Summer 2011

Quick review of Living Stones: it is the church planting outreach in Northeast Brazil in communities that are experiencing deep poverty. Throughout the week, needy children are invited to come and are taught basic life skills, about Jesus, and are given enough food to help them concentrate and be able to learn. On Sundays, their family is invited to church.

The original Living Stones project was in Paudalho, where in conjunction with the government, 150 children were being served. In 2010, the connection with the government ended due to corruption in the political system. The church has been working on re-grouping, as well as completing a construction project that would add four classrooms and two bathrooms (to the one current classroom and one functioning bathroom). They are hoping to reopen Living Stones at the end of September.

Last August the second Living Stones project began in Cajueiro Claro, a small community of 1,000 people located 4 kilometers (around 2 miles) off the main road. Flavio is heading up this project, as well as pastoring the church and any other jobs that need to be done (he has a blog—in Portuguese--at http://nrrestauracao.blogspot.com/).

At Cajueiro Claro, big things have been happening:

1.       Short term missions groups from the USA brought paint and helped paint the church a lovely bright yellow.

2.       Living Stones now offers lunch for the children! From money given at different times, Flavio invested in printing 50 t-shirts and selling them, yielding enough money to purchase a stove, table, and cupboards. A refrigerator was also donated. Flavio has learned to cook (and Rachel vows to learn and help as well) for 15-20 kids each day.

3.       With the t-shirt money, Flavio has also been able to turn one of the classrooms into a bedroom for him or other workers to stay in Cajueiro Claro for longer amounts of time.

4.       The motorcycle for Flavio (and Rachel and other volunteers to ride on the back of) has been purchased! It should arrive before September. You can be sure that pictures will be posted. This will end the 8 kilometer trek (up one mountain and down another) made daily, and give the Living Stones workers more time with the children each morning.

5.       Four people have been saved and disciple through the Cajueiro church, and hope to be baptized soon.

6.       Two children from the Living Stones project accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior.