THANK YOU!

CLM received three wrapped gift boxes from the Builder's Club in Louisville. My friend, Tina asked each child in the club to work for a family member for three hours to buy special gifts for our children. They sent three packages to represent the gifts that Jesus received from the Wise Men on the first Christmas. By their precious smiles, you can see how blessed our children were by this act of kindness and service. Thank you for sharing Christ's love through your generosity and service!

Chicken Feet?!

Yesterday, when we heard the lunch bell ring, we thought we were having rice and beans like every other day...but when we arrived at the table we found something else waiting on us...CHICKEN FEET! I quickly took our plates to the kitchen and begged Tommy (our cook from Sweden) to demonstrate his friendship for us by taking it off our plate! He obliged with a grin, telling me that he wouldn't eat it either. Mike is not one to get queasy but he almost had to leave the table as we watched the kids gnawing the little bit of "meat" off of the toes!

First Week at CLM

After one week at CLM, we have quickly realized that there is an endless supply of things to do each day. When we walk out our front door each morning, we’re not sure what will happen by the time we reach the “big house” where the children and single missionaries live. Usually within seconds of closing our front door, we are greeted by screams from several children and are literally attacked before we are even halfway across the yard. Although we are thrilled that the children are excited to see us, parents who are reading this know that one or two kids are a full-time job…and we now have 36!

Although it was never a problem to manage behavior in my classroom, I have found it extremely challenging here to discipline in another language. It can be very frustrating to start a sentence and realize in the middle that you are not sure of the correct conjugation for the verb! It loses the desired effect when the child being disciplined doesn’t understand what you are saying!

As always, thank you for standing with us in prayer, believing that the Holy Spirit is transforming each of these precious lives.

Salto São Francisco

We finished our third level of Portuguese classes this week (YEAH!) and were finally able to take a day to do some sightseeing. This waterfall is the largest in our state and is about two hours from CLM. We had perfect weather and were grateful for some time away from the city. Our teacher, Gislaine, had invited us and another student to go with her and her cousin, who offered to be our guide. Unfortunately, each one of us took at least one spill on the steep trail, but are grateful that no one was hurt badly. We started directly above the falls and ended below them--wish all of you could have been there with us to experience the beautiful view and the refreshing mist!

We are picking up a friend who is flying into Curitiba on Saturday and...THEN, WE ARE MOVING TO CLM! :) It's hard to believe that we have been here in the city for over 7 months! Thank you for your continued prayers as we transition into the daily schedule with the children and prepare for celebrating Christmas away from our families.

Changes at CLM

As we prepare to move back to the orphanage on December 8th, we realize there will be much more changing than our address. Last Friday, the 14 missionaries at Entre Rios met for dinner and prayer. After each person shared, we realized that in the next two months, seven will be leaving CLM and another will be taking maternity leave in May. Bethany and Juan are expecting their first baby in June. Rosana is getting married. Rogerio and Vivien are taking on full-time positions at the church in the colony. Vagner and Jacqueline are moving back to Bahia. Edit is returning to Hungary. After receiving the last four children last week, there are 36 children...and soon only 7 missionaries to care for all of their needs!

We are reminded of the story of Gideon's army of 32,000 who were to wage war on the Midianites. God chose to get the job done with only 300. God isn't concerned about the ratios...He will supply all our need, according to His riches. We can be confident of victory when we trust in Him and not ourselves. Thank you for your continued prayers for us, as well as the other missionaries and children.

Early Christmas Present

Last Tuesday night at 1:30am, CLM received a phone call from the Child Protection Agency. Someone had picked up 4 runaway children and dropped them off at the police. They were filthy and smelled so badly that a man who was riding in the back of the van to comfort them had to move to the front! :( They were immediately fed, showered, and dropped off at CLM. The oldest brother, Robson is 10, and has obviously been the one "in charge" of the family. He didn't seem to know how to react to us "gringos" but smiled when we hugged and kissed him. His younger brother, Altair is 9 and is very sweet and affectionate. The twin girls, Caroline and Carolaine are 7 and are little bundles of energy. They had constant smiles on their faces and have easily made friends with the other children.

When I took this picture of the three younger siblings with Patricia, we were told Robson was talking with the director. Later, we found out he had grabbed one of the little girls and became very angry and violent when questioned about his intentions. It is so disheartening to think about what these children have seen and experienced, and even more troubling when they act out on other children. Please pray for a fresh start for these beautiful children, that they would feel the peace of the Holy Spirit and an overwhelming sense of love and acceptance from their Heavenly Father.

