Trip to Turvo

We had a wonderful visit with the rest of our family in Turvo yesterday. They are located about an hour and fifteen minutes from CLM and currently have 19 children. Mike and I arrived with 18 of our children before lunch and stayed until after dinner. The day was filled with lots of fun activities, including a walk to a nearby waterfall, basketball, bicycling, cricket, and board games. I think the highlight of the day was the series of tug-of-war competitions right before dinner. Luis and Aninha's children, Alan and Natalia, Paulo (one of the older boys from Turvo), and Mike went against about 15-20 of the younger children...and the kids won every time! They finally convinced me and their sister, Etienne to join in...and we still lost! You've never heard so much bragging! We were thankful for God's hand of protection while travelling and for the bonding that took place between our two families. Please pray for our extended family in Turvo, that the healing touch of the Holy Spirit would heal the wounded areas of their hearts.

Wedding #2

On Saturday, we celebrated the wedding of Everson and Leticia, the first wedding of one of our boys. (The boys´ ministry started in 1990, after having an all girls' orphanage since the '70s.) Paulo, Elaininha, and Moanna were the ringbearer and flower girls. Not only were they adorable but were very well-behaved, sitting directly behind the pastor for over an hour during the ceremony. This wedding and reception were held at our church and was not nearly as stressful as the first one this month! Mike and I actually took a van load of the younger kids back to the house before the reception to pick up all the pop and by the time we returned, they were ready to start serving. Dishes of food were placed on each table and then platters of beef and pork were brought straight from the barbecue behind the church. It was a wonderful evening, enjoyed by all (except our cow and two pigs!) Thank you for praying for Everson and Leticia as they begin their new life together.

The Hike

Since the kids are on their winter break from school, we divided everyone into three groups for some special outings. We invited Jorai and Narah to join our group at Salto Sao Francisco, the highest waterfall in our state (643 feet). Since it is about a three and a half hour round trip hike, we knew there were only a few kids that would be up for the challenge. (Actually, I think the three and a half hours in the van there and back were more challenging because of the narrow, curvy roads!) Donei, Willian, Lucao, Maria, Francielle, Geovane, Romulo, and Lucas were excited to be chosen and did a fantastic job. We were so proud of them! We praise God for wonderful weather and His hand of protection...although Mike had a first-aid kit ready for practically any emergency, he only had to pull out a pair of tweezers to remove a splinter!

Robson

Thank you for your concern and continued prayers for Robson and his brother and sisters. It has been a month since he ran away and we found out on Friday that he has been at his mother's house the entire time. Our vice-director, Viktoria had spoken with her several times on the phone and each time Robson's mother expressed deep concern about his whereabouts. During the last phone call, Viktoria directly asked her and she admitted that he was living with her. She went on to explain that he has changed and that she wants to resume legal guardianship of him but not Altair, Caroline, and Carolaine. Although we miss him, we believe that God is in control and we trust His perfect plan for each of their lives.

Wedding #1

After hours of preparation, we arrived (with our sanity somewhat intact) at Meghan and Joacir's wedding with 36 children in their best clothes, hair curled, gelled, and sprayed for the evening's festivities. I have to say, in my unbiased opinion, they all looked absolutely beautiful! (Lots of great photos on our flickr page to prove it!)

Unfortunately, there were not enough seats downstairs at the reception hall for all of us to sit together and we were directed to the balcony area. Imagine for a moment, 21 children under the age of ten waiting for four hours to eat, on a balcony?! Let me just say, it wasn't pretty! The good news is, we finally managed to get them all home and in bed by 11pm with plans of allowing them to sleep in...but I believe those same 21 were all bright-eyed and bushy-tailed this morning and gearing up for our next wedding in two weeks! Please pray for Joacir and Meghan as they begin their new life together...and for us as we prepare for wedding #2 this month!

The Shack

Before leaving Canton, a friend gave us a copy of the fiction book, The Shack, by William P. Young. It is about a father who has an encounter with God several years after his daughter is abducted and presumably murdered. While reading this powerful book, I had to admit there have been moments where I have questioned why God allowed our children to have such horrific experiences; why they weren't spared the pain they have suffered. He reminded me again of His infinite wisdom and perfect love in this dialogue between God and Mack, the grieving father:

"If you knew that I was good and that everything--the means, the ends, and all the processes of individual lives--is all covered by my goodness, then while you might not always understand what I am doing, you would trust me."

