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.

 
The culture shock seems to be getting less intense. At least a little. There are so many things that I have to teach the kids for survival in the US. I had to show them to put their finger quickly through the water, to see if it was hot, so they didn't burn themselves. We didn't have hot water in Brazil, only cold water.

I have had to show them how to dress in layers to be able to survive the cold weather. When you live on the Amazon River, that is definitely not a concern. We are getting used to wearing all those clothes. Coming from the Amazon, shorts, a t-shirt and flip-flops were great. Now we have to get used to wearing three shirts, two socks, long-johns, coats, hats and gloves. We walk around like the pillsbury dough boy or something.

We have had fun seeing the animals that are different than what we were used to in Brazil, squirrels, raccoons, deer, and chipmunks. In Brazil, we would stop and look at the monkey road kills, here it is usually possum or raccoon with the occasional deer. We are having fun with the differences as much as possible, and enjoying teaching the kids about this new culture.
posted by Eduardo Buck at Monday, October 19, 2009

 
I have always thought of New Years as a time of refreshing a time of
renewal, a time of change and new commitments. This New Year is no
different.

The Vineyard Macapá church is going great. In fact, it really has
never been better. There is much excitement, and the church is
growing. God has blessed us with a great leadership team that has
been taking on more and more of the responsibilities. God has been
doing new and fresh things in all of us.

After much prayer, the counsel of our stateside leadership and
confirmation by Godly people that have prayed for us, we feel that it
is time for us to return to the United States. We came to plant a
Vineyard church. We planted the church, and can now turn it over to
the Brazilian leadership team that has been raised up. While they are
sad to see us go, they are excited by what God is doing and will
continue to do through them.

Please continue to pray for us, as we work through the details, the
permanent visas, selling the vehicle and the house, and the move back
to the US. It is a time of change, and though we know it is God's
will for us, it is still hard to leave the friends and the church that
has been our family and home for so many years.

Happy New Year, and may God bless you and yours this year.
posted by Eduardo Buck at Thursday, January 01, 2009