Dear Prayer Warrior,
Another late start, so let´s see if I
can summarize more than usual. I´m not so good at that. The truth is I love
sharing about our life here, what God is doing, and the people I love so much.
I love knowing that there are many (the exact number, we have no idea) Prayer
Warriors out there anxiously waiting to get this letter and committed to praying
for all of the prayer requests. You often don´t get this letter until
Wednesday, because it has taken me until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning (due to
many interruptions and other responsibilities) to finish it and finally send it
out. Brett knows to look for it in the morning, if it didn´t arrive before he
went to bed. As I know God has convicted you of your calling to pray, He has
convicted me to be faithful and committed to getting the CLM news out. So let´s
continue together. It is wonderful to be a part of His Kingdom.
CLM ENTRE
RIOS:
Our most exciting news is that the
CLM 2010 Calendars are finished and in hand. They are beautiful. Viktória out
did herself again. They are colorful with lots of pictures of very special
children. Doesn´t that make you want to buy one or be a distributor of them.
Please read the attached letter offering you that chance.
We had a full week of activities
since this is the last full week of winter break. The public schools start back
tomorrow and the private school, next Tuesday. I think we can say that it was a
"Patrick Week". With lots of creativity and a heart full of the desire to bless
the children he has come to love so much, he organized special activities for
all. Monday and Wednesday were trips to the city with two different groups of
the younger children to go to the Children´s Park and Wildlife Museum with a
special treat afterwards. Tuesday night was a trip to the Bonna Bonnyne
Pizzaria with the older girls´ devotions group and Wednesday was the same for
the boys´ devotions group. All day on Thursday was Art Day. Patrick and
Viktória, with the assistance of several others, planned mini-workshops for
every group of kids, according to age and abilities. The younger kids prepared
a song to sing. Donei made a CD with Patrick with the guitar. The older kids
put on a pantomimed play similar to one that had been presented at church and
did a great job. Thursday night, all of the art work and talents were shared
with the family. It was a great time where everyone could experience the joy of
talents well expressed. We are thankful to Patrick for blessing us all. On
Friday night, there was a bonfire to celebrate the end of vacation and as a
good-bye to Willian.
Willian left on Saturday to live with
his father. He has never lived with his father since his father left his mother
on the doorstep of the hospital when they had a fight and the mother told him
the child was not his. He never met Willian until he came to CLM at 9 years of
age. He had his doubts that he was even his son until he couldn´t deny that the
semblance was too obvious. Since the mother had been abusive to Willian and her
lifestyle is not contusive to raising a son and the father has means to raise
him, it was determined that that would be the solution. The father, the
stepmother, and Willian are not real sure about this plan. We encouraged him to
give it his best and trust that God has a purpose for this direction in his
life. Please pray for him and this major and not so welcomed change in his
life.
Over the weekend, Marilda, Caroline,
Carolaine, and I went to Curitiba. Since I was going anyway, we arranged for
the twins to be able to spend some time with Jozsef and Maria, a couple
interested in adopting them (of which they are unaware of for now). Berenice
and the girls stayed at the couple´s house while the rest of us stayed at
Elisabete and Julio´s house. On Sunday, Julio prepared a wonderful churrasco
for all of his sister-in-laws and their families and of course, his
mother-in-law! If was a very treasured moment for me to be with 8 of the
CLM daughters and their families. To see the beautiful people that they have
become, for the mothers and wives that they are, and the love they have for each
other and for me warms my heart so much. Pray for Berenice, Solange,
Elisabete, Elenize, Neusa, Marilda, Vera, and Santina.
Our first set of visitors have
arrived. Mike and Mary went to pick up their friends, Chris and Cindy in
Curitiba and they made it home already. One bag was misrouted, but is on
it´s way and should arrive here tonight or tomorrow. Chris and Cindy will be
staying for 3 weeks. Greg, Linda, Kyle, Austin, and Erica Smith have arrived in
Curitiba and are on a bus that will come to the colonies (they did arrive). Our
friends, Jozsef and Maria picked them up at the airport and took care of
them. One bag was misrouted, but is on it´s way and should arrive here tonight
or tomorrow. Does that sound like a repeat? The Smith family will be staying a
week. Please pray for all of our visitors that the Lord would work in them and
through them and keep them safe and healthy.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) CLM 2010 Calendars - praise God
for Viktória´s creativity and diligence, pray that they will be well distributed
and be a blessing to anyone who buys or receives one (they make great Christmas
gifts), that God would bless it as a tool to promote CLM nationally and
internationally, that there will be enough income to cover next year´s
calendar expenses.
2) Return to School - praise God for
a good and special time during vacation, God´s preparations for the children to
go back to school, that the second half of the year can be stronger than the
first half, for Rita and her serious behavioral problems in school, for Alex who
will be entering school for the first time and at mid-year, for God´s grace that
our students might have a healthy self confidence and determination to not quit
and to do their very best.
