Tuesday, November 3, 2009, Brazil
Dear Prayer Warrior,
CLM ENTRE
RIOS:
This is Mary Gibson again. I am back
and trying to jump onto the fast moving CLM train. I have to admit that I
forgot that it was Tuesday and that I should be writing the Prayer Warrior. I
am trying to get caught up on all that happened while I was gone and what is in
progress. I am unpacked and have gotten some very necessary hair cuts done. I
have had a chance to share with some, but have many more to go. At the same
time that I am over thrilled to be home, I am rejoicing in all that I
experienced on my trip. The front part of the trip was a few quick, but great
days in the Woodcliff Lake area. It was precious fellowship with those of my
home church. The middle of my trip was between Pennsylvania and Ohio. It was
an extreme blessing to spend quality time with my immediate family -- Tom,
Sally, Mom, and Bob and all of the extended family, too. We traveled to North
Canton and to Columbus. Mom held up well and of course, enjoyed every minute of
it. The more she is on the go the more she likes it. At 93 years old, she is
still a lot of fun to be around. She is probably weaker than last year and her
eye sight is certainly far worse. That causes confusion at times, but for the
most part, she is right with you. I am so blessed. I ended my trip by going
through Tremont, Illinois and meeting with the Missionary Committee. My time
there was short, but it was great to be able to meet up with many people so dear
to me. Seeing Nina (Stuber) in her home environment just 2 months after her
adoption was awesome. Seeing Jeremiah and Hannah Teater and how grown up they
are was also special. Of course, it is always a blessing to stay with Steve and
Di Meyer and their precious kids. The phone also helped to allow me to get in
touch with many people who I would not be able to see. God protected me and
blessed me beyond measure. Thank you for your prayers.
From all reports both from kids and
adults, I believe here at CLM, they passed the month well. There were no major
crises and the routine continued smoothly. The schedules of the adults were
changed around and coverage was thinner. That is when we trust that the angel
forces are greatly increased. Now, everyone is adjusting to changes again. We
often relate that CLM is like not-quite-firm jell-o. When someone is gone it is
like taking out a chunk of jell-o, the rest of the jell-o fills in the hole.
When that chunk is put back in, it is like the rest of the jell-o makes room and
it all levels out again. For sure, one needs to be very flexible at CLM. This
was Jake and Amanda´s first month and without a doubt was a challenging one.
Hopefully, they can breathe deep and continue to allow the Lord to reveal their
ministries and help them build relationships with the staff and
children.
We do have a birthday today.
Patricia is 12 years old. She came to CLM right after her 9th birthday. They
were having a problem at the government orphanage with her because she kept
running away. She knew the city well. They wanted to try and see if being far
from the city would help break that pattern. Within the first half hour she was
here, she tried to run away. We ended up calling the police. It was kind of a
funny scene. The police were telling her that she didn´t know where to go and
she said that the city was that way. They told her that Paraguay was that way.
From then on, she must have decided that she really didn´t know where to go and
didn´t want to end up in Paraguay. She did continue though for 2 or 3 weeks to
go through the routine of running away. When she got mad, she would go to her
room and put on her black sundress that her mother had given her (and probably
had stolen) and put her plastic shopping bag of possessions under her arm and
start "walking" up the lane. It was a clear statement of I´m running away, but
I want you to come after me. When we had made significant progress, we took the
black sundress away and she never ran again. In fact, she could laugh at
herself and started allowing herself to make herself at home. About half a year
later, her two younger brothers, Luquinho and Diogo and one older brother,
Geovane came to CLM to reunite the siblings. Geovane stimulated the running
away again, but thankfully, that ended in a short time, also. Patricia is in
the 5th grade and this is her first year at Imperatriz. She has struggled with
a low self esteem and fear of rejection. The truth is everyone loves her there,
but she doesn´t see that very clearly yet. She has also struggled academically,
because she lacked a lot of the basics and again lacks a confidence in her own
ability. The year is coming to an end and she really needs prayers to come out
shining. Patricia can easily have mood swings and be sarcastic and
disrespectful, but far more of the time, she is delightful. She also needs
prayers for inner healing and character development and self
confidence.
On Friday, Kevin and Elaine King and
their two children, Amanda and Darren will be coming from Tremont, Illinois.
They will be with us for a month, with the intention of discerning God´s will
for a possibly call to ministry with CLM. We are excited about what the Lord
will reveal during this time. Pray for a safe trip and that their hearts would
be open to what God desires to show them.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Mary - I praise God in total
humbleness for the blessed trip that He provided for me, pray that He will be my
daily strength and encouragement to help to get caught up and on board for end
of school year, Christmas preparations, visitors, wedding preparations for
January, etc, etc, etc, for powerful and consistent private time with the
Lord.
2) Jake and Amanda - that they would
be encouraged each day, for the building of precious and trust filled
relationships with staff and children, for good health, for finishing of their
house, for Amanda´s Portuguese to get stronger and stronger, for God´s
protection over and strengthening of their marriage, for God´s development of
their ministry strengths and callings.
3) Patricia - pray for her studies
and that she can redeem herself this last quarter so she can pass the year and
continue at Imperatriz, pray for inner healing, improved self image and esteem,
confidence in who she is, greater motivation in all she does, more balanced
emotional stability, that God will guide her future and lead her into a deep
relationship with Him.
