February 28, 2009

It's Official, Brazilians are Really Addicted to Orkut

clipped from pt.globalvoicesonline.org

Posted by Andrew at 2:59 PM
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February 27, 2009

Gross Miscarriage of Justice

Just before going to bed last night I turned on Fox News. What I saw made me lose sleep. It was the story of Sean Goldman, a now eight-year-old American boy who has been withheld from his father for four years by the Brazilian government.

I was unable to find the Fox video this morning, so watch this from the Today Show:

If you don't have time to watch the video, or for some reason cannot see it, let me briefly bring you up to speed.

A young American man met a young Brazilian woman, and they got married and had a son--Sean. Sean was born in the US to an American father, and is a full US citizen, exactly like my own Michael.

The seemingly happy family lived in the US for four years. One day over four years the father took his wife and son to the airport so they can go to Brazil and spend some time with her family. It was the last he saw her, and the last he saw of his son until this week.

A short while after arriving in Brazil, the mother called the father and said that their marriage was over. She got a divorce in Brazil, and then married the divorce lawyer--one Joao Paulo Lins e Silva--who apparently comes from a very influential family in Rio with many ties to the legal system.

According to international treaties signed by Brazil and the US, the boy should have been returned to the father within weeks. It appears, however, that Lins e Silva was able to "work the system" so that this did not happen.

Some time later, the mother died while giving birth to the lawyer's child. When the rightful father (who had been desperately trying to get his son back) found out about this, he became hopeful that he would be able to soon have custody of the son, as the biological father.

He was wrong. The Brazilian court, while finally agreeing that the action was wrong, made the arbitrary judgment that young Sean would be better off in Brazil.

So the father still does not have his son back. He recently got to see him for the first time. There are no details yet as to what happened at that meeting.

First off, let me say that I love Brazil. One of the things that makes me so upset about this whole thing is the huge, self-inflicted black eye that my adopted country gets when things like this happen. It is this kind of thing that gives Brazil the "banana republic" reputation it has on the international scene.

You may ask why there is no outrage over this on the part of Brazilians. The simple answer is that Brazilians do not know about it. Somehow the evil "stepfather" was able to put a gag order that applied to the press, and very few outlets have reported it. The Brazilians I have talked to about this are visibly outraged when the find out what has been going on.

Only now is the mainstream Brazilian press beginning to pick up the story, as it threatens to become an issue that will cast a cloud over the first meetings between the Brazilian officials and the new Obama administration. It has already come up, as Hillary Clinton made it the first item of business in her meeting with Brazilian ambassador to the US Celso Amorim.

I never thought I would write the following two words in this particular order, but here goes: Go Hillary!

My obvious reaction to this has been one of outrage. Once again, it would appear that the wicked are prospering. I would like to ask that the readers of this blog share in my outrage at this situation, and take the following actions:

Pray.

The God we serve is sovereign in this matter. This has not taken Him by surprise, and the outcome is in His hands. I do not know the spiritual condition of the family (although I have a pretty good idea when it comes to the "stepfather"). I do know that God is not pleased when justice is denied (Psalm 89:14, Proverbs 21:3, among many other references). Pray that God will act in order that justice will be done. Pray also that God would show Himself real in the person of Jesus Christ to all those involved.

The best solution, of course, would be for Mr. Lins e Silva to be transformed by the Holy Spirit, repent of his evil ways, turn the boy over to his father, and pay reparations for the four years of emotional damage he has caused. In the event that this does not happen, we should pray that God would work justice in this case as only He can.

Get Involved.

Visit the Bring Sean Home website. There you can leave an encouraging word, see the latest news, and spread the word via Facebook. If you have a blog, do a writeup about it.

The more people are outraged by this, on both sides of the equator, the greater the chances that the two governments will take the necessary action.

As with all injustices, the family of God should be the first ones to stand up and be counted.

Posted by Andrew at 11:16 AM // Comments: 2 //
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February 25, 2009

Where Darwin Went Wrong

One of the coolest things about working with Baptist Mid-Missions here in Brazil is the diversity of ministry you find among our missionaries. We have church planters, seminary profs, camp directors, and even puppeteers!

Randy Pollard, one of our missionaries serving in Fortaleza, is the director of Cinco Talentos Mídia, an organization dedicated to producing media that questions the theory of Evolution.

Here is his latest video, filmed on location in Argentina.

If you know any Portuguese speakers, you can point them to the Portuguese version, here.

Posted by Andrew at 8:41 AM
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February 24, 2009

Andrew Comings, Video Preacher

Ok, not quite. My seven-year-old son decided to play with the video setting on our digital camera while I was giving a devotional at Carnaval retreat. This is the result.

In listening to this, I can tell that I have to really watch how many times I say "certo" (right) in the course of my speaking. Right?

