End of the Year Report

Thank you for supporting us this year! God has done great things!

Children's Day Mussurepe

We had a wonderful time in Mussurepe, where over 100 children came to celebrate!

Grandma Isabel reached out to her family and this community to bring them together for the children. It was wonderful to see everyone and to hear about God's love.

Prayer Meetings and English Classes

We had a wonderful church service in August, but then had to wait until the middle of September to continue to minister, as the rains made the road nearly impassable. This semester, Grandma Isabel is continuing her Tuesday afternoon prayer meetings.

Caid, Rachel, and Ana Sofia are joining them for the prayer meeting, and also offering an English class for the kids who didn't get to be a part of the program last semester. 

(A small ramble from Rachel)

Every time I go to Mussurepe I am reminded that more is not always better: more stuff, more technology, more information. It is so simple, so peaceful here at the farm down the dirt road. No internet, computers--no running water most of the time. 

Fruit trees, drinking fresh coconut water, singing old hymns translated into a new language but still with the same slow sway. Sharing a hymn book with the woman next to me and then realizing she isn't looking at it because she does not know how to read. But I keep it there just the same because I don't know how to deal with that.  I don't understand a life without reading, without so much of what is my life today. 

The women who come and pray and have Vovo Bel write their name down in her book and wait for her to ask each one "How are you?" I feel the anticipation rising as she gets closer to me. I know I want my name written in her book, I know I want her to ask me how I am, because I know she cares and she will pray for me. I know these women care. As they wash their laundry by hand and sweep their dirt floor, as I type on my computer and Skype with friends: we think about each other and how we will see each other again next Tuesday .

Mother's Day Celebration

We had a wonderful church service and Mother's day celebration in Mussurepe. Grandma Isabel has been meeting with the mothers on Tuesdays to pray for their families and children and community. Caid and Rachel have been teaching at the small public school in town, with volunteers from the International school.

It was a special time as one of the women in the community came forward and shared (everyone knew the story) how she had recently been released from the hospital where they had told her she was going to die from a poisonous snake bite. She was there to give glory to God.

(She is the one in the middle)

Two families came forward with children they wanted to dedicate to the Lord, and we all joined in prayer for them.

It is incredible to see this community grow! Please pray for the men of the community, who rarely participate, and are greatly missed at these services. 

We all sang, and Pastor Flavio preached, and then the children passed out chocolate roses to their mothers, and Grandma Isabel had special "lembrancas" (small gifts) for the mothers, and, as always, homemade cake for everyone.  

Caid's Vlog about teaching in Mussurepe:

Opportunities in Mussurepe

It seems like it has just been one thing after another, coming in the way of having regular meetings in Mussurepe.

Grandma Isabel had some serious medical issues and surgery earlier this year, pushing pause on the ministry that was done on her farm. Once she was feeling better, her mother had a serious fall, and she was busy taking care of her.

April 26th we had our first Sunday church meeting of the year, and everyone in the community was excited to meet Heloise, Pastor Flavio and Mercia's daughter. 

It was a sweet time of fellowship, and Grandma Isabel was excited to announce they would re-begin the weekly mother's prayer time next week as well. We are looking forward to our May Mother's day celebration next month! 

Last year, the public school in Mussurepe began meeting all day, ending our bi-weekly Living Stones program. The funding for that program ended this year, and so they have returned to the normal (for Brazil) half-day schedule. They have also welcomed Caid and Rachel Ferguson to teach English classes once a week. We are excited to see where this partnership will lead in the future, and are happy to continue ministering in this community once more. 

Partnering with the School

The kids from Mussurepe were very excited to be a part of our Easter Celebration at Cajueiro Claro:

*Note: The painted rocks you see in the video were the "eggs" we hid for the Easter Egg hunt!

This year has been moving slow for the ministry in Mussurepe, as Grandma Isabel was sick for awhile, and then caring for her aging mother, who had some serious medical problems. Caid and Rachel were able to meet with the director of the public school, and she was very excited about a partnership with Living Stones at the school.

We came right before the school Easter celebration, which we were instantly made a part of (the director is the lady on the left). The public school (along with the Catholic church and the health clinic, make up the whole town "center) is preschool through 4th grade. After that they are bussed out to Paudalho schools. 

We are working with the director to put together once a week English (and perhaps music) classes at the school this semester. We are so excited to get more involved in this community!

Christmas Celebration and Year in Review: 2014

It is amazing to see God work in this beautiful community. They celebrated their annual Christmas church service (two years meeting as a church, many more years as a tradition Grandma Isabel began), where the whole community comes out and gives God thanks.

