Fun in the City, Part 1

Wow...what a day we've had! Today was our trip to the city with the ten little ones and since they don't get too many opportunities to leave the house, it was a pretty exciting day for them. We started our adventure at a museum where the kids were mesmerized by the three caged monkeys near the entrance. They were even more impressed when we went inside and saw over 50 different species of birds and other wildlife as well as a collection of insects, geodes, dinosaur bones, and a 7m python skin! Although it was a display of stuffed animals, the kids kept asking us if they were alive. We explained that they had been alive at one time but that they had died and someone had preserved them so that we could see them. This was a difficult concept for some of them to understand!

Fun in the City, Part 2

After the museum, we went to our favorite ice cream buffet and then on to the park. Although this park has the most playground equipment of any other park in the city, it is their favorite because of the trampolines! They jumped until they couldn't jump anymore and then still had enough energy to play for another hour before it was time to leave. I think the pictures tell the tale...and of course, there are many more on our flickr page! :) We praise God for His protection while we were travelling and for the special memory that we made with the children.

Edit and Fabio's Wedding

At the end of 2003, we were blessed to meet Edit, a missionary to CLM from Hungary. She was visiting with Bob and Kathy Larson and came to a Bible study that we were having at our house. She shared with us about the ministry at CLM and the following summer, Mike and I led a team from First Friends to Brazil to visit her and meet "her kids." The rest, as they say, is history! :) How awesome it has been to serve with her and a special blessing to have been a part of her wedding this past weekend! She and her fiance, Fabio asked if Mike would perform the wedding ceremony and it was a beautiful blend of Brazilian and American customs. Aline was one of the bridesmaids, as well as Natalia, Luis and Aninha's daughter from Turvo. Thank you for joining with us in praying for God to fill their marriage with His never-ending love.

Bernie and Shirley

Bernie and Shirley are members of the CLM Missionary Committee in the U.S. and live in Arizona. We had only heard their voices through a teleconference until this past week and were so blessed to meet them personally here in Brazil. They planned their trip to surprise Edit for her wedding but also had the goal of meeting and encouraging each of the missionaries. Although they were here for less than five days, their prayers and loving words will remain with us for a long time. We praise God for their conviction to support, encourage, and visit believers who have been called to the mission field.

Short-Termers

We have been so blessed this month with several short-termers who have been willing to help out wherever they are needed. Three of them are in this picture: David and Samuel are Viktoria's nephews from Hungary and Emi (seated next to me) is Bethany's brother, Ben's sister-in-law from Paraguay. David has been here before and will stay until June. Emi will be leaving this week but Samuel will be with us until next month. Carl just arrived this week and will be staying until the second week of March (I'll be sure to post pictures of him soon!) It has also been wonderful to have Josiane (seated next to Viktoria) here this month to help prepare Gisiele, Diogo, and Everton for school. Please pray for protection and God's abundant blessings for each of these servants as they help us to share Christ's love with our kids!

Slip 'n' Slide

Mike transformed an old pool liner into hours of slip 'n' slide fun for all the kids today! It was one of the hottest days we've had and the kids had a blast cooling off while zipping down the slick plastic. (For those of you who were ever a part of one of our youth retreats, you will be happy to know that we did NOT use cooking oil...we have learned our lesson and have changed to dish liquid!) It started out as an activity just for the little ones, but before we knew it, everyone had their swim attire on and were waiting in line for their turn. Thank you for your continued prayers for safety for each of our kids this summer.

The Lizard

I've had so many emails about the last picture from our trip to the Foz that I decided to add a post to explain! We first spotted this large iguana-looking lizard close to the pool and really didn't know what to think...was it someone's pet or just wandering around trying to look for food?!? I didn't have my camera with me and when we came back down, it was gone. As we were leaving the next morning, it literally crossed the parking lot in front of our car and headed around the corner of the building so I was able to jump out and get a picture. I will try to be better at explaining my pictures in future posts! :)

R&R

We were blessed to have a few days of rest and relaxation after Christmas and decided to return to Foz do Iguacu, near the Brazil/Argentina/Paraguay border. The majority of our time was spent reading by the pool, walking, and deciding where we were going to eat (although I did have urges to discipline random children in our near vicinity!HA) It was a wonderful time of reflecting over the past year and planning for the next. We praise God for our marriage, our beautiful children, and our family and friends. We pray that 2009 is a year of even greater transformation in our lives and yours. As always, thank you for partnering with us to minister here in Brazil!

Merry Christmas!

