The Amazon River leads to many unreached people groups. Don and Maria Friesen found a way to disciple new believers by living on a floating house, where they have lived for more than a decade. (IMB Photo)
By Carol Ghattas
This article originally appeared in the November 2024 issue of Missions Mosaic magazine, a missions education resource of Woman’s Missionary Union. Learn more and subscribe at wmu.com.
Don and Maria Friesen can identify with the hymn “It Is Well with My Soul” by Horatio Gates Spafford, which begins: “When peace like a river attendeth my way, when sorrows like sea billows roll; whatever my lot, thou hast taught me to say, ‘It is well, it is well with my soul.’”
They have lived on a floating house along the rivers in the eastern Amazon region of Brazil for more than a decade to reach a tribe without a gospel presence. However, it has not always been smooth sailing.
The Holy Spirit gives a vision
The Friesens’ journey began in 1999 when God called them to Brazil, serving a three-year term through the International Mission Board. They, along with their two daughters, moved to the country in 2002 and were introduced to the people along the rivers in the northern part of the country.
Though they rejoiced as people accepted Christ, they recognized that discipling the new believers would be difficult due to the lack of access to the Amazon communities.
They had grown to love these people and desired to pour further into their lives, but the Freisens returned to the United States at the end of their term, trusting the Lord would make a way for them to go back to Brazil in His time.
Don and Maria finished their seminary studies, while their oldest daughter went off to college and their youngest started high school. By 2009, they were appointed as career IMB missionaries and were back in Brazil.
They began full-time language study to be fluent and pressed forward in their work. They still didn’t know how they would reach the Amazon communities, but God did. The Holy Spirit gave them a vision of a floating house, which would allow them to dwell among the people and reach them more effectively.
The Lord makes a way
The Friesens researched construction and were told by a builder that it would take three months to complete the floating house. This was a perfect arrangement since they would be in language school for five months, so the house would be done by the time they passed their language exams and moved into full-time ministry.
Weeks went by, and Don and Maria soon realized the builder was not as dedicated to the project as they were to their studies. The house was not progressing, and by the time they finished their schooling and moved to their ministry city in March 2010, the house was barely started.
Don and Maria tried to continue to work with the builder but had little success. By the end of the year, all that was achieved was the frame and rafters. As they prayed, the Lord let the Friesens know it was now up to them to complete the house, so, after dismissing the builder, they put the aluminum roof on their home in December.
By June 2011, they were able to move into their floating house while continuing to add the final touches. By September 2011, the vision was complete, and their house was moved to its first location for ministry. The Lord had made a way.
The Holy Spirit opens doors
God began opening doors as the Friesens moved closer to the people group, whom they refer to as the M. people, in March 2012. The M. people are known for being ferocious fighters and excellent at ambushing their enemies. They live on 46 reservations scattered across two counties of Brazil, and each reservation is typically composed of 20-50 families. The Friesens needed permission from the Brazilian government and each reservation chief to visit and work among the M. people.
Through their outreach efforts, the Friesens have been able to gain access to the M. people and provide them clean drinking water, medical and dental care and the gospel. With the help of volunteer teams, they have drilled wells on three M. reservations, and every time they dug a well, they use the opportunity to share the true message of Jesus Christ, the Living Water.
Traveling in their 16-foot aluminum boat (nicknamed Lottie), Don and Maria began to focus their energies on the largest M. reservation, teaching God’s Word through Bible stories and meeting at various houses in the village. Within two years of starting their ministry, one young man accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and the elders of the reservation gave consent to provide a piece of land for a church to be constructed.
Worship services began, and Maria started teaching children in Sunday School. Within 10 years, 10 new believers were baptized in the church family, six of whom were saved and baptized during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Maria also found a helper with Sunday School, as one of the young girls who grew up under her teaching is now co-teaching the youth class.
What leads a couple to uproot from the comforts of life in the United States to reach a people group whose name they can’t even publicly share? The answer is love for God and love for others. The Friesens are filled with His love and empowered by His Spirit, and they know there can be peace on the river.
To encourage the Friesens in their work, pray for the needs of the M. people, including food, clean water and access to the gospel. Pray for the Friesens and their daughters, asking God to provide them with opportunities for rest and relaxation together as a family.
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Carol Ghattas has served more than 22 years in the Middle East, and she regrets she has never lived in a floating house. Like the Friesens, however, she still found home in unexpected places because the Lord was at work.