Hi everybody!
I was sorry to hear that the Sox blew it again. I guess it re-confirms
the pointlessness of following that stuff. I didn’t forget to write
last week. On the contrary, I actually had my report down to the last
sentence. In one swift move (which to this moment I still don’t how it
happened) I lost the whole thing. Lori worked at it for quite a while,
but it wasn’t coming back. So, late Sunday night we both gave up and
went to bed. We have been so busy, the days go by so fast, and there
are times when after all the day’s activity, you come home feeling
like nothing was accomplished. Like (for example) the day we were
called by the rehab to get Bruno back to the hospital for blood work.
I left the house with William, after he was done with his school, and
made the trek to the rehab. We picked him up, drove the hour to the
hospital, waited this side of the infamous swinging doors, all the
while thinking he was on the other side being attended to. After what
seemed for ever, he came back out, to tell us, they wouldn’t be able
to see him today. But certainly they would find time for him if we
wanted to return on Friday. I finally found some value to the
childbirth classes that I had left work early to attend fourteen years
ago. That heavy breathing in and out prevented what otherwise would
have been the eruption of a devastating volcano.
the pointlessness of following that stuff. I didn’t forget to write
last week. On the contrary, I actually had my report down to the last
sentence. In one swift move (which to this moment I still don’t how it
happened) I lost the whole thing. Lori worked at it for quite a while,
but it wasn’t coming back. So, late Sunday night we both gave up and
went to bed. We have been so busy, the days go by so fast, and there
are times when after all the day’s activity, you come home feeling
like nothing was accomplished. Like (for example) the day we were
called by the rehab to get Bruno back to the hospital for blood work.
I left the house with William, after he was done with his school, and
made the trek to the rehab. We picked him up, drove the hour to the
hospital, waited this side of the infamous swinging doors, all the
while thinking he was on the other side being attended to. After what
seemed for ever, he came back out, to tell us, they wouldn’t be able
to see him today. But certainly they would find time for him if we
wanted to return on Friday. I finally found some value to the
childbirth classes that I had left work early to attend fourteen years
ago. That heavy breathing in and out prevented what otherwise would
have been the eruption of a devastating volcano.
Lori set out with Inacia to go pay bills. Here, they know nothing of
checkbooks and paying through the mail. And the idea of paying bills
on line is just something you might see in a futuristic movie. No, no,
this is the way it’s done in Rio Grande de Norte: choose a day, (and
you will be needing the whole day) gather your bills, and board a bus
( most don’t have a car). You’re heading into the city, looking for
these little government owned store fronts, scattered like cities of
refuges. They won’t be hard to find, you’ll recognize them by the long
line going out the door and down the street. Get in line and try to
think pleasant thoughts, because you’ll be there a long while. When
you finally reach the counter your able to pay such thing as your
electric bill, phone bill, water bill, internet, or cell phone bill.
But if any of these bills exceed one thousand reais, you’ll be told
that it can’t be accepted and must be paid at a bank. What that means
is basically leaving to go stand in another line. Lori outsmarted
their system by putting Inacia in line, and going off to do other
errands, she would come by and check up on her at different intervals.
There have been times when we’ve come into the supermarket to find
lines stretching down the food isles. We used to be good customers and
follow the system that everybody uses. Until there were a few times
when we waited for over an hour to pay for groceries. Now when we go
in, if the lines are that bad, one of us immediately goes and stands
in line, while the rest of us shop. This really boggles the natives
minds, first that we thought of this strategy, but also that we feel
that it’s necessary. I don’t know how a person can hold down a full
time job, or have any kind of a productive week, operating this way.
Somehow the people have to get to these places during the day, because
at five anything that matters is closed.
checkbooks and paying through the mail. And the idea of paying bills
on line is just something you might see in a futuristic movie. No, no,
this is the way it’s done in Rio Grande de Norte: choose a day, (and
you will be needing the whole day) gather your bills, and board a bus
( most don’t have a car). You’re heading into the city, looking for
these little government owned store fronts, scattered like cities of
refuges. They won’t be hard to find, you’ll recognize them by the long
line going out the door and down the street. Get in line and try to
think pleasant thoughts, because you’ll be there a long while. When
you finally reach the counter your able to pay such thing as your
electric bill, phone bill, water bill, internet, or cell phone bill.
