Archive for the ‘Ministry’ Category

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My Girls

February 5, 2010

Once a week between five and eight little girls would come scampering over to our house
To spend several hours with me. We would play games, do crafts, talk about life, read the Bible, giggle, bake yummy American treats, pray, talk about our families and just hang out. I taught some of them to sew, they were exceedingly patient with my bumbling Portuguese, and we all became, I believe, extra special to one another. So here we are one and half years later and my “girls” are growing up. I picked up four of them yesterday for an afternoon downtown eating ice cream, walking in the park and just hanging out. I saw lipstick and glittery eye shadow, boys are no longer completely icky, sixth grade is starting on Monday and time marches on. On one hand it was a delightful few hours together and on the other it pained my heart to hear of parents splitting up, teenager sisters who are pregnant and fathers who are abusing alcohol and drugs. I hold these young girls dear to my heart and I pray that the truth of God’s word will take root in their hearts, that other ladies in the church will invest in and mentor them and that these girls will choose a life surrendered to Christ. I do not know how many more times I will get to see them as we are moving to a new city on Monday, but I am thankful for them, for what God has taught me through them and I will continue to pray for each of these sweet girls daily by name…Gabriella, Giovanna, Leticia, Carla, Aleini, Nadialie. Deborah, Isabella.

for more recent pictures check out the pictures and videos page

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Changes

January 30, 2010

As Marla and I were driving the other day we were remembering how different life used to be for us here in Brazil. Car seats didn’t used to be a permanent fixture in our car in fact we didn’t even have a car. We remembered the time that Kim, Aaron and Lon all came down at the same time for a visit. We remembered that we did the best we could to provide transportation for our little gang and somehow managed to borrow three extra bikes for our friends. Then on our first ride of to a park across the city bike #1, #2, and #3 all broke down within 1.5 miles of each other. Suddenly we had people walking, and getting lost in neighborhoods as we split up in an attempt to get home. Then we remembered how one of our first bikes had a pedal that continually seemed to fall off at the 3.5 miles from home mark, and how we’d have to “ride/coast” it back. We laughed as we remembered the city turning the water off for days while we had a houseful of company and taking “showers” in the rain that poured off the roof. We sighed as we remembered the hours we spent studying Portuguese and the labor of trying to communicate with people. We remembered working on our first stove, loaned to us from our friend David, with black electrical tape and random wires trying to keep it working after years of sitting on his back porch. I remember trying to play court soccer barefoot after my only pair of soccer shoes ripped out. We remembered eating every day the only meal that we knew how to cook: potatoes, eggs and sausage.

Yeah, things have changed for us this time around. It takes us longer to get out the door, but shorter to get where we are going. We haven’t had to fight against the inconveniences of leaky roofs, jimmy-rigged stoves and not knowing how to communicate, and we eat a much more balanced diet. However we have become responsible for more things, have had to let our friends here know that we will not be staying in this city, have had to see people that we have poured love into not walking with Jesus, had to learn to balance work and family and have a little girl who is really starting to test her limits. Just yesterday in the car Samara said “Daddy loves me… even when I’m having a hard time. Mommy, I love you… even when you’re having a hard time too.” God is good, and we are thankful that He remains the same.

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January 11, 2010

Good moring.  A few days ago, as I was contimplating our big move that is coming up here in a few days, God spoke to me and gave me an illustration to help me guide my thoughts and energies as we prepare to make the cultural “jump.”  To read more about it click the following link: The Standing Long Jump

*oh yeah, Noelle is really starting to walk now.  To see a little video of her, check out our pictures and videos page.

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It’s Official

November 13, 2009

MicahYesterday afternoon, I got a call from our headquarters office in Indiana, and was informed that Marla and I have officially been released to go back to Brazil in January.  God is good and has shown Himself faithful again and again.  To read a little more about it click the following link. Good News Comes in Pairs