By Dione Lima Santos

There is no public transportation in Redenção, located in the center of Brazil’s Amazonian region. After Samuel, another missionary, left, we were without a car. For over a year, I walked, visiting the Indigenous people, or attending to official business at the government office, CASAI. Sometimes, I took a motorcycle taxi or Uber, especially when I had to take my daughter to the doctor and school. The climate here is hot! At times, I walked four kilometers to visit a Kayapo sister who had cancer.

So, I started praying and asking other brothers to pray for this need. My daughter and I attend the First Baptist Church of Redenção, where there is an annual campaign. Every year, we spend the first 21 days of prayer, and in this campaign, I brought my needs to God.

In the first months of that year, I received help from some brothers for this purpose. One brother in Christ is Mr. Earl Trap, my mentor. He turned 95 in July, and he worked here in Brazil with the Kayapo Indians for more than 50 years. He was aware of the importance of transportation for working here. The Indigenous villages are few and far between. Many times, in the state of Mato Grosso (Big Forrest), walking to some of the homes is next to impossible.

A well-maintained used car appeared in the store of a Christian brother. He belongs to the same church. He contacted me and made it easy for me to make a down payment. I decided to pay the rest in installments, and he agreed to sell me the car. Some months, I couldn't deliver on the agreed day, so I had to ask him to postpone the payment date. I could always make the payments after receiving LAM’s support money through Stephanie Obando at the mission office.

This year, I was able to go to the villages several times. My car has been a great blessing for working here in Redenção. It is the principal city in this northern area. Having transportation helps us meet our needs. I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to start praying. God heard our prayers, and now I am grateful to God and the brothers who helped me.

Next year I would really like to do some things to the house. I want to plaster the walls in my house. Also, building a large room with a bathroom next to the house will help me bring together the children and teenagers who live here in Redenção. I want to give tutoring and classes in Kayapo and Portuguese. I would also like a place where the Indigenous brothers and sisters who pass through on their way to meetings in Mato Grosso can hang their hammocks. That’s my challenge for this year.

My daily prayer for Sabrina, my daughter, is even more complex than providing a car and having a building to help with my ministry. Sabrina is 17 and suffers from unexpected growth, making her too tall compared to other teenagers. I keep trying to get an appointment for her at the hospital in Brasilia, but the medical staff there is overbooked. Until now, I haven’t had a reply to my request for medical attention. Please pray with me about this.

Thank you very much for all the support and prayers. May God bless you and each family.

Photo of Brazilian Indigenous women taught by Dione Lima Santos