Luquinho

Mike and I bought this mask and snorkel for Luquinho in Curitiba...fortunately, he had a chance to use it before his eye surgery this week! Many of you have already heard about his accident--he was building a treehouse with some other boys and one of them snuck a kitchen knife out of the house and took it up the tree. Unfortunately, the knife was dropped...and Luquinho ended up with 10 stitches inside his eye! The doctor said that his sight should not be affected, as long as he does not contract an infection. Please continue to pray for Luquinho to be cooperative with the necessary treatment and precautions.

Maria Luiza

After arriving home today, we had a steady stream of kids coming over to welcome us back...but the last group brought someone that we needed to welcome! This is Maria Luisa (although we were told her name was Maria Viktoria), the latest addition to the CLM family. She is four months old and her parents are drug addicts. Please pray for this precious little one.

A Week to Seek

Mike and I just returned from a wonderful five days in Curitiba. In the First Friends tradition, we designated this week to rest, rejuvenate, and seek the Lord for His vision for 2009. Each morning, we worshipped to a Chris Tomlin CD and I felt like God spoke to me through this song.

I want to live like there’s no tomorrow
I want to dance like no one’s around
I want to sing like nobody’s listening
Before I lay my body down
I want to give like I have plenty
I want to love like I’m not afraid
I want to be the one I was meant to be
I want to be the way I was made

The song continues that we are made in His likeness, made by His hands, made to discover who He is and who we are. Our desire is that this would be a year of breakthroughs and tearing down strongholds in our children's lives...that they would truly know that they were created for a purpose, and that they would feel the freedom that comes from experiencing the true love of our Heavenly Father. Please join with us in prayer that each would "be the one they were meant to be."

Progressive Lunch

We culminated our summer programming with a progressive lunch this past Sunday. The kids were divided into three groups and rotated to four different homes to eat appetizers, salad, a main dish, and dessert. Of course, Mike and I chose to make dessert! We had chocolate chip cookies, Rice Krispie treats, and brownies...can't get any more American than that, can you?! The kids had a great time but are now expecting to do it every Sunday!

Back to School Bonfire

Last night, we celebrated our first week back to school with a bonfire...and s'mores! Marshmallows and graham crackers are not available here in Brazil, so we are always thankful when a surprise package arrives. Unfortunately, I think our kids are hooked and think that bonfires automatically mean s'mores at this point! It was a great family time with lots of pictures that I posted on our flickr page. Thank you for your prayers for each of our children as they start the new school year.

Goodbye to Samuel

You have heard a lot about Samuel in the last few posts and that is because he has worked from morning to night since he has arrived! Samuel is one of Viktoria's nephews from Hungary who had been serving in an orphanage in Mexico prior to coming to visit CLM. During the first couple weeks, he and his brother, David remodeled Viktoria's apartment, knocking down walls, drywalling, painting and building kitchen cabinets. After working all day, he still had enough time and energy to play with the kids, help with evening chores, and put the kids to bed. This past week, he jumped in to offer his expertise with concrete...working from morning to night in the hot sun, to complete the project before returning to Mexico. Words cannot express how thankful we are for his servant's heart and how much we will all miss him. Please pray for him as he finishes out his trip this week with a visit to Foz do Iguacu and to our children's home in Turvo.

The Concrete is Done!

After 5 full days of work, the fourth section of concrete was finished today and it looks great! We now know why the project was put off until now...without Samuel, David, and Carl's help, Mike would have keeled over from sheer exhaustion! It is so funny now to think back on our plan to mix the concrete by hand--it literally would have taken months to finish. We praise God for His perfect timing, good weather, safety, health, and for all of you who have so generously given to make this possible! Tomorrow, Mike will begin pouring the footers for the basketball poles...we'll be shooting hoops before you know it!

First Day of School

School started on Monday for 25 of our kids who attend the public school and today, the remaining 10 school-agers, started at Imperatriz, a private German school. Although some of our older ones were a little nervous about changing schools and leaving their friends, they trusted us when we told them that this was a great opportunity for their future. I had the privilege of taking Everton, Diogo, and Gisieli this morning for their first day. They were so excited to meet their teacher who greeted them by name with a big hug. Each jumped right in and started playing with their new classmates. We praise God for the 10 full scholarships that made this possible and ask for prayer for a great year for all.

The Concrete Work Begins!

The much anticipated day has arrived and the first section of concrete was finished this morning. God blessed us with a perfect overcast morning to slowly allow the concrete to dry as Mike, Carl, David, and Samuel were waiting on the second truckload. Now...can we keep all the kids and dogs off of it until it dries completely?!?!

Geovane

I was so blessed by this scene in the workshop the other day that I had to take a picture to share it with you! As you know, we purchased ten bikes a few months ago and the kids have kept Mike busy with repairing brakes, patching tires, and fixing chains. Unfortunately, there have been many days where there are more bikes needing fixed than are being used. Geovane has such a servant's heart and is such a hard worker...he saw the need, asked if he could help, and now he's ready to start his own bike repair shop! When I shared with him how proud I was of him for helping out the whole family, his face just glowed. Please pray that the Holy Spirit will heal the broken areas of Geovane's heart and raise him up to be a Godly man.

The Sports and Rec Area

Work on the sports and rec area has continued full-force this past week with Carl and Mike digging 21 holes for the concrete fence posts surrounding the court. Samuel, David, and a few of our boys helped them to set the posts and prepare the first section with forms for concrete. The court will be divided into four 16m x 6m sections and we're hoping the first will be poured on Saturday morning. We will be playing basketball, futsal, and handball before you know it! Please pray for good weather and continued safety for everyone involved in the project. We praise God for each of you that generously gave to make this possible.

Arnold and Gunda

Arnold and Gunda have joined the CLM team until the end of the month and we are so thankful for everything they have done in the short time since they have arrived. Arnold is a former teacher and principal and has a vision for initiating an English program that can be continued by other short-termers. He is teaching four half-hour classes, five days a week and the kids have already learned quite a bit. Gunda has been a huge help with the laundry, as well as with the many sewing repairs that are needed in a family of 30. The kids have been amazed with her work and are excited to have some of their favorite clothes back. Please pray that God will continue to bless them as they serve...and that they will be protected from our killer mosquitoes!