exciting evening...
 

The shots rang out one after the other. I could tell it was close to my bedroom because they were so loud. Sure enough my cell phone rang and one of the church sisters asked me if our house door was locked. She further proceeded to tell me not to go outside for bandits and the store owner at the corner was exchanging shots.
In a few minutes we found out the bandits took one of our church young men as a hostage to rob the two little stores by our house. By an act of God they let the boy go but only after the robbery was complete and they vanished with stolen bikes into the darkness of our village.
What a dangerous place we live in. Yet we know God has put us here. Robbing and killings seem to be the norm of things.

I really felt ok but my kids came to take my blood pressure but it was 160 over 112! Brother Alvear had to go on to church as he was scheduled to preach at one of the village churches but I had marked to counsel a young mother that was having problems so a couple of our grown girls stayed with me. I really don’t know what they would have done had the bandits decided to come in on us but they felt better about not leaving me with just a young church girl and her children.

Life was dangerous for the first Christians and in many places of our world life is still dangerous. If it is not the communist marches it is bandits shooting, gang fights and all the works…Yet I always remember when sin abounds much more does grace abound.

They sure would have got no money at our house tonight! The convention monied us out! I am sure God has more on the way to take care of us and His work however we do not let it accumulate for hands from all corners of Brazil reach out for our help.

Please remember our safety in your prayers. We love you good folks.

Sister Alvear

Please, please, everyone pray for the Alvears. Sis, I will pray. I will get off this message board and pray for you, your family, and your church family.

Thank you Lord for keeping Mother Alvear safe.

I have been reading some disturbing things about Brazil recently....how many of the poor are virtually slaves that "owe" someone money and work it off, except they are paid virtually nothing and then charged for housing and food, so they can never pay off the dept and are kept working there out of fear of being beaten or killed.

Then I just read that cities there are turning into fiefdoms under some "warlord" and that the government has lost control.

We seriously need to pray for our dear sister and the other saints and workers there

Sis Alvear,

I am glad the Lord kept you safe!

Well, mine wasn't nearly as exciting!

Brother Alvear had nightmares about all that shooting last night! I guess us being robbed and so many bandits getting in our house that time never gets fully out of your mind. Pray for him today he is not feeling well.
I know he knows this is such a dangerous place and feels responsibility for our family and church members.
Thanks for your prayers.
This area of Brazil is very dangerous. It is the poorest state and we almost daily have marches wanting to over throw the government...

You find yourself in that sort of situation often and we westerners set around fussing and fighting over differing theologies... I, for one, am ashamed.

Killing,mugging, breaking in, shooting, gang fights, are an everyday danger here. Someone broke the door of our fellowshp hall last night trying to get in...one of the saints just came over to tell me...

Praying for you and yours Sis. Alvear. You must be certain God wants you there, I suppose, to live through all that!