4) Kevin and Elaine and family - for
safe travels, for a life changing experience while at CLM, for His conviction of
His will for their calling, special grace and protection for Amanda and
Darren.
5) Loeci and Marcelo - for the
Bridal Shower this month, for the wedding preparations, for paying off all of
their debts before the wedding, for a decision as to where they will live, for a
beautiful wedding day, for all of the out of country guests that will be
coming.
6) Josiele - for deep joy and
confidence to be baptized on December 6th, that she would have great joy to
share this experience with others, protection against the enemy as he will try
to discourage her, vision for God´s plans and callings on her life, for all the
others who will be baptized that day.
7) Vera - for complete healing and
strengthening of her knee following surgery, for a good grade on her thesis that
she presented last week, for a confirmation that her work place will be hiring
her, adaptation for her new roommate, for the Lord to be the center of all of
her relationships.
8) Josiane - for a clear next step
for her, for growth and direction.
9) Kristen - that she would feel
more and more comfortable and understand more and more Portuguese, for her
relationships with all of the children but especially with the older girls, for
good health, God´s protection, and spiritual and emotional growth.
10) Lucilene - God´s preparation for
her back surgery, that we will be able to get a second opinion, for God´s
preparation for all she will go through, that her and her siblings would be
given a God chosen forever family.
11) Fabio and Edit - for
readjustment to Brazil, that the Lord would confirm and lead them in the next
step He has planned for them, for reflection on their trip.
CLM
TURVO:
Letricia fell at school last week and
broke her arm near the elbow. She had to have surgery to have pins put in and
has a shell cast for now. She actually is doing very well. Her biggest
complaint was that her cast was heavy. Josiane was able to stay with her in the
hospital. Please keep our little Letricia in your prayers for complete healing
of her arm and general growth and development in all areas.
Carrie will be returning to the
States tomorrow. She has thoroughly enjoyed her time at CLM Turvo and was so
very homesick during the few short days she spent at CLM Entre Rios. She had
hoped to still be here by the time her sister, Katie and her husband, Andy had
arrived. However, their visas have been delayed once again. The government is
asking for some more documents. This is what Andy and Katie
shared:
"The home office in Brazil has
requested two additional copies of certain documents. Our expediter is taking care of this step
for us and is getting those documents sent to Brazil this week.
Please pray that these papers will arrive quickly in Brazil and that our visas
will be approved so we can leave in
November. Also, please give thanks that we were led
to our expediter, John Marquez. Pray that God will bless him, he has been a huge
help."
Please pray Andy and Katie´s visas through
so that they will be able to make it in November, Lord willing. Pray for
Carrie´s trip home and her reflection on her experience.
Josiane is having another birthday
on Sunday, November 8th. I say another because last year she had just gotten to
CLM shortly before her birthday, but it was to be a temporary placement because
there was an aunt who was suppose to take her. She wanted to stay at CLM at
least until her birthday. She ended up staying and now it is time for
another birthday. Josiane was living with her father who was gone most of the
time and she had to fend for herself. As a 7 year old, she was not very
knowledgeable of how to cook and so forth, but he worse was that there was
hardly anything to cook. She came to CLM very mal-nutritioned. She has
relished being taken care of and having a chance to be a child. She loves baby
dolls and spends looks of time playing with them, even if it is by herself. She
feeds them and takes them outside and walks around with them and covers them and
swings them and changes them. She always has a doll in her hands. She is in
the second grade and is doing Ok in her studies. Pray for Josiane´s future and
that all she has learned and heard at CLM will stick with her and bring
spiritual life.
Continue to pray for Aninha and full
recovery of her knee surgery. Pray that the therapy will be helpful and that
she will not have anymore falls.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Letricia - for healing of her
arm, for complete overcoming of the mal-nutrition and strengthening, for better
coordination, for cognitive development, for God´s protection over
her.
2) Carrie - for a safe journey home,
that the Lord can help her to process her experience and perceive all the areas
of growth, that she would maintain the relationships that she developed,
readjustment to the States.
3) Andy and Katie - that the
Lord would move their visa process through and that the visa would be granted,
that the Lord would bring them to Brazil in His perfect timing, for patience and
perseverance and faith.
4) Josiane - that the Lord would
bring inner healing, physical healing, for her studies, for her future, that the
truth and love of the Lord would penetrate to the depths of her
heart.
5) Aninha - that the Lord would
bring complete physical healing, daily strengthening, renewed hope and vision,
renewal and refreshment.
6) Romualdo - that God will have
mercy on him with his studies, for spiritual growth and maturity.
7) Adoption - for several of the
sibling groups and older kids that the Lord would send interested families to
adopt them.
8) Dr. Glauco (Juvenile Judge) -
pray for divine wisdom and priority setting in all decisions that he makes, that
he would make efficient headway on all of the cases he needs to deal with, that
he would not desire to be transferred to anywhere else, for God´s blessings on
him and his marriage.
It has been good to be back in touch
with you. You are greatly appreciated by all of the ministering team. We
literally feel and benefit from your prayers. Our Father hears you and
responds.
God bless,
Mary
