Dear Friends and Supporters,

We are traveling with a team of 14 people down to Rio De Janeiro on a medical mission from our church here in Birmingham. (Steve talked Jane into coming along – she will be the optical dispenser). We look forward to joining up with dentists and other medical doctors to serve the people in a very poor part of the city. We will be driving up into the Barros (slums) where the local authority is the drug lord, so we are praying for favor in that arena (and will be wearing surgical scrubs to identify us, not as a rival gang, but as friends to help the community). Steve will be the eye doctor on the team; he’s been told that it is the most popular arm of the mission team in the outreach. That means that his day will be filled, and hopefully he will be able show the grace of the Lord to the people whom he sees and treats.

This mission will most likely be a non-surgical outreach with examinations, glasses dispensing and medications given as needed. Steve knows only one word of Portuguese, so he will need an interpreter to communicate with the patients. Please keep us in your prayers that we find favor in the sight of the authorities as we transport medications and supplies in our luggage with us.

We will keep you updated on this new destination and area of ministry that we feel led to be participants.

May the Father bless and keep you.

Steve and Jane Beaty