Soccer and Volleyball
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The community comes together for the week-end before Christmas for a Children’s event, a volleyball game, a “Marrieds vs Singles” soccer game, and other similar festivities.
Via heads down the hill to help with the Children’s Christmas Event.
Bella serves in the volleyball game.
The Marrieds Team won over the Singles Team, so now the teasing will go on for this next whole year, about how the singles need to drink more milk, etc.
Two of these three boys are brothers. Their mother was murdered last year, so they live with their aging grandparents just outside the church gate. I get the feeling they would like to be done with childhood so they could earn some money, earn the respect of those around them, and make their way in the world. They always want to show me how strong they are, and how hard they can work, and the love to play with my cell phone. Unfortunately, I hardly have any time for them, and their story is common in our neighbourhood.
Cesar played soccer on the Singles Team.
Anni and Via spent a lot of time by the soccer field when they lived here.
Anni and Via are Home for Christmas!
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Even though Anni and Via have lived in Canada for three and a half years, when they come home for Christmas they still jump right in, and they can still speak Portuguese.
At the Children’s Christmas Party, Emma helps Aline organize an event.
At the Children’s Christmas Party, Emma helps Aline organize an event.
At the Christmas Youth Service, Anni played the keyboard.
Some of the neighbourhood boys watch the Christmas play. Monica made the artificial tree in the background by recycling two-litre pop bottles.
Emma Returns
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Emma got home Monday night, with four other young people from our church. They came home by bus on the Trans-Amazon Highway, a fourteen hours journey with about half the road paved. All was well until they came to a river where the bridge was gone. Washed away. Everyone had to get their bags and pay a motorboat to cross the river. Then they had to get on a different bus on the other side. Except there weren’t enough seats, because many buses were doing this, but there was standing room. Needless to say, they had a fun adventure. But that was not the best part. They were part of a prayer conference, and saw many outstanding instantaneous healings. Saturday morning they prayed for people in the marketplace with very cool results. Emma has lots of stories, and this is a week that will mark her life. And the same for these other youth.
Luciano, Paulo Roberto, Adriana, Sammi, and Emma
The Chacara
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The kids love the chacara (church property) even more when it is fruit season. But some of them are kind of untrained. This week when some of our leadership was travelling, we were less able to keep a close eye on their activities. They ended up moving a hose out of our view, playing with water for hours, and left the water running overnight, which eventually burnt out the water pump. Then they got into our old car, which we are trying to sell. They found some powder graphite and sprayed it all over inside and outside of the car, making a terrible mess. If we can keep loving them, having patience, keeping the big picture, who knows the plans God has for these kids? And when you hear their stories, it really helps.
Thais, who is up in a choke-cherry tree, is one of the girl’s good friends. She has a cute little baby, Melany.
The children bring bags so they can take home the fruit on our trees.
Bella is 16!
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Bella is 16!
Bella turned 16 years old today! We made mango pie and vanilla ice cream, to celebrate.
First Birthday Celebration Without Mom, (but we celebrated together throughout the day via Skype).
Emma and Bella collected two buckets of Bacuri Mangoes.
Bella tested two mango recipes, and they are both good.
Birthday Breakfast.
Permanence and Change
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Our Hope
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Altamira Trip
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At 6:30 a.m. Phil and Jen, Ivanildo and Monica, and as many youth as they could fit in their vehicles, headed out to a conference in Altamira. They allowed two days to get there, stopping along the way to visit the church in Pacaja.
Since Emma went with the group, that leaves just Bella and me home for the week. Eliel, Aline, and Edilton are sleeping some of the days at the chacara, to help keep an eye on things, and to keep the church programs running.
Phil puts their house garbage on the roof of his kombi, to drop it off at the gate on his way out.
And they are off, in a cloud of dust.
The Leaos drove their car, so more people could go.
Nine People Baptized
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Nine People Baptized!
Last Sunday morning many of our church members had breakfast together and walked down to the river on the edge of the church property to baptize nine more people. Felipe was in trouble with the law not too long ago. Now he is training for the worship team, and his life is turned around. Other baptism candidates included Eliete and her daughter Shianne, the Snells daughter, Faith, the Leao’s daughter, Bruna, and several others. It was a great morning.
Phil, Felipe, and Monica
The Tocantins river, at the foot of our property.
Phil, Monica, Jen, and Ivanildo – the baptizers. (They paired up so there was one fluent Portuguese speaker per team).
Nine people were baptized at the river this morning.
Marques led worship.