Letting Go

We are afraid that we will soon be experiencing our first heartbreak at CLM. Josiane, Mayara, Diana and Diego have had several visits with their father and his wife in the last month. They, along with their extended family, have expressed their interest for the children to come back to live with them. This was scary at first for especially Josiane because she has vivid memories of how alcohol affected her father's behavior. However, two years have passed while they have been at CLM, and he has made many positive changes in his lifestyle. The judge and our director feel very comfortable with allowing the children to return but it is still the children's decision. After this Friday's visit, each one will be asked what they want to do. As you can imagine, this will be a difficult decision for all of them.

Emotionally, we are torn, as well. Obviously, we want them to have their own family but they are already a part of our CLM family! We have to admit that in the flesh, we have fears about them returning to a potentially similar situation that brought them to us in the first place. Since we never truly know how long a child will be with us, we have to see each day as a gift from God, believing that He alone must be their rock and refuge. Please pray for God's direction for each of the children and for us as we face this new challenge.

CLM Turvo

Canaan Land Ministries has two orphanages, one in Entre Rios (where we will be living) and one in Turvo. The orphanage in Entre Rios was started over 30 years ago and currently has 33 children and 12 missionaries. In the past several years, many of the kids that came to CLM were from the city of Turvo, a very small city with extreme poverty...and the highest infant mortality rate in the state. The city officials in Turvo approached CLM about starting another orphanage in their city, about an hour from Entre Rios. A beautiful piece of land on a mountainside above the city was donated and the city built a road just for CLM. Enough funds were raised to complete the exterior and the first floor for its opening in February of 2006. It currently houses 15 children and 3 missionaries. When it is finished, it will be able to house 36 children and 12 missionaries. Finding the children is not the difficult part...unfortunately, there are many who need a safe refuge. However, CLM Turvo is nearing the point that they won't be able to receive any more children until God provides more missionaries. The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few...please pray that God would send more workers.

Letricia

Evelim's prayers were answered when her brother and sister, Jonatas and Letricia, came to CLM Turvo last week. Letricia is 3 years old and weighs 22 pounds. She is extremely weak to the point that even walking is difficult for her. Her stomach was infested with worms and the missionaries were concerned during the first few days that she may have been rescued too late. Praise God that she is doing better and has been able to keep her food down. Jonatas is 9 years old and seems to be healthy. Evelim is very happy to know that they are safe with her. Please keep them in your prayers.

Paulinho and the Ferrari Expo

Paulinho came to CLM when he was 11 months old with his sister Valdecleia. He had a significant developmental delay due to lack of stimulation, depression, and malnutrition. He recently celebrated his 6th birthday and is a precious, creative, and active little boy. When we were getting gas last week, we noticed a sign that advertised for an "Exposição de Ferrari" and immediately thought of his love of keys and cars.

Today, we invited him into the city and gave him a Hot Wheels Ferrari. We then asked him if he had ever seen a real one. His eyes got really big as we pulled into the lot and he saw the Formula One racecar. But when we got out of the car, he seemed nervous and wanted Mike to hold him. Within a few minutes we could tell he was overwhelmed, and soon after he asked if we could leave. We had been so excited about making a special memory with him--we hadn't even thought about how the people, music, and lights would affect him. We were reminded again of how past trauma continues to impact the everyday lives of the children. Please pray Ephesians 1:18 for Paulinho, that he would begin to understand the wonderful future and rich inheritance that God promises to His children.

Missionaries of CLM

This video highlights the missionaries and hired workers who care for the 45 children living at CLM Entre Rios and CLM Turvo. Each day is a battle and takes its toll on the marriages, children, and spiritual life of those who have been sent to sow the seeds and reap the harvest. Please pray specifically for strength, direction, support, and protection for each family. (If you are unable to view the video in the above window, you can access our videos at http://youtube.com/watch?v=coeuOAeeqz4. Please be aware that there are sometimes related videos that are not ours on the same page.)

Birthday in Brazil

Mike celebrated his 38th birthday this past weekend surrounded by children...what a wonderful place to be! The cake was decorated by our resident chef, a short-termer from Sweden named Tommy who decided on a dog for Mike and a frog for Joanna, a fellow missionary who also celebrated her birthday this month. When Gisiele saw the cake she said, "That's Mocha and she's going to eat that frog!"

Mike said that he's never been around this many people who were so excited about his birth. It was a precious time and gave greater insight into how the children feel when we celebrate the day they were born

More Mud!

