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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| Keith & Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
 Visit Our Website Our Email Addresses:
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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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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| Keith & Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
 Visit Our Website Our Email Addresses:
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This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
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| News from The Forgotten Africa January 2010 |
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January Outreach Trip in Our New Region!
Dear Friends, January 11-25, Deb and I are requesting your prayers for the 17-member, Brazilian, volunteer team of Sao Paulo working with us in the quilombos of Alcantara, Maranhao. We will be holding a medical/dental clinic along with door to door evangelism, drama, crafts, games, etc. Please pray that the Lord will open the door for the first couple of Quilombo churches that will be planted in this region. |
Another Matter of Prayer...
We just learned that a man, perhaps a witch doctor, is being brought in from a country in Africa to teach two volunteers from each quilombo of Alcantara how to perform VooDoo rituals during the latter part of this month. This is a part of the goal of planting 40 Terreiros in Alcantara. Two have already been planted. Pray against the start of the other 38 Terreiro cells. We will do our best to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. Counting On Your Prayers! Keith & Deb |
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Read more...
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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| Keith & Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
 Visit Our Website Our Email Addresses:
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| A Note From Sarah Hi Everyone! This is Sarah...the one who was blessed by working with, and learning from, Keith and Deborah for 4 months this time last year. I hope that you have enjoyed this years reports from Salvador, Brazil as much as I have! Thanks Keith and Deborah! We rejoice in the Lord with you both! Let's continue to pray for the Quilombolas, new believers, pastors, local missionaries, and friends that they leave in good hands as they move to the rim of the Amazon region. They actually began their move this past TUESDAY, Sept. 15th, so please be praying for their safety and smooth transition into all things new! (As I was finishing this up a few days ago my family had a medical emergency and the next day my laptop died. Both are now resolved but I'm sorry about the late delivery of this email from the Jeffersons!) With love to all, Sarah |
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| News from The Forgotten Africa September 2009 |
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| 5 New Quilombo Churches since Feb! Dear Praying Friends, After the wonderful breakthrough in last October's first Quilombo church, Engenho da Ponte (pics from first newsletter we sent!), that village has experienced growth from 14 believers to now 57! The Lord has poured out blessing after blessing upon us! The new churches are overseen by Pastor Edson of First Baptist Church in Cachoeiro, and are as follows: TUMBO--17 Christians, 30 others attending OPALMA--32 Christians, 25 others attending IMBIARA* (in the valley)--11 Christians, 8 others attending IMBIARA (up above)--17 Christians, 30 others attending *This church is being led by members of Engenho Da Ponte, Myra & her husband Edson! |
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Daniella, Our Spiritual Daughter
Many years ago we aquired a dear "spiritual daughter" named Daniella. Last year she became a full-time missionary for the Brazilian Mission Board and is now in the town of Nordeste, Bahia where our newest church plant has begun! Less than two weeks ago, we had a first meeting with 53 curious quilombolas, and one man prayed to receive the Lord! He happens to be an influential person in this quilombo called Salinas. Please pray for Daniela as she will be teaching Bible stories and mentoring women in this village.  Daniella, translators Erica and Nicole, Sarah |
Elizeu, Another Brazilian Missionary
Please remember missionary Elizeu Bispo who has just started being supported by our Brazilian home church, Sinai Baptist Church in Salvador. Elizeu lives among, and works with, the quilombola churches in the county of Jeremoabo. In all there are just under 20 Christians in these two works, and another 30 attenders. |
Please know that we are coveting your prayers as we will be moving on September 15-17, to Sao Luis, Maranhao. We felt the Lord's leading and have agreed with our strategy leaders of Brazil to move to Sao Luis, Maranhao, the edge of the Amazon. There we will begin taking the gospel to the 642 quilombo villages in Maranhao and 298 in the state of Para (a bordering state) which is part of the heart of the Amazon. These two states represent nearly half of all the 2,200+ quilombos in Brazil.
Your prayers sustain us! Please keep them flowing.
Thank you so much!
Keith & Deborah Jefferson
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| Keith & Deborah Jefferson | Rua Rodrigo Argolo 143, Apt 302, Rio Verhmelho | Salvador | TX | 41940-220 | Brazil |
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Written by Keith and Deborah Jefferson
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| Keith & Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
 Visit Our Website Our Email Addresses:
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| Recent and Upcoming Events |
July 25-Aug 1: Deb and I hosted a volunteer team from Darlington, S.C. They worked in the new quilombo churches of Tombo, Imbiara, Imbiara 2 (On top of a small mountain) and Opalma. We had a medical clinic and did door to door evangelism. Aug 14-21: We will host a volunteer team from Fairfax, Virginia. We will do evangelism and discipleship work in the quilombo churches of Jeremoabo. They are called Cazinhas and Baixao de Felix. We will also try to restart works in Baixao dos Queles and Barroca.
