Team Member Profile: Chuck Sumner

Hometown: Charleston, SC
Favorite Bible Verse: Matthew 6:33; Philippians 4:4-7
Hobbies: Gardening
Favorite Dessert: Rich Dark Chocolate
Family: I am blessed beyond measure with Kay, my wife of 33 years. A wonderful daugther, Abbie, and her husband, Jason and an amazing grandson Ty and a terrific son, Chad.
Pet: an old cat that doesn't like me, named Yellow Cat

It is always exciting for me to leave especially for the PAZ Mission in Santarem. This will be my third trip to Brazil. I really look forward to seeing friends in Brazil and most of all the beautiful people of the Amazon River Basin. The people are open to the Gospel and their willingness to commit their lives is humbling. Pray for the missionaries of Project Amazon, and the people of the Amazon River Basin. Their goal is to establish 1000 churches by 2014. With the help of God, this goal will be accomplished.

Serve One Another

For you have called to live in freedom, my brothers and sisters. But don't use your freedom to satisfy your sinful nature. Instead, use your freedom to serve one another in love. -Galatians 5:13

We are down to the final countdown and in 2 weeks we'll be well on our way to Brazil. The prayer for our team is that we are humble in serving one another and that begins before we get on the plane.

One of the most practical ways we can serve our brothers and sisters on the missions field is to offer an extra piece of luggage packed with materials and supplies they can use on the front lines. You might be thinking, "why don't they just ship supplies down" and that is a good question. The problem with that is in the fact the Brazilian government taxes import goods almost 100%. A computer that costs $1200, now becomes a $2400 investment and you aren't necessarily guaranteed to get everything in one piece.

With a team of 11 individuals, we'll be able to take almost 550 pounds of supplies without any extra costs. The list includes everything from coolers to computer equipment. The prayers that are needed - we get everything down there in one piece, that we'll be able to check everything all the way through from Charleston and that those on the front lines will be encouraged and re-energized by these goods.

Team Member Profile: Clara Hodges

Hometown: Center Tuftonboro, NH
Favorite Verse: I'm not sure that I have a favorite verse yet, but I do love this one: In the beginning, God... -Genesis 1:1
Hobbies: singing, dancing, knitting
Favorite Dessert: Ice Cream
Family: I have 6 siblings; I am the youngest. I have 5 sisters: Mehera, Julia, Frances, Anne and Sara; then one brother: Gess. Then there are my parents, BG and Joanie.
Spiritual Strengths: I tend to be good at being friendly and making people feel comfortable. I have some tendencies towards leadership but it's hard to know - I need to have more chances to pinpoint my strengths.

I'm going on this missions trip because God has always nudged me in this direction and I'm finally taking the opportunity. I've always shied away, clinging to my day-to-day life and family/friends; but now, I have this really great chance to do His work and He has been opening doors for me throughout the whole process. I've known the Bests (missionaries in the field with PAZ in Brazil) for a very long time as well as other people from my church who have gone on missions trips. They all share this joy from truly making a difference. I can see how much missionaries help people and share Jesus' love, and I can see how much closer to God missionaries themselves become. It's been a culmination of seeing fulfillment and realizing I am far from it that has finally made ministering and helping other people really click - nothing else gives true satisfaction.

It would probably be good for anyone reading this to know that I have never brought someone to Christ. There are many different reasons for this but my worry now is that I won't know exactly how to do it or that I'll do it wrong. I know this is completely idiotic - if I'm doing it for God then the Holy Spirit will work through me and bless my words - so I am praying for courage. I am trying to become closer to God throughout this whole process and hopefully bring others closer as well, that is my goal.

The Details

I love when God takes what you ask and just blows you away with it...even the little questions. Last night when blogging, I had the coordinates of the PAZ base in Monte Alegre, but I asked God 'Who cares about those details?'

Not even a sparrow, worth only half a penny, can fall to the ground without your Father knowing it. - Matthew 10:29

God cares about the details....EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM! So thanks to a sweet sister this morning for reminding me (Amie) of that and join us in praying for the details.

Monte Alegre - 1˚59’58.05” S 54˚04’59.33” W

Below is a map where it shows Santarem, where we will begin our journey and the base of Monte Alegre is up in the upper right hand corner. We don't have the coordinates of the village of Estrada D, but it is 3 hours by car (remember jungle roads) from Monte Alegre.

Hitting Cruise Control

I don't know about you all, but I love the open road. The idea of being able to get out, put the top down and enjoy nature is one I can't say no to. The thing I love the most...cruise control. For a lead foot like me (Amie is writing this) it saves me from many a speeding tickets.

