Go and make disciples… of those in the Amazon

This past month of September I spent 8 days in an evangelization mission with a catholic community of missionaries in Brazil called “Nova Alianca”. The mission was in Marajo, an island in the northern part of the state of Para, Brasil. The state of Para is considered the “Africa of Brazil” due to its extreme poverty and neglect by its government. It is also called the “Lawless State” since the rich and powerful rule and people can be murdered on the streets and nothing will happen. Child trafficking is also a big issue here. The island I went to is in what is considered the Amazonian forest region. It was a 20 hour boat ride to the place which was an exciting adventure. Sleeping on hammocks in the boat was not as comfortable since I would be bumping against people all the time. The area had a lot of natural dangers: poisonous snakes (I met a few who had been bitten), piranhas, large anacondas (that sometimes live in the river and can strike without you seeing them), river alligators, Malaria (the local priest told me that Marajo is the Malaria capital of Brasil).