Abby is feeling the pressure of aunt Jan being gone. But she is doing a great job and we are proud of her!
Tuesday, Dawn started a Bible study with one of our newest families. She is taking them throught the Milk study and they had a good time working through the first lesson together.
On Saturday morning I met with one of our men for a time in the word. It was good to share with this young believer. He is having a hard time breaking a bad habit but I am seeing God work in his life and am praying for victory with him.
On Satuday there was a good number of teens who came to the youth activity. Ben has taken the teaching responsibility, at Davi's request, and has begun a study on God's attributes. The first being that "God is Good". The group will have verses to memorize weekly as they work through the study. This weeks verses Psalm 119.68 and Psalm 136.1.
On Sunday morning in the Junior's class we looked at “God's will and bad things”. What happens when God's will brings bad things our way. We're studying Paul's journeys and prison stays.
In the evening we had the Mini Coral from Curitiba with us. The group is small this year because enrollment is down. There are seven members including Jan and Kristen Alexander. It was good to have them back with us even though Jan had only been gone a couple of weeks.
Sunday afternoon I again went with the group from Calvary to Habiteto (I know that it is probably immaterial but that funny word is pronunced ha – bee – te (as in test) - too).
Habiteto was created by the Mayor of Sorocaba in June of 1998 with the idea of giving assistence to needy families that had come to the city with the idea of starting a new life but ended up living in shanty towns. It would be considered what in the States is called “the Projects”. With no racial or sociotal bias intended, the “Projects” carries a negative conotation. The same is true with Habiteto.
However, I have discovered that many aspects of life have negative connotations for those not familiar with all of the facts. In my Bible meditation this morning I noted that the chief priests and scribes had a negative connotation of Jesus (Matt. 21.15) just after he had cleansed the Temple and done wonderful miracles there (preformed on the blind and lame). Were Jesus' actions worthy of that indignation and those negative connotations? No. The indignation actually revealed a need for further (yet unaccepted) truth.
Yesterday the Bible club started feebly. Last week there were the seeming throngs as the club began, this week it started with fifteen or so. But then it grew to over fifty kids. I was told that one of the reasons that we didn't have more than that is that there was a funeral going on nearby. A sixteen year old girl had died of dengue fever.
In a neighborhood like Habiteto, when there is a funeral it attracts a lot of attention. I asked why? “Pastor, when you can see a dead body and have a snack and some pop afterwards, everybody wants to be a part of it!” Sounds morbid, doesn't it.
During memory verse time I talked with three brothers this weeks: Marços Antonio, Antonio Marços, and Eduardo. I asked them if they had the same mother? “Yep”. Same father? “Yep” (those questions are not off limits). How many brothers and sisters? Six in all. “Our oldest sister is married!” Oh. How old is she? “She's sixteen and has a son who is four.” WHAT (I don't know why I was so stunned)? “But she doesn't like her son so he lives with us.”
As I was helping these youngsters memorize John 1.1 I was thinking, “The 'Word' is the answer to there future. How will they comprehend Him? Isn't it wonderful that God knows all about these three little guys!
Tuesday, Dawn started a Bible study with one of our newest families. She is taking them throught the Milk study and they had a good time working through the first lesson together.
On Saturday morning I met with one of our men for a time in the word. It was good to share with this young believer. He is having a hard time breaking a bad habit but I am seeing God work in his life and am praying for victory with him.
On Satuday there was a good number of teens who came to the youth activity. Ben has taken the teaching responsibility, at Davi's request, and has begun a study on God's attributes. The first being that "God is Good". The group will have verses to memorize weekly as they work through the study. This weeks verses Psalm 119.68 and Psalm 136.1.
On Sunday morning in the Junior's class we looked at “God's will and bad things”. What happens when God's will brings bad things our way. We're studying Paul's journeys and prison stays. In the evening we had the Mini Coral from Curitiba with us. The group is small this year because enrollment is down. There are seven members including Jan and Kristen Alexander. It was good to have them back with us even though Jan had only been gone a couple of weeks.
Sunday afternoon I again went with the group from Calvary to Habiteto (I know that it is probably immaterial but that funny word is pronunced ha – bee – te (as in test) - too).
Habiteto was created by the Mayor of Sorocaba in June of 1998 with the idea of giving assistence to needy families that had come to the city with the idea of starting a new life but ended up living in shanty towns. It would be considered what in the States is called “the Projects”. With no racial or sociotal bias intended, the “Projects” carries a negative conotation. The same is true with Habiteto.
However, I have discovered that many aspects of life have negative connotations for those not familiar with all of the facts. In my Bible meditation this morning I noted that the chief priests and scribes had a negative connotation of Jesus (Matt. 21.15) just after he had cleansed the Temple and done wonderful miracles there (preformed on the blind and lame). Were Jesus' actions worthy of that indignation and those negative connotations? No. The indignation actually revealed a need for further (yet unaccepted) truth.
Yesterday the Bible club started feebly. Last week there were the seeming throngs as the club began, this week it started with fifteen or so. But then it grew to over fifty kids. I was told that one of the reasons that we didn't have more than that is that there was a funeral going on nearby. A sixteen year old girl had died of dengue fever.
In a neighborhood like Habiteto, when there is a funeral it attracts a lot of attention. I asked why? “Pastor, when you can see a dead body and have a snack and some pop afterwards, everybody wants to be a part of it!” Sounds morbid, doesn't it.
During memory verse time I talked with three brothers this weeks: Marços Antonio, Antonio Marços, and Eduardo. I asked them if they had the same mother? “Yep”. Same father? “Yep” (those questions are not off limits). How many brothers and sisters? Six in all. “Our oldest sister is married!” Oh. How old is she? “She's sixteen and has a son who is four.” WHAT (I don't know why I was so stunned)? “But she doesn't like her son so he lives with us.” As I was helping these youngsters memorize John 1.1 I was thinking, “The 'Word' is the answer to there future. How will they comprehend Him? Isn't it wonderful that God knows all about these three little guys!
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