Tuesday, February 2, 2010, Brazil
Dear Prayer Warrior,
CLM ENTRE RIOS:
Viktória´s sister, Zsuzsa arrived in
Curitiba on Wednesday. The plans were to come to CLM on Thursday, but our car
was not ready until late Friday afternoon. Thankfully, they got home safely and
even brought Lizena with them. It has been fun to get to know Zsuzsa. She has
the Hungarian friendliness and a serving heart. She even manicures feet,
followed by a great massage. For sure, the sisters will be enjoying their 6
weeks together.
The fun for the weekend was that the
CLM Turvo family came for an overnighter. They were able to get a donation of
gas and an extra van to go to Guarapuava to some interesting sites and then came
on to CLM Entre Rios. They arrived at about 4:00 Saturday afternoon. There was
time to get some volleyball and swimming in. There was a cookout planned, but
it started raining just as the hamburgers were getting finished. So it was an
indoor picnic. The kids slept mixed all up in various rooms in the house. It
was good seeing them mix with each other more than other times they have been
together. Sunday morning, we had our CLM Sunday School, family lunch with a
full table, and an afternoon of swimming and sports. Some of the Turvo kids had
their first experience at the big waterfalls near us. Sunday evening, we all
went to church and the Turvo family left after that. It made us all desire to
do much more of this type of interchange.
Viktória was surprised to be
contacted by the Soroptimist Club once again. This time they were interested in
submitting her name for a national award called "Prêmio Soroptimista Ruby: For
Women Helping Women. It would benefit CLM with a $5000 prize. She has been
gathering information that depicts the ministry. It has been interesting to see
how God has been providing everything she needs. We ask for your prayers that
if it would be God´s will, that she would be selected.
School will be starting for 2 schools
on Monday and for the other one on Tuesday. Book bags and school materials are
all ready, as well as, uniforms for those who are required to wear them. A
homework list is being made and we are trying to get them excited about the
idea. Mariane and Nicole will be going for the first time, so you can image
that they are probably about the most excited of all right now. Please pray for
Joanna and Lobinho as they let Nicole out of their sight and in the hands of the
school for 4 hours every afternoon. It is very hard for them, but they are
thrilled that she has gotten this far. Pray also that it can be a good school
year for all and that each of the kids can develop more self-motivation and
independence in their studies this year.
On Friday, I went to talk to
Mariane´s doctor about her finger. I still had more questions. The other
option, other than putting in a pin, was to cut the finger off at the second
joint, which might in the end provide more function. We have prayed so much
that she would not lose her finger, that opting for this just was not settling.
The idea of making such a decision for someone else´s body was really weighing.
When the doctor seemed to be concluding that that would be the best way to go, I
asked him that if it was his daughter, would that be what he would do. He
hesitated and then said, "I think so." As we continued to talk, he changed his
mind and decided we could go more conservative and a more radical surgery could
always be done at a future time. So it was decided that he would open the tip
and shave off some of the bone and close the tip again and open the side to
put in a pin to secure the finger in a resting position. He said he would take
care of everything and that I was to call him on Wednesday. I went to the car
and praised and thanked the Lord for intervening and being present in that
conversation. After the doctor´s, I went to the Courthouse and had
a conversation with the Social Worker. She shared that Mariane´s mother had
died, having been run over by a semi-truck. Her father has released his rights
and Mariane will be freed for adoption very soon. Another reason, that I was
thankful for the decision to do more conservative surgery. Please keep praying
for Mariane for her surgery, for her understanding of the news about her mother,
and for a wonderful family to adopt her according to God´s will.
Mike and Mary are leaving today for a
2 month furlough in the United States. They will return on the 31st of March.
They will be doing fund raising and rest and renewal. With their leaving,
Lobinho and Joanna´s return from vacation, and school starting, there has been a
major need of reorganizing the schedules and responsibilities. Pray for Mike
and Mary and for the CLM staff and kids during this period.
