Wednesday, February 1, 2017

Juniors Camp - Jan 2017


Juniors and Teenagers Camp - Jan 2017

Here are several images from our camp week in January. 
If you would like to see more images please find our Camp Facebook page at 
Please continue to pray for each and everyone of these that they will grow in the Lord's path or come to know the Lord as their Savior. 






































Saturday, August 31, 2013

2013 August Update



Robert & Damaris Lankford
Greer, SC 29650
Phone: Robert 864-313-7778 / Damaris 864-201-5586
Bible Institute * Camps * Church Planting * Aviation

In Brazil’s Amazon
PRAYING FOR FRIENDS IN THE AMAZON:

Dear Friends of these Amazon Ministries,
FURLOUGH is defined as - “a time of change of activities that result in the recuperation of energies, and involvement in ancillary activities.” Damaris and I have been enjoying time with family and friends, and recuperating our energies along with special visits and sharing reports about the work in the Amazon. It has truly been a time of rest and a good change from our regular activities in Brazil.

FURLOUGH LIVING - We have been living with Mom Lankford and enjoying special times with her. At 95 she is in need of some help with her everyday chores, but she is still independent and talks much about many experiences in her life. It has been good for us, since we have been so far away all these years in Brazil. And these special family times are great since all of our nearby children and grandchildren, who are not very distant from Greenville, SC. Mom´s home is a special place and we are glad to be near her, and we try to keep our travel´s so that we can be with her some every week with special travel on United Airlines through our son, Tim (who also lives with his wife, Samua, in a new home behind Mom).

CONSTRUCTING – We thank you who have been involved with the Mt. Zion Baptist Church construction in Itacoatiara. Pastor Terres and his congregation are continuing with the new metallic roof now in place, and stuccoing the walls, and improvements on the property. Also, some work is continuing on the Sunday School classroom building, and the recently started pastors house. Pray for this continuing work, and the salvation of souls as a result of this new ministry. We are planning a trip soon to accelerate this project with some of your financial gifts.

CAMP MARANATHA – Along with having a new family living at the camp (on a temporary basis), we want to continue helping to raise funds to finish the construction of the recreation and snack bar area started last year. It would be great to have the steel roof in place for our camping season January through March, 2014. This project will take about $9500.00 to complete. It will give another area for small group meetings, videos, games, and 
competition among the teams at camp. Also, a well staffed and equipped snack bar will really benefit afternoon and evening activities during the camping programs. We are trusting the Lord to help us complete this project by January so it will be usable by the campers and staff.
 
ORGANIZATION & REORGANIZATION – of camping programs and staffing is always critical. We thank the Lord for those who have shown a special interest in this ministry: for the operation, and functionality of the ministry along with the local churches around the camp. You may recall that we organized a Maranatha Camp Counsel to 
assist in the programing and development along with the mission station. Please pray that these men and women may be used of God to effectively assist in developing and directing this ministry for God´s glory! We, and the mission family in the Amazon, need to know the Lord´s leading for serving youth and churches in these latter years.

FUTURE TRAVELS – A six month furlough every two years will not allow us to visit all of you, our supporters, but these months we will be traveling in Michigan, Indiana, California, Virginia, and South Carolina. And we are encouraged by your interest in us and these ministries! We thank the Lord for you who have continued to be involved with us these years in praying and help with these projects. And although we are retiring from Baptist Mid Missions, we are continuing in the work - returning to Brazil in November, living and working at Camp 
Maranatha, and helping the Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Itacoatiara. BMM will continue serving in the same way, too, with receiving funds for our ministry, handling taxes and government liaison, and maintaining your church mission interests. Pray with us for these changes and our Amazon projects! Thank you for your prayers and support for 
Damaris and me, personally, too. We look forward to seeing many of you, before we return to the field, this Fall.

Sincerely for CHRIST in the AMAZON,
Robert & Damaris Lankford 

Saturday, September 24, 2011

Happenings in the Amazon 2011

Pastor Israel inauguration, one of our seminary students

 Pastor Israel inauguration

 Construction beginning of Mount Zion church in Itacoatiara 

 Enlarging the sanctuary

The old Sanctuary

Monday, April 25, 2011

Inauguration of Filadelphia Baptist Church - April 16, 2011

New building of Filadelphia Baptist Church

Entering the church

Bob leading the choir

Front door of the church

One of our pastors

 Special presentation



17 April 2011
Dear Friends,

“Can you read the sixth line down?”  “Yes he said with a big smile…I can read H, L D P, V, W.  It was the eye chart at 20 feet and Antônio was so glad he could read it that well.  Dr. Dave, a paramedic with a team of University students, helped outfit over 124 patients with their first (or better) glasses this past month.  The trip took us to 12 settlements on this Uraria river system – many places that have a small Baptist chapel or meeting house among the families.  One man, Manuel, came running to hug me and said, “I was sure you were Pr. Roberto when I saw you walking to the church,”…He was from another church down at Lago Tucunaré.  We haven´t been able to go to that church in more than fifteen years, though.  We had many things to talk about and he was glad to tell me that his family is fine and helping in the church.

