Catching up from 2010

Having been in the United States all of 2010 (This is Rachel speaking), I wanted to catch you up on what happened in Brazil Living Stones Paudalho during 2010.

January and the beginning of February, Living Stones joined the other PETI groups. They did not meet in the church, but in the center of town, and the workers were able to be God’s light and example to over 300 children.

The rest of February, they had a special Carnival celebration, making sure to be sensitive to stay away from the party/drinking/sex themes, and teaching/learning about the better parts of the Brazilian culture.

In March, the focus was on music. The music teacher was able to get some recorders for the children, and they are practiced and presented a song in church, with their parents invited to the service. 

For some of the children, the Easter celebration is their first time eating grapes as they sit down to carefully decorated tables and listen to the pastor share about the very first Passover, and then the Lamb that was slain for our sins, but who rose from the grave victoriously.

April’s focus was on traditional Indian art. An indigenous Indian from Brazil works with the program, and taught the children to make beautiful jewelry. May was spent with special visits to the families of the children in the Living Stones program. They were given siesta basicas, which is basic food supplies, and invited to a special Mother’s day tea, as well as to Sunday services at the church. PETI provided some parenting classes in the center of town, where Pastor Celso was also able to share.

In June is the Brazilian festival of Sao Joao, where the children learned about traditions and how to make the traditional corn recipes. The government also celebrated the “Week of PETI” where they were able to parade through the town and have special activities.

July was their break, although they were able to been by the medical clinic, set up by a group of doctors from the United States who came to the church in Paudalho. This will be the one time most any of these children see a doctor, or receive medicine.

Since August, Living Stones has two official sites—in Paudalho and in Cajuero Claro. In Paudalho, Patricia, Cacau, and Pastor Celso are working diligently with around 150 children (divided between morning and afternoon), while in Cajuero Claro, Flavio is working with around 30 children in the afternoons from 2-4pm. The small town of 1,000 is located almost three miles from the main road, with no public transportation in. Flavio walks to reach these children, teaching them soccer, guitar, and chess as well as sharing the gospel. Please pray for his support and transportation.

In Paudalho, August was a focus on those around you, discussing family and relationships, as well as those in the community with disabilities. In September is the Brazilian Independence Day, and they focused on being a good citizen and what that requires.

 October is Children’s day. Children’s day (October 12), is one of biggest holidays in Brazil. Most of the children in the Living Stones program do not celebrate Children’s day since their parents cannot afford to buy them presents. For the past two years, Living Stones has received special donations to provide for their own Children’s day party. It is something the children look forward to all year long, and this year the party was no exception, thanks to the kind donations of those who purchased the Brazilian jewelry I (Rachel) brought to the United States.

November Living Stones worked on basic math skills, and in December all the children put together an art/music party for “Papai do Ceu” (Jesus) where they painted pictures and sang songs for Jesus’ birthday. On Christmas Eve, a local restaurant helped to provide siesta basicas, basic food supplies, which were delivered to the homes of over 90 families in the program.

Unfortunately, due to corruption in the local government and many difficulties later, the decision was made to end this connection with PETI in December of 2010. This begins a new page in the Living Stones program. Patricia and Cacau will continue to work with the PETI program, which will relocate to another location, where they will be a light shining in the darkness.

This is a time of great opportunity, where the local church can really step up and take charge of this program and caring for the children in their community. It is also a time of discovery, as Flavio (in Cajueiro Claro) and  I (Rachel in Paudalho) work to find what really works well in a half-day program, and put it in a format that the other churches and new church plants can use as they begin to implement the complete Living Stones program.