News, Sept. 25, 2007

Hi friends!

The prayer letter in the previous post was written on Sept. 13, and should have been sent out then, but life got away with me. Since it is now almost two weeks later, I have a few updates on that news!

I think life is settling into a rhythm. I have decided to help out with the ministry that provides homes for street children once or twice a month. The ministry is known as Casa Abba (or House Abba, in English). It includes four "lares," or homes, for street children, two of which are within walking distance of where I live. Lar Eloim currently provides a place for five boys, and Lar Nova Esperança (New Hope) for four girls. This weekend, I will be helping at Eloim, but there is a great possibility I will help at Nova Esperança also in the future. They depend greatly on volunteers to supplement their staff.

Most days, I spend most of my time at home, working on the MAPI website and Sepal research. Once a month, Wednesdays are taken up with Sepal team meetings. Monday and Thursday afternoons I tutor a PACA (that's the school where I went growing up - Pan American Christian Academy) 5th grader in Portuguese. On Thursday evenings, I help out with a small group for teenagers at my church, and on Friday evenings I go to a small group for young adults. This Saturday and Sunday I'll be gone all day at Lar Eloim, but most weekends are more relaxed. On Saturdays, I sometimes help with the recycling campaign at my church. I also get together with some young people for a "Grupo de Crescimento Espiritual" (Spiritual Growth Group) in the late afternoon. Sunday mornings I participate in the "Restoring Lives, Equipping Restorers" (inner healing) Sunday School class, and Sunday nights I go to the main worship service.

One nice thing about having a flexible work schedule during weekdays is that I have had some really deep times in the Word and in other Christian literature, as well as ample times of journaling and praying. The Lord has been using these times greatly. I also go running three times a week, and am brushing up on my Portuguese grammar. I have relished wonderful moments of conversation with my parents. I'm deeply enjoying having them near-by :). We also frequently pull out a Rook and Settlers games in the evenings. Over-all, I am deeply grateful for the things God is doing in my life, and for the opportunities he is sending my way. Thank you for your prayers!

One specific prayer request is for security in the area where I live. There have been two kidnapping, two rapes, and several robberies in the area near my home in the last couple of months, and it has everyone pretty freaked out. São Paulo is generally a pretty dangerous city, but this is worse than usual. It has significantly diminished my ability to get around at night without inconveniencing other people, since it is dangerous to walk alone, and I do not yet have a Brazilian drivers license. I would greatly appreciate your prayers.

Thank you so much!