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May 1999
Dear Sisters and Brothers,
We praise God for your prayers and for your economic support
to the overseas mission and our ministry here in Brazil. We arrived
to Fortaleza in February 1995 and became involved with the seminary
and the churches. We enjoyed teaching men and women in both places.
Sara has taught full time in subjects such as psychology, pastoral
counseling, methodology, family matters and, during these years,
she has given free counseling to more than 100 people in the seminary
and the churches. Guido has taught New Testament subjects (synoptics,
exegesis, John, Paul, theology of the New Testament) and preaching
and has served as a pastor of different congregations.
The seminary is going through a wonderful time of growth. There
are 50 new students (out of a total of 115) for the regular program
of theology. The master's degree program, which started in February,
has 20 students. In addition, there are 22 students in a joint
program with the university to prepare teachers in religion to
teach in high schools, and 30 students in the program of music.
The grand total is 187 students who arrive every evening to receive
training in different aspects of ministry and whose purpose it
is to serve the church.
We would like to share a story of a couple of students, Leobran
Ribeiro and Marcia da Costa (see photo). Marcia is from Manaus,
Amazonas, and Leo from Belém, Pará, both states
in the North of Brazil. She had a six-day boat ride on the Amazon
River in order to get to Belém. Those boats are not very
comfortable. In fact, they do not have rooms but hammocks to sleep
in. They met in Belém and were married there in the Presbyterian
Church and soon the Presbytery of the North decided to send Leo
to the seminary. Unfortunately, the small scholarship was only
for Leo. Marcia, a clever student, with her own savings studied
for two years, and this year the presbytery also granted her a
scholarship. Leo and Marcia will finish their theological training
in December 2000 and are planning to return to Belém. Now
that the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil is ordaining
women as elders and pastors, Marcia will and Leo will both probably
serve as pastors. Both are committed to the church, good students,
and interested in serving the people of God in difficult places
of Brazil.
We're going to work in Costa Rica!
Now we have some news for you. The Worldwide Ministries of the
PC(USA) is transferring us to Costa Rica to work with the Latin
American Biblical University (UBL). The PC(USA) has partially
supported the UBL with professors for many years, and we will
take the place of some of them who are retiring. The university
works with many seminaries and institutions involved in theological
education by offering degrees recognized and approved by the Costa
Rican government, by producing didactical materials, and by doing
short-term training for professors from all over Latin America.
We thank God for the opportunity that the Independent Presbyterian
Church of Brazil gave us to serve at the theological seminary
in Fortaleza. We are grateful for the Rev. Áureo Rodrigues
(principal of the seminary) and the Rev. Frank Arnold (retired
missionary) because they both care and help us to work in God's
mission in Brazil. Also, we thank the Worldwide Ministries Division
of the PC(USA) for its effort to maintain the mission around the
world and keeping us as missionaries. We would like to continue
receiving your economic support and your prayers for our work
in Costa Rica.
We will start working at the university in Costa Rica from July
1st , 1999. we already know our address, phone, and e-mail in
Costa Rica. After July 1 contact us at: Sincerely yours,
Sara & Guido Mahecha
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