The Clearing Beyond the Jungle

When God Leads Through the Thickest Wilderness

On Friday, Milton invited me to speak at a national mentoring call for church planters—nearly 40 pastors from all across Brazil joined. Early in the call, he asked, “What’s one thing you’d do differently if you could start over?” I said, “I would pray more. We all know people who take up a lot of our time but bear little fruit, while others take very little time and bear much. I wish I’d learned sooner how to discern what the Father is doing—and join Him, instead of spending so much energy on my own ideas.”

Later that week, just a few days ago, I received a WhatsApp voicemail from someone I didn’t recognize. He reminded me of a time I’d prayed for him about year ago, and the fruit of that prayer.

As I reflected on Asafe’s message I thought, “Yes. This is what I’m talking about.” Asafe gave me permission to share his story with you.

“Sometimes God’s whispers come when we least expect them.

Months later, when exhaustion and uncertainty still clung to him, an unexpected phone call arrived: a general — yes, a general — from his military past reached out, offering a spontaneous transfer back to Santa Catarina. No request. No negotiation. Just divine orchestration.
Within weeks, the impossible became reality.
 
Today, six months after arriving home, my friend has planted a humble new church community — and the clearing we prayed about has become fertile ground where hope and faith are taking root.”

“What about you?”

“Is there a jungle you’re hacking through right now? What if the clearing is just ahead?”

“For He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”
(Philippians 1:6)

👉 Click here to read the full story — Beyond the Amazon: The Jungle, the Clearing, and the God Who Leads

The Man You Didn’t Expect

Several times in Genesis, the story pauses—and a mysterious man appears.

• A man finds Hagar, lost and broken in the desert.

• A man visits Abraham, speaking words that will alter the course of history.

• A man wrestles with Jacob until dawn, leaving him both wounded and blessed.

• A man meets Joseph in a field and unknowingly sends him down the path that will save nations.

Each time, the man seems ordinary at first.
But nothing is ever the same after the encounter.

Last Week

It was early morning. I had just finished a run. As I neared our house, I noticed a stranger—wild-eyed, waving his arms, shouting something I couldn’t understand. He looked drunk.

I hesitated, unsure. Then I stopped.

He pointed—not at me, but behind me.

I turned around.

And there it was:
A perfect rainbow stretched across the sky, arching over our yard.

The Rainbow

The rainbow is more than beautiful—it’s a covenant.
In Genesis 9, God sets His “qešet” in the clouds after the flood. The Hebrew word is the same as for a war bow. But now, the weapon is pointed away from the earth, hung up in the sky—God’s visual promise of restraint, mercy, and enduring love.

This covenant comes before Abraham. Before Israel. Before the Law.
It is with all living creatures, a universal promise.

Though Genesis moves quickly from the rainbow to the Tower of Babel, the meaning holds:
Even in a broken world, God chooses patience. He preserves a remnant. He works through human failure to bring about His purposes.

The Stranger

I never learned who that man was.
Was he just a drunk on the road—or something more?

Did God send him? Or did God speak through him?

The encounter left me wondering…
Who else might God be sending into our lives today?
Or—who might He be sending us to?

“Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers, for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.”
— Hebrews 13:2

Olivia, Zack, and Ellis

Having Olivia, Zack, and baby Ellis here brought laughter, stories, and warm hugs from longtime friends. Olivia was born in Santarém, on the banks of the Amazon, and spent many of her childhood years in our Marabá home. It was pure joy to walk those memories again—and to watch her share them with Zack and introduce Ellis to the people and places that shaped her.

A Week of Joy, Tears, and Hope

This week was filled with joyful hellos for Olivia, Zack, and Ellis—and tender, unexpected goodbyes for Deanna and me. We’re preparing to travel back to Abbotsford so Deanna can receive the medical care she needs there.

Through it all, we’ve been deeply moved by the love, prayers, and kindness of friends near and far. Even in the heaviness of farewell, we’re holding on to hope and trusting God’s care every step of the way.

✨ Update on Deanna

So many of you have been praying with us since Deanna’s cancer diagnosis a couple of weeks ago. This week brought encouraging news: the results from three recent CT scans show that the cancer does not appear to have metastasized. We’re deeply thankful for this glimpse of hope as we begin the next steps in her care.

We’re heading back to Abbotsford to walk this journey near family, doctors, and community. Your prayers, messages, and love have meant more than we can express.

If you’d like to receive more detailed updates on how Deanna is doing, we’re offering two ways to stay in the loop:

👉 Email rick.bergen@xtrememercy.com to receive an info sheet with options to join our update list — via WhatsApp for more frequent updates or Email for occasional summaries.

🙏 Prayer Points

As we pack our bags and say our farewells for another trip, would you join us in prayer?

• 🙏 Deanna – for complete healing, peace, and clarity

• 🙏 Travel – for all of us as we return to Canada this week

• 🙏 Olivia, Zack, and Ellis – protection as they finish their visit

• 🙏 Ministry – obedience and courage in church planting

• We’d love to pray for you, too — just hit ‘Reply’ and share your request.

Even the jungle wasps have something to teach us. Nicholas found a tarantula hawk wasp—massive, and one of the most painful stings in the insect world. The pain only lasts five minutes, but it’s excruciating. As I used to tell our kids, “The view is best near the cliff—but don’t fall.”

It’s a reminder that beauty and risk often go hand in hand. Wisdom is knowing when to lean into faith and when to step back.

May this be your best week yet.

We’re praying you encounter God’s abundance in new ways this week.

With grace,
Rick & Deanna

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