Sept 5-12: We will host a volunteer team from Hampton, Virginia. They wil be working in the quilombos of Jeremoabo also.  ("Now I live to bring Him praise")
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| News from The Forgotten Africa July 2009 |
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You Prayed and God Blessed! Dear praying friends, Deborah and I want to thank you once again for your faithful prayers. Let me give to the short of what happened for the various events for which we requested prayer.
May 19 - 28: We received a seven member team from Morgan State University and did door to door evangelism, praying in 4 different Quilombos. 17 quilombolas prayed the sinner's prayer that week, five of whom received Christ in the first church meeting of the quilombo Opalma. At Opalma's first church meeting there were 55 quilombolas present, and a total of 78 including college students and members of First Baptist Church Cachoeiro. The last couple of Sunday services in Opalma have been running over 70 in attendance. WOW! PTL! There is so much potential in this church since it is in a larger and more developed quilombo!
June 2-4: My Brazilian home pastor, Pastor Paulo Lino, and I visited all the six Quilombo churches in Bahia, as well as praying and sharing Christ door to door. As a result of these visits our home church has already started sending some financial support for our volunteer missionary, Elizeu Bispo. Beyond this, our pastor has committed our church to purchasing a motorbike for Elizeu to start working in two other Quilombos where we have been taking American teams, Baixao dos Queles and Barroca. WOW! PTL! June 6-12: Deborah and I flew to the "Edge Of The Amazon" Sao Luis, Marahao. In this state there are 640 Quilombos...many more than the 400 found in our state of Bahia. The county called Alcantara has 62 quilombos and we visited a few of them. This county is just an hour's ferry ride away. The most populated county of Bahia has 27 quilombos and are a 10 hours drive from our city. |
Moving to New Region!
Dear praying friends, we were asked by our Cluster/Strategy Leader to consider moving to Sao Luis, Maranhao, due to the accessibility of numerous Quilombos there. Well, after meeting the Executive Secretary of the Baptist state convention of Maranhao, state leaders, and Baptist pastors in this city, Deb and I have sensed the Lord's leading to move there. We will do so by the end of September this year. The ministry to quilombolas is going so well for us in Bahia and the city of Salvador is like our home, having many friends here and a wonderful church family. We have a nice comfort zone here. Yet, the Lord has told us to go, and WE ARE GOING. By the power of His Might, we will blaze a new trail getting to the 640 quilombos of Maranhao and the 300 quilombos next door in state of Para, that's in the Amazon, lifting up the name of Lord, Jesus Christ. YES! PTL! Please pray for Deb and me as we close out our ministry in Bahia and turn it over to Pastor Edson and Missionary, Elizeu Bispo. We will remain in close contact with them and continue to recruit and send American and Brazilian teams to work with them in the Quilombos of Cachoeiro and Jeremoabo. |
American and Brazilians Leaders Visit Quilombos!
June 24-30: Deb and I took IMB Brazil missionary leaders and the Evangelism Director of the state of Pernambuco to Quilombos such as "Negros do Osso" (Negros of the Bone). It was definitely an eye opener for the leaders. PTL! Beyond this, and most importantly, we were able to take Brazilian pastors of the region to visit these villages too!
It just so happened that I had preached years ago in First Baptist Pesqueira and the same pastor (Pastor Jose) is still there and has had a new work going in Negros Do Osso for four months. With our encouragement he took a group of 17+ of his members to this Quilombo on the Sunday before last. WOW! PTL!
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Truck Trouble & Spiritual Refreshment!
In the middle of nowhere our truck overheated on a two-way road jammed with very fast drivers! The Lord protected us and a Good Samaritan dropped by and let Deb, me, Mark & Caron Johnson jump on the back of his truck. He took us to our pastor friend 25 kilometers away who helped us get a mechanic. The mechanic informed us that our motor had a cracked block...yes, we need another motor. Thank the Lord for the International Mission Board which takes good care of its missionaries. We will be getting a brand new motor. WOW! PTL!
July 1-3: Deb and I had great fellowship, good food, and good spiritual refreshment attending our regional missionary meeting. We heard speakers, Andy Stanley and Bill Hybels, by LDC/CD. PTL! It was a refreshing time for us.
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Please remember that without your prayers we are like a ship without a sail. Your prayers are a necessity for us to be empowered by God's spirit to carry out His Work. "Nao por forca nem por poder, mas pelo meu Espirito, diz o Senhor dos Exercitos." "Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit says the Lord of Hosts." (Zech 4:6 NAS)
Eternally Grateful,
Keith & Deborah Jefferson |
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Written by The Forgotten Africa
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| Keith & Deborah, IMB Missionaries |
 Visit Our Website |
| Upcoming Events |
May 19-28: Deb and I are leading a college volunteer team from Baltimore, Maryland, to have an impact for God's glory in the new works/churches I have just mentioned. June 2-5: Our Brazilian home church pastor, and I will be visiting quilombos, Cazinhas and Baixao de Felix in Jeremoabo and those in Cachoeiro. Pray that the Lord will show Pastor Paulo which Quilombo our church is to adopt.
