Busy Summer holidays!

So.... it has only been 2 months since we wrote our last update but it's seems like an eternity away - so much has happened!!! Our lives have been changed in a way we never expected... read on to hear why... but first a few updates on what we have been up too!

YWAM conference

Every 3 years Ywam in Brazil hold a huge conference inviting all "Ywamers" who are working in Brazil to come together. This year about 650 missionaries plus children came together in a place called Caldas Novas. It's pretty amazing as we get to stay for 5 days in a beautiful hotel with lots of 'warm water' pools (Caldas Novas is known for their hot springs) and all you can eat buffet for each of the meals! It's such an experience! But what is even more impressive is the conference hall when we are all together worshipping in the morning and evenings!! I get goosebumps every time to think about all these people (foreigners and Brazilians) together serving the same God and with the same calling to serve Brazil! It's an indescribable experience! It's really cool to meet with other missionaries as well and hear their stories, or to meet up with people we know who serve around the country and hear how they are getting on - these chats are usually at the meal times with the yummy food or in the afternoon in the pools! 

Of course our kids loved the pools!! They struggled a little with tiredness after the trip to get there so I would put them to bed early and then watch the conference online in the evenings!

Pedrinho

God's timing could not have been more perfect!! We finished the conference on a Friday morning and 3 hours away in Goiânia, Pedrinho was on his last day of his DTS - we drove the 3 hours in the afternoon and spent the evening with him and the staff and students of his DTS. We had the honour to participate in his graduation from the school - Nico could even hand over his diploma!! WOW! God is soooo good! We then packed up the car the next day and drove the 13 hours back to Belo with him in the car! 

Since he has arrived back he has been helping us a lot in the Rock House and  also was a staff member in the Kings Kids programme (summer camp for youth run by YWAM). We heard many positive feedbacks about him and he has been invited to help staff the next DTS school here in Belo Horizonte! He is praying for guidance !

Christmas programmes

We felt very strongly after returning from the conference that we should run a few spontaneous programmes with a Christmas focus (being the week before Christmas) and to take the time to share the real reason we have Christmas and why we receive presents! To remember the greatest gift that was ever given to this world - JESUS, to save us from an eternal death and separation from God!  

The week was super busy as all our staff had already gone on holidays right after the conference but God is the greatest provider! Mireille who was one of our staff 3 years ago came back to visit during this time and she willingly helped us and as said above Pedrinho was such a help as-well - we could not have done without them!

We had an afternoon tea party with the families from our Prayer Warriors project, unfortunately not all could come but it was a lovely afternoon with those present. We had a little Christmas 'mum's and babies morning,' a kids party and the young adults came for an evening before Christmas to a games night! Each one was a great success!

Christmas

We hosted Christmas at our house - we weren't sure if it would be possible with so much rain but God held back the rain for us!! Christmas eve is when the Brazilians traditionally host their big Christmas meal so we did that. We had 6 guests including our special friends from the slum - Nivaldo and Tiane, and also Pedrinho came. Then on Christmas day Mireille came with another girl for lunch and then on Boxing day we hosted again with Mireille and a couple from Northern Ireland! After 3 days of hosting, 3 big Christmas meals we were pretty exhausted! But we were blessed to host and have our home open to friends, family and those who needed it during this Christmas season!

Of course in the middle of it all we had some time for opening presents and our boys were blessed so much with many lovely toys! They especially loved their new scooters to whizz about on in our big backyard!

                

Mum's day out!!

To end the year with my mum's group we wanted to do a day trip but the weather was so bad all of December - raining every day all day (very unusual for here) so we postponed. In January we marked the day and God blessed us with sunshine (was drizzly in the morning but then cleared up). We went to another YWAM project in Belo - their house is on a hill with a lot of space, a play park for the kids and huge grass area, swim pool and football court. 

Six mums came with their children and we invited those who had boyfriends/dads to come too; Nico was especially pleased that 3 came! They together managed the BBQ and had a blast, as they called it, "Men time!" The kids loved the park and the mum's enjoyed the freedom! After the BBQ we played Bingo (request from the lads!) and it was such a hit! It was a great day and we really felt we had time to strengthen our relationships with these precious mums/ couples!

 

Kings Kids

YWAM Brazil have a project called Kings Kids - it is a holiday camp in the summer and half term. Our summer of course is December/January and so they were hosting their programme - a 10 day camp! We sent two of our young adults - one being Pedrinho and 3 youth to the programme. They had a such a blast!

During the 10 days they spend a lot of time learning about God and how to study the bible. They also practice dances and circus acts to then use in some evangelism times during the camp. One of their evangelisms was done in our slum. It was so amazing to see 5 young ones from our slum reaching out to their people! What a witness!! 

They also had their "off day" at Casa Rocha! They had a BBQ, swam in the pool, played games and basically enjoyed the space for the day! It was great to serve this amazing project in this way!