But if any of these bills exceed one thousand reais, you’ll be told
that it can’t be accepted and must be paid at a bank. What that means
is basically leaving to go stand in another line. Lori outsmarted
their system by putting Inacia in line, and going off to do other
errands, she would come by and check up on her at different intervals.
There have been times when we’ve come into the supermarket to find
lines stretching down the food isles. We used to be good customers and
follow the system that everybody uses. Until there were a few times
when we waited for over an hour to pay for groceries. Now when we go
in, if the lines are that bad, one of us immediately goes and stands
in line, while the rest of us shop. This really boggles the natives
minds, first that we thought of this strategy, but also that we feel
that it’s necessary. I don’t know how a person can hold down a full
time job, or have any kind of a productive week, operating this way.
Somehow the people have to get to these places during the day, because
at five anything that matters is closed.
We’ve been working on getting health insurance, and as a result we
have had to make six visits to this place and we’re not finished yet.
Every time we go they inform us of something else we need to complete
before we’re on line. The plan is awesome, when you finally are able
to nail it down. Complete coverage, with nothing denied, for about
$3,500.00 a year. Private hospitals, private doctors, who give you
their undivided attention the moment you walk in. Complete dental
which includes braces, and all with a R$3.00 (about US$1.50) per visit
co-pay.
have had to make six visits to this place and we’re not finished yet.
Every time we go they inform us of something else we need to complete
before we’re on line. The plan is awesome, when you finally are able
to nail it down. Complete coverage, with nothing denied, for about
$3,500.00 a year. Private hospitals, private doctors, who give you
their undivided attention the moment you walk in. Complete dental
which includes braces, and all with a R$3.00 (about US$1.50) per visit
co-pay.
I’ve been working at the orphanage a lot in the last two weeks. I’m
happy to say that Vanderlay and myself were finally able to get the
water running. It has been so long since waters ran through those
pipes, so the minute it was turned on we had leaks everywhere. We were
able to run around and finally get the house water-tight. I had
everybody stand around the toilet, while I was given the privilege of
flushing it for the first time in two years. The minute Cleide saw the
toilet flush she disappeared. Later I saw her walking around the house
with wet hair. I found out she had taken off to the third floor and
for the first time in a long time enjoyed a shower. We also fixed a
lot of broken switches and plugs throughout the house. I bought a pile
of light bulbs and sent William around the house lighting it up once
again.
happy to say that Vanderlay and myself were finally able to get the
water running. It has been so long since waters ran through those
pipes, so the minute it was turned on we had leaks everywhere. We were
able to run around and finally get the house water-tight. I had
everybody stand around the toilet, while I was given the privilege of
flushing it for the first time in two years. The minute Cleide saw the
toilet flush she disappeared. Later I saw her walking around the house
with wet hair. I found out she had taken off to the third floor and
for the first time in a long time enjoyed a shower. We also fixed a
lot of broken switches and plugs throughout the house. I bought a pile
of light bulbs and sent William around the house lighting it up once
again.
Tuesday was William’s birthday, and his birthday request was for dad
and him to go four wheeling. We found a place that would rent us the
machines with a guide to take us on trails through the woods, over the
dunes, through rivers, huge mud pits, and up to this gorgeous deserted
lake in the middle of nowhere. When we were getting directions to the
place I realized that it was very close to the rehab. So on our way we
stopped at the wholesale food warehouse and bought a ton of rice,
beans, cooking oil, flour, sugar, salt, and delivered it as we passed
by. The director was overwhelmed, and so thankful, reminding us of
something that we’ve already learned: “God is no man’s debtor.”
and him to go four wheeling. We found a place that would rent us the
machines with a guide to take us on trails through the woods, over the
dunes, through rivers, huge mud pits, and up to this gorgeous deserted
lake in the middle of nowhere. When we were getting directions to the
place I realized that it was very close to the rehab. So on our way we
stopped at the wholesale food warehouse and bought a ton of rice,
beans, cooking oil, flour, sugar, salt, and delivered it as we passed
by. The director was overwhelmed, and so thankful, reminding us of
something that we’ve already learned: “God is no man’s debtor.”
