How To Prepare & What To Expect On a Mission Trip

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Texas-Rio 2023 Mission Trip

Dates and Itinerary - October 30 through November 8, 2023

October 30 Leave TX (Amarillo/Dallas)

October 31 9:30 am - Arrive at Rio airport/customs/4-hour-ride to Parati city

Lunch on the road/check in hotel in Parati in the afternoon

6:00 pm Dinner and training with churches in Parati

November 1-5 8:00 am - Leave hotel to churches

8:30 - Meet local teams and go to home/school visits to witness

(I will train those in Waco on how to witness and pastor Glenn will do the same in Amarillo)

9-11:45 am – home/school visits (2 per team)

A team is: 1 American, 1 translator, 2/3 from local church

Noon – Lunch

1:30 pm – Return to churches to reconnect with local teams for more visits (3 per team)

5:30 pm – Return to church for dinner

7:00/7:30 pm – Evangelistic Service in each church

Each team (American, translator, 2/3 locals) will have 5 evangelism visits per day

11 teams equal 55 evangelistic visits a day. 5 Days equals 275 evangelism visits in total

November 6  Leave Parati City at 8:30 am to Rio de Janeiro City

Noon – Arrive in Rio McDonalds/Fast Food/check in Hotel

3:00 pm Sugar Loaf sightseeing

6:00 pm Dinner

7:00 pm Return to Hotel

November 7, 8:00 am Breakfast and Check out of Hotel

10 am - Christ Statue sightseeing

1:00 pm - Brazilian Steakhouse (Fancy, all-you-can-eat Brazilian restaurant)

2:30 – 5:30 pm Shopping in Rio

6:00 - pm Mcdonald's/Fast food dinner and head to the airport

10-11 pm Fly back to the USA

November 8  Arrive in Texas

Demographics

Rio's population is 14 million plus another 8 million in Metroplex so you will be in a big city

Parati City (4 hours south of Rio) – 45 thousand people

We will work with the "mother" church: FBC of Taquari and 2 of its 5 Mission churches, Sao Goncalo church, and Paraty Mirim church

Our goals:

1 - Witness to 275 pre-arranged visits in these 3 areas in homes/public school classrooms to tell them about Jesus through the evangelism method we will teach you.

2 - Train the local church people you will have with you daily to also witness using the same tract during those days so that when you leave, they know how to go on witnessing without you there.

3 - Help these churches we will work with to grow and become independent. We might return to these same churches another 2 or 3 times in the future until they are well established. Eventually, we want these 7 mission churches of FBC Taquari to become 7 grown, strong, independent churches that we helped plant during this first and possibly other mission trips in the future. If that is the case, then we will eventually help plant 7 new churches in Brazil within the next 3 to 4 years. Keep that in mind and pray about the future if the Lord leads you to join us on Missions for multiple mission trips.

Churches and Teamwork

We will work with 1 "mother" church (FBC Taquari) that has started 7 mission churches. We cannot work with all of them since our team is not big enough but we will work with 3. The mother church and 2 other mission churches.

Our main team (11 of us), once in Parati, will be divided into 3 smaller teams, expect to work daily with a smaller team of 3 to 4 Americans in one of these 3 mission churches. We all will share meals and stay in the hotel though. The division will contemplate more experienced team members with less experienced ones so no one feels too uncomfortable.

FBC Taquari Team (pastor Erico)

4 Americans/4 Translators and local church members – visit/preach at the neighborhood surrounding FBC Taquari.

Sao Goncalo Team (Deacons lead this mission church)

3 Americans/3 Translators and local members – Visit/preach in the Sao Goncalo neighborhood

Parati Mirim (pastor Robson)

3 Americans/3 translators and local members – Visit/preach at INDIAN VILLAGE (15 miles away from Parati city)

This team working among the Indians will have to spend the entire day there since driving distance won’t allow for them to return to mother church for lunch and supper each day. Lunch and supper will be provided there for them.

We will balance the teams in a way that you feel more comfortable where you are working each day.

If you would like to sing or preach, please let me know and I will make sure you do it each night in the services. Your translator will translate your sermon. Ask me or Brother Glenn or even your pastor for help if you feel led to preach and do not know how.

We will make sure one main preacher is in each team to preach each night so you do not have to preach. You are welcome to though. Local church people will do the singing so you also are welcome to sing or not as you feel led. Let me encourage you to if you think you can.

We will wait to divide the MAIN TEAM into 3 TEAMS when we have everyone confirmed on the trip.

Meanwhile, pray that the Lord would use you in the way you are comfortable, but also, in the areas that God has enabled you through His Spirit. Make this a time to let God expand you past your comfort zones and use you in ways you didn’t think He could.

Evangelistic Visits

We will train you all on how to witness using the Billy Graham tract “Steps to Peace with God” and a few other additions we have made over the years. If you are not familiar with this tract, go online and read it so you can be familiar with it. Again, I will or Glenn will train you on how to use it to witness. Here is a link to the tract so you can get the basics of what I am talking about: https://static.billygraham.org/sites/billygraham.org.uk/uploads/pro/2016/02/Printer-FriendlyStepstoPeacewithGod.pdf

Home/School Visits

Each team (American/Translator/Brazilians) will have 5 visits per day times 5 day which equals 25 visits) These are the times you will be sharing the love of Jesus with non-Christians. 

Expect a great time on each visit. Brazilians are very open and welcoming and will love to host you in their homes. Expect to be 45 min to an hour in each home and they will want you to stay longer but you must go on to the next family waiting for you.

