You are here: Home / Archives for LoriP

Kids’ Festival in Aningas

December 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

With a few dramatic glitches in the set up phase, 2:00 p.m. came around and the Parque Infantile was up and running! Little groups of parents and children came sauntering into the main “campo” in Aningas and, soon enough, the sandy area was crowded.

We pretty much sat back and watched the fun, until about 3:30 when we gave out ice cream bars and popcorn. Before the Parque closed, at 6:00, each child received a present (toys that were donated locally)!

There were lots of happy kids in Aningas yesterday.

 

image-7

Trampoline with the big slide in the background.

image-2

 Presents!

image-5

Bob Esponje!

image-3

Littlest kids’ slide. Joab with his little brother, Ian, at the top of the slide.

image

image-1

Gator fun

image-4

Soapy, slippery Soccer!image-6

Dunk Tank!

photo

Team of helpers: Jaise, Jillian, Shad, Layane, Natalia, Nadine, Rita, and her little sister, Ju.

Filed Under: Aningas

A Day on the Streets in Pictures

December 26, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Today Shad, Jillian, Mark and I, together with the girls from Aningas, packed up the truck and headed out to the streets. We brought two huge pans of feijoada, rice, farofa, juice and Bibles.

Here’s what the day looked like:

streets1-Edit streets2-Edit streets3-Edit streets4-Edit streets5-Edit streets6-Edit

Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:16 NASB)

Filed Under: Street Work

Christmas JOY

December 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

This morning, Mark and I were going over our schedule for the next 14 days, Lord willing, and I’m really excited. I’m starting to make lists of supplies we need, lists for food. Lists and lists…

Every Christmas we bring a turkey dinner to the Lar Bom Jesus. The 33 kids tell us what they want for Christmas dinner and we love to make this wish come true. We do the same for the rehab center, which is slightly more involved because there are 85 men in residence.

Then, we roll up our sleeves because we bring a hot meal to the Streets and in the favelas. Chopping and prep work starts and the huge pots of beans with meat cook all night on our stove. There will be two full days of delivering and serving feijoada and rice with farofa and juice to hundreds of people we love.

This year we have dedicated a whole day, Christmas Eve, to giving out Bibles. We’ve ordered thousands of Bibles and are really excited to be able to go to the streets, give out the Bibles, and tell about the best gift that was ever given.

The grand finale, on the 29th will be the festival in Aningas for the kids. We’re working on getting ice cream and popcorn to serve and the girls and Joab and Valda in Aningas are a huge help getting this organized. Our hope is that we make some more good contacts with new families that will come out on Sunday nights.

This is our Christmas here. It’s full of smiles and hugs. It’s filled with the knowledge that every single person that we meet and serve is loved by the Savior.

No matter how hungry they are, it’s not the food that they crave the most. It’s God’s love that we bring to them that they crave. So, we tell them about the Savior Who sent us to love them and tell them that He died to free them from their sin. And we offer them His free gift of salvation.

No matter how much work there is, it’s not this busyness that I crave, although I love it. It’s God’s Presence that I crave. Our joy is full when God completely takes over and fills our hearts with His love, and this love overflows to everyone we meet and serve. I expect Him to shine His light through us to the lost, this Christmas. For His Name’s sake. This is Christmas joy; His Presence with me.

These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. (John 15:11 NASB)

Filed Under: Vá Livre Update

Tables!

November 27, 2013 By Leave a Comment

When Mark went to install the kitchen cabinets he made, at the Lar Bom Jesus Children’s Home, he saw that the kids were all sitting on the floor while eating.
Tables-2
So, he bought some pine and some plywood and voilà, four 7 foot tables and benches that we delivered yesterday and today.

Thirty-two happy kids are eating dinner at these tables tonight!

Tables-1

Filed Under: Orphanage

Murilo Update

November 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Here’s the news about Murilo:
He did have a stroke, but he’s doing OK, thank God.
He had been driving, when he passed out. The car hit the median and his wife stopped it with the emergency brake. He got to the hospital quickly and they were able to stabilize him.
He’s in pretty good spirits; he’s shaken up, but trusting God through this. He’s going to have to rest and take it easy for a while and that won’t be easy for him. During this time, his son Marcos will be in charge at the rehab.
The best news of his day was to hear that many of you are praying for him. We were very thankful to be able to tell him that, and so relieved to know he’s on the mend.
Thank you so much for your prayer.