Almost every time when feeding the street people they ask us for
sandals. Many are barefoot while others are wearing what’s hardly
recognizable as footwear. We have been telling them about the large
box of crocks ( that Paula gave us) waiting to be released at the
port. I couldn’t go and face them one more week without shoes, and so
on Wednesday, while buying Bruno his groceries, we picked up a bunch
of sandals. Unknown to me, Lori was having the same thoughts, so both
of us came home holding a bag full of sandals for the kids. They all
went the next day along with two hundred sandwiches and 14 liters of
milk. This week there had to be over fifty people at one of our stops.
They were all waiting for us along with their girlfriends, and all the
little kids and babies. We pulled up to hear them yelping and
screaming, calling all their buddies, and running up like we were the
floor around a Christmas tree. This week at one of our larger stops
one of the men (who was the spokesperson for the rest) talked to Lori.
“We know that this is God at work, and if you have a church, or if you
start one we’ll be glad to attend”. Lori explained that it wasn’t
about looking for parishioners to fill a church building. God had sent
us because He had seen their need, loved them, and offered them
eternal life. “Well, if that’s the case,” he said, “then, can you give
us a little word right here, right now?” So they all gathered around,
and we were able to give them about a fifteen minute Gospel message. I
left there thinking, that again, God has proven that His formula
really works. Quietly do the work every week, and the moment will
come, when you will have earned an open door, and a willing spirit to
hear God’s message of life. We left that stop on one of those God
highs, and landed at the next, soon to be knocked off our perch.
I had my back turned getting the cooler out of the car, when I heard a
lot of yelling. Two of the boys we had just fed were screaming at each
other in the middle of an extremely busy traffic intersection. I saw
one wind up and throw his glass of milk in the other kid’s face,
soaking Lori who was behind him. At that point the gloves were off.
Squeegees, sunglasses, shirts, and our sandwiches, went flying, and
they were going at it in the middle of what was quickly becoming a
traffic jam. One of them was obviously high, and as a result of
flying, was viciously attacking the other kid. He was considerably
smaller, but he was a scrappy street fighter. I watched for a second,
and then ran out, and jumped into the middle of it to separate them.
There was a fair amount of rolling around on the street, but finally I
was able to get in between them and push one off. The kid full of
drugs wasn’t going to give up, so I stood between him and the little
guy, pushing him back into the street till he finally realized he
wasn’t going to get past me. He tried several times finally giving up
and going back to his window washing post on the other side of the
intersection. Lori took the smaller kid to the back of the car and
started to pray with him, hoping it would settle him down, while I
picked up the mess left in the street so the cars could start moving
again. The cops show up with guns drawn and lined them all up against
the wall. They frisked them, listened to their story, holstered their
guns, climbed back on their bikes, and left, never saying so much as a
word to Lori and me. We left that stop very clear that Satan has such
a hold on these kids. He made a valiant effort that day to discourage
us, and hopefully scare us away. Dennis was the kid flying high, and
Lori began to cry as we left the spot, remembering that last week when
we fed them all, he was there, but he wasn’t high. She said he was the
kindest, sweetest, most appreciating boy, thanking us more than once
for our helping them all. This week someone else had control of this
boy and it was pretty obvious that that someone didn’t want us around.
Please pray that God will save Dennis’ soul and free him from Satan’s
chains.
sandals. Many are barefoot while others are wearing what’s hardly
recognizable as footwear. We have been telling them about the large
box of crocks ( that Paula gave us) waiting to be released at the
port. I couldn’t go and face them one more week without shoes, and so
on Wednesday, while buying Bruno his groceries, we picked up a bunch
of sandals. Unknown to me, Lori was having the same thoughts, so both
of us came home holding a bag full of sandals for the kids. They all
went the next day along with two hundred sandwiches and 14 liters of
milk. This week there had to be over fifty people at one of our stops.