We have several birthdays this
month. This week we have 3: Tomorrow, February 3rd, Berenice will be 29 years
old, on Wednesday, February 4th, Marilda will be 39 years old, and on Sunday,
February 7th, Moanna will be 8 years old. Berenice came to CLM with her sister,
Elenize when she was 7 years old. Her mother had abandoned the family and her
father was not able to continue to take care of them. Berenice proved to be a
go getter during her growing up years, studying and perfecting her English and
Computer skills and dreaming of going to college after High School. She was one
of the first two members of the CLM Plus Program, moving to Curitiba in 2000
with Elisabete. They lived in a small apartment behind the house of friends for
the first year, then moved into an apartment across the street. Berenice
started college that first year and graduated in 2004. She worked at various
apprenticeships and continues to have a variety of experiences in her field of
International Business. She has initiated her Post-Graduate work in
Economics/Accounting. She has also taught English on and off. She is presently
in between jobs. She continues to live in Curitiba, recently moving into an
apartment with two Christian friends. Pray for Berenice for continual growth in
all areas of her life and that she will trust it all to the Lord
Jesus.
Marilda came to CLM when she was 12
years old. Within that first year her mother died of alcohol poisoning.
Marilda married Jelson when she was 19 years old and within the next several
years had Douglas, now 17, Manuelly, now 15, and Samily, now 12. Marilda
returned to school to finish High School and then went onto college for
Executive Secretary. Various problems lead to separation and for the most part,
Marilda has been raising the 3 children. The road has been rough, but Marilda
has continued on, especially as a committed mother. She has even taken in a
friend of Manuelly, Betina who was having difficulties with her
stepfather. Marilda now works at CLM as our Secretary and is very efficient and
committed to the children and the ministry. Pray for Marilda that the Lord will
always give her the strength she needs to face the trials and continually grow
in the confidence that He is in control. Pray also that she will have the means
to build a house on the property that they bought close by to CLM.
Moanna is the oldest daughter of
Lobinho and Joanna and the sister to Nicole. Moanna is a very beautiful,
petite, intelligent and capable young girl. She likes to sing and dance and
perform. She is good at taking care of her little sister with special needs.
She is very expressive and very into all that is going on around her. Pray for
Moanna as she goes into the second grade and that she would continue to be a
good student. Pray that she can deal with the added attention that Nicole gets
because of her condition and grow to be a mature, responsible, and well balanced
young adult.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Zsuzsa - pray that her 6 weeks at
CLM will be extremely special to her, that Viktória and her can have lots
of memorable experiences and times together, that CLM will leave a lasting
impact on her life.
2) Viktória - that God´s will will
be done in regards to the Soroptimist Club Reward - For Women helping Women, to
be able to take full advantage of her sister´s visit, for good
health.
3) School starting - that the Lord
would bless the 3 schools that we work with with good teachers and
administrators, that it would be a good school year academically and
behaviorally, for young Aline that we can discover what her learning
difficulties are so we can help her have a successful year, for Lucão that he
would be motivated and cooperative and pass the year, that all the others who
passed weak or failed would have a strong year, for all the homework helpers to
have much patience and diligence, for Nicole and Mariane who will be starting
school for the first time, for Lobinho and Joanna as they release Nicole and
trust that the Lord will protect her from any harm.
4) Mariane - for her surgery, for receiving of the news of her mother´s
death, for adoption that God would choose the perfect family for her, that she
would feel secure and safe through all of this.
5) Mike and Mary - for safe travels,
for all of their plans during their furlough, for renewing and a clear guiding
from the Lord.
6) Berenice - may the Lord bring
growth in all areas of her life, for the finding of the right job for her, for
continual development professionally, for all of her relationships.
7) Marilda - that the Lord would be
her strength and her joy in all the trials she faces, for growth in all areas of
her life, for her readjustment as she returns from vacation, for the building of
her house this year.
8) Moanna - that she would mature
and grow, that she can continue to be a good big sister to Nicole, that she
would do well in school, that she would grow in her understanding of Jesus and
all He is to us.