Cruise control...I do this in day-to-day life as well, forgetting to lean in on God and remembering He's got the control. I take such a 'been there, done that' type of attitude and can easily forget to lean into Him.

There are many of us on this trip that have been to Brazil before. We have a comfort level. We've been there before...we know the deal. We were on CRUISE CONTROL...UNTIL NOW!!!

You can make many plans, but the LORD's purpose will prevail. - Proverbs 19:21

We got word today that our trip this year will look significantly different than any of the trips that we've done before. God kicked off the cruise control and called us back to a place of humbleness and reliance on His purpose for our lives, not our plans.

Typically we have been in a village along the river and used the PAZ boats as a base out on the river for living quarters. This year we will be going by line boat (think a Greyhound but in a boat) 3 hours from the city of Santarem and then 3 hours inland to the river village. We will split into groups of 3-4 and live with our brothers and sisters in Christ during our visit in the village.

Here's the run down of what we know.

Depart Charleston: Thursday - March 1st
Arrive Santarem: Saturday - March 3rd

We'll leave Santarem via line boat (Greyhound bus on water) on Saturday for a 3 hour ride to the city of Monte Alegre where PAZ has another base. It is then a 3 hour ride inland to the village of Estrada D (D Street). We are likely going to be working on the roof of the church in this community: building and raising the trusses, handing up lumber for additional supports and then passing up and nailing on the roofing tiles.

We welcome this change and are excited to see what God has in store. It will likely be more difficult to get updates out until we are back in Santarem on March 9th or 10th, but we will update the blog and we covet your prayers as we look forward to these changes.

Team Member Profile: Jerry Miner

Hometown: Lima, OH
Favorite Verse: Titus 3:14
Hobbies: Photography
Favorite Dessert: Ice Cream
Family: Married to an amazing godly woman, Sharon Miner. Father to Jessica Carpenter (at Seacoast), Chris Miner (Fort Wayne, IN) and Joy Wine (Phoenix, AZ) and 6 (and should be 7 before we leave) wonderful grandkids. One pet - Sundance Sassy Pumpkin - our ever present Golden Retriever
Spiritual Strengths: Learner, Teacher

Sharon and I have been interested in missions all our adult life. We have worked for Water Missions for over four years and are now stepping out to begin our own ministry - The Cross Connecting Network. Much of what we will do will center on safe water projects. The missionary partner in Brazil has done extensive work in this area, so we are hoping to learn what we can do at Seacoast to help them.

One prayer request is that my new little grand baby comes on time and I get to see her before we go to Brazil. Another would be that our eyes are just opened to all that God has for the team to absorb. Give us God's eyes to see.

Team Member Profile: John Peckham

Hometown: Weymouth, MA.
Favorite Verses: Micah 6:8; Philippians 3:9-11
Hobbies: volunteering, researching safe water topics, golfing, backyard astronomy
Favorite Desserts: ice cream, pie
Family: my wife Sue of 27 years, 3 adult children, and 4 grandchildren
Spiritual Strengths: teamwork, encouragement, and enjoy reading & studying the Bible.

This will be my 3^rd mission trip with Seacoast Church. The 1^st mission trip was in July 2008 to Honduras, assisting a mission with construction at an orphanage. Last March, I was fortunate to be part of the Team sent to Project AmaZon (PAZ) in Santarém, Brazil to assist the mission with church construction and assess safe water issues.

After serving with the full-time missionaries at PAZ last year, my eyes and heart were opened to the great work in missions that the Lord has for all of His people. The missionaries at PAZ are some of the most dedicated folks I have served with in ministry. They truly have a love for Christ that is both genuine and contagious. I want what they have. PAZ is committed to “The Great Commission”, as commanded by Jesus Christ. They are busy planting churches, making disciples, and meeting people’s health, education, & safe water needs.

The mission trip last year was a reminder to me of how awesome God is and how He loves people of all nations and cultures. I was touched at the church services by how free the Brazilian believers worship the Lord. Although we needed translation for the language, our hearts were unified with them in our devotion to our Savior.

This year we have a great Team that God has assembled to work and evangelize in the Amazon basin. Please join me in praying for the following:

- Pray that God will bless the full-time PAZ missionaries spiritually, physically, and financially to do His work.

- Pray that this trip would encourage and forever change the lives of the people of the Amazon Basin.

- Pray that our Team would remain healthy, strong and unified.

To God be the Glory!