They were all waiting for us along with their girlfriends, and all the
little kids and babies. We pulled up to hear them yelping and
screaming, calling all their buddies, and running up like we were the
floor around a Christmas tree. This week at one of our larger stops
one of the men (who was the spokesperson for the rest) talked to Lori.
“We know that this is God at work, and if you have a church, or if you
start one we’ll be glad to attend”. Lori explained that it wasn’t
about looking for parishioners to fill a church building. God had sent
us because He had seen their need, loved them, and offered them
eternal life. “Well, if that’s the case,” he said, “then, can you give
us a little word right here, right now?” So they all gathered around,
and we were able to give them about a fifteen minute Gospel message. I
left there thinking, that again, God has proven that His formula
really works. Quietly do the work every week, and the moment will
come, when you will have earned an open door, and a willing spirit to
hear God’s message of life. We left that stop on one of those God
highs, and landed at the next, soon to be knocked off our perch.
I had my back turned getting the cooler out of the car, when I heard a
lot of yelling. Two of the boys we had just fed were screaming at each
other in the middle of an extremely busy traffic intersection. I saw
one wind up and throw his glass of milk in the other kid’s face,
soaking Lori who was behind him. At that point the gloves were off.
Squeegees, sunglasses, shirts, and our sandwiches, went flying, and
they were going at it in the middle of what was quickly becoming a
traffic jam. One of them was obviously high, and as a result of
flying, was viciously attacking the other kid. He was considerably
smaller, but he was a scrappy street fighter. I watched for a second,
and then ran out, and jumped into the middle of it to separate them.
There was a fair amount of rolling around on the street, but finally I
was able to get in between them and push one off. The kid full of
drugs wasn’t going to give up, so I stood between him and the little
guy, pushing him back into the street till he finally realized he
wasn’t going to get past me. He tried several times finally giving up
and going back to his window washing post on the other side of the
intersection. Lori took the smaller kid to the back of the car and
started to pray with him, hoping it would settle him down, while I
picked up the mess left in the street so the cars could start moving
again. The cops show up with guns drawn and lined them all up against
the wall. They frisked them, listened to their story, holstered their
guns, climbed back on their bikes, and left, never saying so much as a
word to Lori and me. We left that stop very clear that Satan has such
a hold on these kids. He made a valiant effort that day to discourage
us, and hopefully scare us away. Dennis was the kid flying high, and
Lori began to cry as we left the spot, remembering that last week when
we fed them all, he was there, but he wasn’t high. She said he was the
kindest, sweetest, most appreciating boy, thanking us more than once
for our helping them all. This week someone else had control of this
boy and it was pretty obvious that that someone didn’t want us around.
Please pray that God will save Dennis’ soul and free him from Satan’s
chains.
Two years ago while at home we were called to Framingham by a
Brazilian christian couple who wanted us to meet a friend who was
visiting from Brazil. His name was Eduardo, a missionary who had spent
the better part of his life working in the Amazon jungle. He went in
there as a young man traveling through the jungle with a guide. When
they reached the river, they dropped some trees and carved out canoes.
Reaching their spot, they beached the homemade boats, and headed back
into the jungle to meet up with an Indian tribe who had never been in
contact with another person outside of their own kind. He lived with
them for years, learning their language. From the language he created
an alphabet, and from the alphabet he taught them how to read. From
there he then translated the Bible into their language, and with that
was able to reach them with the Gospel. We spent the whole afternoon
with him, hearing his amazing stories of God’s miraculous work among
what many would call an uncivilized people. This past Saturday we were
at home when Lori picked up the phone to find him on the other end. It
seems he had come because he was invited to speak at a conference in
Natal on Saturday night and Sunday. The Christians where he was
staying were very good friends of ours. When he began to tell them of
a couple, that he had met while visiting Boston, who had a God given
desire to do a work in the area, they started asking questions. It
didn’t take too many of his details for them to realize it was us he
was describing. Our friends were shocked, “We know them, they’re now
living and working here and they live about an hour from here, call
them.” He was surprised, they were surprised, and we were surprised,
when we got the call. He came and spent Saturday with us, encouraging
us and also reminding us that along with the times of great rejoicing
there would be times of great sadness. “It’s all part of working for
God,” he said “but when it’s all said and done, and you’re finally
able to look back over your life, you’ll know with absolute clarity
that it was all God, and you would not have wanted it any other way.”
