Cuteness......

Some people wonder how I can survive in the baby-toddler house, but there are very many reasons. The babies are so sweet and open in their affection. Almost every day I am called “beautiful”, especially if I ever happen to wear a dress. I was told that I smelled wonderful and have beautiful lipstick. The boys say that I have a beautiful car, keys and cell phone. They say that I can fix anything and make anything fly, get any shoe on any foot. Every morning I am greeted with many warm strong long hugs, and when I leave to many kisses goodbye and sometimes tears. Today for example, I left without kissing one of the little boys goodbye and he got up from his chair at dinner time, calling my name until I would finally come back and kiss him goodbye. Air kisses didn’t count, I had to go all the way back and give a real kiss and hug

New found friendship

We discovered a new rehab home located in a town close to us in Pedreira. Whenever we have had teams come in the past, we always brought them to a rehab in Cosmopolis, but this home recently closed. Through the closing of this home, we discovered new friends, Marcelo, Americo, e Renato who always welcome us and any teams or volunteers to visit their work in Pedreira. Last week, we brought our volunteers from Holland, USA, and Canada to sing some songs and see the work that our friends are doing with drug addicts and street people. We all sensed God’s peace and his presence when we were visiting, and our Dutch volunteers commented on how nice the men staying in the program were. We saw the animals that they care for and even brought home with us one of the baby bunnies which will eventually be given to the baby house to care for. As Marcelo once told me, this friendship is a gift from God!

HAVING FUN.....

Having fun—what do you get one you take three volunteers from Holland, a crazy Canadian, and a nice American girl? The answer is a very nice group of people who are currently working for us at Lar Feliz. Having these volunteers enables us to do more fun activities with the children. We were able to take the babies on more outings, and we have been able to do paintings, and swimming as well as horseback riding. One morning the Dutchies made some homemade clay based of flour and salt and water. It was a big hit with all of the children. Travis is working as one of the project’s coordinators and has been a blessing by praying with the children and helping in many areas. He has a long-term calling for Brazil and Lar Feliz and was granted a missionary visa for one year. Ruth will be with us for a month and every day she will be in a different area helping out. We also have a lot of wonderful times together enjoying funny stories and good food. What a blessing it is to have this group come and serve with us!

A friend disappears.....

He was the godfather or sponsor of two of our little girls who were orphans. He was an exceptionally good sponsor who never forgot a birthday or holiday, and he gave them wonderful presents. The little girls adored him immensely. One day without very much of an explanation he stopped altogether also breaking the contact with all of us. The oldest of the two girls took this change really hard, even though it is part of life that friends come and go. She became very depressed for months and even began to do destructive things to herself and to others. She went to a youth retreat, and Jesus did give her peace, and she began to get better. When D. who had grown up at Lar Feliz, heard this news, he told me not to worry. He said that these girls were his family, and he would be their brother. He would check on them, and he would pray for them. Sometimes in this world, friends come and go, but there is a friend who stays closer than a brother. Now the two little girls are growing more happy and beautiful every day. Last week, they decided to give me a book of theirs and some of their clothes that didn’t fit anymore for the babies at the baby house to use.

I understand now.....

We had been having a hard week at the baby house with some of the little boys. There were some changes in staff, and as a result some of the babies were constantly fighting and breaking things. We kept at disciplining them, as well as taking time to talk to them. Sometimes it is hard for adults to understand what is going on in their little minds; and then came the day that we were to go together with the baby house to the Expoflora, a Dutch flower festival in Holambra. It was a perfect day, a time where not one of the children even disobeyed. They watched everything carefully and went on the rides, clapping their little hands and laughing. Later that week, I had some time with three of the little ones who each told me that they missed their moms. My heart broke for them, but I also understood more why they do the things they do.

WATERMELON

It was a hot sunny afternoon, and I went by the baby house to see how everything was going. We had some new monitors, and I wanted to be sure that everything was going okay. It was snack time, and someone had bought the babies a nice big watermelon. I have seen watermelon eaten with a fork and knife, but I guess the best way to eat it was the same as the babies did: Roll up your sleeves and dig in. The babies were eating every bite, asking for another piece, the juice of the watermelon dripping down their faces and arms. They were strangely quiet as they were concentrating on eating, taking out the little seeds too. I have to confess that it was the best delicious tasting watermelon that I had ever seen, but never tasted!

Lar Feliz in the tree business!!

Lar Feliz, as some of might remember, starter a green house with native tree starters last April. We have several goals we want to accomplish with it, the most important one would be teach the children, no matter what age, to take of God's creation. We are growing native trees who will be used to replant where trees have been cut down. God told us all the way in the beginning to take care of the earth and Lar Feliz wants to be part of that. We also want to teach the children that in order to maintain yourself in life you will have to work for it. Most all of the children come from families who do not work and get mostly everything donated by the government. We don't want to hand out fish, but we want to teach them how to catch the fish.

Thirdly, the sales of the trees will help pay the bills of Lar Feliz. Holambra holds a big flower festival every year and we were able to put our trees in the big plant store. Pray for good sales...