When Mack replies that he's not sure he knows how to trust, God replies, "Trust is the fruit of a relationship in which you know you are loved. For now I just want you to be with me and discover that our relationship is not about performance or you having to please me. I am good and I desire only what is best for you. You cannot find that through guilt or condemnation or coercion, only through a relationship of love."

How assuring to know that it is not because of what we do that Christ loves us and died for us...but because of who we are. He desires relationship with us simply because we are His! I know that you too will be transformed by this thought-provoking book--let me know what you think after you have read it!

Jorai and Narah

We have been blessed with the arrival of two new short-termers from Ohio, Jorai and Narah. They are sisters and will be serving with us for two months. They have jumped in with both feet and eagerly offer to help wherever needed. They are constantly surrounded by a throng of kids who have quickly fallen in love with them. Please pray for these two precious young ladies that the Holy Spirit would move mightily in them and through them during their time with us.

Changes

We had several significant changes at CLM while we were on furlough. First, Gabriel (in red) returned to live with his mother after staying here for two years. We miss him but believe that his mother has changed and is prepared to care for him. Secondly, we received Fernando who will be one year old on Sunday, June 15th. His mother is a drug addict and alcoholic. His older sister already went for adoption and his mom is pregnant again. He has been living with a distant relative since he was 4 months old but since they had no legal permission to be taking care of Fernando, he was removed from their home. They are now in the process of trying to acquire guardianship of him. He will be going for adoption, but whether the Judge will look with favor on this family or not is questionable. Lastly, Bethany and Juan's son, Caleb arrived and is healthy and perfect. Please pray for Gabriel, Fernando, and Caleb and the destiny that God has for their lives.

Returning to CLM

We had a busy but wonderful time in the states this past month, spending time with friends and family in Canton and Cincinnati and even taking a quick trip to Oregon to visit my sister and brother-in-law. We were so blessed by the encouragement and support of everyone we met. It was a joy to share pictures and stories of our CLM family face-to-face with all of you. We are excited to share that we have all the money we budgeted for the sports and rec area and plan on beginning in August. A special thanks to all of you who so generously gave towards this project!

Our time in the states was too short to spend with friends and family but too long to be away from our children here. We were literally attacked with hugs and kisses (from Maggie and Mocha, too!) and were reminded again that we are exactly where God wants us to be. (Although we have been warned that it will take awhile to adapt back to the hectic schedule of CLM life...and rice and beans!) Thank you again for your continued support, encouragement, and prayers...we praise God for each of you and our partnership in ministry.

Mother's Day

Not being with our 37 children on Mother's Day was more difficult than I thought it would be! :( Fortunately, I was able to call them and hear their precious little voices saying, "Feliz Dia das Maes!" When I was telling someone about how they all lined up outside of the office to talk with me, they commented how well-behaved they were to take turns on the phone. I had to tell them that in between each conversation were shouts to be quiet, shut the door, and "hey, it's my turn!" which helped to remind me why we needed this time of rest! Please pray for the other missionaries during this time...and that God would send more workers!

At War

Mike was asked to preach all three services at First Friends on Sunday. Several weeks ago, God had given him the message to share even before Pastor Stan asked him to speak. Mike reminded the congregation that we are at war with an unseen enemy, one that is constantly trying to rob, kill, and destroy us. He ended with these five questions:

1. How comfortable are you in your lifestyle?
2. Do you truly see the conflict around you?
3. Are you willing to learn to confront?
4. Can you give up the desire to belong to this world?
5. Are you ready to embrace change?

We feel that our eyes have been opened during this past year to the evilness that is around us. We are grateful for your prayer support as we reach out with Christ's love to the children at CLM, who are very aware of the war that wages around them.

So surreal!

It is so surreal to be here in the states again after living in Brazil for the past 13 months! We are grateful for a safe trip and the time that we spent in Canton with friends. We are now visiting our family and are trying to find time to rest and seek the Lord. Thank you so much for your prayers!

Family Fun

We had the idea last week about beginning to talk about stewardship with our devotions group. We divided into teams of two and gave each team 10 reais (about 6 bucks) to buy something to prepare for all 10 of us. They had to plan the menu, shop for the ingredients and prepare everything themselves. It was an eye opening experience for some of them who had no idea how much things cost. The shopping experience itself took almost two hours! We had sloppy joes, salad, fruit salad, two desserts and pineappple juice. Since they are used to having beans and rice every day, there wasn't a lot of conversation at first as they devoured their delicious work! It was a wonderful evening and one that I'm sure we'll do again. Please pray for each of these girls that they become the young women that God intends them to be.