Christmas was a long but fun day at CLM. The day began for us around 6:30am when we began preparing breakfast for 70 people (Fortunately, cereal is a popular tradition so it was really just setting the table!) After eating and washing the dishes, we were ready to open gifts...this took over three hours since we randomly selected three at a time. When everyone was finished, we received one last gift...and although it was close to 75 degrees, we all went outside and took this family picture in our new CLM sweatshirts! After lunch, the rest of the day was spent swimming, playing volleyball, and having fun with all the kids' new toys. We are so grateful for everyone who so generously donated gifts. Thank you for your continued support, encouragement, and prayer that consistently helps us to share Christ everyday with our kids.

Sports and Recreation Area

We are excited to announce the official start of the sports and recreation area! A neighboring farmer supplied the use of this tractor attachment and Mike was able to take the first layer of topsoil away this past weekend. Then, it was up to the rest of us to remove the rocks and level the area. Our original plan was to create a court that could be adapted to play basketball, volleyball, futsal, handball, tennis and hockey. We were blessed to receive additional funding that allows us to put in a sand volleyball court! We will now be able to play soccer, basketball, and volleyball simultaneously. (The kids are starting rumors that we are going to be charging visitors to play!) It has been exciting to see everyone working together to make this happen. The kids are overwhelmed by your generosity and can't believe that people they don't even know have given so much money to make this a reality. We will be travelling this weekend to Paraguay to shop…pray that we find some good deals on equipment!

Lizena's Graduation

Lizena came to CLM when she was only 18 months old. After many years of struggling to catch up in school, her hard work and perseverance were honored last night at her high school graduation. We ended the night celebrating with a huge pizza party. Lizena plans to begin evening classes in January to earn a degree in Administration. She has been working at CLM in the laundry room during this past year and will continue as she begins college. We praise God for her life and ask you to pray for this incredible young woman as she seeks God’s will for her future.

Celebrating Jesus!

Mike and I have been doing a children’s service for our youngest nine children on Thursday nights for the past several months. We have read about the miracles surrounding Christ’s birth and have discussed the powerful truths of God being with us all the time and being children of God ourselves. This past Thursday, we celebrated Jesus’ birthday with a cake, party hats, and games. The children recited our memory verses, played games, and shared why they were thankful for Christmas. Thank you for praying that our children will understand the awesome love of their Heavenly Father and the precious gift of His Son.

Maria's Chair

Mike invited Maria, Romulo and Arivaldo to join him in the workshop to make their own special project, after they helped him to make the picnic tables last week. Maria was first and chose a plan for this beautiful chair. All the scrap wood (Brazilian cherry, oak, and pine) was found in the barn so the whole thing cost about $2 bucks in hardware! Mike cut some of the more difficult angles but she learned how to read a blueprint, use a mitre saw, planer, drill, belt sander, table saw, and jigsaw. I think you can tell by her smile how proud she is of her accomplishment! Please continue to pray for the bright future that God has planned for her.

The Bezorros are Coming!

As I'm typing this, bezorros are slamming against our doors and windows every few seconds. This picture was taken right outside our front door and by tomorrow morning, our garage floor and sidewalks will be covered with these nasty little beetles. They come out every year and it is like walking on peanut shells. They are able to fly but not very well--unfortunately, their kamikaze dives leave them wriggling around on their backs like little turtles until they slowly die. The kids love putting them on each other so I have to pretend like they don't bother me--even though they gross me out!

Picnic at the Pool

Today was our official summer kickoff celebration! With the help of Maria, Romulo, and Arivaldo, Mike made three picnic tables for the event. We brought out the umbrellas, swim noodles, beach balls and innertube and after grilling out some hot dogs, the kids enjoyed kicking back in the pool. This month is jam-packed with activities and parties, including several trips into the city with groups of kids to do Christmas shopping. Please pray for safety as we travel and as the kids swim and ride bikes.

Scholarships

All of our kids except Rita attend the public school in the colony. Two years ago, Rita was given a scholarship to attend a private German school, Imperatriz. This past week, we were told that the school board at Imperatriz has decided to give an additional nine scholarships to CLM for next year! This is an incredible opportunity because of the smaller class size and extra courses that are offered. However, the work load is two to three times greater than what our kids are accustomed to at the public school. Please pray that we will choose the right kids who will be able to handle the academic as well as emotional pressures of being at this school.

Trip to the Foz

Last week, we were blessed to spend some time with our short-termers from Ohio, Pete and Denise Haring in Foz do Iguacu. This waterfall is located about 6 hours from CLM on the Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay border. The views of the waterfall were breathtakingly powerful after all the recent storms we've had. We pray that God will continue to bless this special couple!

