Dear Partners in mission,

It has been 25 years since we were appointed by the Presbyterian Church in the United States (PCUS) to serve as missionaries with our partner Presbyterian Church in Brazil. We give thanks to the Lord for his grace and wisdom and mercy because without them we would not have made it this far. We also want to thank you all for your prayers, words of comfort, encouragement, and financial support throughout our ministry.

We arrived in Brazil in November 1982. We had four months of language study. Michael had to learn Portuguese from zero, while Irene only had to have a refresher course because she was born and raised in Brazil. In April 1983, we were sent to the south of Para. During that time, we drove our Jeep on dirt roads, through high waters, mud, and sands. Our Brazilian missionary brothers and sisters went out with us to evangelize, and many souls were saved. We also worked together to build churches, schools, and manses. The Lord surely has blessed the work in Para. Five young people came from this region to study at the Bible Institute in Patrocinio, Minas Gerais. Today, they are workers in this field. We served in Para until July 1986. All congregations were organized and the presbytery of south Para was formed in 1987.

After a year of home assignment, we return to Brazil in August 1987. We were sent to then north of Para to the city of Santarem. We were able to build a congregation of the Independent Presbyterian Church of Brazil (IPIB)in the district of Santarenzinho.

In November 1988, the Board of National Mission of the IPIB requested that we help organize a new field in the south of Bahia. There, we built IPIB churches in Itamaraju, Texeira de Freitas, and Guarani. We also started work in Itabuna, Bahia, and Saint Matthew in the state of Espirito Santo. All these churches now have their own pastors and are part of the Presbytery of Bahia.

In October 1994, we were sent to Cuiaba, Mato Grosso. Michael served as director and professor at the first lay missionary training school of the IPIB. Irene served as professor of music and English and as advisor for female students. We recruited and taught 120 students.  Five students came from Peru, two from Argentina and two from Bolivia. About 50 percent of those we trained are now serving as missionaries in new church planting, 20 percent are working to revitalize older congregations, 15 percent went to seminary and are now ordained pastors serving organized churches, 10 percent are serving as camp counselors, psychologists, and so on, while 5 percent are members of their local churches.

In Cuiaba we also built dormitories, a library, and classrooms. We returned to the United States in February 2002 and served at the Presbyterian Center in Louisville as missionaries-in-residence until December 2003. During that period, Michael was sent to Brazil five times to evaluate projects and meet with IPIB leadership.

In July 2003, IPIB celebrated its 100th birthday, and Michael was a PC(USA) representative. He met many of his former students and colleagues. They persuaded us to return to Brazil, which we took as a confirmation of our ministry.

The Lord led us back to Brazil in January 2004. We are now serving at the Brasilia extension of the Antonio de Godoy Sobrinho Seminary. Michael serves as professor and dean. Irene is serving as professor and advisor for female students. Fourteen students have graduated from this extension, and eleven more students will graduate in March 2008. Four students have been ordained and seven students are doing their internship and will be ordained in November 2007.  Three students decided to continue their secular professions. They may change their minds and ask to do an internship in the future. Only the Lord knows.

This is a quick review of our work during these 25 blessed years. By the power of the Holy Spirit, we were able to build lives, temples, manses, and school for the service of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To God be the glory. Please continue to lift us up in your prayer. Our term ends on February 28, 2008. The Lord has His plan, He will reveal it when it is time to do so.

Faithfully serving Christ in Brazil,

Michael and Irene Sivalee

The 2007 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 41