Luana

Our director received a call yesterday that a 6-year-old girl had been removed from her home in Guarapuava and was in desperate need of a place to stay. She had been living in one of the worst slums in the city in extremely filthy conditions. Her mother was only 11 years old when Luana was born and her father is a drug addict. Her grandmother had been taking care of her but decided that she didn´t want her either. With the recent adoption of Sabrina, we just "happened" to have one bed available for this precious little girl. When Luana arrived, she was crying and had to be led up the sidewalk to our house but within a few minutes, she was laughing and enjoying the tire swing that Mike put up last week. I had the pleasure of showing her around the house, helping her with her shower, sitting with her at dinner, and preparing her school supplies. Each new experience was met with eyes of wonder and a somewhat unsure smile that communicated, "You mean this is mine now?" Please pray for a smooth transition into our family for Luana.

A New Start

Sabrina started her new life with Marcos and Vanilde yesterday, leaving after lunch to drive back to Rio de Janeiro. We were so proud of her and grateful for the work that the Holy Spirit did in her heart in such a short time. It was truly a miracle to see this timid little girl wave goodbye to her CLM family and drive off with two strangers to her new home. I was also so thankful to hear that the parents are eager to keep in contact with us through pictures and emails...and that they are already thinking about adopting two other children here! Please pray for the special bonding that needs to take place between Sabrina and her new parents, that the Holy Spirit will use Sabrina to share Jesus with them, and for confirmation that they are also to adopt two more of our children.

Update on Everton

Many of you have written to ask about Everton...I am thankful to say that he slept well the night after he was bitten by the scorpion and today walked over to our house to tell us that all the pain was gone! Thanks so much for your prayers!

Another Goodbye

I was told yesterday morning that the couple that visited from Rio de Janeiro is coming tomorrow to finalize the adoption of my Sabrina. She has been my shadow for the last several months and has often called me "mom." My heart aches as I realize I may never see her again...but rejoices that God has allowed me to play a small role in her life. When she was told that she was going to be adopted and move away from CLM, she immediately and emphatically told our director that she didn't want to go. Our director asked me to talk with her and although I broke down in tears several times, I am grateful that the Holy Spirit spoke through my frailty. Today, she was actually referring to the couple as "mom and dad" and showing pictures they had sent of her "new home." Please pray that the Holy Spirit continues to prepare Sabrina (and me) for this sudden transition.

Scorpion Attack

Our sweet little Everton was rushed to the hospital this afternoon after being bit by a scorpion. He had been playing outside near a pile of posts when the kids thought they saw a crab. When they investigated, the "crab" stung Everton's finger and wouldn't let go. Luquinho quickly batted it off his finger and rushed Everton inside. He has been crying on and off for the last 5 or 6 hours as the pain comes and goes. When the pain comes, it is very intense and he screams at the top of his lungs. During one of these times, I asked in desperation if he wanted a piece of chocolate and he paused in mid-scream and shook his head yes! Fortunately, I had several Hershey's Kisses in my pocket which helped to take his mind off the pain. Our director was once bitten by a scorpion and she said the pain lasted nearly a week before subsiding...please pray for this precious little guy.

Exercising Our Faith

We are trying something different on Sunday mornings at CLM...and we LOVE it! Instead of getting all the kids ready to sit through an adult Sunday School class at our church, we are having a special devotion time for them at home. It has been wonderful to worship together with songs geared towards the children. Watching them clap, sing, and act out the songs has been such a blessing! We began last week explaining that we go to church on Thursday and Sunday nights to get fed but on Sunday mornings, we are going to exercise our faith by reaching out to others in our community. The children got in groups and brainstormed ways that we could help others. Many of them mentioned those that live near us in an extremely poor village in cardboard shacks with no indoor plumbing. They suggested taking care packages to them with blankets, food, medicine, clothing, and other necessities before cold weather comes. Other ideas included building better roofs for their homes, praying and telling them about Jesus, helping with cleaning, and making cards. This week, after a devotion on Ecc. 4:12, Mike shared about working together and I read their ideas from last week. We divided them into groups and shared that we would begin by praying for the families and making cards to put in the baskets that we would be making during the next several Sundays. All of the children were so excited and ran downstairs to gather their art supplies and begin working in their teams. We were so proud of our teenagers who were the leaders of each group, helping the younger ones to find scriptures and add special messages to their cards. After working for over an hour on their cards, each group gathered together and prayed for the families that would receive our gifts. Please join with us in praying for the needy families near us and that reaching out to them in Christ's love will impact their lives and the lives of our children at CLM forever.