Dia Das Crianças

The Annual Mudslide for Children's Day was a hit...except a cool rain prevented us from taking as many photos and video as we would have liked. We will try to post some more this week if we can get some good shots off the video. (Mike was covered from head to toe!) The precious girl in this photo is Cristiane. We would love for you to pray for her right now...that God would heal the emotional wounds in her life and fill her with the confidence that she was beautifully and wonderfully created. She is so timid and quiet that she has had a difficult time making friends and adjusting to life at CLM. She has become very attached to me (literally) and will usually be found by my side when we are at CLM. Thank you for praying for her.
Psalm 139:13-14 You made all the delicate, inner parts of my body and knit me together in my mother's womb. Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous--how well I know it.

Living From the Heart

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, "Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?" Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us...And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others. (Nelson Mandela)

John Eldredge says in his book, Waking the Dead, "It takes courage to live from your heart. How can you help others to freedom while you remain captive?" Mike and I have known that God has been preparing us for CLM for a long time but in these final weeks, He has spoken over and over about the importance of walking in His freedom. Our children here are bound by their past and by the lies they have heard from the enemy for so long. Their lives have been filled with confusion, discouragement, condemnation, and accusation...and God desires to restore their wounded hearts. Our prayer is that God will use us to model His freedom. This is difficult for me because I've lived somewhere between "fear of disappointing someone" and "guilt that I already have" for most of my life. I have seen glimpses of what His true freedom looks like and desire it for my life and for the children more than ever before. We know this battle will not be easily won...please pray with us as we invite the Holy Spirit to begin this process.

Matthew 5:16 So let your light shine so that others will glorify our Heavenly Father!

Geovane Returns!

Thanks so much for your prayers for our Geovane! We were very happy to find out that he returned to CLM on his own accord. After discovering that his mom was in prison, he spent the next two days roaming the city and begging for food. His aunt saw him in one of the most dangerous areas of the city and asked him what he wanted to do...continue like his mother and wind up in prison, or return to CLM and change his life? Fortunately, he made the right decision and is now back with his CLM family. (He actually told Edit that he saw us twice in the park and once in the supermarket looking for him...guess we need to hone up on our investigative skills!) Thank you for joining us in prayer for his safe return. Please continue to pray that he will be overwhelmed by the unconditional love that he feels at CLM and that God will use this experience to change his life forever.

Please Pray for Geovane

Geovane from Entre Rios ran away again yesterday. He had been doing so well and really seemed to be enjoying his new life at CLM. Edit brought six of the children in to Guarapuava to run in another citywide race. Donei, Lucas, Francielle, Geovane, Josiane, and Maria Joana ran 2.5 km while Edit, Natalia, and Agi ran in the 8km. All finished well and Francielle and Lucas received trophies for 2nd and 3rd place respectively in their age groups. (Pictures are posted on our flickr page.)

Geovane was with us the entire time until right at the end of the 8km race. There were hundreds of people there with all kinds of activities for kids...he seemed to be having so much fun! Obviously though, the desire to see his mom was too great. We searched the entire grounds and the surrounding areas but no Geovane. When Edit filed a report with the police, she discovered that his mother's house had been boarded up and she had been sent to prison in another city. Patricia has taken the news pretty hard since Geovane had promised her along with everyone else at CLM that he would not run away again. Please pray for Geovane's safe return, that he would feel unconditional love from his CLM family, and that all four children would experience God's peace during this time of turmoil.

Welcome to the Family!

Luis, Aninha, and Natalia welcomed four new children to Turvo this past week! Geovane is 5 years old and is a very active, playful little boy. Immediately after his arrival, a sibling group of three came: Ana Paula (8), Zelia (6), and Natanael (2). Their mother died and their alcoholic father was unable to care for them. They were living in filth and have a skin condition common to dogs "bixo-de-pe" (bugs that get under the skin of the foot)that has caused much discomfort because of itching. During our visit on Saturday, all of them were a little wary of us at first but quickly warmed up and were soon wrestling with Mike, sitting on my lap, or holding our hands. We have had the privilege of watching over the past three years as children who have come to CLM filled with fear and distrust have been transformed through the Holy Spirit's love. Join with us as we pray for these four to experience the awesome power of God's love and restoration in their lives. Check out our flickr page to see more photos of these precious children.

Blessed by YOU!

Hope you enjoy our latest video featuring our beautiful children! Please leave us a comment or send us an email to let us know what you think. (If you are unable to view the video, you can access it at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9sznpPr8Wk. Please be aware that there could be related videos on the page that are not ours.)
"Every morning when I rise, with each breath I realize...that I AM BLESSED BY YOU!"

A Unique Perspective

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full. (Jn. 10:10)

As I post pictures to our blog, you are able to see a snapshot of what we experience everyday at CLM. But, unfortunately, you miss out on what happens before and after the shutter closes. Sometimes, it's a smile, a laugh, or a hug that melts your heart...and other times you are breaking up an all out brawl, comforting the victims, and chasing down the offender. Life at CLM is both--we are learning to embrace the extremes. Every day we see God working in their lives...as well as Satan. It's a battle for the very hearts of these precious children.