2 + 2 = 4

We were debating whether we should take some days away ourselves to rest and restore, but decided to just stay and enjoy a week at home without much ministry - some dedicated family time. 

Monday morning we got up and did a big clean of the whole house - inside and out. As we were sitting down to enjoy a nice cup of coffee in a clean house, I received a phone call from one of the mums we have been sharing about - the alcoholic. I couldn't make sense of the phone call and what she was saying, just something about helping her with the kids. So I finished my coffee and went off to her 'drinking spot' to see if I could find her. There she was with some other drunks and her two boys (Lucas is 8 years old and Gael is 2. Luisa, 11 years old, was visiting her grandparents from her deceased father's side for the holidays). She was very drunk and in a huge fight with her boyfriend (the father of the 2 year old). Despite not making much sense she asked if I could take the kids to my house, so I agreed. (This had also happened a week ago when she had been so drunk she fell on the stairs at her house and I had to take her to the A&E where she got some stitches), so the kids came home with me.  

They stayed the night, the next day I went to see her. She was at her home but very sick - throwing up and pain in all her body and shaking. She asked if I could keep the kids a few more days for her to recover. I agreed. 

Two days later, I went to see her. She was saying she needed to stop the drink (sadly a very frequent conversation) and she wanted to sort out her home as she is afraid it will collapse with all the rain - it was making the walls all go mouldy and the paint was flaking off and the electrics were very dangerous. She asked again if the kids could stay for a bit longer. The 2 boys arrived at our home on the 16th January and are still here! She has been asking us to take care of them now with the official guardianship so that she can go to a rehab to recover from the drink. Please pray over this whole situation - that she really will go to a rehab and recover; that the two boys will continue to adapt well in our home; that we will continue to adapt as a family of 6!! 

(The sister has returned and she will stay with an aunt and we intend to keep an eye on her as much as possible). Pray that we will continue to know God's presence and His touch during this delicate time. Both the boys are doing really well. Lucas has asked that he stays living here for "a thousand years" and Gael who was a bit more challenging has overcome many obstacles and we have seen real progress - they are very happy in our home.

* If you feel in your heart to pray or to give financially towards our care of these boys please feel free to ask for specifics. Some ideas - we are searching already for a car with 7 seats (ours is only 5) - to be able to take trips with the sister also (about £2000 more to change) and a car seat for Gael (£30), we have been using a borrowed seat for now and the 6 seater car from the ministry. Both the kids need some clothes as they don't have a lot and Lucas needs some shoes. We would love to offer them both bikes, they have been sharing our kids' for now but Lucas is quite a bit bigger than Lorenzo, and Keoni and Gael tend to fight over the one bike - also so they have something that is "theirs|'. (£250) 

God has blessed us immensely with some of the immediate things like nappies for Gael, and beds for both the boys. Lorenzo and Lucas are sharing a room so we were able to get bunkbeds - The look on Lucas' face was priceless when he saw he would sleep in a bed - (he is used to a mattress on the dirt floor) and we got a child's bed for Gael who was sleeping in our room for the first month but has now joined Keoni in his room! His mum had been breastfeeding him to sleep until he came to live with us!

Our boys have also adapted so well. We have tried to explain a little to Lorenzo and he seems to understand. He loves to play with Lucas and says he doesn't want them to go back to their home! He shares his toys very well with the kids and loves playing board/card games with Lucas and whizzing round the back yard on the bikes/scooters together. Keoni struggles with jealousy but he is handling it well especially as the more secure Gael feels at home the less attention he needs directly from me. Keoni and Gael (and just 3 months apart), means they struggle to share and play together but Keoni generally enjoys the company of the boys! 

We have covered the whole situation in prayer and have felt God's touch and direction over everything - even when we were told it would be good to get a lawyer, we were worried but then God reminded us of a volunteer from the Rock House many years ago who is now a lawyer. She immediately accepted to help us 'free of charge!!' Our goal for this family is to see the mum recovered from the drink and getting their home into order so that Lucas and Gael can go home to live with her again, but we are open if this may not be possible. Please pray with us over this situation. 

First day of school!!! Keoni has started a creche - just 2 mornings a week! and Lorenzo returned to his class very happy! Lucas went back to his school not super happy but with his new back pack, pencil case a brand new pencils he was excited to get back to learning! Gael goes to a creche Monday through Friday, he cries when being left there but enjoys his days.

Thank you again for reading and staying interested in our journey here in Brazil. In the last month both of my sisters have given birth to baby girls - Ada and Abigail! It's hard to be so far away from home at this time - missing all those newborn cuddles. But God reminds me of His greater calling on our lives and it brings me peace to know that God is using us here in the slum of Pedreira Prado Lopes in Belo Horzizonte.