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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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Keith & Deborah, IMB
Missionaries |
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Visit Our Website
Our Email
Addresses:
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Calendar of Events
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March:
Deborah &
Keith were in Nevada, Arizona, Maryland, Missouri, Ohio,
and Pennsylvania
April 10-15:
Keith & Deborah met with pastors who may
partner in reaching Unreached People Groups for a
commitment of 5 years
July 9-16:
Keith leads a team from Houston to work with the newest
Quilombo church plants.
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News from
The
Forgotten
Africa
April 2011
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DEAR PRAYING FRIENDS,
After transferring to
the International Mission Board SBC office in Richmond,
VA, to work as the African American and
Northeast Regional Missional Strategist, I will be
making my first trip
back to Brazil to work with a team from
Houston, TX, July 9 - 16. I will be
working in the newest
Quilombo church plants in the state of Maranhao
with whom we started with American and Brazilian
volunteers and their churches. Lord willing, I will also
be making visits to the Quilombo churches in the state
of Bahia the week prior.
There is a new Quilombo church that is being started in
Cachoeiro, Bahia, through First Missionary Baptist of
Cachoeiro. My Brazilian home church of Salvador, Bahia,
is still assisting in working with Quilombo churches
also. Please keep
these Quilombo churches in your prayers along
with those in the county of Jeremoabo, Bahia.
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American Churches Partnering with UUPG's
April 10 - 15,
Deborah and I will be meeting with some church pastors
to find partners that
will commit to at least 5 years in reaching a UUPG
(Unengaged and Unreached People Group). This
means taking the Gospel to people who are not only
unreached like the Quilombolas (less than 2%), but have
not had any missionaries or churches to bring the Good
News of Christ to them.
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Prayer Requests
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American churches to
partner in reaching Unreached People
Keith 's trip to visit
Quilombos in Brazil
Keith's Decision about a
vision trip to South Africa
American volunteers who
we'll challenge, encourage, and equip to take the gospel
to the ends of the earth.
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We Value your Prayers!
Although we are not on the foreign mission field
we desperately
need your prayers to support us
in
challenging, encouraging, and training churches
and volunteers to take the gospel to
the 3,800 plus unengaged and unreached people
groups of the world.
In March, Deborah and I were in Nevada, Arizona,
Maryland, Missouri, Ohio, and Pennsylvania. Pray
that the Lord will give us
travel safety.
Pray for me as I have to make a decision whether
or not to make a
vision trip
with American pastors to South Africa
this coming October.
We Need Your Prayers,
Keith & Deborah Jefferson
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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| News from The Forgotten Africa January 2011 |
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New Year brings Big Change
Dear Praying Friends,
I am struggling to find the words to share with you that Deborah and I have prayerfully accepted the task of me working with the International Mission Board as the African American and Northeast Regional Missional Strategist. Our direct work with the Quilombolas has come to an end and now we will be mobilizing, challenging, and training churches throughout the US to commit to sending laborers that reach UPGs" (Unreached People Groups) like quilombolas. We will also have the blessed privilege of escorting some volunteer teams to work with unreached people groups. We look forward to seeing and working with God's people from other corners of the world.
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Five New Churches Started
Throughout the last year God has blessed us to be a part of five new church starts in quilombos. This is just amazing! We know that the Lord had us here to bring the Quilombolas into the forefront. We thank the Lord that other missionaries and church volunteer teams are more willing to do evangelism and discipleship work in Quilombos now.
We ask that you please remember these five quilombo church starts in your prayers:
1. Pastor John/Joao Santos as he works on a weekly basis with the quilombo, Projeto Cazulu.
2. Pastor Arilton as he and his church hold weekly Bible studies in Marinda.
3. Mirian of First Baptist Cururupu as she and Pastor George and his wife Fran work every Sunday afternoon with the quilombo, Rio De Peixe.
4. Lay people Waibson and Marcus of First Baptist Sao Luis as they work every other weekend in the quilombo, Santa Maria.