John Eldredge talks about the scripture above in the book, Waking the Dead. "God intends life for you. But right now that life is opposed. It doesn't just roll in on a tray. There is a thief. He comes to steal and kill and destroy. In other words, yes, the offer is life, but you're going to have to fight for it because there's an Enemy in your life with a different agenda. We are at war."

As you look at each beautiful face, remember the battle that rages beneath each smile...and that your prayers are powerful weapons.

Making Memories

Romulo, Geovane, and Willian spent the afternoon with us last Friday to celebrate their birthdays. Romulo had a very abusive mother who he threatened to kill before he was removed from the home. He has violent tendencies and is having a difficult time controlling his anger. Geovane has spent most of his life taking care of his drug-addicted mother. After being placed at CLM several weeks ago, he ran away twice and was brought back by the police or a social worker. He has one younger sister, Patricia and two younger brothers, Diogo and Lucas, also at CLM. Willian recently terminated visits with his mother who is a prositute, in hopes that his father will pursue obtaining custody of him. It breaks our hearts to see how quickly they have had to grow up and the many disappointments they have already faced. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will penetrate their hearts and they will feel their Heavenly Father's unconditional love.

Mike had a wonderful bonding time with them playing video games (he finally found a way that he could beat them at soccer!) while I prepared popcorn, pizza, chicken fingers, mozzarella sticks, and peanut butter bars. In the evening, we returned together to CLM and within minutes of entering the doors, the boys had literally shared with everyone how much fun they had with us! :) We look forward to creating more special memories with the children in order to gain their trust and share Christ's love with them.

Our Weakness, His Strength

"God purposely chose what the world considers weak in order to shame the powerful."

As I read this scripture in 1 Corinthians 1:27, I was reminded again of God's perspective on weakness. Since His ways are higher than ours, He often does the exact opposite of what we expect. The children at CLM fall into this category! The world has labeled them as damaged and unwanted...and many of them have accepted that as truth. BUT we believe that God is going to use these orphans to change the world! Some of them are going to be pastors, teachers, evangelists, apostles, and prophets...God is going to send them out to tell people all over the world of how Jesus died for them! Their stories of pain, suffering, loneliness, and rejection are going to minister to people that no one else could...how powerful is that!? There will be people rejoicing in heaven that would have died in their sins if it wasn't for one of these little ones and the traumas they've endured. We will not understand why they had to suffer until we hear stories in eternity of people who had turned away from God until they met Maria Joana or Lucas or Cristiane!

In Hebrews 11:32-34 it says, "It would take too long to recount the stories of the faith of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, David, Samuel and all the prophets...their weakness was turned into strength." I would like to add the names of the children of CLM to that list! Will you stand with us in prayer, asking God to transform each one of these precious children into world-changers for Christ?

Shibboleth or Sibboleth?!

"Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him." – Judges 12:6

This particular scripture was from my dear friend, Andrea who is always able to put things into perspective for me!:) I was overwhelmed this week with emails and conversations from friends and family who wrote and called to encourage us through this difficult time with the language! Thank you so much for standing with us in prayer, believing that when God calls us, He will equip us.

In some churches in China, they welcome new believers by saying, "Jesus now has a new pair of eyes to see with, new ears to listen with, new hands to help with, and a new heart to love others with." What a beautiful reminder of all we can do each day to share the love of Christ with a dying world! We are grateful that He has called us to a place where we can minister with our hearts until we are able to minister with our words.

Feliz Dia Dos Pais e Feliz Aniversario!

Lord, your Word says my light and momentary troubles are achieving for me an eternal glory that far outweighs what I'm experiencing now. So I fix my eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. (2 Cor. 4:17-18)

Today was Father's Day in Brazil...and our 18th anniversary! We celebrated at Turvo with the entire CLM family. Surrounded by so many beautiful children and my wonderful husband, I had so much to be thankful for and yet my focus drifted elsewhere and before I knew it, my "light and momentary troubles" had gotten the best of me. I have been so focused on the end goal of learning the language that I again am missing out on the internal process that God desires for me to apply to my life. (Will I ever learn this lesson, Lord?) I have felt like a failure because I'm constantly comparing myself to others and trying to meet their (perceived) expectations instead of only seeking God's approval. I find myself having to repent daily of my pride--asking God to help me focus on the gifts and talents He's blessed me with instead of coveting the gifts and talents of others. I have needed to ask Him to forgive me for seeking out that which is seen because I wholeheartedly believe that what is unseen is eternal and that is the only thing important to Him!

