Our good friends, Jimmy and Sandee Scyoc, just spent a week with us here in Curitiba. These guys serve in so many ways at C3 Church in Atlanta. They have a heart for Brazil and wanted to see what God was doing here.
Jimmy also came down to run the C3 Curitiba Men’s Journey. For those who are not familiar with The Journey, this is a great ministry created by Pastor Jim Crumbley at C3 Atlanta. It is a powerful experience designed to develop leadership skills, create teamwork, and build friendships, while also helping men to connect with God and each other in a fresh way.
The Journey kicked off on Friday night with some Brazilian sausages cooked on the grill. 
After eating, Jimmy shared some great thoughts on the importance of being connected to the House of God and the need for guys to support each other. One of the young men shared that he had been going through a very difficult time. He said that even though he had been in church most of his life, it was only at C3 Church Curitiba that he really felt accepted. He described the grace and acceptance he felt with tears pouring down his face. “I expected to be judged, but I only felt love from everyone.”
On Saturday, The Journey kicked off early and went all day. There were a total of 40 guys: 25 from C3 Curitiba and 15 from C3
Santos. They were divided into four teams. The mission that we had created for the men to work on involved an obstacle course that was about one kilometer long. The course that we created was challenging but forced the guys to work together to get through it. It also helped the men to see the importance of helping a weaker brother.
This is where Wellington came in. Wellington is a good friend who is confined to a wheelchair. Rather than letting that be an excuse to stay home, Wellington wanted to be a part of The Journey.
Wellington’s role was that of a wounded intelligence officer with valuable information. As each team worked through the course, they encountered Wellington. He gave the team captain the next instructions for what they had to do. The team then had to carry Wellington through part of the course.
The way it worked out was that the last team got to bring him to the end of the course and all four teams worked together to get him over the last set of obstacles, three water-filled trenches. Wellington got a little wet but had a great time! Wellington’s participation added a level of realism to The Journey that would not have been present if we just had another one of the guys acting like he was injured.
The Journey ended with an incredible night at church. Sandee spoke about how learning to give had impacted her and Jimmy. I preached on “The Invitation of a Lifetime,” and we had five people come to Christ. I’ll post the video when it is available. 
Annie and I were so blessed to have our wonderful friends visiting us. What was so exciting for us to see, though, was how Jimmy and Sandee had such an impact on so many people. This is an amazing young couple with a very bright future!
If you would like to contribute financially to our ministry in Brazil, here is the link. It is tax-deductible. Obrigado! (Thank you!)