If you are assigned a classroom then you might have to speak to 30/40/50 children or teenagers about Jesus during their school hour so expect to interact with lots of children. And yes, you will be allowed to share about Jesus and you can use the entire hour they give you to share about Jesus, give an invitation, and pray with them.

In local homes/places you will visit people will try to offer you food as a gesture of welcoming. Politely thank them but tell them you must go on to the next visit.

Remember that during the 25 times you will personally witness to people in Brazil, your local church team will be watching you do it so make sure that by the third day of visitation, you let them start doing part of the tract. Your goal is to have them do the entire tract by day 5 so they don’t “need” you anymore for witnessing and you left them with a tool to lead others for Christ for the rest of their lives.

Meals

Our meals will be in the hotel and church, prepared by the hotel staff/church cooking team each day with food we can safely eat and water we can drink. We don’t want you to eat anywhere you go so we can avoid you eating something that does not sit well with your stomach.

Each day our lunch and dinner will have: White Rice/ Black Beans/ Potatoes and Fries/ Beef and Chicken/ Tomato Salad/ Spaghetti. Brazilian food is not spicy so if you are used to hot peppers with your food, bring some powdered black pepper for your meals.

Deserts will be served at lunch and supper: Brazilian Flawn (Pudim), Brazilian Mousse, and Cakes.

All our drinking water will be bottled water for the entire time of the trip. In-Brazil cost of the trip will purchase bottled water and food for everyone on the team.

There will also be cokes available and if you tell me in advance I might get you a diet drink.

Hair Driers/Irons/Breathing machines/Computers/Cell Phones - Electricity

Electricity in Rio is 110 volts. Outlets are different from American standards so if you have electric equipment you want to bring with you, make sure you go to Walmart and buy a Brazil outlet adapter. You will not find them for your electronic equipment in Brazil.

Safety

Parati is a fairly safe city but we still will ask you not to wander around by yourself. Your Brazilian translator and your local church people will be with you the entire time on the streets so you do not get lost. Avoid taking too much jewelry. One, you don’t want to communicate you are too sophisticated for simpler people. And two, you do not want to draw too much attention.

Rio de Janeiro is a huge city. That being said, you will be going into a large city like New York/Los Angeles/London, etc. All types of people are there so maintain the same safety orientation as above and keep your purse/valuable belongings in front of you (not on your side or your back). The places you will go in Rio are fairly safe with lots of tourists from all over the world but still, you want to be cautious of your surroundings.

How to Pack for the Trip

Pack one large suitcase (50 pounds is the maximum allowed weight without having to pay for access weight). And one carry-on. Carry your valuable belongings in the carry-on and always a set of clothes.

Your ticket already contemplates 1 suitcase and carry-on. A second suitcase will have to be paid as extra and will cost you. I ask you not to add a second suitcase unless you have to because the more suitcases, the more difficult it is to move a team across airports/cities.

Pack your hygiene items.

Avoid too many electric gadgets because you will need special plug adapters for each outlet in the wall.

Suggestion: I pack a lot of clothes that I intend to just leave when I return and I use the extra space on my suitcase for gifts for family/friends/people who helped me with the trip.

Your cell phone most likely will not have service there so if you have WhatsApp, then when you are in areas with WIFI, you can still call, video, and text home through WhatsApp. It is free but those you call, video, or text must also have WhatsApp.

Credit cards (major ones like VISA and MASTERCARD are accepted in most places. I suggest you bring one if you plan on purchasing expensive souvenirs. Remember to tell your credit card company you will be in Brazil during those days or they may not authorize your purchases.

Money – Bring 100 to 200 dollars to exchange for your personal use. No need to bring more unless you plan on purchasing something expensive in Brazil. And if you are, most likely that place will take your credit card anyway.

All major expenses (Room, Board, Transportation) will be covered by the budget money you will have sent to Missions21 before the trip so you don’t have to deal with any of that.

Passports – Keep them on you the entire time. I suggest a passport bag with a strap around your neck. I am not too concerned about it being stolen but if you lose it or misplace it somewhere, you will still get back home but it will be a lot of extra work/USA embassy visit in Rio, etc..… a lot of extra work that we can avoid. Especially since we only have a few days on the field.

Health Concerns and Special Medication

If you are on special medication or treatment, you do not need to tell everyone but pastor Glenn and I need to know so that we know what to do in case you need a specific pill or procedure.

Travel Insurance should cover all medical needs if there’s ever one. And we will purchase it just to be on the safe side.

Weather in Rio

November in Rio is the end of Spring nearing Summer. Expect 100% humidity and temperatures in the 80s and 90s. Light clothes. American casual jeans and a blouse/shirt/T-shirt are good for the church setting and everywhere in Rio.

Politics

We are going as Jesus ambassadors – we are not going to speak about politics. Jesus is the theme of our lives and it is Him crucified we will proclaim. If anyone asks you about politics. You simply, politely will say: I came to speak to you about Jesus, may I proceed?

Hotel/Stay

In Parati as well as in Rio hotels, expect to share a room with another person from the team. Rooms will be either for couples or with two beds. There will be a private bathroom and  A/C unit in each room.

Typical Day on the Mission Trip

7:30 – Breakfast with the team

8:00 – Return to church or central meeting point to meet translators/church team

9:00 – Ideally be in the first home witnessing

Noon – Return to the central location for lunch/rest

1:30 – Return to home visits

2-5:30 – Visits in homes/schools

6:00 – Dinner

7:00/7:30 – Evangelistic services

9:30 - Back to the hotel to quick debrief and rest

There will be more things added here but please feel free to reach out to me anytime with your questions/doubts.

Marcelo Oliveira

marcelo@missions21.org

(254) 752-9823