I am so grateful for all of you who have sent such encouraging emails during this difficult week! Thank you for covering us in prayer and sending so many timely scriptures that have reminded us that in our weakness, we find His strength. We love you!

A Day at Parque do Lago

Last Saturday we spent our "sabbath" listening to a sermon podcast from our church in Canton at the park. (Isn't technology great?!) While we were enjoying some worship songs afterward, a couple of boys approached us with much curiosity about our ipod and speakers. (They actually asked us if it was an "MP4" or "MP5" player!) After realizing that we didn't have any money with us to give them, we thought they would keep walking. Instead, they sat down on the blanket with us! Before we knew it, 7 more boys, ranging from ages 5-12 were surrounding us. They asked us questions about the U.S., our Bible, our dogs--we ended up talking with them for about half hour! It was disheartening to notice that most of them had filthy faces and clothes and probably lived in the poorest favela (slums where "homes" are made of plastic and cardboard) next to the park...but it was a blessing to see their smiles as we took an interest in them. We gave them all hugs as we left and told them that we would look for them again next time we were there. They followed us back to the car, where we gave them some "centavos" for ice cream--and they excitedly ran off towards the vendor at the park. Unfortunately, when we shared this story with our Portuguese teacher, she warned us that many of the children who beg for money will use it to buy drugs or glue. It is eye-opening to see how each day here brings new experiences that give us a glimpse into the former lives of our CLM kids. Please continue to pray for the children of Brazil.

Running the Race

This morning, our kids had a unique opportunity to run in a citywide race in Guarapuava. Edit, one of the other missionaries, ran in the 10km, Maria Joana ran in the 2km (with the 12-15 year olds), and Franciele, Josiane, and Lucas ran in the 1km (with the 10-12 year olds). We were so proud of them! Edit was first in her age bracket and will run again in Curitiba in December. Franciele took second in her race. All of them received a medal for their efforts. Even though we stood in 35 degree weather with a killer wind for three hours, it warmed our hearts to see them proudly cross the finish line!:) If you double click on the picture above, you will find three of them in the front towards the left (#152, 119, and 117). There are also pictures of each of them on our flickr account.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a large crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish." Hebrews. 12:1

A Special Birthday

Last week, was my birthday...our car broke down about 3 miles from home, our water was shut off, a lightning storm knocked out our internet, a pipe behind the washing machine burst, and our ATM card wouldn't work...and it was still the best week since we arrived!

How could this be, you ask?! On Friday, Maria Joana and Josiane came in to spend the day with us. We baked cookies, went for a walk, and did an aerobics class together. Then, we returned to CLM to celebrate my birthday. All the children were anxiously waiting by the front door when we arrived. They ran out with hugs, kisses, and shouts to close my eyes so they could lead me in to show me their surprises. I was pulled into the dining room by about a dozen children who told me I could open my eyes. The walls were decorated with posters, streamers, and special birthday messages. They had been working all week in the art room to surprise me! They had a huge cake with my name spelled with "m&m's" and a pile of notes and hand-wrapped gifts next to the table. I quickly realized that many of them had taken their own "treasures" from their room to wrap for me! Others had made handwoven potholders, art projects, and paintings--I wish you could have seen their eyes sparkle with pride as I thanked them and told them how much I loved each one! Afterwards, Mary asked who would like to pray for me and I think every one of them raised their hand! Listening to their heartfelt prayers moved me to tears. It was a special evening that I will never forget.

Yes...our car has been fixed, the water is back on, the internet is working again, Mike was able to fix the pipe, and we can get money with our ATM card again...but the precious time I spent with the children brought far more peace and joy than all the other things combined. Once again, God confirmed in me the significance of the eternal over the temporal.

Thanks again for all of your prayers. We miss you!

Overcoming Pride with Portuguese

"If we don't presently have an issue that is actively humbling us, we veer with disturbing velocity toward arrogance and self-righteousness." Beth Moore reminded me again that pride is not the opposite of low self-esteem but of humility. We can be absorbed in how wonderful we are or how miserable we are...and still struggle with the sin of pride.