Although we helped the doctors, nurses, and college students in translating from English to Portuguese, at the same time some of the group were telling and dramatizing the stories of Jonah and Daniel.  Others helped with a portable sonograph machine, testing, and dispensing medicines to those being treated.  I was greatly impressed by the work of this team and their dedication to help our Brazilian friends along these rivers.   This trip was organized by Rick and Kim Parker, missionary friends near camp Maranatha on the Urubú River.  There will be a slide show on our website: www.thelankfords.org.

We are back in Itacoatiara now and working with the Philadelphia Baptist Church.  On April 16 we had the Dedication of our new building.   Over 240 people from the other churches in Itacoatiara and Lindoia participated even though it was a rainy and stormy Saturday.  The Berea Baptist Church of Hiddenite, NC, has helped in this project.  Pastor Cook and our friends from the US have adopted this congregation, giving special offerings and even sent a team of builders.

The rains do not seem to stop in the Amazon this year.  Neither do the blessings.  God has been so good to us.  Just last week our highway near the camp caved in with erosion - more than an eighty foot drop to a river.  There was room for small cars to pass for a time.  It took us seven hours to arrive in Manaus instead of four.  Then we went on to Presidente Figueiredo by bus to attend the All Brazil Baptist Church Conference.  Pastors and missionaries from many states of Brazil attended and the fellowship and messages were wonderful.

God blessed our camping season this year with about 300 campers.  Several decisions were made.  And we want to thank you who sponsored young people to attend these weeks of camp.  You will find some of these children on our website – those whose lives you have touched and changed.  Our theme this year was The Practice of our Christian Faith.

Thanks again for your prayers and support of our ministry – If you can check our website, our daughter, Crystal has included updates from this year´s camps and the dedication of the church, too.

Sincerely for Christ in the Amazon,
Bob and Damaris Lankford
Serving with Baptist Mid Missions
PO Box 308011 Cleveland OH 44130-8011
phone 440 826-2930 website
www.bmm.org

Monday, January 10, 2011

January 2011

Dear friends,


This is a busy time and we need your prayers for getting ready for the camping season.  We are building a new dormitory, and hope it will be ready for the 24th of this month.  We need to set up the camp staff and need to finance some travel for sharing the ministry with young people.  Also we are still receiving some monies to assist some JUNIORS and ADOLESCENTS with half of the camp fee.  This is encouragement and we are thankful to many who have helped.


Also pray for John /swedberg who had a heart attack yesterday.  He is in southern Brazil with church planting ministry and our mission business.


Thank you for your support and e-mail contacts too.  May your ministries reflect your love to reach others there, too.


Sincerely for CHRIST in the AMAZON,
Robert and Damaris Lankford
www.thelankfords.org

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

Prayer Letter - Dec 2010





CHRISTMAS 2010
Micah 5:2 “And You, Bethlehem, Ephrata, are not the least of the cities of Judah, but out of you shall come one to rule Israel and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father, David:”
In the hospital the other day, I heard a lady say she has a neighbor that does not like Christmas. It reminds her of close family ties that have been broken over the years, and how people’s busy lives now don’t have time for one another. “It’s just too hard,” she said, “to see the good among so much bad in the world.” I could feel that she watches or hears too much bad news. But remember that the news of the coming of the Christ Child was the “good tidings of great joy, to all people,” as the Bible says. That gives us new hope for mankind and a future for all saved people with the Lord. But oh, how so many are preparing for this big holiday here in the Amazon, without the Christ of Christmas!
CRIANÇA FELIZ (Happy Children Club!) This ongoing ministry for 14 years celebrated a special CHRIST´S birthday program with visitors and special guests. This remote location along the Urubu River has become a regular ministry of our Philadelphia Church in Itacoatiara. This week there were three saved and the Christmas theme brought many good memories of the last years. A temporary recess will bring us to February, after the Maranatha Camps. In February we are planning a Five Day Bible Club using some seminary students from Manaus.
PHILADELPHIA CHURCH IN ITACOATIARA We thank you for special offerings and being able to finish the construction and new floor recently. Now we are setting an inauguration date later in January for this beautiful new building. Pray for effective ministry in this growing area of our city, and the new
Families to be reached.
Camp Maranatha 2011 It will soon be here! Special dates and programs are set and even campaigns are planned in the Churches. Pray for preparations and upgrades on the buildings and for an effective camping season!
We want many young people to hear the VOICE of God! We have received some scholarships and want to share with you how the young people are working on a Bible study program to earn the scholarships for next year´s camp. Maybe some of you would like to sponsor young people for camp next year. We are offering $20,00 scholarships to as many as we can to encourage them in their spiritual growth a Camp Maranatha.
Have a Great Christmas and wonderful New Year!
We praise the Lord for your faithful prayers and support for the work here in Brazil, during 2010!
You are important to Him, and to us. We appreciate those who contact us by e-mail and regular mail. We always enjoy hearing from you. It is great to hear how the Lord is working in your lives and churches, too.

KNOWING AND SERVING THE CHRIST OF CHRISTMAS,
Bob and Damaris