We stood , the three of us, arms around each other, and he prayed with
us and for us, and all that God has waiting for us as we move forward.
Brazilian christian couple who wanted us to meet a friend who was
visiting from Brazil. His name was Eduardo, a missionary who had spent
the better part of his life working in the Amazon jungle. He went in
there as a young man traveling through the jungle with a guide. When
they reached the river, they dropped some trees and carved out canoes.
Reaching their spot, they beached the homemade boats, and headed back
into the jungle to meet up with an Indian tribe who had never been in
contact with another person outside of their own kind. He lived with
them for years, learning their language. From the language he created
an alphabet, and from the alphabet he taught them how to read. From
there he then translated the Bible into their language, and with that
was able to reach them with the Gospel. We spent the whole afternoon
with him, hearing his amazing stories of God’s miraculous work among
what many would call an uncivilized people. This past Saturday we were
at home when Lori picked up the phone to find him on the other end. It
seems he had come because he was invited to speak at a conference in
Natal on Saturday night and Sunday. The Christians where he was
staying were very good friends of ours. When he began to tell them of
a couple, that he had met while visiting Boston, who had a God given
desire to do a work in the area, they started asking questions. It
didn’t take too many of his details for them to realize it was us he
was describing. Our friends were shocked, “We know them, they’re now
living and working here and they live about an hour from here, call
them.” He was surprised, they were surprised, and we were surprised,
when we got the call. He came and spent Saturday with us, encouraging
us and also reminding us that along with the times of great rejoicing
there would be times of great sadness. “It’s all part of working for
God,” he said “but when it’s all said and done, and you’re finally
able to look back over your life, you’ll know with absolute clarity
that it was all God, and you would not have wanted it any other way.”
We stood , the three of us, arms around each other, and he prayed with
us and for us, and all that God has waiting for us as we move forward.
Along with Eduardo that day, these two other Christian women came, who
we had never met before. They had come in from the interior with the
intent of also attending this conference. They spent the Saturday with
us as well. They had never met an American before. Nor had they any
idea what life was like beyond their little Brazilian world. We began
to explain the four seasons to them, and I could tell by their
questions that this was all flying right over their head. I pulled up
some pictures on the computer, and showed them our house just after a
snow storm. I also had a picture of the house looking its best in the
prime of summer. “We know it’s the same house, but how can that be?
Does the grass just grow back? Weren’t these the trees that were bare
in the other picture? Where did the leaves come from? Did they just
grow back? How can there be ice and snow when the sun’s out? How can
you drive on the streets? How do you keep your house warm? Can you go
outside when there’s snow? What kind of clothes do you wear?” Eduardo
had been to Boston during a snow storm in January and tried to explain
the beauty of newly fallen snow. He tried to paint with words, that
tranquil scene that we are all too familiar with. It was fun trying to
get them to understand the world that exists beyond the boundaries of
their little and simple life. Beyond their little town there is a
whole, wide world, that experiences things they have never heard of.
we had never met before. They had come in from the interior with the
intent of also attending this conference. They spent the Saturday with
us as well. They had never met an American before. Nor had they any
idea what life was like beyond their little Brazilian world. We began
to explain the four seasons to them, and I could tell by their
questions that this was all flying right over their head. I pulled up
some pictures on the computer, and showed them our house just after a
snow storm. I also had a picture of the house looking its best in the
prime of summer. “We know it’s the same house, but how can that be?
