Dear Prayer Warrior,
CLM ENTRE RIOS:
Well, the Phoenix/Ohio team got ahead
of themselves and finished the painting of the Family Room. It is three tones
of brown/tan. It reminds me of chocolate when I walk in and since I love
chocolate, I love walking into our Family Room. Of course, another reason I
like that room is because of it´s name. "Family" is something very precious and
vital to life and instituted by God. The women were looking for another
project. Since, we had just gotten the couch and chairs in the office
re-upholstered, there was an obvious need to have it painted. To bring out the
colors in the couch, one wall is a textured red and the other walls are yellow.
It is lively and bright and Annette thinks it is perfect in the middle of a
Children´s Home. So, I am typing this in the middle of the covered furniture
and the smell of paint. We have been blessed with the work team and are
thankful to get to know each one of them a little bit more. Carrie (Pflederer)
is here this week from Turvo, where she is having a short term experience. Mark
(Keiper) left on Saturday and has arrive home safely. It was strange leaving
his daughter, Kristen here, but he said that he couldn´t be more thrilled that
she will be serving the Lord at CLM. Jake and Amanda and the team will be going
to Foz do Iquaçu early Friday morning. The team will fly out on Sunday. Keep
them in your prayers for safe travels and that the Lord will be able to
accomplish in and through each of them according to His purpose.
Saturday night will be Josiane´s
college graduation. It had been cancelled several times because of the Swine
Flu, so it is refreshing to know that now it is actually going to happen. She
has invited several of the adults of our family - Viktória, Lobinho and Joanna,
Mike and Mary, and me - plus Aline. We have invited Meghan and Joacir and Doni
(our gardener) and his wife, Juraci to help Lizena and Kristen out that night.
Four of Josiane´s classmates have rented a hall and hired a cook to provide an
after graduation dinner. We are looking forward to celebrating Josiane´s great
accomplishment. Please pray for her as she pursues God´s plan for
her.
I will be leaving early Sunday
morning to go to Curitiba. I´m looking forward to the couple of precious hours
I will be able to spend with several of our girls and their families there. The
gathering will be at Julio and Elisabete´s house. That evening I go to São
Paulo and will meet up with Vilma and her family. The following evening, I will
leave for New Jersey (staying with Heidi Reinhardt at (201) 440-3645). On the
9th of October, I move onto Pittsburgh to visit my mother and sister, Sally and
family (staying at Sally´s house at (724) XXX-1518). We will be doing some Ohio
trips to visit my brother-in-law, Bob Larson (staying with Bob at (330)
492-4550). Included somewhere in there will be a trip to Columbus, Ohio to see
my nephews. Thankfully, my brother, Tom will be able to come to Pittsburgh
during my stay. On the 28th of October, I will go to Tremont, Illinois to meet
with the Missionary Committee (staying with Steve and Di Meyer at (309)
925-9040). Please pray for my trip and all of the contacts I will be having. I
want to be a blessing.
On October 5th, Jake and Amanda will
officially be onsite full-time CLM missionaries. They moved to CLM Entre Rios
about 2 weeks ago and are completing the remodeling of their house. Their house
is located in the front and used to be known as the CLM Clinic. The materials
to build the clinic were donated by various doctors probably over 17 years ago.
After that program was no longer in operation, Lobinho and his family moved
there. An addition was added. Now, Jake and Amanda have also made some
adaptations, making it slightly larger and more insolated. Jake will be
assuming responsibility for the computers and everything associated with them.
He will also be in charge of the vehicles, their maintenance and repairs and
will help with homework and substitute for devotions, among many other things.
Amanda will be taking over the area of organizing and distributing clothes and
shoes to the children, working on life skills such a telling time, tying shoes,
and caring for what is theirs. She will also be involved in doing homework with
some of the children. Their hours normally will be from noon to 8:00, with
their day-off on Tuesdays. Continue to pray for them.
Joanna will be 29 years old on
Sunday, the 4th of October. She is the wife of Wilson Lobo (Lobinho) and the
mother of Moanna (7) and Nicole (4). They have been ministering at CLM for the
last 4 years. Joanna has a special and unique understanding of this ministry,
because she is a CLM daughter. She came to CLM when she was 10 years old with
her brother, Jordan when their father was not able to provide for them. After 3
years, they left CLM to go live with their mother and stepfather in São Paulo.
It was discovered that her mother was still using drugs and the whole situation
became dangerous. They then ended up back with their father and stepmother in
north-central Brazil. After a period of time, it became obvious that that
situation was not a healthy one either. So after 3 years of being away from CLM
and at the age of 16, Joanna asked if she could come "back home". It took a 52
hour bus trip all alone to get here, but she was home. She remained at CLM for
3 years until she married Lobinho in 2000. Joanna ministers at CLM on an
average of 20 hours a week. Her other time is dedicated to her husband and two
children, one of which is a special needs child. She is responsible for
homework with some of the children, baths for the girls and lice control, and
serving dinner and devotions for the younger children. She is a good friend
and a good example for the children. Keep Joanna in your prayers as she serves
the Lord as wife, mother, and missionary.