Such a serious issue deserves some light-hearted examples of how we have been humbled learning Portuguese, right?! When we first arrived, I had asked, "Onde esta a minha esposa?" ("Where is my WIFE?") and Mike had raised his index finger in the air and said, "Primaveira, eu preciso a minha mala." He meant to say, "First, "(primeiro) but instead said, ("Spring, I need my bag.") Needless to say, we didn't impress too many people with our language skills in Sao Paulo airport! :)

During our first weeks at the orphanage, Mike asked one of the kids, "Como se diz essa?" ("How do you say this?") and pointed at his smile. The child answered, "Barba." For the next three days, Mike asked the children to "Mostra-me sua barba!" ("Show me your smile!") and "Voce tem bonita barba!" ("You have a beautiful smile!") Then, he was told that "barba" meant "beard!" No wonder the kids had such big smiles! I, on the other hand, continue to have a problem differentiating between the words that mean "coconut" and "poop." Needless to say, I've passed on ordering coconut pie when we go out to eat! HA

Unfortunately, most of our other mistakes involve words that would not be appropriate to write--how many curse words do they have in Portuguese anyway?! We have probably embarrassed ourselves in some way or another every day since we've arrived. Although it has been frustrating, it has allowed for quite a few laughs (for us and everyone else) and has made us more dependent on God for this overwhelming task before us.

"What blessed relief comes when we finally fall on our knees and humble ourselves before God. We suddenly realize what a heavy weight pride has been. It is exhausting to insist on thinking so highly of oneself with such mounting evidence to the contrary!" Lord, I desire to humble myself before You and trust that You will lift me up. (James 4:10)

Obedience vs. Sacrifice

I am reading a book by Beth Moore called Praying God's Word. I found it on a bookshelf at CLM and thought it would be a great resource for praying over the children. The author addresses specific strongholds and defines them as “anything that exalts itself in our minds, pretending to be bigger or more powerful than our God.” They steal our focus and cause us to feel overpowered. A stronghold can be an addiction, unforgiveness, despair over a loss—anything that consumes our emotional and mental energy and strangles the abundant life that God has for us as believers.

The enemy can influence our behavior by influencing our thinking...something that he does quite well in my life, unfortunately. It is so easy for me to become discouraged because I'm constantly trying to please others, and obviously never able to complete the task! Here I'm faced each day with the overwhelming mission to learn a different language (well enough to be able to teach and minister), make new friendships here while maintaining relationships back in the States, adjust to a new culture without the comforts and familiarity of “home,” and somehow have the time and energy left over to be a parent and friend to the 40 children and 14 missionaries at CLM!

I hadn't thought of this as a “stronghold” in my life before, but I'm beginning to see it as a recurring theme that God wants me to give to Him once and for all. I have to realize that it is impossible to please everyone but I can please Him...just by being the person He created me to be! No more, no less. I think as I begin to move out in this freedom, only then can I truly model God's grace and forgiveness to the children He has called me to love.

Stay tuned for the next section....on pride! AAAH! Thanks for your prayers!

NO GOOD DEED GOES UNPUNISHED

I decided that I would mow the side of the hill at CLM close to the playground. They gave me a 220 electric mower with a 300 ft cord spliced in several places. (By the way, only three wheels worked...but I was up for the challenge.) Trying not to get electrocuted or lose any toes, I took my time. Things were going great until about halfway when out of nowhere, I hit something metal. All of a sudden water gushed up from the ground in a geyser. I was soaked (remember the 220 electric?) and a little scared and confused. Who puts an exposed waterline on a hill side? While I was standing there with a dumb expression on my face, I felt a searing pain shoot up my leg. Thinking I was getting shocked, I ran for my life. The pain did not stop! I then realized that I was standing on a hill of fire ants. They had gone up my leg when I stopped mowing. After a culturally offensive dance, I was able to get them all off. When I thought it couldn't get any worse, I saw one of the older boys running at me wide-eyed with his shoe in his hand. Once again...dumb expression on my face as he hit me VERY hard on my back. All I understood was "VERY DANGEROUS." I didn't want to know what he had just killed on my back so instead I asked him where the water line went. And in perfectly understood Portuguese he said..."your house." After 3 hours of plumbing work, I finished the mowing just before dark. Not learning my lesson, I tried to do another good deed and prepared a Mexican dinner for Mary with hot peppers from our garden. While relaxing after dinner, I realized that I had been bitten several times during my mowing experience by the dreaded "borrachudos." (Brazilian mosquitos on steroids) I went to scratch a persistent bite right below my eye, not realizing that I had some pepper residue on my hand. I felt like my eye was on fire. I rushed to the bathroom medicine cabinet for my tube of eye gel. With my blurry vision, I threw off the cap and squeezed it into my eye...but much to my dismay, the burning intensified. Who knew that my cold sore medicine was in an identical tube as my eye gel?!

Reunited at Last

Last night, Mike preached for the special anniversary service for the church in Entre Rios. He shared about "the standing stones" in Joshua 3-4, and encouraged the congregation to come forward to participate in building a memorial of God's faithfulness in their lives. Patricia from CLM came forward and shared that God had been faithful to her because she had been praying every night for her brothers to come to CLM with her...and they came yesterday! :) The interesting part was that she had been thinking about her two older brothers, and two younger brothers arrived that she didn't even know she had! She has had a constant smile on her face and walks around with them hand in hand. It has made for a wonderful adjustment for Diogo and Lucas because they seem to trust everyone because Patricia does. Please continue to pray for this family.