Posted by Andrew at 6:38 PM
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February 22, 2009

Every Preacher's Dream

I had a very nice experience this morning. Last night I ended my devotional by asking the group the following question: "What are the implications of the holiness of God in our lives?" When I arrived at the retreat center this morning, I was told that several of our young people had discussed this question long into the night.

Is this an awesome group of kids or what?

Posted by Andrew at 4:10 PM
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February 21, 2009

First Pics from Carnaval Retreat

Here are some pictures from this evening's time at our church's Carnaval Retreat. Since the retreat is being held at a location close to where we live, we are coming home every evening.

Demetrius on Dish Duty

Hangin' in the Hammocks

Andrew makes a point

How not to light a stove

"After the duel went horribly wrong, doctors decided to leave the sword in."

Geronimo!!!

Posted by Andrew at 11:28 PM
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February 19, 2009

Andrew Unplugged

A week ago Wednesday I challenged our young people to develop a sense of urgency in prayer. One of the ways I suggested was going without a meal (fasting) in order to dedicate that time to prayer and the Word. I committed myself to that as well, and yesterday was my "fast day". It had been some time since I had engaged in this particular spiritual discipline, and I found it refreshing and rewarding.

Even more refreshing and rewarding was the decision to also go on a "technology fast". No computer, TV, recorded music, etc. Of course I still took Mikey to school in the car, and I even used an ATM machine downtown. But while I was studying the computer stayed off. I used (gasp!) books, and filled several pages with notes, writing with an actual pencil.

I have to say that the urge to turn on the computer and check my e-mail was much greater than the urge to eat, at first. As I got into it, however, I found myself to be incredibly focused and able to accomplish a good deal.

I am not ready to "kick the computer to the curb", as evidenced by the fact that I am blogging about this whole experience. There were times when I wanted to look things up online, or on my Bible software. I made notes of those, and am looking them up today.

I can tell you, however, that the technology fast was very well spent, and I will be doing it again in the near future.

Posted by Andrew at 2:54 PM // Comments: 3 //
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February 14, 2009

"Burak" Obama.

One of the most endearing qualities possessed by Brazilians is how they maintain their sense of humor in the face of difficulties. The state of Minas Gerais recently suffered torrential rains that wreaked havoc on the roads. Instead of just marking one large hole with a branch or shrubbery as is often done, one wise guy put up this sign.

The Portuguese word for "hole" is buraco, thus forming a great play on words for the name of the current US president.

Intersting note: This picture comes from the city of Montes Claros, which regular readers of this blog will remember quite well.

Posted by Andrew at 6:15 PM // Comments: 1 //
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February 13, 2009

Tancredo Neves, Cazuza, and a Crate of Eggs

A few days ago a good friend in the US sent me an e-mail he had received. It is highly likely that most of you have received this e-mail as well. It details several people who made flippant or disrespectful comments about God, and died horrible, untimely deaths. My friend was especially interested in the fact that three of the examples came from Brazil, and asked for my opinion.

Before I opine, let me reproduce the content of the e-mail as it referred to the "Brazilian blasphemers".

The first has to do with former president Tancredo Neves:

During the Presidential campaign, he said if he got 500,000 votes from his party, not even God would remove him from Presidency. Sure he got the votes, but he got sick a day before being made President, then he died.

The next example is that of Cazuza, a musically gifted, sexually confused Brazilian entertainer:

During a show in Canecio ( Rio de Janeiro ), while smoking his cigarette, he puffed out some smoke into the air and said:"God, that's for you." He died at the age of 32 of LUNG CANCER in a horrible manner.

Then there is one of the most popular evangelical urban legends in Brazil today:

In Campinas , Brazila group of friends, drunk, went to pick up a friend. The mother accompanied her to the car and was so worried about the drunkenness of her friends and she said to the daughter holding her hand, who was already seated in the car: "My daughter, go with God and may He protect you." She responded: "Only if He (God) travels in the trunk, because inside here.....it's already full" Hours later, news came by that they had been involved in a fatal accident, everyone had died, the car could not be recognized what type of car it had been, but surprisingly, the trunk was intact. The police said there was no way the trunk could have remained intact. To their surprise, inside the trunk was a crate of eggs, none was broken.

Now here is the deal.

First off, I think there are so many references to Brazil because this e-mail (or at least part of it) actually originated here. I have seen it a few times in Portuguese. There are a few things wrong with this picture.

For starters, I can find absolutely no reference outside of this e-mail to the Tancredo Neves comment. It seems odd that he would make it, however, due to the fact that he was by all accounts and extremely devout (catholic) individual.

As to the story of the eggs in the trunk, I have heard it told by someone from another city claiming that it happened there to someone they knew of. Also...according to this account, the make of the car was unrecognizable...but the trunk was intact? Hmmmm...

And Cazuza...he died of AIDS...not lung cancer. He was the Rock Hudson of Brazil in the sense that he was the first major celebrity to have publicly acknowledged having the disease. When I was a short termer here in Brazil back in the '90s people said I looked like him because I was so painfully thin.