There were some serious problems
during the last visit of Francielle, Lucas, Rita, and Gisieli with the mother.
Some abusive treatment, especially towards Rita, has caused serious concern and
cancellation of future visits. Police and medical reports were made of burns
inflicted on Rita´s neck by her mother. It took several days after their return
to discover what had happened, but the exaggerated and unusual behavior of each
of them was an alert. Please be praying for this situation and God´s determined
outcome.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Phoenix/Ohio Team - that God
would greatly bless their last couple days of their stay and their trip
home, gratitude for their loving service and all their work.
2) Kristen - that the Lord would
help her to feel at home and rejoice in what God wants to do in and through her
life during her time at CLM, that she can learn some Portuguese, that the Lord
can develop her ministries, for the development of lasting and important
relationships.
3) Josiane - that her graduation
would be a blessing to her and that she will be surrounded by many that love and
admire her, that the Lord would continue to give growth and guide her
life.
4) Mary´s trip - that the Lord would
help me to finish everything that needs to be done before Sunday morning so I
can leave with peace and confidence, that all can go smoothly while I am gone,
for Hellen, Rita, and Diogo who are very attached to me as well as all of the
other children and adolescents, for safe travels and a wonderful time with
family and friends.
5) Jake and Amanda - God´s
blessings on the initiation and development of their ministries, for continual
learning of Portuguese especially for Amanda, for balancing of ministry and
marriage, continual adaptation, for the development of good relationships with
staff and children.
6) Joanna - for God´s blessings as
she continues to grow in Him and as a wife, mother, and missionary in God´s
Kingdom, for good health and God´s protection, for wisdom in all of her
relationships.
7) Francielle, Lucas, Rita, and
Gisieli - pray for the truth and only the truth, pray for inner healing of the
traumas inflicted especially for Rita, pray for the decisions made in regard to
their futures.
8) Meghan - has had some problems
with high blood pressure. May the Lord continue to protect mother and child
during the rest of the pregnancy, for a good and safe delivery, for the visit
from Meghan´s family, for Meghan and Joacir´s future plans.
9) Fabio and Edit - pray God´s
protection over Fabio during the eye surgery he will be having, pray for their
preparation to return to Brazil, for God´s leading once they return, for
continual growth in their marriage and in the Lord.
CLM
TURVO:
Carrie is doing real well and has
been a tremendous help. She is giving the children English lessons and it is
such a benefit for them. She will be here throughout the month of October. She
has really enjoyed her time and during the days that she has been at Entre Rios,
she has really missed "her Turvo" kids. Keep her in your prayers.
We are coming to the end of the third
quarter and several of our children are really lacking in their grades. Luana
and Romualdo are not doing well. May they take advantage of the last quarter to
pull themselves through. Willian, Gabriel, and Tainara continue to have
behavior problems. Besides their own learning process being difficult, they
also disrupt the entire class and stress the teacher everyday. Pray for all of
our students, that they can end the year strong and prepared for the next
grade.
Pray for the project of encouraging
people familiar with the work at CLM to direct a portion of their income tax to
CLM. As the years go by and more and more people catch on, this can be a
tremendous resource for special projects and needs.
Pray for the processes of our
children, that God would determine the future of each one. May no child be
returned to family or relatives if it will place them in danger or inhibit them
from being all they could be. May God direct each case.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Carrie - may God continue to be
her strength, may He help her with her daily responsibilities and give her eyes
to see how else to help, may she build important and lasting relationships, may
she learn Portuguese and the culture, for spiritual growth and
stretching.
2) CLM Students - that each student
will work hard to do their very best, special help for those who have red marks,
budgeting of their time, improved behavior.
3) Income Tax - that more and more
people will be aware of this need and determine to contribute, for wise use of
the money.
4) Futures - may God´s dreams for
each child be realized in their lives, for God´s protection.
5) Garden - that the Lord would
bless the work and give a tremendous harvest in the garden.
6) Allan - that the Lord would open
a door for him to start to work, praise God that he passed his driver´s test,
for spiritual and emotional growth.
7) Luiz and Aninha and family - that
the Lord would continue to bring complete healing for Aninha, that she would
pace herself, for God´s plans and protection for each of their children, the
peace that they are in God´s hands, for wisdom and renewal each
day.
8) Natalia - that the Lord would
restore, direct, guide and fill her each day, that He would lead her in
preparing for her future, for spiritual and emotional growth.
9) Etienne - that she would restart
her college in January, that she would have conditions to get her driver´s
license, for all her relationships, for spiritual and emotional growth, for
God´s protection always.
During my trip Mary Cochran and
Viktória will be writing the Prayer Warrior each week. Thank you for your
faithfulness and please continue to lift us up to our Almighty God.
loving God,
Mary
