chris and teresa boyce - Recife, brazil
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www.brazil4jesuschrist.org
We are in missions for life. There is nothing else we desire or want to do with the rest of our lives other than bring the lost to Jesus. Teresa has had a heart for missions since she was nine years old, when she worked on the "joy bus" along with her father, mother, and brother, teaching children about Jesus. This progressed to her involvement with Nashville Inner City Ministry for many years. However, her heart has been in Brazil since 1983. She dearly loves the Brazilian people and the Portuguese language. God has prepared Teresa for Brazil her whole life. She is excited that God has given us the opportunity to go back to Brazil as a family to continue building His Kingdom.
Since his baptism in 1990, Chris has had a fire burning in his bones that will not be quenched. Chris got involved with drugs, alcohol, and rock bands at a very young age. This left his heart empty. When he was 24, he discovered the love of God and was baptized into Christ. For this reason, he loves sharing his faith. He enjoys going to places and to people no one else will go to--slums, ghettos, and prisons--to share the love of Christ, and he believes the mission field is wherever a person lives.
The Boyce family worked as missionaries for three years in Mwanza, Tanzania, East Africa, starting three churches in the urban slums (Feb. 2003 Dec. 2005). They have one precious daughter, named Sara. One unusual thing about their family is the date August 8. Chris was baptized into Christ on August 8, 1990; Teresa and Chris were married in Mwanza, Tanzania, on August 8, 2002 (they had known each other five years prior to that); and Sara was born in Nairobi, Kenya, on August 8, 2003!
Before Tanzania, Chris worked for five years as an evangelist with Mobile Inner City Ministry in the projects of Mobile, Alabama. He also worked as a chaplain for five years in prison ministry in Tennessee and Texas. Teresa worked as a missionary in Brazil for two years (1988-1990) and worked with Nashville Inner City Ministry for nine years. Both Teresa and Chris are alumni of Lipscomb University (Teresa graduated in '88 and Chris graduated in '94). Chris received an M.A. in missions from ACU in August 2000.
In June of 2007, the Boyce family moved to Recife, Brazil, to plant churches among the working class poor. They joined an already existing work that has proven extremely receptive to the truth over the years. The Boyces are working together with the Boa Vista congregation. Lord willing, they are committing to the Lords work in Brazil for 10-15 years. They are extremely excited to partner with the Cloverdale family in this adventure, and they look forward to the mighty things God will do in Brazil!