After a U.S. missions presence of nearly 50 years, The Christian and Missionary Alliance of the United States will transition its mission personnel out of Brazil within the next five years. The original transition date established by a 2007 strategic field review was 2025, but the new date is 2013.  
 
The decision was influenced by missiological factors and financial considerations. In many ways, Brazil can be seen as a reached country with churches that can evangelize on their own. "Today, the C&MA national church in Brazil consists of 23 churches (including newer projects), 18 ordained pastors, and about 20 others who are credentialed," said Alliance missionary Steve Renicks. "Our membership numbers around 3,000 baptized believers. The past 25 years have seen some solid churches established, a seminary built up, and Brazilian missionaries sent out and supported by the national church. We are deeply grateful to the Lord for these results." 
 
Limited finances, including the declining buying power of the dollar, also "were major determinants in the decision," said Renicks. "The Great Commission Fund simply does not have sufficient income today to resource all of our overseas work, and something has to be cut back." 
 
"U.S. Alliance leaders have been seeking God's direction in aligning expenditures with revenues," said Bob Fetherlin, vice president for International Ministries. "This has involved some pruning with the desire for greater fruitfulness in the future. While these steps have been painful, there is a spirit of hope and expectation in this process. Brazil is just one of many areas in the big picture of the work of The Christian and Missionary Alliance of the United States impacted by all of this." 
 
In light of the mission team's transition, Renicks and his wife, Diane, have decided to terminate their ministry in Brazil as of December 2008. "It is not easy to leave after nearly 30 years of ministry here," said Renicks, "but we leave thanking the Lord for His faithfulness and leaving behind churches planted, many converts, and pastors and missionaries who will continue to preach the gospel in Brazil and in other parts of the world."  

A week does not go by at Bongolo Hospital in Gabon, West Africa, that at least 20 people find their way to Jesus. The hospital, which until recently was called Bongolo Evangelical Hospital, not only provides compassionate medical care but also shares the good news of Jesus with hundreds of patients who come from the farthest points of the country.  
 
Recently, the hospital’s head chaplain, Pastor Pascal, reported that since the previous Friday, 47 patients accepted Christ. In the two weeks prior, 37 and 66 people received Jesus.  
 
“Often as I walk by their office,” said Dr. David Thompson, “I hear the chaplains praying with a patient, delivering someone from an evil spirit, comforting patients who have just learned they are HIV positive, or rejoicing with someone who just found Christ. The total number of patients who have prayed to receive Jesus since January is an amazing 1,236!”  
 
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Mandatory evacuation orders have been lifted in the town of Paradise, California, and evacuees have returned home as the immediate threat of fire has diminished. This was the second time in a month that Paradise Alliance Church was used as shelter for evacuees from Paradise and surrounding communities. “We saw blue sky today,” said church member Karen Horton. “The immediate threat to Paradise is over.” 
 
Many church members, including Pastor Larry Shelton, were evacuated last week when fires sparked by lightning put their homes in peril. “Several church families that live outside Paradise in neighboring towns lost their homes,” says Horton. 
 
The fires have burned about 53,000 acres and are now 70 percent contained. Only five fires are now burning actively, down from 14 active fires Friday. Horton, who has volunteered along with many other church members to help evacuees seeking shelter at the church, said, “I’ve lived here 30 years and never have seen anything like this. The community has really pulled together to help one another.”  

“Ash is falling from the sky,” said Pastor Larry Shelton of Paradise (California) Alliance Church Tuesday morning. “I just picked up a partly charred leaf that fell from the sky.” 
 
Shelton and his church members thought that the fire danger was over a few weeks ago after the town evacuated nearly 10,000 residents and lost more than 70 homes. Several church members lost their homes as well. The Alliance church became a refuge, and church members not affected by the fire helped their neighbors who were.  
 
At the time, the fires were reported to be contained. But today, Paradise is in the midst of another emergency situation. “The fire has taken on new life and is threatening our town again,” Shelton reports. “At 10 a.m., the sun is blood red. Street lights are coming on, and it’s very hard to breathe. Our town manager requested that we use the church as an evacuation center again. Pray for our town and the overextended fire fighters.”