5. First Baptist Pedreiras as they work with the newest church start in a quilombo called Sao Francisco.
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New Home & Adjustments
Last but not least, please pray for Deb and I as we will be homeless...almost, until we find a new home to live in. We'll stay at the International Learning Center until we find something that we will call home.
It's quite cold in Richmond, VA, right now, and Deb and I are accustomed to very warm temperatures, so there will be some adjusting to the climate and our return to the American way of life.
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New Contact Information
If you would like to speak to us, after February 2nd, we can be reached at our temp cell phone: 912/467-9601. You can also Skype us at 434/336-4399 and you can send us a message at 832/303-6677.
Coveting Your Prayers!
Keith & Deborah Jefferson
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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| Keith &
Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
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Visit
Our Website
Our
Email Addresses:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Cellphone
Numbers:
55-98-9153-4000 (Deborah)
55-98-9153-4004 (Keith)
Skype:
434-336-4399
Magic
Jack: 832-303-6677
(These U.S.
#'s reach us here. It's like a domestic call for
you!)
Brazil
Address to Receive Mail & Packages:
Av. Dos Holandeses, Lt.3 Qd.
30 Ap. 1002
Barro, Ponta D`Areia
Edf. Portal Da Enseada
65075-650 Sao
Luis- MA |
UPG!!
Quilombolas
have been officially placed on the AMERICAS list of Unreached
People Groups! This list also includes Muslims, tribal
peoples, and others who are less than 2% reached.
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Prayer
Request
Currently
our greatest prayer request is that I (Keith) will get my renewed
drivers license. We have waited for almost four months and have been
limited to certain areas as a result.
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Coming
Up
November 14-20: Orality Seminar in the city of Belem, Para.
This seminar will better equip Deborah and I to do Bible Storying with
illiterate people...like quilombolas.
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News from The Forgotten Africa
Sept. -
Nov. 2010 |
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Dear
Praying Friends,
We hope
you enjoy the following report on the special things we've been able to do in
the last two month
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September
September
4-5: Two Brazilian pastors and I did surveying of
quilombos in two counties within our state.
September
11-12: I accompanied two Brazilian church planters to a quilombo called
Santa Maria (the first quilombo church that we plant this year) where we had a
great time teaching and encouraging the new believers!
September
18: A Brazilian pastor and I visited and surveyed two
quilombos called Juciral dos Pretos (Blacks) and Sanguine (Bloody).
September 20
& 21: Deb and I enjoyed two days with Holland
Missionaries in the dunes and lagoons of Barrerinhas, Maranhao.
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October
October 3:
We gave a SKYPE voice and video testimony to Macedonia Baptist
Church in Pennsylvania. It's amazing how the Lord is giving us opportunities to
share with congregations. Can we share our testimony with your congregation,
Sunday class, or Bible study?
October
10: At Plenitude Baptist Church I preached a missions
message, sang, and requested more volunteers for our human needs and ministry
project in Miranda.
October
12: On "Children's Day" we took 52 members of a Sao Luis church to the
quilombo called Miranda. There we held a medical clinic and did diabetes and
high blood pressure tests. We also gave hygiene classes,
distributed clothes and toys to the children, had a time of games, singing
praises to the Lord, and sharing Bible stories.
October
15-25: We were blessed with the presence of Evangelist David Stockwell
and his wife Amy. David and Amy Stockwell, who have proclaimed the
Gospel in several continents, spoke in several high schools in Sao Luis. They
spoke about how drugs, sex, alcohol, and rebellion toward parental authority
have destroyed the lives of many teenagers. They told them how Jesus Christ
changed their lives and how He so desires to forgive and save all who will turn
away from their sins and commit their lives to Him. David and Amy also preached
and sang in three churches, and I translated for two of them.
 
In the quilombo named
Miranda there were 70+ quilombolas who listened to Bible stories and answered
many questions concerning Jesus calming the storm, casting out the legion of
unclean spirits, and raising a little girl from the dead (Mark 4-5). We
discussed how Jesus has authority over nature, unclean spirits, and
death. Twelve individuals raised their hands indicating they had
prayed with us to receive Jesus Christ into their lives as Savior and Lord. A
nearby Baptist pastor will continue our Bible Story gatherings and verify who
has truly committed their lives to the Lord.