We could really use your prayers the next couple of months. Like the end of every year we need to raise quite a bit of money to close the year 2010 off with all the bills paid. These trees could really help with that, so right now we are making all kinds of contacts in order to sell them for a good price. Pray with us??

God is faithful

Yesterday Paul brought me to the hospital to see the doctor about my cough. Since working in the baby house, I have struggled with getting sick very often with colds and flu. Also, the dry weather here plays a part because of all of the dust in the air. The doctor said that I have allergies and put me on breathing treatments and medicines. Already it has helped a lot. It feels so good to take a deep breath. It will certainly help my work go easier not to mention playing the flute. God is faithful.

GOD'S 26 Guards

GOD'S 26 Guards

Here's a message that will bring you chills.

Have you ever felt the urge to pray for someone and

Then just put it on a list and said,

'I'll pray for them later?'

Or has anyone ever called you and said,

'I need you to pray for me, I have this need?'

Read the following story that was sent to me and

May it change the way that you may think about prayer and also
The way you pray.
You will be blessed by this....

A missionary on furlough told this true story while

Visiting his home church in Michigan .

'While serving at a small field hospital in Africa ,

Every two weeks I traveled by bicycle

Through the jungle to a nearby city for supplies.

This was a journey of two days and

Required camping overnight at the halfway point.

On one of these journeys, I arrived in the city

Where I planned to collect money from a bank,
Purchase medicine, and supplies, and then begin
My two-day journey back to the field hospital.

Upon arrival in the city, I observed two men fighting,
One of whom had been seriously injured.
I treated him for his injuries and at the same time
Talked to him about the Lord.

I then traveled two days, camping overnight, and
Arrived home without incident....

Two weeks later I repeated my journey.
Upon arriving in the city,
I was approached by the young man I had treated.
He told me that he had known I carried
Money and medicines.
He said, 'Some friends and I followed you in to the jungle,
Knowing you would camp overnight.
We planned to kill you and take your money and drugs.
But just as we were about to move into your camp,
We saw that you were surrounded by 26 armed guards.
At this, I laughed and said that I was
Certainly all alone in that jungle campsite.
The young man pressed the point, however, and said,
'No, sir, I was not the only person to see the guards,
My friends also saw them, and we all counted them.
It was because of those guards that
We were afraid and left you alone.'

At this point in the sermon,
One of the men in the congregation jumped to his feet and
Interrupted the missionary and asked if he could tell him the
Exact day this happened.
The missionary told the congregation the date, and
The man who interrupted told him this story:

'On the night of your incident in Africa ,
It was morning here and I was preparing to go play golf.
I was about to putt when I felt the urge to pray for you.
In fact, the urging of the Lord was so strong,
I called men in this church to meet with me here
In the sanctuary to pray for you.

Would all of those men who met with me on that day stand up?'
The men who had met together to pray that day stood up.
The missionary wasn't concerned with who they were,
He was too busy counting how many men he saw.

There were 26

This story is an incredible example of how
The Spirit of the Lord moves in behalf of those who love Him.
If you ever hear such prodding, go along with it.

Nothing is ever hurt by prayer except the gates of hell.
I encourage you to forward this to as many people
As you know.
If we all take it to heart,
We can turn this world toward God once again.
As the above true story clearly illustrates,
'With God all things are possible'.

More importantly, how God hears and
Answers the prayers of the faithful.

After you read this, please pass it on and
Give God thanks for the beautiful gift of your faith,
For the powerful gift of prayer, and for the many miracles
He works in your own daily life... And then pass it on.
Who says God does not move on the earth today?

I asked the Lord to bless you as I prayed for you today.
To guide you and protect you as you go along your way.
His love is always with you, His promises are true, and
when we give Him our cares you know
He will see us through.
So when the road you're traveling on seems
difficult at best,
Just remember I'm here praying,
and God will do the rest.

Please don’t touch the flowers!

Please don’t touch the flowers! Today we are having a babies’ day out and bringing the whole baby house to the Expo-Flora, a Dutch celebration with culture and flower expositions. Our babies are used to nature walks, and it is quite a wonderful time always whenever we walk though the path to the animal farm. All of them like to pick the flowers and collect leaves that we put in water when we get back home. The big test today will be if we can keep their hands out of all of the beautiful flower that are on display, but I am sure that it will be a wonderful time!

O HAPPY DAY......

O Happy Day—Yesterday, the whole baby house had to have the pictures taken for an identification card necessary for Brazil. I took the kids in groups of five together with another monitor into town to have them done. So we went, each of them all clean with their best shorts and shirts on, teeth brushed, hair combed. One of the things that they most love to do is to go for a ride in our car. They squeal with delight whenever we go over a bump on the dirt roads and ask me to turn up the music as loud as possible. The little busy boys kept messing with everything that they could see from the ceiling lamp to the photographer’s expensive equipment. But when it came for the time to smile and say X, they all did make a pretty picture.