It was a great privilege to join American and Brazilian evangelists in the end of May and into early June in the city of Caico in Northeastern Brazil where thousands of souls were impacted with the Gospel. After a week of outreaches in schools, community centres and lower-income neighbourhoods, our week culminated with a huge festival on an island in the centre of the city.  Food was given to the poor, children were ministered to, and youth were impacted through seeing feats of strength by ‘Team Extreme’ as well as a concert by a Brazilian-American hip hop artist.

Our time in Brazil was not without opposition as there was much unrest in the nation while we were there. A local religious leader told the people of his city not to participate in our events. In spite of his threats to expel them from their churches, they showed up anyways and God touched their lives.  A nationwide trucker’s strike also hindered travel across the country as trucks blocked highways and prevented food from getting to grocery stores and fuel from getting to gas stations and airports, causing many flights to be cancelled. The police supported the trucker’s strike and so the military was called in. We passed a blockade on our way into the city we ministered in and saw a banner that said ‘Militario Intervencia.’ In spite of all the opposition, the Gospel went forth and many people were greatly impacted!

Our small team of Brad Mayer and Matthieu Desourdis ministered 21 times in just 10 full days in the Philippines at the end of February.   We preached in numerous churches, prisons, schools, to youth, and to leaders.   God opened many doors as we saw over 200 come to Christ and hundreds more were ministered to in regards to the call to evangelize. 

When we saw a young gifrl come into one of the services we ministered in with a cast on both her legs with a bar between her feet, Matthieu mentioned that he knew a bit about what that was like as he also wore a brace like this on his legs when he was a child.  Matthieu prayed for the little girl and within just a couple of days, the casts came off.  Freely he received, freely he gave.

A young man named Dino found his way into a service in Bacolod, Philippines where his life was changed.  After a message about the miraculous, the faith of the people was stirred up, and a Filipino believer prayed with Dino three times after the service.  After the third prayer, Dino put down his crutches and walked without them for the first time in sixteen years!   To see a video of this man taking his first steps without crutches in many years, check out www.facebook.com/canadianfiremissions and find the post from March 3, 2018.  

 

Before prayer... 

  Getting prayed for... 

The next day she was out of her casts!!   Freely you have received, freely give!

   Teaching about evangelism in a church near Bacolod, Philippines.

   Men responding to a salvation invitation in a prison in the Philippines. 

 Preaching at a church that has seen explosive growth in Davao, Philippines

Hundreds of Filipino young people respond to the call to evangelize

Canada's North is a vast missions field with many communities that need the Gospel. It was a blessing in November and December  to minister in Loon Lake and Thunderchild churches.  Both of these churches impact many First Nations people.  

A number of open doors presented themselves to us in Barranquilla, Colombia in the beginning of November.  In addition to preaching in several local churches, we ministered at a large family conference, in a women's prison, and in a large Christian school.  We also had opportunities to go on the radio with the Gospel, including one station that had numerous calls and texts while we were on the air.  It was a great experience having the live interaction with listeners whose hearts were being touched by the Gospel. 

On our way to and from Colombia, we were able to visit with Don & Connie Rysavy, who are good friends and supporters of Canadian Fire.  After deciding to make this stop in Panama, we were invited to be a part of a major evangelistic campaign called 'Panama para Cristo' (Panama for Christ) which will be happening throughout 2018.   

In September 2017, many local churches were impacted in the beautiful East African nation of Tanzania.   Home to Mount Kiliminjaro (Africa's highest mountain), the Serengeti plains, and the historic island of Zanzibar, Tanzania has 45 million precious people who live in one of the world's poorest nations.  Over a million children have been orphaned there because of AIDS.   Good news is greatly needed in a land that has seen political corruption, drug abuse, immoral behaviour, witchcraft and a sense of helplessness.   God calls us to bring the Gospel to 'the least of these.' 

Lives were touched in the cities of Dar Es Salaam and Arusha, where we were able to minister to many influential business and political leaders, teaching them about evangelism and leadership.   One of our crusade meetings was broadcast across the nation over the radio, and open doors of favour showed God's hand on this trip.  Thank you for your prayers as we made some powerful divine connections for future ministry in this nation.