NTM

It started out as just another day down at the public health clinic in town. Rebecca had gone there a number of times already to learn as much as she could about the Brazilian medical care system and to add medical terms to her Portuguese vocabulary. What she witnessed this day, though, reminded her that she was learning about medical care within a different culture than her own.

It all started out with the simple refusal of a mentally- deficient patient to receive a tetnus vaccination. There was much discussion between the patient and the medical staff as the clinic attempted to persuade this man that he did, indeed, need the tetnus shot. It was for his good. Yes, it would hurt a little but getting tetnus was far worse than the prick of a needle.

After some time, every argument to verbally persuade the determined patient to get the necessary injection was exhausted. Seemingly the patient had won the battle. For him there would be no needle pricks today—or would there? The next thing Rebecca knew, there were two or three uniformed policemen rushing into the room, grabbing the patient and holding him fast. Today he would be getting the tetnus shot afterall. Somebody had called the cops.

Rebecca has found her observation of Brazilian culture to be as interesting as the language. Even at the medical clinic things are handled just a little differently here than back home.

Our coworker with the tribal people, José, has known Piri for some time. But just a couple of months ago, out of the blue, Piri asked José what pecado meant.

“Pecado is the Portuguese word for when you don’t do what God wants you to do,” José tried to explain in Portuguese.

José could tell that Piri wasn’t fully grasping what he was telling him. Piri is one of the better Portuguese speakers in the village but still has trouble communicating in the national language.

“Wait, Piri. The day will come when we will be able to speak your language and teach you and your people about sin,” José told his friend.

Please continue to pray with us that soon Piri and and his people will be able to hear what God’s Word says about sin in their own language.

Brazilian national Chico just laughed as we all shook our heads in disbelief. Could he really have seen…and killed…a 33 foot alligator? During our survey trip this past Feb/March to visit where we plan to minister in Western Brazil, we had many opportunities to meet tribal people and local Brazilian nationals—and to hear some pretty tall tales. And, oh, by the way…those 33 feet do not include the alligator’s tail!

What an excellent time the Lord gave us, though, in meeting many of these future friends for the first time. We communicated with the tribal people as best we could using Portuguese that soon we would be moving to their area and beginning to learn their language.

As our Portuguese course comes to an end on May 30, we look forward to our move to the Amazon rainforest. We are eager to begin learning the tribal language, to develop relationships with the interior nationals, and, hey, I look forward to seeing one of those 33 foot alligators—from a distance.