Blue Christmas

Elvis wrote this song about having Christmas without a loved one. I suppose this is a bit how we will feel this year, celebrating Christmas without our friends and family.

Also, because the rainy season has begun in our area of Brasil, each day has a blue overtone, as the clouds keep the sun at bay. We had been dreading the constant rain and fight against mold. Actually, it has been really nice to have the air cool off; a welcome reprieve from the stifling heat.

We still aren’t feeling the ‘warm and fuzzy’ feeling you feel back home, with the Christmas music serenading your every move. The smells of holiday treats and anticipation of parties are things we are missing this year. We made an attempt at forcing the feeling by purchasing a tiny tabletop tree and a string of lights. Jon bought a little star ornament and fashioned a treetop for us. We used the ribbon that decorated the 2 boxes of tiny red and gold balls we purchased at Walmart as garland. It looks really nice, and when I play Christmas music and hold open the freezer, it almost feels like Christmas. Ha!

But really. Christmas isn’t about warm and fuzzies, while they are nice. Christmas, at least to Christians, is about celebrating the birth of Jesus Christ. It’s a time of year where we reflect on how God came to earth as man in the form of a tiny baby. The ultimate paradox- typical of how God works. A great Savior arrives in the most dependent form. I’ve thought about this a lot, since Josiah was born. I often think about how he depends absolutely on us to keep him clean, fed, and clothed. We are dependent on Jesus for our Salvation at heaven’s door. Aren’t we so very thankful for Him standing in our defense on that day!

So- we are going to experience a different Christmas this year. We are staying with IMB missionaries, Monty and Janis Thompson. We’re blessed to be working with a church from Pouso Alegre who is hosting a children’s outreach on Christmas Day. We’ll be feeding them, playing games and crafts and most importantly telling them about Jesus Christ, who lived on earth and was once their very age. I think this is an exciting way to spend Christmas Day! Remember what Jesus said about the children, in one of the few times he actually spoke harshly? Mark writes he spoke with indignance when the disciples tried to run the children away, “Let the children come to me. Do not hinder them, for the kingdom of Heaven belongs to such as these.” Mark 10:14

Before all of this, we will be driving to Uberaba and Delta to meet with Pastors Luiz Roberto and Marcos about the possibility of a team coming from the United States to have an Upward Basketball camp and Home Bible Studies. We know they will be extremely excited about this and we are really glad to visit them! It has been 2 years since we’ve been to the area. After that, we will go to a YWAM assembly in Caldas Novas, and then on to the capital, Brasilia, where we will apply for Josiah’s American Birth Certificate and passport.

It’s been a good few weeks, with the arrival of our new family member, English Seminar graduation, Elementary School graduation and the Prostitute Ministry Outreach. I was able to help prepare food and Jon actually attended the outreach. I thought the idea was fantastic, where the men served the special lunch to the ladies and the women from our group sat and visited with them. These women are not used to being served by men. It is the goal of the ministry for them to feel special and loved. They were given a message to understand the love God has for them, giving them a hope they have been living without.

We feel blessed every day to live our lives this way. Thank you for making it possible.

• Please pray for our protection during travel. Roads here are rough!
• Pray for continued monetary support; at the end of this month we fell short of budget in our ministry account- with our insurance still left to be paid. We only have a handful of regular supporters. A little scary, but we’re trusting God will bring more support. Afterall- He brought us here!
• Also, please pray that God guides us to the ministry opportunities He has planned for us.
• Pray that God will provide a team to come work with us in July. (pray if you are to be a part of that team!)

Please feel free to pass our blog along to those you think might be interested! Who knows who is out there that might like to work on the team!