A “Centavo” for Your Thoughts

We have discovered an aspect of the mission field that we had never considered before. Who would have thought that currency exchange rates would have such a drastic impact on ministry? All of the support raised for CLM and its missionaries are in dollars. Each month, those dollars are exchanged into Brazilian reals. In the past two months, the real/dollar exchange rate has dropped from 2.12 to 1.94—only a difference of 18 hundredths, so no big deal, right? Well, for every thousand dollars sent, CLM received $88 less this month than last. It is projected to go as low as 1.8. If that happens, we lose another $78 for every thousand dollars. In 2004, the exchange rate was around 3 to 1. CLM receives the same amount now as they did then, but their buying power has been drastically cut. To make matters worse, we bought our first tank of gas the other day and realized (after several mathematical calculations) that we paid $5.17 per gallon! But hey, look on the bright side...beans and rice are pennies a kilo!

Lasting Fruit

During our first trip to CLM in 2004, we met a young man named Izael. We were blessed to see him dedicate his life to the Lord after Mike preached one Sunday. He captured our hearts and a wonderful relationship began. Since then, we have kept in contact over the past three years. He is now 18 and is waiting to enter the military. He came to spend the weekend with us and it was a great time encouraging him in his walk with the Lord. He came to CLM when he was 4 years old. He has a tender heart but struggles with fear and is haunted by his past. He currently lives with his older brother and is surrounded by violence and alcohol. The night before he came to visit us, his cousin was stabbed right in front of him. Please pray for God's protection and guidance for Izael.

Pizzaria Bona Bonnye

Last Friday, we all went to CLM's favorite pizzaria—and unfortunately, I think we gained about five pounds in the two hours we were there! (Or does 2.5 kg sound better?!) Unlike in the States, an all-you-can-eat buffet here allows you to gorge yourself without leaving your seat. About every two minutes, another waiter arrives with a different type of pizza—and we realized there are some things that just should NOT be on a pizza! Tuna, palm hearts, corn, peas, and artichokes? YUCK! However, we did enjoy the “amendoim” pizza which is very close to a peanut butter spread. For some of the kids, this was their first experience at this type of restaurant and they loved it! This special outing was the result of the children working together in four areas: respect, obedience, kindness, and honesty. When one of the children demonstrated extraordinary behavior in one of these areas, they earned a letter. It took a little longer than we had anticipated to reach the goal but they did it! :) Go to our Flickr page to see more pictures from this fun event! Please pray that the children will continue to develop Christ-like character.

Children of CLM

Hope you enjoy the smiles and giggles as much as we do! We wish you knew the stories of each one of these precious children...they are truly miracles of God! If you have trouble watching the video, go to this link: http://youtube.com/clmbrazil



Thanks again for all of your prayers, encouragement, and support. We love you!

Coincidence? I don't think so!

In church this morning, Natalia, one of the missionary's daughters gave a testimony before being baptized. She is twenty years old and serves at the orphanage in Turvo with her parents. She spoke in Portuguese so we didn't understand all of it but heard her mention our names. After the service, we found out that when we were here in 2004, Mike preached and gave an altar call and she accepted the Lord. I prayed prophetically over her that evening that she would make a huge difference in the lives of the children at Turvo (at that time, the orphanage hadn't been built yet!) She shared this morning that at the time, she couldn't believe that she would be serving at Turvo, but when she started the Lord reminded her of this promise. We were so blessed after the baptism, when she asked us to come up and pray over her with her parents! It was so awesome! What a wonderful blessing that we were here for her special day! :)

Around Our New Home

Hey everyone! Sorry we haven't posted anything since we've arrived...as you can imagine, it's been somewhat of a whirlwind getting settled. :) We wanted to give you a quick glimpse of our new home and family. Let us know what you think!



If for some reason, you are unable to view the video here, cut and paste this URL to view it on youtube! http://youtube.com/clmbrazil

Our First Video

The Cochrans have gone high-tech! :) We've just uploaded our first video to give you a 2-minute glimpse of what God is already doing at CLM. We hope this is a tangible way for you to join us in Brazil!



Please email us or post a comment to let us know if you were able to watch it. If you can't view the video here, cut and paste the following link: http://youtube.com/clmbrazil
(I think I'm going to get Sandra Bullock to play me and Mike has suggested Britney Spears for him in the next one!HA) Thank you again for your prayers and support!

