We had an unexpected delay with a 15-hour layover in Sao Paulo, soon to be the largest city in the world, if not already with 25 million people. We went to the downtown area and had lunch at a restaurant on the top of a building where our view is what is called, the “ Forest of Stone”-tall buildings as far as you can see in every direction. WOW!!

Some of the ladies on the team painted this mural with the handprints of the boys at the bottom (sorry you can’t see that). This was our last day with the orphanage boys, Wilson and his wife (houseparents), Lon (founder) and his family. It was a gut-wrenching, tear-jerking farewell.

Playing with and getting to know the boys the first day. Kevin joining the boys for their early morning Bible reading and worship.

Lon and Lee having fun during a BPE training session at Fellowship Church. God truly knit our hearts together. I look forward to many years of working in the kingdom of God with my Brazilian brother.	Rolf is facilitating a breakout group to discuss what has just been taught. Lon tells me that there is still a strong excitement among the church. The saints were indeed encouraged and equipped in their faith in Christ.	We shared the Gospel, did drama, puppets, and much more in 3 neighborhood churches. This is a song/drama called “The End of the Beginning” that tells of a man coming back to Christ.

I’ve never been a part of a mission team effort where we were so relationally involved with each other as a team and with the people we were serving. Over 30 people believed in Jesus Christ for the first time and many believers were encouraged, equipped, and built up in their faith. God truly did a deep work IN our lives that we will never forget. It was so exciting and fulfilling to see God use His people from our team to expand His kingdom in the hearts of so many in Brazil.

We have been overwhelmed trying to summarize for you all that God did. It was one of those experiences where you just had to be there. Andy asked me on our last day, “Is it always this hard to leave?!” In all of the other trips I’ve been on before, it has never been as hard to leave as it was on this trip.

While in Rio de Janeiro, we reconnected with two families that we knew from the States but hadn’t seen in years. Both relationships offer wonderful opportunities for future ministry. We knew the Sprowls from Big Spring. They recently purchased property and buildings in two different states in Brazil with a vision of training students for evangelism. Their vision included students all over their property with backpacks! They feel that Backpack Evangelism is an answer to their prayers for training believers. We had not seen the Silvados in over 20 years and lost touch with them well over 10 years ago. They heard that a “Lee Rushing” was preaching at First Baptist in Rio and they thought it must be the same guy they knew from seminary. They live in another state from Rio, but happened to be there for a convention. They showed up at the church and he wound up translating for me. It was a wonderful reunion with a special couple! He is a pastor and former president of a seminary in Parana. They now want me to come to Curitiba, Parana, for preaching ministry and more. We also built relationships with three other people that we feel offer significant opportunity for future ministry to be followed up.

This is the last church I preached in, First Baptist Church in another area of Rio called Moça Bonita, which means “Pretty Girl.” Therefore I was preaching in the FBC of Pretty Girl—ha! The building continued to get more and more full and then people were standing around the outside looking in all the windows. The singing was the loudest I have ever heard from any church I have ever been in . . . it was deafening and wonderful! I was invited to be the guest preacher for their 52nd church anniversary. The church has a wonderful ministry to the area providing chapel services for people who have died. They have coordinated over 20,000 chapel services in the past 14 years! I went to three chapel rooms after this service to pray with the families of deceased. We will never forget this evening of worship, celebration and ministry in the Lord!

Sharing the Gospel on the streets on Sunday morning after a training session. The main street next to the beach (one block away from the church) is closed on Sunday as a family day. It’s a wonderful opportunity to casually talk with people about their faith in God.	We went door to door visiting with people about Jesus Christ and sharing food, medicine, and clothing with them. The hospitality of some of these poor people is amazing. Some invited us into their homes. One of our Brazilian interpreters was so excited as he introduced his first person to a relationship with Christ.	Fejoida is the national food dish of Brazil. It’s a mixture of beans, meats, rice and spices . . . yummy!! The meats and fruits in Brazil are some of the best in the world! They love to fellowship together after worship services . . . coffee, fruit, and cakes are standard menu items after church.

Loren and Judy Sprowl and their 10 children (Recently they adopted 5 Brazilian siblings)	Dr. Roberto and Hedy Silvado (I helped Roberto with his English notes in seminary.)