Rick Spinos gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ on January 1, 1974 and was baptized by immersion and added as a member of the Whitton Avenue Bible Church on March 10th, 1974. Ten years latter while working on his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering at Arizona State University, Rick was called to full time mission work in Brazil. After arriving in Brazil on December 2, 1984 Rick began studying the Portuguese language and Brazilian Culture in the state of Goiás, Central Brazil.
For 5 years Rick worked as the overseer of a steel boat factory in the city of Santarém with Project Amazon. He designed and supervised the construction of more than 30 steel houseboats, yachts and catamaran style floating medical clinics.
Soon after Rick arrived in Santarém he met Sandra Costa who was at the time the worship leader of the central church of Project Amazon. Sandra is a very talented singer, songwriter and musician. At the end of 1984 Rick asked Sandra's hand in marriage, and Luke Huber married them on July 16, 1985. Their first son Brian was born on October 16th 1988 and two years later Erich was born on October 24th.
During his last year as the administrator of the boat factory in 1989 Rick and Sandra accepted the challenge by Luke Huber to pastor a local church. This was Rick and Sandra's first pastoral experience. The Lord was very gracious and blessed Rick and Sandra's efforts. Under their leadership the church in the bairro of Santana grew from approximately 15 people to 150 over the space of two years.
In mid 1991 Rick made a survey trip to Macapá the capital of the State of Amapá and felt the Lord's confirmation to move his family there to start a new group of churches.
In late 1999 Rick and Sandra turned over the leadership of the three new churches to Brazilians pastors having reached a total of 48 cell groups and approximately 500 worshipers in the three congregations. Shortly afterward another two congregations were begun.
At the beginning of 2001 after receiving the blessing of the Apostolic Christian Church Missionary Committee, Rick and Sandra started a new work in Macapá called Fruit of the Vine Ministries (Fruto da Videira). This new church plant was also started with almost no money and no people. The first meeting was held in Rick and Sandra's living room with three other families. In March of 2001 a property was rented with the help of the ACCMC and by September of 2001 the new church grew to over 100 worshipers organized in 5 cell groups.

Rick and Sandra Spinos - rspinos@bno.com.br
Mission Website - http://www.fotvm.com