Kombi's Maiden Voyage: From Maraba to Pacaja on the Transamazon Highway

When you think of the word highway the images that spring to mind are usually ones of long stretches of paved roads, cars flying by at breakneck speeds, several lanes with well labeled signs.  Well, throw all that out the window when you hear the term 'Transamazon Highway'.

287km of dusty, bumpy twisting road (with speed bumps of all things) stretches
between Marabá and the town of Pacaja where Xingu mission has a church plant just three years young.

Two weeks ago at the crack of dawn we piled five of our youth, backpacks and hammocks, cold water and even a puppy into our beloved Kombi and headed north west. It was an in-country mission trip to Pacaja.

There are two seasons here in northern Brazil, rainy and dusty.  We happen to be in the dusty season which is less dangerous than driving in the mud but the red powder that lays in the road inches deep flies up with every passing truck and billows in front of you like a red snow storm, making visibility impossible.  Several times Phil had to stop.

Could she be any cuter?

Six hours and one rest stop later we arrived and were well received in Pacaja.

We hit the streets to invite neighbours to the first youth service and a children's event the following day.

The pastors there fed us and took care of us while we ran the events, musical training and a few of our youth performed a skit and a dance.  It was a fantastic opportunity for our youth to be able to pay it forward to this budding young church.

Inviting neighbours

The Kombi is serving us and others well!