Missing Kathy

Kathy Larson was a daughter, a sister, a wife, a mother, a grandmother and a friend to so many and her absence has been deeply felt here at CLM. Kathy had visited CLM 13 times in the past 26 years and has left a permanent impression on so many children. Shock is the only way we can describe our reaction to hearing the news that she had had a massive heart attack and died instantly. However, shock and sadness were overcome by the joy we have in our hearts knowing that she is with Jesus. He is always in control. Please continue to pray for Kathy's family as they grieve and for our director as she returns to us this week, after saying goodbye to her sister and best friend.

Christ's Blood Shed for You

Easter Sunday was a great day that ended with a wonderful blessing...after our evening church service, two people came forward to accept Jesus as their Savior after watching our children's passion play! What a wonderful way to celebrate Christ's resurrection!

Easter Fun

After waking the children up at 6am for our own sunrise service, they presented a play to re-enact Christ's death and resurrection. Then, we had our annual pancake and sausage breakfast and opened some gift bags that had been sent from a church in Canada. Loeci, Josiane, and Julio (CLM Plus young adults) planned a series of competitive games for the rest of the morning including Bible trivia, sack races, bobbing for apples, water balloon volleyball, and a hunt for eggs with letters that spelled out, "Jesus Ressuscitou!"

And Then There Were....37!

This past week we were faced with a very difficult decision. The social work agency in Guarapuava called to see if we would take a sibling group of four. Even in an ideal situation with 12 missionaries, taking these children would put us over the limit of our 36 beds. Although many of us had doubts, the desperate situation of the four won out and they arrived on Tuesday. We were all running around trying to rearrange bedrooms and find the crib and other baby items from the upstairs storage area. It was beautiful to watch as our kids quickly reached out and calmed the fears of the four new children as they watched the car that brought them slowly pull away. Helen is only 11 months old, Everton is three, Raquel is six, and Arivaldo is nine. They have two older sisters, age 11 and 14, who have been forced into prostitution. Thank you for praying for their quick adjustment to the CLM family and for the Holy Spirit to begin to heal their emotional scars.

Malone Team

I have mentioned the Malone team in previous posts but finally have a picture of them together from today when we said goodbye! Reed and Nancy Varian are from East Canton and Nancy and I taught together at the primary school several years ago. Dave Kleffman works with Nancy in the Malone Graduate Studies program and also attends First Friends. Dave's fiance, Jenny and Melissa Wagner, an elementary ed major at Malone rounded out the team. They brought a gas-powered weed eater and lawnmower, as well as 4 seventy pound bags of school supplies, arts and crafts, and other miscellaneous gifts that were collected by the students and staff at my school in East Canton. They also brought blankets, bug spray, sunscreen, and clothes to leave for the missionaries and children. They generously offered to treat us and four children (our February good behavior winners!) to a night at our favorite pizzaria. The following evening, they purchased pizzas for everyone (more than 60 people), did several skits, and passed out Girl Scout cookies for a special snack. Although they were only here for a week, they have definitely left their mark on the CLM family. Please pray for them as they travel back to snowy, cold Canton today!

What Now?

What Now?
I saw the face of Jesus
In a little orphan girl
She was standing in the corner
On the other side of the world.
And I heard the voice of Jesus
Gently whisper to my heart
Didn't you say you wanted to find Me?
Well, here I am
Here you are
So what now?
What will you do now that you've found Me?
What now?
What will you do with this treasure you've found?
I know I may not look like what you expected
But if you'll remember
This is right where I said I would be
You found Me
What now?
by Steven Curtis Chapman

Our First Sunday Lunch

A few weeks ago, we were honored when Elielton and Robson asked if we could make their birthday lunch and cake...but a little nervous about our first solo attempt. It just so happened that it fell on the weekend that the Malone team was here to help us! With five extra sets of hands, preparing kielbasi sausage, mashed potatoes, and garlic bread for 60 people only took about two hours. The cake on the other hand was a different story! We had to make the batter for two 13" x 9" cakes in four separate pans and layer them on top of each other. Our recipe was for a very moist cake which made it very difficult to get the cakes to come out of the pan in less than 12 pieces! We made strawberry pudding for the middle of the cake but when we got it out of the frig, it had a hard crust that left chewy chunks when we mixed it up again. Then the frosting we made with butter and powdered sugar was so sweet that we imagined the kids wouldn't be able to sleep for days. We ran out of icing and as we were making more, pieces around the outside of the cake started falling off and we had to mold it back together with our hands. We finally finished after about 6 hours, topping off our "masterpiece" with a bag of M&Ms, spelling out "Feliz Aniversário!"--of course, running out of room and having to separate the second word. Although we had only positive reviews about the taste of everything, we are hoping to improve aesthetically next time!

