Brazil Reflections ~ Richard Ash

Wow, the two week mission trip to Lar Batista Biblico, in Assis Chateaubriand, Parana, Brazil, has come and gone. I am still trying to recover from the travel, the excitement, and the many beautiful images of the land, culture and people of Brazil. I want to thank each of you for supporting our team on this very important mission trip. Through your prayers, cards, letters and financial help we were able to reach out and touch the hearts of 44 young and very impressionable children of God. They have been blessed by their family at Lar, and we were very blessed to be with them, to get to know them, and be touched by their excitement that we were there.

Lar in Portuguese means “home” and that is exactly what Lar Batista is – a Baptist Christian home! Joaquim Fragoso, known as Pai, Portuguese for father, founded Lar as a non-profit home for children in 1976. In the 32 years the home has been in existence more than 650 children have found family, friends and the Lord at the home. All of the children learn from an early age at Lar what it means to depend upon the Lord, what a good family environment is like, and how to share love and responsibilities with brothers and sisters. Miracles are a part of the children’s vocabulary as well as a part of their childhood memories. Most started their lives with anguish and disappointment as children, and through the grace of God, found themselves being loved and cared for by those at Lar.

Our primary purpose was to build relationships with the children. To show them the love of Christ and to help them know they were loved and had value. The children were on winter break from school, so we had a lot of quality time with them all day. By partnering with them in evangelism, we help teach them they are loved by God and can be used by God to reach others with the Good News of Christ’s love. Natalie, one of our team members, a pediatric physician, was able to give 40 of the children physical exams and give those at the home guidance on handling medications and health concerns of the children.

Pai loves to tell the stories of how Lar Batista came to be, and the many adventures he has been through to accomplish things on the campus. The Chapel is the latest addition, and the story has taken about six years to get to a point of almost being complete. It required the acquisition of a block of street from the city so that the Chapel could be built on the site Pai had envisioned.

Finally, the building is nearing completion with just interior finishes to be completed. Furniture and furnishings will await help from the many that support the home, but as Pai continues praying for the Lord to provide those things needed everywhere at Lar, those needs will soon come to past.

The mission team brings back a lot of memories and inspirations that will have a prolonged and profound affect on each and every one of us. A return trip is most certainly a possibility in the future. Seeing and greeting the children again would be a real blessing to us. The Lord brought us together for His purpose and only through him were we able to reach out and touch the lives of His innocent and precious children. I thank you again for the support you gave to our mission team. Through your thoughts and prayers we were successful in God purpose. I wish you the blessings of God.