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Urgent Prayer Request

July 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

We are in the middle of a spiritual battle. First, we heard that there may be problems with our visa renewal. Then, Aningas is under attack and our work as well.
Next week we are supposed to go to Ceara-Mirim to talk to the different political offices there, bringing our written applications for building in Aningas.
Satan does not want us building a home. Satan does not want the gospel preached in Aningas. He hates us. He hates the Truth.
We console ourselves with the experience that has taught us: the conflicts/battles are bigger when God’s plans are bigger!
Yesterday, we went to pray with Cleide. We prayed together for three hours and it felt like 15 minutes. My face was covered in tears and worse…so, I asked her for a Kleenex. She went outside her little room and came back with a small red towel. She looked at it and burst into tears and yelled, “Hallelujah!”
Embroidered on the towel was-

I have heard your prayer and I have seen your tears. Isaiah 38:5

Needless to say, peace filled me and I blew many kisses to heaven. God knows and He is SOVEREIGN!

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Filed Under: Aningas, Prayer

A Shell with a Heart

March 27, 2014 By Leave a Comment

I am concerned when I get caught up in the activities of God’s work here. I’ve learned that any activity for God has to be a byproduct of the transformation that is taking place in my heart, otherwise it becomes as mundane as any other activity–no different from going to work every day.

What God requires from me is, basically, a shell with a heart, meaning that there can be nothing left of me. To think that I can contribute to the Work renders me useless. Once God has emptied me of me, He can fill that shell with Himself. Once filled with Him, I begin to see that everything is His doing and I’m just a spectator.

My heart needs to be made willing to empty itself of me and be filled with Him. Then, I am effective for God. He doesn’t need me to do His Work, but He allows me to be a part of His Work here, so that He can prepare my heart.

God will go to great lengths to produce an undivided heart. God’s calling me to Brazil is evidence of just how far He has gone to win my heart. Everything in me longs for an undivided heart, at the same time as everything in me fights against it. This is a painful process that I’ve been struggling with, but a very necessary one, because I crave the end result: a heart that abides in Him and a life that yields fruit and is filled with His joy.

“I am the Vine; you are the branches. Whoever lives in Me and I in him bears much (abundant) fruit. However, apart from Me [cut off from vital union with me] you can do nothing. When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine. I have told you these things, that My joy may be in you, and that your joy and gladness may be of full measure and complete and overflowing” (John 15: 5,8,11 AMP). 

 

Filed Under: Devotional, Prayer

Designing an Orphanage

March 16, 2014 By Leave a Comment

As papers are translated and lawyers review documents, we are getting closer to the day when we can actually start building! While there are still many things that need to be worked out, these details are all in His hands. In the meantime, we’re excited to share a bit about how things have been progressing.

In December of last year, Dan Valvano from Livingston, NJ, visited us to help Mark draw up the architectural plans for the orphanage. We asked him to jot down some impressions, reasons for visiting, and goals he kept in mind while working on this project.

Why visit?

I visited Brazil hoping to both see and help the ongoing work there. I wanted to familiarize myself with the area and hopefully get a better understanding of the needs and lifestyles of the people as well as the land, construction methods, and climate of the surrounding area.

Why the orphanage?

I chose the orphanage as my thesis project because I knew I could use what I had learned in school to help the ongoing work. I also wanted to be a part of a real project and a project that I could continue to help develop after I graduated.

houseview

What struck you most while in Brazil?

When I was there the willingness for people to listen and learn, and the reception of gifts was amazing. I had never seen so many people so willing to listen and receive.

Priorities in planning?

As far as the project goes, there were a few main priorities when coming up with the idea for the design. Keeping it simple and easy to build at low cost was definitely a factor. I wanted to use the local materials and surrounding environment in the design. For example, the wind in Aningas blows at a constant 19 mph average, year round. Given the area is very hot, it makes sense to orient the buildings in specific ways to help optimize the wind for natural cooling of the buildings, while also orienting them in a way to help protect them from the sun.

Finally, I wanted to make sure I continued to listen to advice from Mark and Lori since they live there, know the area, and have seen other buildings like this.

floorplan

How was your choice of project supported at home?

