Tuesday, December 8, 2009, Brazil
Dear Prayer Warrior,
I have read and meditated on a few
verses about having the faith of a mustard seed and moving mountains. I cry out
to the Lord, "I believe and we need some mountains moved." MOUNTAIN # 1:
Mariane´s finger is not progressing. It just seems to stay the same. We know
that the healing has to come from the Lord and that the doctor is just an
instrument in this process. We feel that the original doctor that treated her
the night of the accident has exhausted his knowledge and techniques in dealing
with this injury. Today, I will be taking her to an orthopedic doctor in
Guarapuava to get his help to somehow move forward with this. I pray that God
will use him today and that he will accept the case even though he didn´t attend
the original emergency. We need a big mountain moved! MOUNTAIN # 2: We need
a revival in the hearts of our CLM youth. That includes several who have
already left CLM, as well as those at home. Here at home, we are dealing with
some subtle rebellious spirits, disrespect, disobedience. Those things that
lead to a hardened heart which resists the work of God. We need those mountains
moved, so the Holy Spirit can work it´s way in bringing forgiveness, cleansing,
and a new heart. We do not want to continue at a stand still. We believe,
Lord. In the name of Jesus, move these mountains!
Friday was a big anticipated day for
the CLM families. The Judge and many others who cooperated to make the event
possible, invited CLM Entre Rios, CLM Turvo, and the government children homes
(Fubem) to spend the day at a resort not far from Guarapuava. We were thankful
that we were granted by the city council a bus to transport us. We actually
were the first to arrive and were there exactly at 10:00. We didn´t want to
lose a minute of the fun. They had two small swimming pools outside, one with
two slides, and an indoor one (only for the youngest kids to use). They also
had paddle boats and a horse drawn wagon ride. They also had trails and a nice
waterfall. Swimming in a blue pool, even a very crowded one, was the biggest
attraction. It was quite cool and windy in the morning, but even that did not
hold the kids back. They provided a very good lunch, a snack, candy, and
Christmas presents for all. Some of our children have siblings who are at the
government orphanage for one reason or another. Alisson, Aline, and Alex met up
with their little brother, Mateus. Maria Luiza´s two older sisters were there
and Luana found her brother, Batason. Luana´s siblings had just gone to Fubem a
couple of days before, so this encounter was very unexpected. The Judge and his
wife and several other officials were there on and off during the day. All of
the kids did well and enjoyed themselves to the maximum.
Last night, Dr. Glauco (the Juvenile
Judge) called a meeting with those that work with children under his authority
to explain the new law and the parameters within that that he is adopting for
Guarapuava. We received about a 80 page handout and in the next 2 hours he
explained their contents. I can´t help it but be impressed with his
presentation, but also his sincerity, humbleness, personableness, and dedication
to provide the very best for the children in need in our region. The preference
and objective is to improve the home situation to be able to return the children
to their biological family. When that is not possible, they will proceed to
remove the parents´ rights and put them up for adoption. Dr. Glauco has
established a time table of requirements for the Child Protection Agency that
would determine the necessity of removal from the family and also for the
institutions receiving the children. We will be required within 30 days to have
a complete evaluation - medical, educational, psychological, historical, and
family situation. Our ministry has never included working with the families of
our children. We do not have a Social Worker on staff. For now, we will need
to call on the Child Protection Agency and other public agencies to help us.
Hopefully, in the future, we will have means to hire a Social Worker and be able
to find the best person for the job. I know who that person is, but
unfortunately, she lives in Curitiba (4 hours from here). By 6 months, it is to
be determined what direction will be taken with a certain child. By law, a
child should not remain in an institution for more than 2 years, unless that is
the best or only option for them. Time will show how well it all
functions.
On Friday, we will be having our
Christmas party for the CLM Team. The gift exchange will include all of the
missionaries at Entre Rios and Turvo plus Lizena, Marilda, Etienne, and
Josiane. We are going to a buffet in Guarapuava. Our baby sitters at Entre
Rios will be Loeci, Kristen, Claudemir, Jessica, Vagner and Jacqueline (who have
moved back to Colônia Vitória from Bahia) and a friend of Loeci´s. I think they
should be able to handle it. Please always be praying for the CLM
Team.
We have been facing a lice problem.
It is a constant battle and if you let up, which we did, it really comes on
strong. A good solution for some of the boys is the shaved head route. Four of
the younger ones got really into it today. We have some pretty funny pictures
to share with you.