Our First Major Bike Accident

Fortunately, it is not as bad as it looks...but five stitches is bad enough. The kids were riding their new bikes on the sidewalk and someone cut in front of Carolaine. She successfully swerved to miss them and careened down a full flight of stairs onto the patio. She almost made it but when she hit the bottom, the bike flipped and she hit the metal railing with her nose! The cut was so deep that you could actually see the bone. The good news is that she is doing well and asked to ride bikes the very next day (and we now have one more distinguishing feature to tell her apart from her twin!) As we approach summer break, please pray fervently for the safety of all of our children.

Never Disappointed

I was reminded yesterday of a passage from The Shack where God shared with Mack that He's never frustrated with us. He knows that we may have to walk through a difficult situation 47 times before we hear clearly enough to agree with Him and change. The author proposes that God is actually thrilled because He knows that each circumstance we face is a building block that constructs a bridge that we will one day walk across.

We desire to mirror this with our children...to be thrilled because they are one step closer to overcoming a particular stronghold in their life. It can be extremely frustrating to correct a child for the same thing several times a day but if you multiply that out by 30 kids, you can only imagine the blood pressure spikes we have experienced! It gives us hope to remember that each battle takes our children one step closer to victory. Please pray that God will give us the wisdom and perseverance to help our children through each situation that He allows to build their character...and ours!

"I'm staying!"

My last post about Valdi and Paulo being "somewhat apprehensive" about leaving CLM was obviously an understatement. Their parents arrived during lunch and visited with the whole family for about an hour before we started to take pictures and say goodbye. When Paulo saw all of his belongings being packed into their car, you could see the confusion in his eyes. When it was time to get in the car to leave, he began to cry and said that he wasn't going..."Valdi can go, but I'm staying!" We believe that he thought he was just going on another visit and the permanence of taking all of his things with him scared him. It took close to another hour before he was convinced to get into the car on his own. My heart broke as I saw his fear of leaving his CLM family...but rejoiced because of the future that God has for him with this precious couple. Thank you again for praying for Valdi and Paulo as they adjust to their new life.

Valdicleia and Paulo

Things never seem to slow down here...tomorrow we say goodbye to Valdi and Paulo! They have been waiting for guardianship to be granted to their adoptive parents for several months and will finally move to their new home tomorrow. They are obviously excited about having a mom and dad but also somewhat apprehensive about leaving the place they have called home for 6 years. Please pray for their new family and also for the CLM family as we grieve their absence.

Praying for a Joyful Harvest

"Sow on in your weeping, for you have the promise of a joyful harvest (Psalm 126:5). You will reap. You, yourself, will see some results of your labor. This will come to you in such a large measure to give you joy, which a poor, withered and scanty harvest would not do. When your eyes are dim with silver tears, think of the golden corn. Bear cheerfully the present toil and disappointment; for the harvest day will fully recompense you."

This is from a sermon by Charles Spurgeon sent to us by friends living in a country closed to missionaries. (I changed the "thees" and "thous" to make it a little more reader friendly!) It ministered to us here because I have shed plenty of "silver tears" for our children and am anxiously awaiting the joyful harvest that He has promised in their lives. It also reminded me of our brothers and sisters around the world whose lives are threatened each day because of their desire to share the love of Christ with a dying world. Let us remember to pray for servants around the globe who are risking their lives to plant seeds of God's hope.

Goodbye to Fernando

We returned from our day off yesterday to find an email from our director that Fernando had left earlier in the afternoon. The judge had made a decision to allow him to return to the couple who had been taking care of him before his arrival at CLM. Fernando had lived with them from 4-11 months of age but they had not pursued legal guardianship. Fernando lived with us for almost 6 months and will be missed, especially by Hellen. Thank you for praying for God's best for his future.

Fun and Fruity Family Night

Tonight, Mike and I surprised the kids with several different kinds of homemade dessert pizzas: chocolate whipped cream with strawberry and coconut, peanut butter whipped cream with nuts and chocolate chips, and others with banana, pineapple, mango, and kiwi. We were afraid that all the sugar would keep them awake all night but it seemed to have the opposite effect...Hellen, Fernando, Mariane, Luana, Raquel, Paulo, Gisiele, Elielton, and Lucao all fell asleep during our Friday night movie and had to be carried to bed! We may have to make dessert pizzas every night!

Elaininha

Yesterday was an exciting day for Elaininha. After several weeks of visits, her new parents were able to take her home with them. Unfortunately, Raquel and Luana gave her an unexpected going-away present...chicken pox! The annoying itching didn't dampen her spirits though and she eagerly jumped into her parents' arms after lots of hugs and photos. Please continue to pray for her and that her special needs will be met with her new family.