Please remember to pray for Elielton and Robson...that they would know how thankful we are for the day they were born and that each birthday would find them closer to their Heavenly Father.

Blessings from East Canton!

I was blown away this week by the generosity of my former colleagues and the primary students at East Canton Elementary. In collaboration with a service learning project of Malone College, the teachers and students collected school supplies for our kids and bulletin board decorations for me. The Malone team arrived on Friday with 3 seventy pound suitcases full of school supplies! My friend, Chris and her sister had also gathered art supplies, flipflops, and pool toys to fill a fourth suitcase. Knowing that so many people are thinking, praying, and so generously supporting the ministry to our children is overwhelming. Thank you is not enough for the time and effort you put into this project. We pray that God blesses you abundantly for this special blessing.

FESTA!

Yesterday, a teacher from the community threw a party for the entire CLM family. In the afternoon, her family arrived with a trampoline for the older kids, a closed-in play area filled with balls for the little ones, and ice cream for everyone! They brought all the food and prepared our evening meal...which is not a small feat when you're feeding over 80 people! The kids jumped, and played, and ate until almost 11pm when they fell into bed exhausted. It was a great day and we thank God for the generosity of this special family.

February's Winners!

Elielton, Janete, Aline, and Sabrina found out today that they are going to the Pizzaria! We are so proud of each of them for demonstrating exemplary behavior during the past month. Please continue to pray for all of our children.

Devotions

As many of you know, Mike and I were youth pastors for 8 years...and as we began teaching devotions this week to the eight older girls, all of our expertise with messy games came flooding back! Our theme for devotions this month is family and this week we focused on Ecclesiastes 4:9-12. We stressed that families help each other and that they were going to help each other to make and eat a special dessert. While one laid on the floor, their partner stood on a chair above them and tried to drop jello, strawberry syrup, whipped cream, and a cherry into their mouth. The result was lots of laughs, lots of licks from Maggie and Mocha...and a fun, family memory for us all to share.

First Day of School

I've always loved the first day of school...from when I was a little girl, throughout high school and even as a teacher. But this was a different first day...this time, I experienced it from a parent's perspective! After waking the kids up at 6am, they quickly dressed, ate breakfast, brushed their teeth, and begged me for their bookbags. I had put off passing them out because we didn't know for sure when school would start and by the kids' reactions, you would have thought I was giving out bags of gold! I had hidden a small card in each one with a scripture and a message from us and I think they found them before they left the house.

The school day here is much different than in the states. The children are only in school for four hours and parents choose if they will attend in the morning, afternoon, or evening. Each class has an average of 35-40 students who must only maintain above a 60% to pass. There are no teachers for special needs children, no music or drama classes, no extra-curricular activities or sports. Most teachers are paid so little that they need to work two and sometimes three shifts each day to make ends meet, sometimes seeing over 500 different children in one day. You can see how many children can fall through the cracks. Especially ones like ours where early childhood trauma has resulted in learning delays and difficulties. Thank you for praying for a successful school year.

Thoughts from the Missionary Dogs

Many of you have emailed to ask how the "MDs" are doing. Maggie reports, "I'm in HEAVEN! I have tons of kids to throw ball for me and I can swim almost every day. The kids always call for me and want to play." Mocha adds, "There are so many things to chase here. I almost caught a huge rabbit last week but my tail injury slowed me down (I got a little too close to the tractor tire! OUCH!)...but besides that, the kids are always giving me extra food and I love it!"

Some random thoughts:

The reason a dog has so many friends is that he wags his tail instead of his tongue.
-Anonymous
There is no psychiatrist in the world like a puppy licking your face.
-Ben Williams
A dog is the only thing on earth that loves you more than he loves himself.
-Josh Billings
Dogs are not our whole life, but they make our lives whole.
-Roger Caras
If you think dogs can't count, try putting three dog biscuits in your pocket and then give him only two of them.
-Phil Pastoret

"Dear Lord, Please help me be the kind of person my dog thinks I am."