3) Patrick - will be leaving CLM on
next Wednesday after a little over 3 months of ministering at CLM. Pray for
God´s preparation of his heart as he leaves, that he will reflect on all that he
experienced and learned and allow God to use it in his future, for guidance and
God´s help as he enters college once again to pursue a major in Child Psychology
and related support areas, for safe travels, for spreading of the news of God´s
work at CLM.
4) Willian - that the Lord would
give him peace in his heart that this is where he needs to be at the moment and
that God is with him always, that he will be respectful and obedient to his
father and stepmother, that God would supply the opportunities to benefit his
life, that the seed of Jesus would blossom within him and attract
others.
5) Jozsef and Maria - that the Lord
would open the doors for them to adopt Caroline and Carolaine according to His
will and timing, God´s preparation of all involved, thankfulness for the new
friends we have.
6) CLM Sisters (as listed above) -
that God would do a mighty work in each of their lives and within their
families, that He would bless and protect each of them continually, that they
would continue to grow and learn and be all that God desires of and for them,
for many more opportunities to be together.
7) Visitors - praise God for the
safe arrival of all of our guests, that God would reveal to their hearts all
that He desires to teach them, that they can get a good over view of CLM, that
they will promote CLM upon their return, for good health and God´s
protection.
8) Elaininha and the Stuber Family -
that the Lord would help them to get their visas and any other documents to be
able to arrive in Brazil soon, for God´s preparation of everyone´s hearts, for
understanding for Elaininha that God is giving her a forever family, for safe
travels to Brazil and within Brazil.
CLM
TURVO:
Greg and Jenny will be leaving next
week along with Patrick. They have spent their two month short term experience
at CLM Turvo and have been a tremendous help. They are already anticipating
having to leave and the CLM team is doing the same. May God bless them as they
reenter the U.S.A. and help them reflect on their experiences and the growth
they acquired during their stay. That the whole CLM family would adjust to
their absence.
Josefina, 1 1/2 years old, has been
released for adoption. It will take no time to find a family for her because of
her age and good health. Luiz and Aninha are going to especially miss her since
she has lived in their home most of her time at CLM. Pray for God´s preparation
of everyone involved and that He would choose the couple of His choice for our
little Josefina.
The mother of a very close friend of
Luiz and Aninha and actually of the entire family, has cancer. Marize and her
husband have so blessed CLM with a trip to their farm in Maringá, providing book
bags and all the necessary supplies at the beginning of the school year. Please
pray for Marize´s mother that the Lord would spare her life and give her
continual comfort no matter what she goes through.
Wilher will be 13 years old on
Wednesday, July 22nd. He is the brother of Luana and Tamara. They came to CLM
when their mother ran off with another man leaving the stepfather with the
children. He turned them over to the authorities. It was later discovered that
the man with whom their mother left is the father of the 5 siblings we have at
Entre Rios. Wilher is a quiet boy and has a very strong relationship with
Luana. I believe he is in the 4th grade and is an average student. He is a
good worker and obedient. Pray for Wilher as he grows and develops and learns
more about the Lord Jesus.
The CLM Turvo family have visitors
from Nepomuceno. Carlinho is a professional hairdresser and has greatly bless
the children with nice hair cuts and lice treatments. Tomorrow, he will be
doing the same for Entre Rios. What a wonderful blessing.
PRAYER REQUESTS:
1) Greg and Jenny - may the Lord be
preparing them for their departure while keeping their experience very much
alive in their hearts, may He also help the CLM family to adjust without them,
may He bless them will safe travels and readjustment to the U.S., may He also
guide their futures and help Jenny to find a job in the Tremont
area.
2) Josefina - may the Lord choose a
very special family for her, may He help Luiz and Aninha and their family as
well as all of the others to adjust to her leaving, may they always cherish her
in their hearts, for God´s preparation of Josefina and her adjustment to her new
family.
3) Marize´s mother - that God would
heal her of the cancer and be glorified in and through her life.
4) Carlinho and his family - God´s
blessings for the blessings that they are bringing during their visit, for safe
travels home.
5) Willian and Gabriel - for their
continued adjustment to be back at CLM, that they will overcome the violence
they show to each other, for inner healing of the many traumas they have
experienced, that God would accomplish His plans for them.
6) Wilher - may the Lord bring deep
inner healing and develop a healthy self esteem, may He help him with his
studies and continually develop his character, bless his relationship with his
sisters, may the Lord guide his future.
7) Return to school - for God´s
preparation for all of the CLM Turvo students, that they can have a strong
second half of the year, that those who are weak will get the help they need,
for more voluteers to help with homework and reinforcement, for good behavior at
school.
8) Aninha - for God´s timing and
preparation for her surgery, for tolerance and strength to endure the constant
pain she experiences, for joy in her heart and in the service of the Lord, that
all of her needs would be met.
9) More missionaries and short
termers - that God would wake up His people to see that the harvest is great,
but the laborers few.
10) Luana (baby) - for good health
and overcoming the cronic respiratory difficulties, that she would be released
for adoption and adopted according to God´s will.
Thank you for allowing me to share my
heart with you. Let´s come before the throne of grace together praying over all
of our children and God´s ministry at CLM. May the enemy be put on the run and
kept in his place always.
counting on victory in
Jesus,
Mary