This is four years since Flavio first began to minister with Grandma Isabel (Christmas 2011 was when he first spoke to the community).

What a wonderful testament to God's working!

Children's day Mussurepe

A couple miles off the main road, down dirt roads and a rail-less bridge, is Mussurepe, a small community of about 700 people. Originally formed around a large sugar cane factory, the community was devastated when the factory closed down about 15 years ago. Some people moved out, others work for large farm owners, some grow their own food, and the rest walk the long way to find jobs in other communities. 

One of the poorest rural towns that Living Stones works in, many people from the community live in mud and stick homes, and have running water only half an hour every other day—when that doesn’t work, they bring in water with donkeys or wheel barrels. In town there is a school up to 4th grade, a Catholic church, and a health clinic. 

Grandma Isabel, from a large city nearby, bought a farm in Mussurepe 10 years ago, and has been working to help those in the community, and build relationships with them. When she met Pastor Flavio in 2012, she asked him to use her farm to have a Living Stones program, and begin a church that meets once a month, often using her own resources to run it. 

In 2014, the local public school started a whole day program, making it difficult to continue Living Stones through the week. But we are excited about the openness of the school to let Pastor Flavio (and anyone) come in an teach Bible studies at the school! We are excited to see where this leads us in the future.

We had over 60 kids and almost as many mothers spilling out of all corners of Grandma Isabel''s picnic shelter. Pastor Flavio brought the children from Cajueiro Claro Living Stones, who make up his worship team and mime team, to come and minister at Mussurepe.

Before Pastor Flavio preached, many women stood up to share how grateful they are for what God is doing in their lives--and to give testimony to some miracles that had happened in the community (health issues being healed through prayer). Flavio shared the parable of the wise and the foolish man, and then began to pass out Bibles to the children. But instead of forming a line and then giving them out, he called them one by one and challenged them: "Do you have younger siblings or know younger kids who can't read yet?" (yes) "Then you have a responsibility. Not just to read this Bible for yourself, but to read and explain it to them." 

Afterwards, there was cake and games for everyone.

New Friends

Morning Star missions trip has visited Mussurepe and their weekend ministry:

so glad to see new friends!

The children from Mussurepe were also able to join in on the fun at the VBS put on by the missions team at Cajueiro Claro (see pictures here )

Mother's are Special

Our amazing community mom, Grandma Isabel, enabled a wonderful celebration in Mussurepe for Mother's day

Pastor Flavio brought some of the children from Cajueiro Claro, who gave an evangelistic mime performance.

How exciting to see God working in this community!

Easter Church

Mussurepe Living Stones is doing well, but only meeting on Saturdays. They are also meeting the last Sunday of the month for church, which continues to grow and do well. In April, they had a wonderful Easter celebration

Pastor Flavio and Mercia do a wonderful job here, working with Grandma Isabel (Vovo Bel), who invites her family (some unsaved) to participate in blessing this community. 

And of course, the chocolate eggs...

Mussurepe Christmas

For Christmas, Grandma Isabel and her family put together a wonderful time for the Mussurepe community. They enjoyed church (church meets once a month on Grandma Isabel's farm), and then made sure all the families had food for the holidays.

We thank God for their faithful giving!

2013 in Review

Living Stones Mussurepe is celebrating 2 years!

Living Stones is planning a special Christmas celebration. Please join in with http://www.wribrazil.com/10forthem

Literacy Celebration with the International School

Fourteen children from the International school went to Mussurepe on October 17, 2013 to share time, reading, books, and fun to Living Stones. Around 100 children from the community came, each receiving books and being involved in our literacy program. Thank you for giving!

Being Flexible

Since the school in Mussurepe is offering extra tutoring and sports classes, Living Stones has become flexible to offer services on the weekends and working with the school.

Saturday fun days have been going well, as well as church services the last week of the month. On Mondays, Rachel and Carina have been doing home visitations, taking pictures, and conducting literacy evaluations.

Sometimes it is easier than other times:

But we are excited to see what God is doing in this rural community

Vovo Bel's Birthday

Living Stones loves celebrating birthdays, and in August, we had a surprise party for Grandma (Vovo) Bel.

The women of the community put together an amazing spread

And the children had presentations:

The whole time was so full of God's love and gratefulness for what He has done through Vovo Bel.

The school in Mussurepe is offering extra classes and tutoring for the children during the week, so Living Stones is going to be concentrating on being with the children on Saturdays, and working with the mothers and home visitations on Mondays. Please pray for these transitions to go well.