October
29-November 8: We hosted Evangelist Scott Nute who ministered in high
schools, quilombos, and churches in five different towns and rural villages of
our state.
Please praise the Lord
for giving us safety over the 900 - 1,000 kilometers we have recently traveled.
Please also praise the Lord that the eyes and hearts of young high school
students and quilombolas were opened to understand that Jesus Christ is "The
Savior Of The World"
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God has called us to start a
rapid church planting movement among quilombola people and we can not accomplish
this without your prayers. Please remember us in your daily prayers.
Pray
also for our mission sending agency, International Mission Board, of the
Southern Baptist Convention, because we are presently without a
president.
On The
Wings Of You Prayers!
Keith
& Deborah
Jefferson
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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| Keith & Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
 Visit Our Website Our Email Addresses:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Cellphone Numbers: 55-98-9153-4000 (Deborah) 55-98-9153-4004 (Keith)
Skype: 434-336-4399 Magic Jack: 832-303-6677 (These U.S. #'s reach us here. It's like a domestic call for you!)
Brazil Address to Receive Mail & Packages:
Av. Dos Holandeses, Lt.3 Qd. 30 Ap. 1002
Barro, Ponta D`Areia
Edf. Portal Da Enseada
65075-650 Sao Luis- MA |
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| News from The Forgotten Africa September 2010 |
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THE POWERFUL IMPACT OF HOUSTON'S FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH VOLUNTEER TEAM
July 7 - 13, three quilombo villages, Projeto Cazulu, Rio De Peixe (River of Fish), and Flechal, heard and received the gospel through Bible stories, testimonies, music, and home visits. These villages will never be the same after HFBC volunteers showered them with the love of Jesus Christ. Deborah and I are thanking God for having stood along side of this team as we brought light to places of profound spiritual darkness. A good number of decisions were made in each quilombo and we will work with the First Baptist of Serrano to do follow-up work with Projeto Cazulu, First Baptist Carurupu to do follow-up work with Rio de Peixe, and First Baptist Mirinzal to do follow-up work with Flechal.
Rejoice with us as we celebrate the gospel being proclaimed in villages that had NO CHRISTIANS before we entered them!
Pray for HFBC volunteeers, Lauren Paradoski, Nora Rojano, Jackie Kingsbury, Sarah Pierson, Stephanie Smith, Tonya Thompson, Marco Aparicio, Jesse Livingston, and Brandon Rojano, as they seek God's guidance as how to continue to proclaim the Good News of Jesus where they work, study, and live. A special thanks for all the hard work of team leader Tonya Thompson. |
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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| Keith & Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
Visit Our Website Our Email Addresses:
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
Cellphone Numbers: 55-98-9153-4000 (Deborah) 55-98-9153-4004 (Keith)
Skype: 434-336-4399 Magic Jack: 832-303-6677 (These U.S. #'s reach us here. It's like a domestic call for you!)
Brazil Address to Receive Mail & Packages:
Av. Dos Holandeses, Lt.3 Qd. 30 Ap. 1002
Barro, Ponta D`Areia
Edf. Portal Da Enseada
65075-650 Sao Luis- MA |
Pray for Our Volunteer Teams
From Houston, TX and Salvador, Brazil
August 7-14: A nine member team from First Baptist Church of Houston is coming to work with us. First, we will work in the quilombo called "Projecto Cazulu". It is located by a small rural town called Serrano which has a population of 7,000, yet has over 45 voodoo centers. There's only one baptist church in the town. The pastor of this church, Joao Dos Santos, with whom we will be working, has received several threats from voodoo leaders. After three days of ministry in the quilombo "Projecto Cazulu" we will minister two days in a quilombo called "Rio De Peixe" (river of fish is the translation). Please pray for these two works and ask our Lord to crush the voodoo strongholds in the county of Serrano.
