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MISSION TRIP TO BRAZIL
June 17 - 30, 1999

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On June 17, eleven people from East Tennessee traveled to Laranjal, Brazil, to build a chapel there. This was the cooperative project between the Cumberland Gap Baptist Association and the Nolichuckey Baptist Association. Those from the Cumberland Gap Association were: Frank Hickman (who was in charge of the project), Walter Dunn, Paul Rains, Larry Adams, Dustin Adams, and Robert Ziegler. James and Judy Williams and Donnie Bible were from the Nolichucky Association. Charles Oliver came from the Northern Association and Charles Cole from the Chilhowee Baptist Association. We traveled overnight from Knoxville, TN, to Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. Friday morning in Rio we boarded a bus for a four hour ride to Laranjal which is a small city in the state of Ninas Gerais. (Note: Laranjal is indicated by the arrow on the map below.)

map of Brazil

We stayed at a hotel in Laranjal. Don Highfill, a Baptist missionary in Brazil, was there to act as the major person in charge of the project on the Brazilian side. The hotel was very close to the building site, which worked out very well. The first afternoon we visited the work site. (The building with the welcome sign was part of the property and had a kitchen and room we could use to eat lunch in. Lunch was provided by the church.) On Saturday we went to Muriae, a larger nearby city, to do some shopping. On Saturday afternoon a few blocks were laid. On Sunday the preachers in our group went to various surrounding towns to preach. The rest of us attended church at Laranjal. Sunday afternoon we went visiting in the city inviting people to the evening service, which was held outdoors on the site of the chapel.

Monday, we began work in ernest. We had some paid Brazilian laborers as well as some volunteers from the church. Some of us worked in a shirt factory across the street building pews, pulpit and communion table. Also trusses were built there for the roof. During the week everyone worked diligently and the chapel was completed by Saturday afternoon. It was made of concrete blocks and stucco. It was then painted.

building the walls

making the pews

almost completed

interior of completed building

group shot

Saturday night we held a dedicatory service with an overflow crowd. We had a choir from a church in Rio and some from the mother church in Muriae. On Sunday we had services in the newly completed chapel. On Monday we started back home by boarding a bus for the trip back to Rio. The trip was very worthwhile as we accomplished what we set out to do, build a chapel for the church in Laranjal. They had the materials ready and the foundation poured when we got there. We got it completed in six days. We had services each night. In all the services held by our team there were at least 31 decisions for Christ plus rededications.

Robert Ziegler

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