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.

More Visitors from Ohio!

Aaron, Jordan, Derek, and Zach from our church in Canton arrived after Christmas and plan on staying for about 2 months. They have been a huge help with the kids and it has been a blessing to hear about what the Lord has been doing in their lives. Last week, they helped us kick off the new work schedule for the boys with a special pancake breakfast at our house. Each has been assigned a team of two boys for the morning duties and all participate in activities in the afternoon with the children. Please pray for each of these young men, that the Holy Spirit will work in a mighty way in them and through them as they seek His plan for their future.

Feliz Natal

We celebrated Christmas with close to 130 people this year, as you can imagine, much different than our normal holiday with our immediate family. This is a picture of all of us gathered in the family room before the gift exchange.


We were blessed to have Bob and Kathy Larson and their children, Haisha and Hason with us for the holidays. Kathy is our director’s sister and attends our church in Canton. They have been coming down to visit for years and were actually the ones who shared CLM with us. They brought personalized CLM t-shirts for all the kids and missionaries…and gifts for Maggie and Mocha! Their bandanas were such a hit that they were even invited to be in the group photo this year.

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.