August 16-23: A twelve member team from our Brazilian home church in Salvador, Bahia, will come to work with us in quilombos near a small rural town called Sao Simon. A quilombo that we will focus on starting a church is called Miranda. There are presently "NO" Christians in this village. |
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| News from The Forgotten Africa July 2010 |
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Getting Acquainted with Our New Territory Praying friends,
The past four months Deborah and I have covered over 6,000 kilometers. After living 8 months in the state of Maranhao we are getting to know cities, towns, villages, and churches throughout this state. Here are some highlights... 1) Visited and surveyed 23 quilombos.
2) Showed the Jesus film in 2 quilombos.
3) Involved 38 members of our Brazilian home church in a soccer tournament with 3 quilombo teams where we lost both games.(lol)
4) Preached and sang 15 times and shared about our work in quilombos.
5) Attended three annual baptist associational reunions where we gave presentations about our ministry to quilombolas and sought out churches that would be willing to adopt a church work in a quilombo. 6) Attended our South America strategy leaders meeting in Lima, Peru, for a week.
7) Attended our Brazilian annual Baptist State Convention of Maranhao.
8) Returned to a few workouts per week, on days we're not traveling, at our health club.  |
Results from Our Networking
6 established churches have confirmed that they will help us start a new work in a quilombo located in their county. HALLELUJAH! With over 700 quilombo villages in our state of Maranhao, it is essential that we recruit churches to become our co-laborers in planting at least one quilombo church in their county. |
Strategy Leaders Meeting & Annual Missionary Reunion
July 16-17: Deb and I attended a strategy leaders meeting with approximately 12 other IMB Brazil missionary couples.
The organization of our mission is working through a number of transitions. Keep us in your prayers concerning the reorganization of mission work in South America.
July 18-23: Deb and I attended an annual reunion of IMB missionaries from northeast, southeast, and south Brazil. It was a time of rejuvenation, fellowship, encouragement, and good food. |
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15 Years in Brazil!!
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Deborah and I were commissioned by the Southern Baptist International Mission Board on April 28, 1995. However, our arrival to Brazil occurred on July 17th of 1995. We would have not been able to learn Portuguese and serve the Lord these 15 years without your prayer support. There is no way to thank you enough for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.
PLEASE!!...continue to remember us in your prayers. We know that He who began a good work in us will perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus. (Phil. 1:6) Yet, there are many battles ahead of us in starting churches in the sin infested quilombo villages of Maranhao and all of Brazil. Also, remember to pray for our girls, Joy, Kebrah, Morgan, and Christa who live South Korea, Houston, TX, Lynchburg, VA, and St. Mary's, Georgia, respectively.
May Our Lord Bless You Abundantly For Your Faithful Prayers,
Keith & Deborah Jefferson |
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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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News from The Forgotten Africa
March 2010 |
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A Garden for the Witch
Dear Praying Friends,
The Lord works in mysterious ways! This past week we had a couple of farmers and a pastor come work with us in a quilombo named Raimundo, in the state of Maranhao. The second morning of our work there we had planned to help a young family plant a garden behind their home. Well, the young family for whom we were to plant a garden was not home. Instead, we ran into a young quilombola man named, Roberto, who is well known for his drug use. We mentioned to him the possibility of us planting a garden in his family's backyard, and he told us that he would like for us to do so. We had no idea that Roberto was a son of the witch, named Orlanda, in this quilombo. As we started to work, Roberto recruited another worker, who is known as "Head". He just so happens to be the apprentice and a common law son-in-law of the witch. The two young men worked very hard with us in planting this garden. We shared the gospel with Head, the apprentice of the witch. He was not willing to pray to receive Christ but told us that he wanted to change his religion.
Pray that Head will turn his life over to the Lord. Also pray that the Lord will bless the output of this garden in such a way that it will touch the heart of the witch and her apprentice to help them understand that there is no God, except "The Almighty God". Your prayers are the wind beneath our wings. Keith and Deborah Jefferson
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Christa, Keith, and Deborah saying goodbye at the airport. Feb 2010
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