Railson & Heidi Gil
developing Brazilian community, building the body of Christ
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!
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Jun 9
Church Plant Update
It’s hard to believe it’s been nearly a year since Pastor Manoel and his wife, Roseth, came in to town. Their dedication to the church plant has paid off in full. We started with about 6 members. Look now! Standing room only. We appreciate your prayers for this effort. Although we don’t like to get hung up on numbers, we can eventually forsee a church of about 3000 for the Monte Dourado/Laranjal area, so that is what we are believing God for. We (as a church) are in tremendous need for musical equipment and articles for children’s church. If you would like to become more involved, get in touch with us.
Pastor Manoel generally preaches at the Sunday night (main) service.
There are often times for personal ministry during or after the service. Although this is new for many people, they are usually really open and responsive.
Nutrition Outreach
Mother’s Day occasioned a surprise opportunity for nutrition outreach this month. Our children’s school invited me to speak to about 60 mothers of three-to-seven-year-olds about the importance of proper nutrition. Although I always like to speak on nutrition, I thought it was especially appropriate to address moms on this date. Mothers are, after all, the first nurturers of their offspring; they all have at least some degree of nutrition intuition. My job is to supply them with reliable information (food myths are common here). It was neat to be able to link spiritual nutrition into the topic of physical nourishment during the talk.
As of date, plans for nutrition intervention to the Planalto district and to a village in the interior have been put on hold due to lack of financial resources.
We deeply appreciate your continued prayers and giving.
Blessings,
the Gils -
Mar 3
Where would we be without the Lord? And where would we be without you all? It’s good to be part of this fantastic Body with a very smart Head.
We mentioned in our first update of the year that we are expecting NEW things for 2010. Well, several new things are already happening. Let’s praise the Lord together.
Have you ever heard of “suddenlies”? Like when the Lord intervenes in a surprising way? Graham Cooke describes it this way,
“In a ‘suddenly,’ God invades our lives in such a way that it excites us on one level and frightens us on another. We become a walking paradox: everything has changed, yet everything is the same.”
Well, it’s barely March and we have already experienced four “suddenlies.”
- Coming out of 2009 we were distraught at our financial situation. It was very obvious that we had to continue to look for work here since our donor support was extremely low. I was frustrated with having to give English classes at night, when all I really want to do (and am prepared academically to do) is work in nutrition. So, I outright asked the Lord to get me out of English classes. Then, suddenly, the secretary of health of Porto de Moz (a day’s travel away) offered me my old position. The blessing is that they will pay me almost twice what they did before, and I’ll only have to work 1 week per month! And get this: one thing that impressed the health department is the voluntary involvement of an American doctor (who is with the Xingu Mission in Porto). The secretary told me that he prays over his patients in the exam room (she stuck out her hand emphatically to imply the laying on of hands) in such a way that people feel loved on and cared for. Obviously, the health system in Porto is desperate for qualified professionals and open to an invasion from heaven, so I’m on it! Plus, I’ll be able to help out at our old church while I’m there (YAY!), so it’ll be like going on a missions trip once a month. Both Railson and I really sense the Lord’s anointing over this opportunity. I’ll begin (again) on the 21st-27th of this month, so pray for me.
- Combining perfectly with my commitment in Porto, Railson, too has been called on to provide Internet technology there for the city offices. It was no small miracle that he won the bid, considering that we have been flat broke since the beginning of the year. His business has very little financial movement on record, but the mayor believes in him and his team. Please pray, however, that we will not lose this contract due to delays in getting the official paperwork delivered. The work is important because the proceeds will feed plans for the Foundation, as well as help pay off some of our debts. The implantation should begin this month, once the paperwork has been approved by the city of Porto de Moz.
- A third “suddenly” was when the local mining company called on Railson for much the same reason as Porto de Moz. They need a wireless network implanted ASAP in two communities. Again, Railson’s business won the bid by a sheer miracle. So, if both projects go as planned (and we need your prayers for this!) there will be enough resource to feed importation, which will, in turn, feed the Foundation eventually (or at least that’s what we think!).
- The fourth “suddenly” was when the same mining business invited me to supervise the foodservice kitchen for a few hours each morning. I thought they wouldn’t accept the fact that I’ll be absent for a week each month (in Porto), but it was not a problem for them. The salary will be a full month’s salary, plus family benefits & transportation. It’s not a lot of money, but at least it’s stable, and will help even out the fluctuations we experience with donor support. I’ll probably begin next week. (Pray that my lack of official registration as a Brazilian nutritionist will not be a hinderance!)
We thought you might like to know about these happenings since you have long heard our bemoanings about finances and the need for provision. We believe this is the Lord’s way of providing, so we are happy for it. Railson’s projects are usually completed in 30-60 days, and my work is part-time because we always want to be available for our brothers and sisters in Christ. Plus, I won’t have to work nights after June (when the semester ends), so will be able to be more involved with the local Paz church plant. (Churches here generally have more activities at night when it’s cooler.)
