Railson & Heidi Gil

Christian missionaries in Pará, northern Brazil.

Railson, native to Pará, is called to developing projects which exemplify the Kingdom in practical ways, specifically through communications development and digital integration (that is, making computer technology available to disadvantaged classes). Heidi is a pediatric nutritionist and English teacher from Oregon, USA. She enjoys putting the Gospel into practice as she counsels nutritionally needy families. Our gifts bring us into contact with people of all levels, which often leads to house visits and impromptu gatherings around the Bible. We love it when God surprises our unsuspecting visitors with the tangible sense of His presence! Here you will find our current and past newsletters as well as photos of our family and region. Have fun exploring our site!

• Update from Monte Dourado

  Filed under Community, Family, Ministry
  Mar 17

  It is March 17. Did you know that St. Patrick is said to have used the 3-leafed shamrock as an aid to teaching the polytheistic Irish about the trinity?

  We would like to share an update with you all, particularly to ask for prayer for a few key areas.

  1. Nutrition Outreaches
  More doors are opening for ministry in this area. Two churches have approached me with respect to health-evangelism. The first has invited me on a boat trip to some needy areas in the interior of the Almeirim area. If all goes as planned, we will distribute emergency food, conduct nutrition evaluations, pray for a lot of people and probably have a message/service. The other is with the Paz church we are involved in, and will be an on-going health evangelism ministry in areas generally near church home fellowships. As we begin to work in this dimension, we ask for your prayers, for guidance and for financial providence.

  2. Milk Program
  When I was laid off from my Porto de Moz job in January, I truly felt the Lord’s hand in it even though it created a significant financial hardship for us. On the 3-hour van trip back home the Lord filled my head with dreams of conducting nutritional interventions in Almeirim, as I did in Porto, without having to rely on the local government for funding. After all, shouldn’t the Body of Christ be able to do it better than the government? One of the most effective nutrition interventions is known as the Programa do Leite (Milk Program). Conceptualized by the World Health Organization, it is targeted towards nutritionally needy children 0-5 years and undernourished pregnant women. By our figures, initially, we could significantly improve the nutritional status of 350 debilitated individuals while sharing Christ with them for about $3600/month. Get the word out! If we start hearing back from individuals and organizations interested in sponsorship, we can begin to put our plans into action. We have the contacts, the space, the practical experience and the desire. We just need guaranteed financial coverage.

  3. Igreja da Paz
  The local church of which we are a part is a blessing. We are renting an old building much like an school house right beside a repair yard for heavy duty tractors and trucks. (It’s cool to see the sparks and flashes from the welders’ work as we are worshipping!) Each Sunday sees new visitors. We are constantly doing fund-raisers for buying stackable chairs, as they get filled up as fast as we buy them. Pray for pastors Manoel and Roseth, a visionary young couple from Macapá who are giving their all to see the church fit and well fed. They are living at the church, which as we know from experience, can be exhausting. The building is hot and dusty (from the constant traffic on the dirt road outside), so pray for their health & stamina, as well as possibly for a different place to live.

  Thanks to all who have given sacrificially to Brazil through financial support of our efforts. We are grateful to God for you and trust Him to return the blessing!

  We want to remind you that if you would like to donate, you can now give electronically through Paypal.

  More, Lord!
  Heidi Gil (for Railson, Tim & Sarah, too)