Besides the factual license taken, however, the problem with this e-mail and others like it is theological. If it did originate in Brazil, it shows how the Catholic mentality ("if you screw up, God will do terrible things to you") permeates even Protestant thinking here. The main point seems to be "See what God did to these bad people who thought they were so big? They sure got what they deserved!" Ok...but then how do you explain the the hundreds upon hundreds of "bad people" who DON'T get "what they deserve"? Take George Burns, for example. He starred in the blasphemous "Oh God You Devil" movies. Lived to be 100. When Jeremiah cries out "why do the wicked prosper?" it was because the wicked were indeed prospering.

Or take you and I. We certainly have not gotten what we deserve. Praise God for that!

I think that when we are tempted to look at someone's particularly gruesome demise as punishment for some sin, we need to ask ourselves "why then am I still alive? For I am surely as great a sinner as these!" The only answer to that can be the unfathomable Grace of God.

We also have to be careful about the implications. For example, the e-mail also cites the example of the Titanic:

After the construction of Titanic, a reporter asked [it's builder] how safe the Titanic would be. With an ironic tone he said:"Not even God can sink it". The result:I think you all know what happened to the Titanic.

Right. 1517 people died in the icy Atlantic. But when you think about it, God doesn't come off very good if we say that He sent all those people to their watery graves because of a remark the Captain made. (or was it a sign posted at the construction site? or an advert in a magazine?) And what about all the believers who perished?

I guess what I am trying to say is that we need to be wary of assigning motives to God. After all, His ways and thoughts are infinitely above ours (Isaiah 55:9). So when we see "bad" people living to 100 and "good" people dying of cancer, we can rest in God's sovereignty, thank Him for His common grace, rejoice in His salvation.

As for those who deliberately challenge/mock Almighty God, what they really need to worry about is the day when they meet Him, face-to-face.

Posted by Andrew at 10:40 PM // Comments: 6 //
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February 7, 2009

Sigh

clipped from celebwalls.com Tom Cruise reportedly upset his fans in Brazil by speaking Spanish. The Hollywood actor didnt realize the national language spoken in Brazil is Portuguese during a recent trip to the country to promote movie Valkyrie. Tom reportedly addressed a press conference in Rio de Janeiro with the Spanish words hola (hello) and gracias (thank you), according to Brazilian gossip website Glamurama.

Posted by Andrew at 4:18 PM // Comments: 2 // TrackBack: 0 //
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February 6, 2009

Outstanding Message on Missions

I have been watching some of the messages from this year's Desiring God conference. This one is on missions, and it is outstanding.

Posted by Andrew at 10:58 PM
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February 5, 2009

Sunday Praise

The other day I was bragging on our praise team. Here is a simple little video from last Sunday. I am hidden behind the two guitar players.

Posted by Andrew at 9:41 PM
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Encourage the Missionary, Save the Postage

clipped from www.desiringgod.org Pray specific Scripture for them and their ministry, and then email it to them. Call or email their parents—Christmas might be just as lonely for the ones at home as the ones away. Donate frequent flier miles to them. Purchase an iTunes gift card for them. Have it sent to you and email them the account number. Commit to pray for them on a specific day of the week for a year. Get friends and family together to create a holiday video greeting for them using Google Video or YouTube. Include lots of people you know they miss. Make a year-end gift through their missions board or agency. Make a monthly commitment to support them financially.

Posted by Andrew at 5:22 PM
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Sharper Iron on BMM Missions in NE Brazil

You may remember me mentioning that the speaker for our NE Regional conference this year was none other than Aaron Blumer, head honcho over at THE fundamentalist online gathering place, Sharper Iron. Besides presenting us with edifying and challenging messages, he also did a great writeup about us on the site.

Check it out!

Posted by Andrew at 11:28 AM
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February 1, 2009

Worship Team

One of the most enjoyable aspects of our ministry is the privilege I have of participating with our church praise team. We started out as just an informal group of instrumentalists who basically improvised to accompany the services. Thanks to the dedication of the participants and the leadership of Erivan, our new associate pastor--the group is starting to "tighten up" and invest time and effort in leading well-thought-out worship times. Here are some pictures from today's practice.

Pastor Erivan (in the red shirt) gives orientation. I took the picture, so I put the trumpet in the middle to represent my presence.

Isaias lays down a rhythm.

Edivan tickles the ivories. He also doubles on the clarinet...but has not yet figured out a way to do both at once.

Andrew blows his own horn.

Marleide croons the melody.

We make sweet, sweet music together. There are actually more musicians. Some were unable to make it today because they also participate in the leadership of the local youth fellowship. I am really excited about tonight's service. Hopefully the "audience of One" will be pleased.

Posted by Andrew at 5:50 PM // Comments: 3 //
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