Back home I got a lot of support from my family for picking this thesis project, but it was not understood the same way at school. I got a lot of scrutiny about my thesis project from both the teachers and other students. They did not understand the project, could not see why I wanted to do a project that had boundaries, and were not sure if I could design a project thousands of miles away. Many of my friends and other students, to this day, still say I “took the easy way out” by doing a simplistic design, but I don’t see it like that. I simply tell them I designed the best solution for the needs in the area, being simple, inexpensive, and having boundaries just happened to be some of the needs.

 

Filed Under: Orphanage, Prayer

God at Work

February 19, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Ethan is an 11 year old, who has been sponsoring a child through Compassion International, for three years. He works to send his $40 per month to help a little boy named Luciano, and his family, who live 2 hours from here, in the next state over.
Last Tuesday we travelled to Paraíba, with Ethan and his dad, Andrew, who are visiting from Ontario.
We were excited to have the opportunity to get to know the Compassion-assisted project, in the town where Luciano lives.
Compassion had arranged for a translator to be there, so we met Renato and spent the day at a school in Luciano’s village, that a local church runs, and Compassion sponsors.

The facility was bright and cheerful. The children love their school and the activities and lessons there that teach them about God’s Word and growing up to please and honor Him.

So many times during this visit, Mark and I just looked at each other and Mark said, “Someday.”
We feel anxious to start building God’s home for children here, and find it difficult to wait patiently.
We talked to Renato about the plans we have, and were surprised when he called us later in the week to say that he knew a lawyer that wanted to meet with us.

Yesterday we went back to Paraíba. We met with Vladimir, the lawyer. He is counsel for a huge project in João Pessoa that is currently doing street work and has a drug rehab center and many other outreaches, all with the goal of bringing the Gospel to the lost.
Vladimir is willing to help move this bureaucracy along; he’s done it before and has all the right contacts. Beyond that, he’s a Christian and has motives that only God can put in the heart. Before we left to drive back to Natal, I was struck, once again, by how God uses the most unlikely of us. If not for the heart of love of an 11 year old boy, we never would have met Renato and Vladimir.

How like our God to use a child from so far away, to be the catalyst for building His home for children, here in Aningas. How encouraging it is to know that three years ago, God connected Ethan with a little boy in Brazil, and this connection would bring him here to stay with us. And how like God to let me be here to see Him work.

We are assured and know that [God being a partner in their labor] all things work together and are [fitting into a plan] for good to and for those who love God and are called according to [His] design and purpose. (Romans 8:28 AMP)

Filed Under: Prayer

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

Fighting on Our Knees

October 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I hate when we’re on the streets and the kids run up to us, all at once. It means bad news every single time.

So, yesterday, when I saw them all running at us, as soon as the car stopped, it seems like my heart stopped for a tick, and then, resolutely, started again. I braced myself.

“Tia, did you hear about Raniere?”

“No, I haven’t heard.”

“They killed him with a screwdriver in his neck.”

We met Raniere the same day we met our firstborn son in Christ, Clessio, at our stop in Petropolis. That day Clessio told us, “Raniere is a good kid.” Two years later, after Clessio left the rehab and shortly before his death, Clessio visited Raniere and urged him to go to the rehab. And he went. We took him twice to rehab and he never stayed more than a few weeks. He just couldn’t stop using crack.

I know why they all ran to tell us the news yesterday; we are their connection with God. And in their hearts they are scared and pleading for this not to happen to them next. They all know that if they continue using and living on the street they will die soon. They all have an accurate picture of their condition and its outcome. But, they cannot stop.

We don’t hesitate to tell them that they could be the next to die. We warn them in a way that you might think is unnecessarily hard. But we’re crying when we tell them this. It’s just that love compels us to tell them straight and clear. They deserve to know what the end is, in this life, and for eternity, if they don’t accept God’s lifeline of Salvation and freedom from drugs.

The heartbreak I feel at their condition doesn’t lessen with time, but rather, it seems to increase. I have pleaded with God to have His heart and His love, and so I really shouldn’t be surprised that I feel their despair and loss and hurt so acutely.

Days like yesterday leave me drained, but better focused on the goal. Once again, death speaks to me and these kids and I start praying more. Once again, God reminds me that this is a war that must be fought on our knees. God is the answer. Jesus is the Way. Please fight for these kids. Pray.