"The Piranha"

This is my new nickname for Mariane...she is small but boy, does she have a fierce bite! Weighing in at only 21 pounds, this three year old came to us from the Malnutrition Center after being removed from the home of her alcoholic parents. She is a very bright and affectionate girl who knows how to defend herself. She is extremely independent and wants to do everything for herself. When she first came, we were warned that she feared men but when she saw Mike, she yelled, "Paulo!" and ran into his arms! Since then, she has learned his name but will often call him, "Papai" (Daddy). Please pray that she feels safe with us and will no longer resort to biting, pinching, and hitting to communicate her insecurity.

Robson and Jordan

Last week, we said goodbye to Jordan, a young man who has been serving with us for the past six weeks. One of the children that was especially touched by his time here was Robson. Robson is an 11 year old boy who arrived at CLM in November. He has spent a majority of his life on the streets, facing danger, violence, and fear. Up until now, when Robson would have problems with one of the other kids, he would go for the nearest knife and talk of killing or hurting that person. He needed to be physically restrained until he calmed down. On Sunday, one of the other boys punched Robson in the stomach--the old Robson would have retaliated immediately, but he didn´t. Instead, he came into the dining room doubled over and crying. That night the other boy told Robson how thankful he was that Robson did not have a violent reaction, knowing that the result would not have been pretty. We thank God for His miracles in Robson´s life and for many more that we believe will be happening in his and other´s lives.

Saying Goodbye

We have had the wonderful blessing of serving with these 10 Hungarians for the past month. The amount of work, money, and time they have given has been overwhelming. Their team came with the goal of remodeling one of the girls' rooms and bathroom, laying tile in another room, building several closets, and adding a porch to the side door of the big house. They have also helped with cooking, cleaning, and laundry. They didn't quite reach their goal because they had 32 children to love on! In order to finish the work, three of them bought a new return trip ticket and will stay an additional three weeks. Please pray for a safe return for the 7 who left today and that God will continue to bless the remaining three.

O Vencedor!

We ended the first month of our behavior management plan and Geovane was our hands-down winner! He is constantly looking for ways to help with jobs around the house, as well as being a great example to the other children during his normal everyday responsibilities. He is also a caring big brother to his three younger siblings, Patricia, Luquinho, and Diogo. Of the list of choices he could win for his diligence, he has chosen R$20 and will have an opportunity to spend it this week.

You might remember he's the one that ran away several times when he first arrived and was often very disrespectful to the adults. It is amazing to see the changes that have happened in his attitude and behavior in such a short time. We praise God for his life and the fertile soil that the Holy Spirit is preparing in his heart.

Mariane

Yesterday was an exciting day...Mariane arrived! All the kids welcomed her and surrounded her with hugs, kisses, stuffed animals, and cookies. I would think that most (almost) three year olds would have been overwhelmed by this...but Mariane accepted it all in stride and actually gave out some of her own hugs and kisses. Last night when I took her picture, she let out the cutest giggle and then would say, "Mais um!" (One more!) Please pray for her smooth adjustment into the family and also for some health problems that she is facing.

Janete

Janete was chosen as our Star of the Week. She is 10 years old and has a younger brother, Elielton and an older sister, Lucilene at CLM. She is a very quiet hard-working little girl who has really strived to shine with her chores, as well as with helping others without being asked. She will be going with Edit to CLM's favorite pizzaria this week for her special dinner. She and her brother and sister have recently been released for adoption. Please pray for the perfect family for these precious children.