9) CLM Staff - that the Lord would
give us wisdom and guidance in this ministry, that we would grow in unity,
always being flexible and passionate in that which the Lord has called us to,
for renewal every day and good health, for spiritual protection.
10) Claudemir - pray that he will
find a job and a place to live before school starts in 2 weeks, pray for his
spiritual awakening and good choice making.
11) Josiane - her friend, André will
be visiting next week. May the Lord reveal His will in their relationship, for
the further development of her ministry at CLM, for her relationship with the
children, for assuming the authority that she has, for growth in all areas of
her life.
12) Kevin and Elaine and family -
that the Lord would open all of the doors for their coming - selling of their
house, raising of support, visa for Kevin, plane tickets, and a date, for
preparation of heart and spirit for the ministry that God has for
them.
CLM
TURVO:
I wish I had some more details about
Luiz and Aninha´s trip. It is a time when you wish you could have been a mouse
to see and hear all the interactions and conversations, making up for 50 years
of separation. I´m anxious to hear the stories first hand. They are to be
returning to CLM tomorrow, so please be praying for safety on their long trip
back. The Lord has blessed the CLM family during their absence. Fabio and Edit
have learned a lot and have certainly risen to the occasion. Rosilda and
Kristen and Aline while she was there also were a big help and rose to meet the
needs. Kristen and Rosilda will be returning to Entre Rios. Rosilda for just a
week before she goes on to Curitiba to visit her sister and Kristen until the
end of her stay at the beginning of March. May God continue to bless the
ministry at CLM Turvo, may He help Luiz, Aninha, and Natalia as they re-enter
and Fabio and Edit as they adjust to the changes. May they grow as a team in
unity, flexibility, and passion.
School will also be starting up for
them. Pray for the schools they work with, for their teachers and
administrators. Pray for the motivation and good study habits for all of
their students. Also, that they can have the homework and reinforcement help
that they need. Pray that Fabio can get a computer lab set up for the children
and that their internet service would become more reliable. Pray especially for
Letricia and her learning difficulties and for Tainara, Willian, and Gabriel for
their behavioral problems at school. Pray for a successful year.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Luiz and Aninha and family - for
a safe trip home, for reflecting on and sorting out all of the emotions of their
trip and their new relationship with Luiz´s family, for readjustment to their
responsibilities and relationships, for the growing of the ministry at CLM
Turvo.
2) Allan - missed an opportunity for
a job while in Minas Gerais, so please keep praying that he will be in the right
place at the right time to get a job.
3) Rosilda - may God bless her for
her help at Turvo during Luiz, Aninha, and Natalia´s absence, for safe travels
until her return to Canada, for special times with her relatives, for the
opening of doors of opportunities once she returns to Canada.
4) Kristen - may God bless her for
all that she has given during her short term experience, may He bless the last
month that she has here, may the Lord guide and direct her life and
future.
5) Fabio and Edit - for God´s
renewal during their 4 days off, for supporters committed to financially support
them in the ministry that God has called them to, for trust in the Lord for all
of their needs, for growth in relationships and understanding of their own gifts
to be applied to the ministry, for good health and strength and joy every
day.
6) Letricia - for her special needs,
praise God for her weight gain and growth, for God´s continual protection over
her, for help with her learning difficulties.
7) Tainara - for improvement of her
behavior especially in school, for better learning, for her future that she
would be released for adoption.
8) Finances - for increased
donations for CLM Turvo, for maintaining the budget, for the dollar to continue
to rise, for grants or donations locally to help supplement.
9) Andy and Katie and little Roth -
praise the Lord that their visa was granted, that the Lord would help them with
all of the final details for their trip, that He would mark the date, that Jake
and Amanda can find a good house or apartment for them to rent, for their
language lessons, for God´s determination as to where they will be ministering
after the language studies.
We continue to have hot days and lots
of rain on and off. It has rained for about 40 days straight with at least one
short shower a day or downpours all day long. Things are soggy, but the crops
are growing really fast. Thank you for sharpening your swords and spears, and
lifting your bow for us, mighty Prayer Warrior.
winning the battle,
Mary