While you also cooperate by your prayers for us [helping and laboring together with us]. Thus [the lips of] many persons [turned toward God will eventually] give thanks on our behalf for the grace (the blessing of deliverance) granted us at the request of the many who have prayed.
(2 Corinthians 1:11 AMP)

Filed Under: Rehab

Pothole Madness

November 22, 2013 By Leave a Comment

What is driving in Brazil like? Feeling brave? Pothole Madness gives you a first hand look!

 

Filed Under: Vá Livre Update

Happy Plans

November 21, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Last year was a big hit with the Carnival-like party for the kids in Aningas. It’s a kind of Sunday School picnic, which rewards the kids that faithfully come out on Sunday nights and gives us a chance to make lots of new contacts with kids and their families.

Rita had found a place in Natal that rents those blow-up games/activities that the kids are crazy about, so yesterday we went to check it out. First, we took Jaise to the hospital for a treatment. Then, we headed across the city and the girls went in to get the prices. We have learned to keep our Gringo selves out of the picture when we want the normal price on anything! Working with a budget, the girls did an amazing job of choosing seven games.

photo_Snapseed

Keeping in mind that, Lord willing, Shad and Jillian will be here to help us, we reserved the date for the end of December. The girls brainstormed having popcorn and ice cream and Jaise said she’d love to do a face painting table.

We had such a fun day together, thinking of all the things we can do to make this a celebration of our love for these kids and this community, and it’s a pleasure to share this happy news with you!

The light in the eyes [of him whose heart is joyful] rejoices the hearts of others, and good news nourishes the bones. (Proverbs 15:30 AMP)

Filed Under: Aningas

Kitchen Cabinets

November 14, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The Lar Bom Jesus is a children’s home. We have known, and worked alongside, Cleide since 2007. We were so excited to see the new place that God provided for her and the 33 kids she has taken off the streets.

We were concerned when we delivered a truckload of food and had to store most of it on the floor in the kitchen, though. Cleide was using two shelving units that Mark had made for clothes, but the kitchen really needed cabinets.

So, it has been déjà vu for Mark these past few weeks as he worked, once again, with kitchen cabinets! Van and Leandro, from Aningas, helped him build the cabinets, load them in the truck, deliver and install them.

image1

Cleide shakes her head and laughs, because God gets everything they need, and even delivers it to their doorstep! For Mark and me, it just never gets old, seeing a living and loving God at work. Just like He promised.

image2

 

image3

Although my father and my mother have forsaken me, yet the Lord will take me up [adopt me as His child]. (Psalm 27:10 AMP)

Filed Under: Orphanage

IF

November 6, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Today I’m just putting one foot in front of the other. I have no great new ideas and no special abilities for getting kids off the street. I woke up feeling weary, and these streets seem dingier than ever.

We have this little pep talk routine, Mark and I; we remind each other of God’s Promises and the blessings we’ve seen. We look back over the years and count the things that God has done.

But this morning–amazingly!–it was a street kid who put me back on track. He said, “You do your part.”

It’s that simple. Our part is to tell them the sweet story of Jesus, and love them with His Love. And keep doing that, no matter what, day after day. The blessing is God’s part.

If you know me at all, you know I’m not very coordinated. So, I need to focus on each step or I’ll trip on all the things that are in the way. I need to concentrate on God’s Word, and I need to keep my eyes on the goal: the blessing that God promises. IF we do not quit.

So we must not get tired of doing good, for we will reap at the proper time if we don’t give up. (Galatians 6:9 HCSB)

Filed Under: Prayer, Street Work

Evanilson

October 25, 2013 By Leave a Comment

My son William is 15 years old. His life is about school and friends and his dirt bike.

Evanilson was 15. His life was about living on the streets, drugs, crime and running away from danger. This week he was killed, when all of those things that made up his life caught up with him.

image

I remember the first time that we took him to the rehab. They asked him what drugs he did and his response was, “Anything and everything anyone puts in front of me.”

The last time I saw him was on the street corner in Petropolis. I gave him a bag full of sandwiches and filled a bottle with juice and watched him walk away and around the corner.

God help me to love more and go after the lost, like today might be the last time I see them. Because it might be.

 

Jesus said: We must do the works of Him who sent Me while it is day. Night is coming when no one can work. (John 9:4 HCSB)

Filed Under: Rehab, Street Work
« Previous Page
Next Page »