June 6-12: Deborah and I will be traveling to the "Entrance of The Amazon", the city, Sao Luiz, Maranhao, where we will be speaking to some Baptist state convention leaders and pastors to seriously consider doing strategic planning to reach the over 642 quilombo villages in their state. We will also be traveling to locate and survey some of these Quilombos. Pray that the Lord will give us favor with the convention leaders, pastors, and lay people of Sao Luiz, Maranhao.
June 24-30: Deborah and I will be traveling to the state of Pernambuco to locate and survey several of their 92 quilombos with our IMB Brazil people researcher/analyzer. The last few days of this particular week we are to have, Mark Johnson, the Cluster leader of Brazil to accompany us in visiting several of the Quilombos we will have visited.
July 1-3: Deborah and I will attend an annual missionary meeting to enjoy a time of fellowship with our missionary colleagues. Also we will have some reorientation of the strategic changes which are beginning to take place in all of Brazil. 
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| News from The Forgotten Africa
May 2009
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Dear Praying Friends,
Please know that we are so grateful for your prayers. They sustained Deborah and me, physically, emotionally, and spiritually, the past two months during my knee replacement and rehab. With the Lord's help I have been walking without crutches since two weeks after my surgery. Also, I can bend my new knee at a 131 degree angle which is 6 degrees better than any knee replacement client my physical therapist has worked with. Praise The Lord! |
Listen To This!
God has been moving by His Spirit among the quilombolas the past few months. In the Quilombo, Engenho da Ponte, there are now at least 57 Christian quilombolas. Among the new converts are 14 Quilombola Men! For over two and a half years there were only two men in this village who had committed their lives to Christ and remained faithful. Now, there are 16 Christian Quilombola men. God is demolishing the stronghold of alcoholism in this village! GLORY! Presently, there is at least one Christian in 26 of the 30 homes of this quilombo. There are not many die hard Spiritists left. Pray for Pastor Edson of the First Baptist Church of Cachoeiro whose church has adopted Engenho da Ponte.
A second quilombola church was started in the Quilombo called Tombo during the month of February. It is situated on top of a big hill where one can see all the other Quilombo villages of Cachoeiro in the valley below. There are 6 new converts in this quilombo. I had the privilege of sharing the gospel and praying with the four ladies that attended the first meeting. There are tons of kids attending the two weekly services on Wednesday and Sunday along with some young people and a few men.
A third quilombola church was initiated in March as quilombolas, Edson and his wife Myra, have been holding Bible studies in the Quilombo called Imbiara. Edson's sister lives in this village. A mule and a cart have been purchased for Edson, Myra, and a couple of quilombolas of Engenho da Ponte to travel several kilometers to hold meetings in this neighboring village.
A fourth quilombola church is to be initiated by the end of May in a neighboring Quilombo called, Palma. WOW! God Is Soooo Good! Myra's father and mother live in this village and for the last few months the quilombolas there have been requesting that a church be started. YES! It's clear to see that's it's a God Thing! |
Quilombolas reaching Quilombolas w/Gospel
Thing about something with me for a moment. In October of 2005, there were NO Christians in Engenho da Ponte. Yet now, relatively new Christians are reaching their neighboring villages for the Lord. There was only one lone Christian quilombola teacher from the Quilombo, Imbiara, who taught in Engenho da Ponte and prayed from January, 2005, to October, 2005, that the Lord would send messengers of the Gospel to this Demon worshipping, on their way to HELL, village. Volunteers from Northwest Georgia Baptist Association worked with us the end of October through the first few days of November to see the first few quilombolas to receive the Lord. Ironically and tragically, this young prayer warrior, Evon, has returned to the stronghold of Homosexuality from which he had been set free.
Please pray that Evon would once again be delivered from the bondage of Homosexuality and return to serving the Lord.
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Earning Trust
Sharing the Good News
Our older quilombola churches from 2002 of Cazinhas and Baixao de Felix in the county of Jeremoabo, Bahia, have received four new converts in the last couple of months. There are now, 19 faithful Christian Quilombolas in Cazinhas, along with 18-20 attenders (quilombolas attending who are not quite ready to receive the Lord) and 7 Christians and 9-10 attenders in the Quilombo of Baixao de Felix. Please pray for volunteer missionary, Elizeu Bispo, who is doing a fine job in these Quilombo works. You may remember that it was in these Quilombos that fears were spreaded among the quilombolas that our American teams were coming there for the motive of forcing them to give vital organs of their bodies so that we could sale them in the Medical Black Market. (Yes, incredible but true!)
Love, Keith & Deborah |
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