Double Trouble!

Our twins aren't just cute...they're smart, too! Caroline and Carolaine were two of our top students awarded today for their good grades. Geovane, Rita, Willian, and Aline also earned a box of chocolates for their hard work. We are very proud of Arivaldo, Luana, Luquinho, and Raquel who received a special treat for bringing up their grades. Many of our kids come to us several years behind because they have missed so much school. Please pray with us for academic success for our children.

More Birthdays!

We celebrated Raquel and Paulo's 7th birthday today. This was a special day for both of them... Raquel's first birthday at CLM and Paulo's last. Raquel is in the sibling group whose mother died last month and she continues to struggle emotionally, crying several times a day. Today, however, it was wonderful to see her smiling from ear to ear as we celebrated her birth. Paulo's new parents came with several relatives and brought presents, another cake, and lots of treats for everyone. The adoption process is moving along and he and Valdi will probably leave to start their new life in November. Thank you for continuing to pray for these precious kids.

Memories

Remember your first bike? Taking off the training wheels? Your first solo ride without someone helping you to keep your balance? We had the privilege this week of sharing these special memories with our children here. We had hoped to buy 8 bikes but because of the generous discount we received at the bike shop, we were able to buy two additional bikes, helmets, and locks! A HUGE thank you to those who have generously donated to make this possible. Please pray for the safety of all of our children as they make more memories...of their first bike accident!

Nicole

Nicole is the youngest daughter of our fellow missionaries, Lobinho and Joanna. She has had health issues from birth, stemming from a protein deficiency. In the past 6 months, she has been rushed to the hospital several times because she has stopped breathing. Last night, she had a fever, started vomiting, and then began convulsing. She was admitted to the hospital for the night and is now in a stable but very weak condition. We covet your prayers for a miracle in her life. Please join us in praying for the peace that passes all understanding to reign in this family as they trust Him for Nicole's life.

Puzzles

I hate puzzles. I do not have the patience or perseverance to sit for hours to place a handful of pieces...and it absolutely drives me crazy when there is inevitably a missing piece. I recently finished a book, Parenting the Hurt Child, that compared a puzzle with the frustrations and joys that a mom had after adopting a traumatized child. The following is a paraphrase of that excerpt that also describes how we have felt here at CLM.

Imagine that someone has given you a puzzle to put together. When you look at the pieces, everything is gray and some of the pieces are rough around the edges. Of course, it comes with no picture and no directions. You try each piece and over time you are able to put some of the pieces together but for every couple of pieces that fit, you have tried and discarded many more. Some days you can't even stand to look at the puzzle but other days you work and work and are excited to find just one piece that fits. Other people come in and tell you that you are wasting your time...there are missing pieces and it won't be a very pretty picture when you're done.

But then one day, a very special person comes and is able to add color to your picture. He brings you framework, patterns, and best of all, a guiding hand. After many years, your puzzle is almost completed. Yes, there are still a few pieces missing, and some pieces are ragged and tear-stained...but it is the prettiest picture ever.

Jesus is the only One that can bring true healing to the torn and missing pieces of our children's past. Thank you for standing with us in faith for a miracle in each of their lives.

Children's Day

Yesterday was Children's Day here in Brazil and it was a special day at CLM. It marks the first day in the pool and all the kids have been talking about it for the past month. Due to some problems with the drain, Mike ended up having to dive down with Donei on Saturday night around midnight and again on Sunday morning around 7am to insure that it would be ready for the big day. Having 30+ disappointed swimmers on Children's Day just would not be acceptable! We started the day with a nature walk where Mike read Scriptures related to water, sun, fruit and trees at several stops and we sang worship songs. After lunch, we went swimming until a group from the Agraria came to do games and face painting. One game had Mike in a sack dress covered with candy and the kids were told to chase him to get a treat. (At one point, Mike slipped and disappeared under a mob of children...of course, there are pictures on our flickr page!) They also brought tons of food and dessert for dinner and then the kids were able to swim some more before getting ready for church. We praise God for blessing our kids with such a perfect day.

Happy Birthday, Mike and Joanna!

We celebrated Mike and Joanna's birthdays tonight with the entire CLM family. Mike turned 39 yesterday and Joanna turned 28 on October 4th. Before eating cake and opening presents, each of them chose their favorite worship song but once the kids got started, they didn't want to stop singing! We ended up choosing two more songs before serving the cake and the kids continued to hum and sing on their own throughout the party. It was a wonderful evening filled with laughter and hugs. Check out our flickr page for more fun photos!