Goodbyes

This has been a difficult week of goodbyes to our friends in Canton. Although our excitement builds each day as we get closer to Brazil, the sadness that grips our hearts with leaving grows as well. Mike and I have been blessed with such wonderful friends (and you guys are making this really tough!) Thank you all for your prayers and support that have encouraged us during the first part of this journey. Please continue to stand with us in faith, believing that the Holy Spirit will restore what the enemy has robbed from these precious children.

"Without wavering, let us hold tightly to the hope we say we have, for God can be trusted to keep His promise." Hebrews 10:23

Children Helping Children

Last week, Mike and I were invited to share about CLM with a group of first and second graders at St. Louis Elementary School. (I think Maggie and Mocha stole the show, as usual!) Each year, their wonderful teacher, Mrs. Tina Miller enhances their educational experience with a service-learning project. This year WE were it! The students invited their families to Phil's Restaurant where they took the orders, served up the food, wiped down tables...and earned tips to bless the children at CLM! The restaurant was packed from 4-8pm with the students taking turns in half-hour shifts throughout the evening. The kids raised almost $550 in only 4 hours! :) I was especially blessed when several of my precious teacher friends from East Canton dropped in to show their support. Thank you Barb, Linda, Cindy, Yosie, Deb, Molly and Jan for making this night even more special for me! AND a special thanks to Tina, Melissa, Chris (the "pop lady!") and all of the students and parents who made this project such a success!

Countdown

Today, two of my close teacher friends, Chris and Yo, came to church with us and to lunch afterwards. As we ate, we talked about Brazil and the date we are leaving. I thought about the other dates that we have counted toward together: Christmas break, Spring break, summer vacation--even the days until school started! (Are teachers like "Rainman" or what?!) I've known them for almost 14 years and now in only 14 days, I'll be saying goodbye to them, not knowing when I'll see them again. (I know that sounds dramatic...but it's the kind of day I've had, okay?!) Countdowns can be exciting because they usher in a new chapter of our lives. The tricky part is that in the midst of that excitement, we can experience intense grieving for the chapter of our life that is ending. We've been praying about Brazil for over 2 years and know that God has called us there...but that doesn't make the goodbyes any less painful. Life is full of paradox--the Bible says to be first you must be last, to find your life you must lose it, to enter the kingdom of God you must be like a child, to be great you must become a servant. Since my hope and trust is in this Author of paradox, I must embrace the joy and the sorrow as gifts from Him. I love you all and will miss you so much!

A Leap of Faith

Often we think a leap of faith is all action but sometimes the biggest steps of faith are not what we expect.

Abraham followed God's leading without knowing where it would take him. Hannah waited for God's perfect timing without knowing when. Mary expected a miracle without knowing why. Joseph trusted God's purpose without knowing why circumstances happened the way they did.

The last six months have been a huge test of our faith and we have experienced His perfect timing in new and wonderful ways. The unexpected "delay" with our visa forced us to seek God's face instead of His hand. We now see that He was much more concerned with the change within us than the changes around us. Thank you for your continued prayers, encouragement, and support as we take the next step of our journey...we should be in Brazil next month!

Proverbs 3:5,6 (The Message)"Trust God from the bottom of your heart; don't try to figure out everything on your own. Listen for God's voice in everything you do, everywhere you go; He's the one who will keep you on track."

PERFECT TIMING!

HOUSE SOLD...VISA APPROVED...GOD IS GOOD!

Happy Birthday!

Luizinho from CLM Turvo will be 9 years old on January 10th. Luizinho is the last child to come to Turvo, arriving in October. He is also the youngest of the boys. He spent most of his time on the streets, because of neglect and abandonment. He has a very sensitive and sympathetic heart. He is easily and usually the first to be convicted of doing something wrong. He is very curious with continual questions about everything around him. He will be going to the second grade when school starts. Pray for Luizinho that he would grow and develop and use his very sensitive heart for God.


Sabrina will turn five on the same day. She came in May of last year from a drug addict, and consequently a very irresponsible and dysfunctional family. She was extremely fearful at the beginning and clung to whoever was taking care of her at the time. Her favorite question is, "What's today?" meaning what's happening today. She is shy and continues to be very cautious and fearful of new things and people. She will begin kindergarten next month. She is a beautiful and very precious little girl. Pray for Sabrina that she can overcome her fears and know that she is loved.

SNAKE SEASON?!

It is snake season at CLM. (Obviously, their seasons are a little more exotic than ours!) In the last week, they have found four--one was actually in a missionary's home as they walked in the front door after church on Sunday night! The snake that is in the picture was found right in front of the CLM house. In spite of its intimidating size, it is not poisonous. However, others have been, even though they were much smaller. Please pray for God's protection for the children and missionaries.