BRAZIL—Few people can say they have lived in a floating house on the Amazon River, but Don and Dawn Friesen are among those rare few. Since 2014, the Friesens have lived and worked in Brazil using humanitarian efforts, prayer and Bible storying to reach the M people with the Gospel.
Don and Dawn not only live in a floating house, but they also use an aluminum boat named Lottie as their primary mode of transportation to reach their people group living along the rivers of the Amazon.
“Almost everywhere we travel here in Brazil is by boat. Not everyone on the water travels with a light so other people can see them. The rivers can be dangerous at night,” Dawn said.
Ministry among the M people requires great patience and time because they do not trust outsiders.
“It has taken many years for us to earn their trust. It took six years for us to see salvation in Christ among the M people,” Don and Dawn said. “It is not easy for them to go against their traditional culture of idol and spirit worship and the witch doctor.”
Early in their ministry, the Friesens planted a church on the largest M reservation in the area. The Lord blessed their ministry with 11 baptized believers. Today, those believers are a united church body, teaching and preaching God’s Word among their own people. The Friesens are also planting another church in a village farther up the Amazon.
“In the M village upriver, we are slowly seeing changes in people’s hearts as we share Bible stories with them on a weekly basis,” the Friesens said. “We are building strong relationships and trust with them. Because of the Gospel, alcohol seems to be losing its grip on the M people.”
Oklahoma Baptists can pray for the M believers to stand strong in their faith and continue sharing God’s Word with their families and friends.
Both of Don and Dawn’s daughters graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University and remained in Oklahoma to raise their families. The Friesens enjoy visiting their six grandchildren and one great-grandchild when they return to the state.
If you would like to receive the Friesens’ monthly newsletter, you can contact them at ddakfriesen@yahoo.com.
You can also text “PRAY” to 833-942-3800 to receive weekly reminders to pray for Oklahoma Baptist missionaries!