Does the grass just grow back? Weren’t these the trees that were bare
in the other picture? Where did the leaves come from? Did they just
grow back? How can there be ice and snow when the sun’s out? How can
you drive on the streets? How do you keep your house warm? Can you go
outside when there’s snow? What kind of clothes do you wear?” Eduardo
had been to Boston during a snow storm in January and tried to explain
the beauty of newly fallen snow. He tried to paint with words, that
tranquil scene that we are all too familiar with. It was fun trying to
get them to understand the world that exists beyond the boundaries of
their little and simple life. Beyond their little town there is a
whole, wide world, that experiences things they have never heard of.
I told you a while back about a woman named Simone who had an eye
condition caused by a hyper sensitivity to the strong sun here. Lori
has been helping to get her to and from all of her doctors’
appointments as they assessed her case and planned for surgery. Well,
finally it happened and she was able to have the surgery that would
correct her problem. It was a complete success, and after 15 days
recovery she should have all of her eyesight back. For the two weeks
she is recovering, we are making food for her, her husband and their
son, Lucas. Pray for her and her family, none of which is saved, that
this experience will be the means by which God reaches and saves them.
condition caused by a hyper sensitivity to the strong sun here. Lori
has been helping to get her to and from all of her doctors’
appointments as they assessed her case and planned for surgery. Well,
finally it happened and she was able to have the surgery that would
correct her problem. It was a complete success, and after 15 days
recovery she should have all of her eyesight back. For the two weeks
she is recovering, we are making food for her, her husband and their
son, Lucas. Pray for her and her family, none of which is saved, that
this experience will be the means by which God reaches and saves them.
Baby Michel is still waiting for his heart surgery. Lori and I plan to
go into Aningas tomorrow morning to visit him and his family, and to
spend the day there doing some door to door work. The land purchase
for the orphanage is on hold for now. We really need to get our
permanent visa before we can continue to pursue that investment. The
property owner understands the situation, and is willing to wait until
that issue is resolved. The visa process is moving along nicely and we
also received the news that our goods should be released from the port
here in Natal within the next couple weeks, D. V.
go into Aningas tomorrow morning to visit him and his family, and to
spend the day there doing some door to door work. The land purchase
for the orphanage is on hold for now. We really need to get our
permanent visa before we can continue to pursue that investment. The
property owner understands the situation, and is willing to wait until
that issue is resolved. The visa process is moving along nicely and we
also received the news that our goods should be released from the port
here in Natal within the next couple weeks, D. V.
The kids seem to be getting the hang of their new concept of school.
We changed the kids’ school hours to the evening because it’s much
cooler and, because it gets dark around 5:30, we’re home and there’s
not much to do. That freed up our days to keep up with the Sunday
School lessons in the elementary school in Aningas, the middle school
in Coqueiros (with 700 students, many of them bused from Aningas), the
orphanage, the door to door work, and the street work.
Today, same as every Sunday, we thought of all of you at home and
missed being at the morning meeting. It’s so good to hear from you and
to know that you’re praying for us.
I think at this point you’re all up to date, with the goings on here
in Natal. We continue to covet your prayers, for us as a family and
for the work God gave us to do. In turn, we promise to remember and
mention our Christian family at home while speaking to our God.
We changed the kids’ school hours to the evening because it’s much
cooler and, because it gets dark around 5:30, we’re home and there’s
not much to do. That freed up our days to keep up with the Sunday
School lessons in the elementary school in Aningas, the middle school
in Coqueiros (with 700 students, many of them bused from Aningas), the
orphanage, the door to door work, and the street work.
Today, same as every Sunday, we thought of all of you at home and
missed being at the morning meeting. It’s so good to hear from you and
to know that you’re praying for us.
I think at this point you’re all up to date, with the goings on here
in Natal. We continue to covet your prayers, for us as a family and
for the work God gave us to do. In turn, we promise to remember and
mention our Christian family at home while speaking to our God.
For now I say good night.
Love in Christ,
Mark, Lori, Caroline and William.
Mark, Lori, Caroline and William.