It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to the house of feasting: for in that we are put in mind of the end of all, and the living thinketh what is to come. (Ecclesiastes 7:2 Douay-Rheims)

Filed Under: Prayer, Street Work

Following Him

September 10, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Last Sunday night in Aningas, the little kids were out of control, like they had eaten sugar and caffeine all day and their parents let them out, just in time for our Sunday School lessons.

This Sunday we prayed more and prepared a few more activities for the littler kids. Fewer kids came out and Caroline and William were able to go through the lesson sheet and do the activities with them.

This freed Mark up to teach the teen and adult class on Baptism. They learned that they died to sin, the moment they accepted Christ, and were made new in Christ. Mark explained that baptism is the obedient step and the public testimony of what happened when they confessed Christ as their personal and only Savior.

They had some questions about different types of baptism, and about people that say you have to be baptized to be saved. Fortunately, Mark answered their questions and gave them the Scripture to back up his answers. God gave help and His Word fed and taught His precious lambs.

I’ve had this warm little glow inside me since Sunday night. Look at what God has done! Look at what He continues to do! He still saves souls and feeds and cares for them. These truths that we hold to our heart are real, and His lambs hear His voice and they follow Him.

 

 

We were buried therefore with Him by the baptism into death, so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious [power] of the Father, so we too might [habitually] live and behave in newness of life. (Romans 6:4 AMP)

Filed Under: Aningas, Gospel, Prayer

Treasure Hunting

August 28, 2013 By Leave a Comment

We met Juarez on Saturday, while out with the Word. He said he wanted to go to the rehab. He lives in the ruins of this abandoned building:juarez (1 of 2)

So, Monday we went looking for him in this rubble. He was there. We took him to the rehab, and on the way, we listened to him tell us about his life.

He killed a police officer and spent time in jail. He has six children, but he doesn’t know where they are; he hasn’t seen them in years. He hadn’t eaten any food for many months; he can’t remember how many. He drinks and drugs and sells himself to continue his degradation and sin and shame.

He wants peace and he wants to be free of the voices in his head telling him to kill himself.

juarez (2 of 2)

Sometimes I’m in so far over my head that I’m sure my head’s gone under, and God is breathing for me. I feel so naïve, most of the time. But I’m starting to realize the blessing that naïveté suggests that I have enjoyed, and I’m so thankful. I have peace and I have that ultimate freedom, found in Jesus Christ alone.

Pray for Juarez at the rehab.

 

So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free. (John 8:36 AMP)

Filed Under: Prayer, Street Work

Jesus, The Great Physician

August 5, 2013 By Leave a Comment

I wonder where I got the idea that I’d better not pray for God to heal, just in case it doesn’t happen?

The favelas cure me of that, along with the daily fail of the SUS (Brazil’s national health care).
I feel helpless, when we walk through a favela and face all kinds of needs that are beyond any human ability to change. And when we meet people that the health system here has abandoned, it’s the worst. So, we pray for them. We pray for JeSUS to step in, where SUS has failed. And He does. Why am I surprised?

God loves to answer prayer. The Spirit of God is waiting for me to act on my faith and put aside my sinful unbelief. The outcome is that glorious moment when you realize that The Lord Himself has heard your prayer and showed Himself to be faithful and true, for His Name’s sake.

This happened twice last week, as we wore our brand new t-shirts that say, “Jesus, the great Physician,” on the sleeve and have Psalm 147:3 on the back. It was amazing how happy I felt, in those moments, to wear that shirt and be on God’s team, proclaiming His power over everything and anything we could possibly encounter, and His longing to save souls.

jesus

He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds [curing their pains and their sorrows]. (Psalm 147:3 AMP)

Filed Under: Prayer

Visiting the Streets

July 17, 2013 By Leave a Comment

The girls pose for a photo with Inacia before we head onto the streets.

photo

 

Cleaning out the coolers, getting ready for a day on the streets.

 

photo 1

 

Inha, 9 months pregnant, enjoys her sandwich and juice with some friends. She asks us for diapers for the soon-to-arrive child, and some medicine for her two-year old child.

 

photo 2

 

 

Layane carries juice and some sandwiches across the street. One of the men at this stop died this morning, from alcohol intoxication. Pray that God frees these men and women from the chains of sin, that they may go free and walk in newness of life.

 

photo 4

Filed Under: Prayer, Street Work
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