Speaking of the church plant, we are expecting to have a team of bikers come down from Macapa (7 hours away over a dirt/mud “highway”) to help with building renovations. Yes, the church has finally found a new location!! No old stigmas remain. But for now we are meeting in one of the member’s homes, which has been a total blessing. On Sunday, the presence of the Lord was so sweet and powerful…
Wish you were here,
the Gils -
Jan 22
I just got the results of a municipality-wide concurso “contest” which they use for filling public positions. I scored 2nd (out of 10) for nutritionist! Unfortunately, since I’m not Brazilian, I probably can’t get a city job, but, ha! At least the others know I really AM a nutritionist–ha! That’s really the only reason why I took the test, since I won’t be able to get my Brazilian registration yet (the university wants a ridiculous amount of money to revalidate my diploma). Anyway, at least now I have a common credential. You can tell I’m not too modest about it!!
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Jan 9
Dear Friends and Partners,
We realize this letter is a little lengthy, but our access to communications is sporadic, so please forgive us for putting a lot in one letter. Grab a cup of coffee and read on.
First, Happy New Year! We are so grateful for the grace of God which has brought us through another year. We are confident that this year will be replete with NEW STUFF in God. Each time we say ‘Happy New Year’ the word ‘New’ just keeps ringing in our spirits. For sure, we are READY for some good new adventures!!
Even with new calendars in hand, our old priorities still remain in full force. We are passionate for Brazil. Each time we witness the needless suffering, so often the end result of political corruption, our hearts yearn for divine justice. (So many millions injured across Brazil…) The social crises—domestic violence, addictions of all sorts, promiscuity, vigilante justice, skewed distribution of wealth, mafias, witchcraft, horribly inadequate health care—constantly motivate us to use every resource we possess in creative ways such that we make the biggest change possible. And naturally, it’s the Kingdom which is the vehicle that brings true change.
- We work towards equipping and edifying the local church through teaching, worship, and discipleship.
- We work towards making a relevant contribution to community health care and demonstrating Christ’s compassion in relevant ways through professional work in dietetics.
- We work towards developing meaningful relationships with people at all levels through digital integration (helping make computers accessible to the youth and disadvantaged).
But with continuous financial constraints, all the above efforts have suffered a large degree of frustration. We are not yet working at nearly the capacity we envision.
Maybe it’s that I am too “Brazilian” or that Railson’s strategies reach too far outside the traditional lines, but we don’t see ourselves fitting in neatly with conventional, church agenda-based evangelism. Firstly, it’s important for our supporters to appreciate the fact that many of our potential converts, leaders, workers, etc. are actually our own colleagues and extended family. Since our family is essentially Brazilian, the expectation the community has of us is different that that of other missionaries. Put in other words, we don’t work at an outpost; we work at home, a situation very different from most mission set-ups, and one which, in our case, actually allows for greater collaboration. At the same time it requires that we keep everything we do, as well as every motive in our hearts, deeply accountable to them—the Brazilians, whether in English or in Portuguese, for a lifetime.
Secondly, we have a difficult time seeing Brazilians as primarily poor and helpless. Rather, we see them as exceptionally willing, perseverant, generous and courageous, given access to knowledge and adequate resources. It always saddens us, for instance, when we see NGOs and other well-meaning social assistance organizations using images of desolation, misery, malnutrition and crises as their only tactic for luring donations. We never want it to be said that we earn our living based on donations spurred solely by Brazilians’ suffering. For us, that would be like exploiting the pain—the pain of our family. Here in Brazil, the poverty in which many live has been largely fostered by spiritual and social oppression, which only Christ can reverse. Once we learn how, through His poverty, we become rich, the whole picture changes. (2 Cor. 8:9)
Thirdly, we (well, I, the American, at least) are constantly fascinated by the fact that the Brazilian Constitution DOES NOT FORESEE THE SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE. This precedent is something which has historically provided an advantageous situation for the Catholic institution, but at the same time, it leaves the door wide open to evangelism, yes, in public, at all levels. And, let’s face it: this is a difficult paradigm for us North American missionaries to flow with. Just imagine the reality: prayer in Brazilian public school is politically and socially correct (it’s just a question of to whom one prays), Christ is inseparable from Christmas (it’s just a matter of keeping religion and materialism out of the holiday, as anywhere), and speaking openly about Christ on a crowded bus or at the market is rarely creates offense. So, obviously the job here is not finding space to evangelize without upsetting anyone, but rather turning dead religious norms and terminology into life-changing, soul-saving, miracle-making faith. Local churches are essential, but they no longer have to be isolated platforms for demonstrating the work of the Kingdom.
We long to do so much more both inside and outside the walls of the church, but, as we have said, funding has been a major obstacle.