School is really winding down to the
end. It is hard to keep the kids motivated. Some have already passed and
others are done with all of their tests. Some have recuperation, but for the
most part, it is a lot of games, parties, and movies now. It will be nice when
they finally are out.
This Saturday, is Kelly´s High School
graduation. Kelly is Evanira´s daughter and a CLM granddaughter. She is very
bright and a good student. She will be taking the college entrance exam in
January. Please pray that she gets in. She has a good chance and the free
state university will probably be her only chance to go to
college.
On Monday, Mike and Mary will be
taking Lucilene to Curitiba for an appointment with one more doctor about her
scoliosis before marking her surgery. Hopefully, it can be marked for January
right after the wedding. She is also in need of surgery to remove a tooth that
is planted in the roof of her mouth. It is unseen, but there. She will be
getting braces on her teeth after that. She has a lot on her plate. Please
keep Lucilene in your prayers.
Next week, we will be making 3 trips
to the city in the evening to buy presents for our family gift exchange. It
continues to be R$4,00 a piece, about $2.50. The kids enjoy seeing the
Christmas decorations at night. We decorated the tree tonight. Probably the
best thing about the Christmas season is when the kids away from home start
coming home. Berenice will be the first to get home on the 15th and then Vera
and Loeci on the 23rd. Elisabete and Julio will only be here on New Years.
Ivone will come then and maybe Solange, too. Christmas to me is about family.
That was when God began His invitation for us to join His family.
An update on Mariane´s appointment:
Dr. Decio Filho said that we will only have to wait it out. The finger will
tell us how much of it has circulation. He didn´t think that the coloring looked
too bad and didn´t think that she would lose anymore than the very tip, if
anything. He said it could take a couple of more weeks to tell what will
happen. May God move this mountain. We claim complete healing and recovery of
complete movement. Amen!
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Mariane - that God in all of His
mercy and to His honor and glory would bring complete healing to her little
finger.
2) Radical Transformation - for
revival in the hearts of our young people, that Jesus would become their best
friend, for filling of the Holy Spirit, for powerful impact on the entire
family.
3) Dr. Glauco - that the Lord would
continue to guide him and fill him with God´s wisdom, for the implementing of
the new law, for a good working relationship with CLM, for the future of the
children who are at CLM now.
4) CLM Team - pray for each one of
the missionaries - Luiz, Aninha, Natalia, Fabio, Edit, Viktória, Lobinho,
Joanna, Bethany, Jake, Amanda, Mike, Mary C., and Mary G. - for daily renewal,
for wisdom, patience, love, and fellowship with the Lord and each
other.
5) Lice problem - that in the name
of Jesus, we will have victory.
6) End of the School Year - that
those in recuperation will do their very best to bring up their grades, that as
many as possible would pass the year, for a strong finish.
7) Kelly - for a memorable
graduation, for a bright future, that she would get into the State
University.
8) Lucilene - that the Lord would be
in control of all that she is facing, that Mike and Mary would have all the
right questions to ask on Monday, for God´s timing for the surgery, that the
surgery on her tooth and the braces could be done yet this month, that she will
be in God´s hands all the way.
9) Rita - had a bike accident today
and scraped herself up pretty bad. Pray for rapid healing.
10) Tree planting project for CLM
Turvo - they have applied for a donation of transplants to plant Eucalyptus
trees. Pray for the approval of this project and the carrying out of
it.
11) Letricia and Luana (Turvo) - for
their health and development, that Luana could sleep better, that Letricia would
not fall as easily.
12) For end of year visitors - for
the CLM Plus kids that will be coming home, for Rebecca (Curitiba) and her
friend (Germany) who will be spending 2 to 3 weeks in Turvo.
13) Vacation - that it can be well
planned for projects and fun activities, good family times, renewal and
preparation for the new school year.
14) Allan - that he would find a job
and get experience, that next year he would enter college or a vocational
course.
15) Jessica - for safe travels home
by way of Foz do Iquaçu on Sunday, for getting all of the footage she needs to
pull together a DVD, that her experience at CLM will have changed her life
forever and eternally.
16) Financial needs of CLM - that
the donations would raise, as well as, the exchange rate, for the 2010 budget
and all of the cut backs that are necessary, for Mike as he orients and directs
the direction we need to take, for everyone´s cooperation.
Thank you for standing in prayer for
us. We depend on your participation in this ministry.
God bless,
Mary
