be counted. Thank God that it wasn't close this time. God has been merciful to us, and allowed us to escape the clutches of a liberal demagogue. We have four years to plan, and put in motion firm methods to assure someone who respects the constitution is elected. Let's not waste time!

posted by Eduardo Buck at Thursday, November 11, 2004

 
Hey, I just ran across a great blog all about Moringa, at http://www.moringablog.com/. We have been experimenting with growing moringa, and there was much helpful information on the blog. There are tips on how to grow it, etc. This will be very helpful as we develop projects and programs to integrate moringa growing into social assistance programs.

posted by Eduardo Buck at Saturday, November 06, 2004

 
Well, I have just officially become a disenfranchised voter. My ballot never made it, and today is a holiday here in Brazil, the day of the dead, from what I gathered on the internet about voting in Ohio today is the deadline for the postmark, that means I can't vote. I don't understand it, I sent in the request with plenty of time. From what I could find, there was no way to fax the stuff in like a friend of mine from Indiana did, had to do everything by mail. There is something disturbing to me about foreign governments mail system determining who can vote.

I am so disappointed. Especially knowing that Ohio is a swing state, that could determine the Presidential election. I can't tell you how disappointed I am. Like someone just punched me in the stomach.



posted by Eduardo Buck at Tuesday, November 02, 2004