The last year has been very challenging. When I say “very challenging” I mean in the sense of us working so severely under budget that it has affected things like our family health and our kids’ education. In a nutshell: it’s been yucky. During the past year, a few more long-term supporters had to discontinue support, and the exchange rate lost another 25%. Plus, we are once again facing the need to re-route our financial support, since LCC will no longer be able to provide this voluntary service for us.
You might wonder about our income-generating work on the ground down here. Well, the nutrition clinic has been interesting socially and professionally, but not economically, at least not yet. And Railson’s part-time sales are very low. On the other hand, there has been a constant trickle of funds from the English classes I teach weekly.
On the bright side, the constant lack of sufficient income has helped confirm to us that we need to think bigger in terms of fund-raising. After nine long months, our new tentmaking business is finally legalized (selah!). We have been blessed to have the voluntary assistance of businessmen in Brazil, China, and the US to help us get the framework set up for importation. Although the venture may sound very lofty and ambitious, we are just hoping to be able to get the gears turning before we all go hungry!
Considering that Brazil’s economy is one of the top four growing economies in the world today, the future of the business appears to be bright (or at least that’s what friends in the field are telling us, and what we believe in the Lord). The business is registered for importing mainly computer and communications equipment, providing technical assistance, and possibly contracting satellite links for internet. It is not, however up and running yet for lack of capital.
Once operating, we will not have to depend as heavily on the shifty dollar for missions support, and we will finally be able to open up the Fundação Jubileu, for attracting donations Brazil-side. We hope these two things will happen by the end of 2010.
But the enemy is really trying to snuff us out before we begin. We have lost considerable support too early and the bills are piling up. The way we depend on donations, it’s always a guess as to how much money will come in during the month. This makes planning family life and ministry very frustrating, as you might imagine. It would be a dream to have the certainty of a minimum amount of monthly income throughout the year, or at least until the business is able to provide the return we expect.
If you can pick up where others have had to leave off, at any amount, we would deeply appreciate it. See our donation page for several options.
For those of you with the vision to invest, or know of someone who has, we invite you to consider joining with us to get the business off the ground, and, naturally, share in the return. A start-up of a combined $15,000 to $20,000 would do the trick.
And still others may feel compelled to send a useful item:
- Office supplies
- Digital camera (ours broke and we really miss it!)
- Clothes and shoes
- Multi-vitamins and pre-natal vitamins (in bottles of around #60-100)
- Calcium tablets (in small bottles as well)
- Funds for revalidation of my OSU diploma (around $2000 –this makes the diploma valid in Brazil and allows me to be registered as a dietitian)
- Sponsorship for my American Dietetic Association membership ($300 per year)
Please get in touch with us via e-mail for more information and shipping tips in order to minimize the risk of exorbitant customs fees on our side.
Thank you for making what matters to us, matter to you. And thank you for the liberty of making our needs known to you. Together, we are making a difference in our generation.
All our love,
Heidi
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Nov 4
Things are a little better here (a few extra donations this month) so we are starting to feel our heads above water again.
The business Railson is registering has almost been approved, but he has to travel to Macapa again suddenly tonight to sign some more papers tomorrow. It is complicated!! Then he has to take a short course on how to be his own border agent. We feel like we are pulling a few tons of bricks behind us, but we are at least making some headway. We just need to get a financial flow going somehow.
My nutritionist friend from the hospital will be leaving in December and she wanted me to be able to take her position, BUT the city hall decided to have a Concursso (literally contest) to fill public positions (including the hospital jobs), and while I’d do pretty well on the test, you have to be Brazilian or Portuguese to get the job–go figure!! The nutrition clinic has brought in a whopping $287 since May, but I’ve met a lot of great people (problem is, I do too much for free, but then again, most really can’t pay much).
And then, I got my ID card. Yay! Except that in order to get my diploma revalidated (so that I can be an official nutritionist here and accept insurance reimbursements) I just found out that I have to cough up R$1738 to get the request started and another R$1738 to have the request completed (6m to a year later). Last year, it was a mere R$500. You see, corruption is everywhere! So, I will have to work without the legality, which isn’t very comfortable, but is fine as long as no one is keen on doing me any harm. As long as I’m paying taxes, the IRS won’t care. Even if I could offer the benefit of insurance coverage, the insurance company only pays $10.50 per consult! It’s laughable, but you can give 6 consults per patient a year, so it still makes a difference.
About the ID card. It’s not really the same as permanence, but it proves that I have a permanent visa stamped in my passport. In Brazil, one is required to have an ID card (mine being for foreigners), a CPF (social security) card, and a workers card. I finally have all three. But like I said, I am very disappointed that this does not translate into formal work in my area, being that it is so costly to get the nutritionists registration. Anyway, the process is like this (and I had to start it twice): request permanence, wait, return to get the visa stamped in your passport and solicit the preparation of the ID card, wait, return to pick up the ID card. Every time you read *wait* it’s like, 2-5 years! Nuts! But I did it!