Answered Prayer

Before we arrived in Brazil, I asked the Lord to use us to minister His healing touch to these broken children. I prayed that He would help me gain their trust and share His love with them. During our language training, I was often so discouraged wondering if I'd ever be able to understand and speak Portuguese well enough for this to happen. After being at CLM full-time for only 6 weeks, we have already seen a huge difference in our ability to communicate with the children and understand the staff! And little by little, I've watched, waited, and prayed for the children to feel God's unconditional love flowing through us so they can trust us with their painful pasts. I praise Him for answering this prayer with Maria and Lucilene last night! They were standing alone outside just before dark when I went to give them a hug and ask about their day. Maria had visited with some of her relatives and they had shared several stories with her about her childhood and her parents. She openly shared the stories with me, stopping to explain when I didn't understand. I knew that to share such difficult things without shame or embarrassment was a great first step in allowing the Holy Spirit to turn these areas into victories in her life. Then Lucilene said that she had suffered a lot too before she came to CLM. She shared about physical abuse at the hand of her mother, as well as running for help when her stepfather was going after her mom with a knife. She remembered how hungry she was the night she and her two sisters and brother ran for their life. As I listened, my eyes filled with tears and I shared with them that no child should go hungry or fear being hurt from their parents. I told them that the things they had shared broke my heart but that I knew God had plans for a wonderful future for both of them. Both of them hugged me and agreed that they too knew that God had helped them by bringing them to CLM. Please pray that their hearts would remain open to allow the Holy Spirit to heal the scars left by the emotional and physical abuse they both suffered.

A Long Goodbye

Today, we said goodbye to Josiane, Mayara, Diana, and Diego. The judge made his final decision for them to return to live with their father after living at CLM for two years. Although we are thrilled to see them return to their own family, our hearts already ache from their absence. Each one chose their closest friend to make the trip to the city with them but the entire family came out to say a long goodbye after lunch. Please pray for their adjustment to living with their father, stepmother, and extended family, as well as for the children here who are grieving another loss.

Estrela da Semana

Donei was chosen as our first "Star of the Week!" This was another aspect of our behavior modification plan to encourage the children to shine. During our first week, we had 10 children who didn't receive any negative points. Within this group, Donei had earned five positive points for completing all of his chores, having a respectful attitude, and helping others. When we told him that he had been chosen, his face just lit up! We said that we wanted to take his picture for the board and he immediately said that he knew the perfect place. He led us over to this tree next to our house to hang the sign I made. This week, we are inviting him to our house for dinner and to spend time playing some video games. Thank you for praying for this very special young man.

A Quiet Harvest

Hebrews 12:11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it is painful! But afterward there will be a quiet harvest of right living for those who are trained in this way.

It is never pleasant to be corrected but we know that God's discipline is a sign of His steadfast love for us. In the same way, as we correct, train, and even punish our children to teach them what is right, it is an expression of our love. This is a delicate matter in a family of 36, ranging in age from 4-20...especially when the family has 7 parents from three different countries! We each come to the CLM family with different life experiences and ideas of how a child should be raised and each of these factors affect our discipline strategies.

This past week, we met as a staff and then, as a family to discuss a new, consistent plan of holding each child accountable for his actions and attitude. Pray that each missionary will be strengthened and renewed and that each child will accept it as proof of our love for them.

Robson

Right before Thanksgiving, I told you about the sibling group of four that were brought to CLM late one night. Robson, the oldest, was very violent verbally and physically and in fact, wasn't pictured in the post with his brother and sisters because of one of these outbursts. He was used to being the leader in his family and didn't like having to do chores or listen to any of the adults. He tried to run away several times, each time talking other boys into coming with him. Short story, he has caused much turmoil for all of us. However, during this past week, I have begun to see a change in his actions, and more importantly, in his heart. He is smiling and laughing, enjoying playing volleyball, soccer and board games--it's like something clicked inside and he's realized that he is safe and loved here. He has responded really well to our new behavior modification plan and works so hard to earn a plus for his chart! I believe he is feeling the security of God's love for the first time in his young life and that freedom has allowed him to be a kid. What a privilege to serve such an awesome God that knows every need and invites us to play a role in His plan! Thanks so much for your prayers and support that have paved the way to impact children like Robson.

Our First CLM Wedding

Last Saturday, we experienced our first Brazilian wedding. It was beautiful...but we knew we were in trouble when all the attendants walked down the aisle and sat down! In fact, the pastor actually pulled out chairs for the bride and groom when the ceremony began! The wedding was supposed to start at 6pm but here time seems to be irrevelant. The bride walked down the aisle around 7:30pm and it was probably close to 9:00 before the pastor announced them husband and wife! Elisabete, the bride, grew up at CLM and will graduate with her social work degree this month. When she arrived at CLM at age 10, she was way behind in school and struggled for many years to catch up with the others her age. Our director, was overcome with tears of pride as she described how hard Elisabete has worked over the years to earn her high school and college diploma. Thank you for praying for her and her husband, Julio.

We were asked to be the photographers and Derek, one of the short-termers from First Friends, was the videographer. Our twins, Diana and Diego were as cute as can be as the flowergirl and ringbearer.