Dearest Friends,
MARINA
Marina is 11 years old, cleans the house, and takes care of her younger brothers all by herself. She also does all of the cooking and washes the clothes. These tasks are made more difficult by the fact that the house has no running water. At least she has electricity, since some of the homes don’t. She often misses school because of all the work she has to do.
Her mother ran off to Rio with another man. Her father works all the time just to provide the little that they have. She lives in a remote village of about 25 homes that line a single road. To the Americans, who are reading these words, your carports are 3 times as big as her house. It has a dirt floor. In the summer temperatures climb to 110. There is no shade. Worse, there is no hope in this place.
Maring came to Jesus about a year ago and has a strong testimony. She prayes for her mother, for her whole family. She came to the puppet show that we did in the middle of the road. We stretched a string of lights across the road. People came from everywhere and so many, many people prayed. Best of all, Marina smiled. I did not see her laugh, but at least she smiled.
She and I talked for about 15 minutes. I wanted her to know that God will take care of her. I encouraged her to forgive her mother and grow up to tell many children about Jesus. I asked her to let Jesus take her pain and give her a tender heart so that she could someday take my place.
Now I want to ask something of you. Marina and children like her around the world live in the dark and are waiting for you to do whatever our soveign God has told you to do. Will you pray? Will you become a missionary to the children!
CRAZY WOMAN
Everyone thought Etite was crazy. She roamed among the trees, talking to people no one saw and hearing voices that no one else heard. Etite was demon possessed. This was a real theat that everyone understood, even people who weren`t Christians. She was mean and scarry.
Two years ago, her older son told her about Jesus Christ. When she trusted Jesus as her Savior, she changed. The voice stopped, she became kind, and started taking care of her family. Her eyes are full of light.
Even though Etite no longer lives in darkness, her life is still diffcult. They are desperately poor, living in a house made of mud and sticks. However, her real concern is their youngest son Daniel who was sexually abused by a man over a long time. His injuries will require surgery. The man threatened to kill him and he was to afraid to tell. His attacker remains free, living near him.
Daniel came to one of our puppet shows, smiled, laughed and enjoyed a small part of his childhood. We always tell the children, when you have been fogiven, you can forgive anyone anything. Pray for Daniel and his family.
PRAYER REQUESTS
Tonight at 3:30AM, we leave for Rio, having finished our ministry in the Northeast. Since this is our second night in a row without sleep, I will give you the rest of the Norhteast stories tomorow. We have a wonderful new team at "Fountain in the Desert."
We will work with children in an area in Rio where drug abuse is a big problem. Please Pray! We stand because you kneel.
In Jesus,
Linda for
Hadia
Lisa
Gerson
Faby
Sam
PHOTOS
We have more photos on line at http://www.smugmug.com/gallery/1278203