That’s a long story, but I will try and keep it short. Although I’m from a Christian family; I got saved when I was 19. I went back to church and tried to learn about Christianity and what it meant to be a Christian. After 3 years as a Christian, I was getting a bit disillusioned because I couldn’t find all the answers, I felt I needed. I thought that what missionaries talked about when they visited my church seemed like an adventure, but I had no Idea what missions or missionaries were all about!
When I heard about New Tribes Mission (NMT now Ethnos360), I had no idea what it was, but I thought maybe there I can learn more about the Bible and get to know God more. So, I went and that was where God taught me about Himself, His Word and missions. At that time the President of the United Kingdom New Tribes Mission Bible Institute and HQ was an American, Vern Bartlett and his wife Joyce, who had worked in Brazil with the Yanomami in the early days of the first contacts with them. Also, a British guy, Graham Castle and his wife Olive, worked with the Canamari ethnic group in Brazil.
Although I wanted to go to PNG (Papua New Guinea) or other places where all the “action” was, I was challenged wondering why we heard so little about Brazil and why so few people were going to Brazil. Then, God said to me, “What about you, John?” I replied, “Who me?! What difference could I make?! I’d be like a drop of water in the ocean…?!” To which God replied, “Yes, but you’d be one more drop!” It was already settled in my heart and mind that I was going to Brazil.
Then, a beautiful Brazilian missionary showed up on her way to India. I thought, “Now there’s an opportunity to learn some Portuguese and maybe something about Brazil, about Brazilian culture…” But God had other plans. After she had been in the United Kingdom for 10 months, at the New Tribes Mission Bible Institute where I was studying. She was learning English and trying to obtain a visa to India which she was not able to obtain. Luckily, because I was helping her throughout the whole visa process, I also found out what had happened. It was after these events that I spoke with her about dating; today we have been married for over 37 years…
