Scattered thoughts from monday....

[Sister Alvear]

“This generation is waiting for the challenge that will demand their all. It is time to call them to give their lives away to a cause greater than themselves. We need to let them know there is a Christ to live for and a cause worth dying for.”- Ron Luce


Dearest Friends:

Yesterday we decided to eat out...not a fancy place just a little truck stop nearby. We were so tired after a busy Saturday and a special Saturday night service. Sunday would be a long hard day as usual. Picking people up for church, was taking care of a neighbors children for her and her husband to go take care of a little church in a nearby city and I personally had to speak at two churches and Brother Alvear had the main church to take care of and some other business...
Amidst of thousands of flies we enjoyed the time just to get away for a few minutes. “Look at that lady “ my husband, said...there stood a Muslim lady...staring hard at us. It seemed like an eternity but I know it was just for a few moments. I shivered thinking of her religion. Dressed in a burqa …the whole nine yards…

I wanted to weep. The overall impression of darkness that seemed to emanate from her I cannot find the words to describe. I knew she belonged to a religion that works on the emotions but gives no real peace, no joy, and no hope. (especially for the women) We have joy unspeakable and full of glory as the writer of long ago expressed.

Islam in its sacred book tells us God desires "to make it easy for you," and the Paradise that awaits the Mohammedan is one of sensuous and sensual pleasure. So different from the blessed pureness of a land that awaits the saved. Such a contrast.

Christ spoke of the cross and of the way of self-denial not of the way of self-indulgence. Salvation is by His crucifixion, death and resurrection not some salvation by mere human merit. The Cross of Christ is the only answer to Brazil’s need. It is the one thing that will lift the country and its people out of their sin and degradation and misery. I wondered what the lady really knew for our media and soap operas promote the glories of Islam.
What would a soap opera (so popular in Brazil) know about the horrors of THE REAL OPRESSED WORLD?
Did you know that Brazil is the world’s top tourist destination for Muslims, (after Great Britain)?

Heaven is a place for the pure and holy, a haven for those that have fought life’s battles and won victoriously.

How blessed we are to know the Messiah of the Bible.
There is no religion in the world that gives such hope and assurance to the believer as what we experience. Yet with great blessings come great responsibilities!


May we be filled with a holy fire that will consume us with a new zeal; a new passion to do more for Him who died for us that we might live.

Oh, the heavy cross I have often complained…no matter how heavy the cross I carry Christ is the victor! I know I must keep that in mind even in hard difficult times. WE win…

Sometimes I feel it has been a long journey other times it seems like yesterday but grain by grain, rock by rock, steady work, year after year, toiling, delving, tunneling, the giant mountain obstacles have been gradually melted away and today we see many areas of this great land filled with light. One of my greatest joys as a missionary is to see the character of many ones grows in the likeness of Christ.

We feel a strong sense of passion to see the Gospel spread not only in Brazil but also all over our world.

We plunge forward knowing that God is with us and whatever lies before us is “good.” We know that His love is unfailing, and we feel it surrounding us every single day that we serve on this distant shore. Thank you for helping bring joy to the lives of thousands of precious souls.

I don’t know if you would like to help us but we going to start a drive to help buy bibles and study books for new converts in several different areas. To help on this project please earmark your offerings for Bibles and materials. Thanks so much for helping us share the word of our precious Lord.

If you will help us I know HE will help and we will do all we can before He comes for us. No material things in life matter the real thing is getting the gospel to the lost. That we must do for eternity is coming on winged feet!

YOUR MISSIONARY FRIENDS;
BISHOP AND SISTER RAUL ALVEAR