John & Joyce Raehl are missionaries in Brazil. Our church, Grace Baptist Church, has financially & prayerfully supported this faithful family as one of our foreign missionaries for over 40 years. I asked Dr. Raehl to share (below) some lessons they have learned over 4 decades of missionary service. Dr. Raehl preached in our church services on October 20, 2019 during a brief furlough visit to the USA. — Pastor Gary Holloway
We might be asked what we have learned in 44 years on the Brazilian mission field. We have much to share with you!
First, there is team work.
For example, we have learned to work with the brethren and be a part of our team of workers. We try to motivate, encourage, and love the brethren through good times and bad.
Second, there is flexibility.
Our culture is basically South American, matriarchal, speaking Portuguese. Whether we like it or not, we always stand out in a crowd with our foreign accent. We have learned to live with this. In addition, we have had to learn to live in blistering hot conditions the year around. This is a tropical climate and there is no winter as we have known while growing up in the mid-west region of the United States.
Third, there is patience.
We have learned to have patience with the people. Whereas years ago we expected to win one thousand souls per week, we soon learned that it is better to count our converts after five years of dedicated ministry in their lives.
Fourth, there is the path of forward thinking.
We have learned to pass the baton on to others. Because of our age, we may pass off the scene before the Lord returns. We need people to take our place in the work. So we work hard to disciple and train the brethren for the work.
Fifth, there is dependence on God.
We have learned that we are on a spiritual battlefield. This is a daily battle for hearts and souls. We have to put on the spiritual armor every day and all day long. Pray for us as we battle through the hardship of each day.
But in spite of the battles that we face daily, we have learned to depend on God at all times. We have learned that the frustrations of life on the field lead to complete dependency on God. We expect God to work in His way and in His time.
As William Carey said many years ago “Expect great things from God. Attempt great things for God”.
It is amazing to us how the souls that we have won tend to win more souls over time and the work expands naturally and often beyond our expectations. God is allowing us, along with our sister churches, to plant churches all across the state of Mato Grosso and throughout Brazil — through our own efforts and those of our national churches. The work goes on and multiplies under God’s direction.
What can believers in the US do for foreign missions?
You can continue to pray for your missionaries. And let us know that you are praying for us. We seldom hear from our supporters after 44 years on the Brazilian mission field. But in spite of this we always respond personally to letters written to us. With social media and internet, it’s much easier to pray for and correspond with your missionaries.
Continue to support your missionaries financially. We all need to invest in heavenly endeavors (Mat 6:19-21). We personally support many national endeavors on a monthly basis. You could say that supporting the Raehl family is supporting two people and many others in the work. Your contribution goes a long way to doing God’s work in Brazil. Through your giving and our giving, our people learn to support missions. We have one man in our church who personally supports four national missionaries through our church faith promise program.
Visit a foreign mission field. About $1300.00 per person gets you to Cuiaba and back. Here in Cuiaba, we take care of you. We have nice hotels at a moderate cost. Or you can stay with us in our guest house out back. It even has air conditioning for the hot weather. We would put you to work. We have much you could do for us. This would not be an easy-going vacation. God’s work is too important.
So, what have we learned over the years here on the field? As you can see here, God’s work never stops. It’s a work for eternity. It takes a long time and involves many people. Thank you for being a part of this work. Only Eternity will reveal what the Lord has done through the 44 years that we have been on the Brazilian mission field. — John and Joyce Raehl, missionaries in Brazil