History

 

GaryPreaching02.jpg (17729 bytes)For years I felt a sense of God's leadership to work somewhere beyond the borders of the U.S. Though many possibilities for ministry existed in the U.S. and the face of foreign mission was changing, I was still sure that the Lord was leading me away from the U.S to work to work in another country. For this reason,in 1992, after three years as pastor of the First Baptist Church, Fisher, Arkansas, I decided to return to Dallas and the Criswell College to complete the requirements of a Master of Missiology degree.

While completing my graduate work I experienced a terrible loss when my marriage of 11 years ended in divorce.   I did not seek this divorce nor did I want it.  It left me with doubts about  what I should do or where I would go. I am thankful though to the staff, professors, students and administration of the Criswell College in Dallas who encouraged me not to abandon the call God had placed on my life. I finished my course work and continued to serve the Bethany Baptist Church in Dallas area, as Interim Minister of Music until December 1994.

In January 1994 I had the opportunity to meet a young Brazilian couple who were studying English in Dallas and were friends of one of my college friends. The couple directed a school which was operating as an outreach ministry of the Primeira Igreja Batista of Cubatão, São Paulo. They were looking for an American that could come and work with them, teaching English and evangelizing the students. After talking with them and praying I was sure that this was the door through which I was to enter the international mission field. I completed my school work and paid all of my debts, so that, I could leave the country free of any responsibility.

My first "official business", when I arrived in December 1994,was to sing at the churches New Years eve worship. Shortly after the new year I began teaching English and learning Portuguese. What Portuguese I know is only by hard work and the grace of God. I have learned most of it on my on with help from my friends and strangers. I do okay, but I still have a lot to learn after three and a half years.

My responsibilities have grown with my ability to speak the language. First, I was limited to talking and witnessing to people who could understand English. For a year I taught an English Bible Study at the church in Cubatão. My second year brought increased involvement. I served as an assistant Sunday School teacher for the teenagers and Choir director. I even began preaching (about once a month) in Portuguese.

In March 1996, God gave a wonderful gift to me in the person of Rosiléia Zavarize Costa. She was the divorced daughter of a Baptist pastor, mother of two daughters now ages 11 and 13. After much prayer, conversation between us and the encouragement of our friends and families we decided to get married. This we did on June 29, 1996.  Rosiléia is truly a suitable helper in the ministry God is using me. In January of 1997 I joined the First Baptist Church of Santos, where my wife and her family are members. It is also closer to where we live than the Cubatão church.

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