Bienvenidos a los Benevenuti

Last March, LAC welcomed four Brazilian Alliance missionaries as part of the inaugural cohort of Proyecto Alianza, a partnership with the Igreja Evangélica Luterana do Brasil (IELB). Just over a year later the project shows no signs of slowing down if the Benevenuti family's arrival is any indication. After their requisite few months here, Rev. Arthur, Luciema ("Lu"), Raquel (9), and Giovana ("Gigi") (4) will transition to Jamaica to work alongside the Ite family, lone rangers since 2007! 

In the days following the seminary's theological symposium at the end of May, the DR team scrambled to prep for its newest members. With a number of key people unexpectedly out sick, I jumped in to haul household items from the regional office to the Benevenutis' future home and go on a shopping spree to round out what we didn't have on hand. 

I was in St. Louis when they landed in the capital on Wednesday, June 2 but got to meet them Saturday. Arthur put out a WhatsApp plea for a ride to the park; I wasn't busy, so I spent a balmy afternoon telling Arthur everything I knew about Jamaica from my five visits, watching the girls flit from playground apparatus to playground apparatus, and pretending it was fall. 

We'd do it all over again the following morning with my church as our destination. 

Arthur and Lu graciously invited me to stay for lunch; I enjoyed getting to know them both better over pan-seared pork, noodles w/ white sauce, and herbed rice. Up until dessert, all of our conversations had been a bit stilted since the Benevenutis are native Portuguese speakers living in a Spanish-speaking country, learning English. Arthur speaks excellent English already, while the rest of the family is learning quickly. Over lemon meringue pie, though, with the girls entertained on their devices, we settled on English and bonded over the shared sentiment of knowing you're precisely where God intends you to be and desiring to be there until He calls you elsewhere ;)

It's always a joy to receive new members of the LAC missionary team, and I'm confident that Arthur & family will be a tremendous asset to the Jamaica church planting team. Pray for Arthur, Lu, and the girls as they transition and then transition again, as well as for the Jamaican Lutherans they'll live, work, and worship amongst. I look forward to visiting many times over as I travel to Kingston to host short-term teams!

Until next time, blessings in Christ!