Building Living Stones: maio 2012

quarta-feira, 23 de maio de 2012

Trek for Transportation

It has happened: Living Stones is growing, and we need a vehicle! Please help us raise $25,000 to be able to reach the poorest areas in Northeast Brazil where the need is the greatest. Join as as we raise money through our 4k run/walk Trek for Transportation--all the information is at www.wribrazil.com/trek.
If you can't make it, you can still donate at the above link. We are also a facebook event under Trek for Transportation, so please invite your friends!

quarta-feira, 16 de maio de 2012

A Car!

Pastor Flavio, who was miraculously saved from harm during his motorcycle last month, was able to trade in his motorcycle for the downpayment on a car (a Fiat Palio fire 1.3 liter engine). This will be much safer for him, as well as his future bride, Mercia (they are getting married in December).

segunda-feira, 14 de maio de 2012

Mother's day at the Dump

What is this is what your life looked like? What if this was where you worked and lived? For those in the Lixao (trash dump) community, this is reality. What would daily life be like for you? What would it be like to be a mother?

We (Living Stones and Massa Human, a group from a Baptist church in Carpina) wanted to make a special time to celebrate these brave warrior mothers who go to war to make sure their children survive on a daily basis. Some of the workers stayed up to 1am baking this beautiful cake! To the left are nail files with hand-sewn flower decorations, and on the right are scented soaps.

Making do with what we had, the trash-built houses in the background, over 20 mothers came and sat, swatting flies away the best they could. Paper hearts with poems were put up to decorate the rough bricks.

The children colored, cut, and decorated hand/heart cards for their mothers, trying not to get it dirty, since there was no table or floor.

And then we had one very special presentation with lots of love.

And of course the food.

And so much laughter.

Thank you for your support!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day!

While it is hard to find specific statistics on rural Brazil to try to give you a picture of how things are for the mothers of the children in Living Stones, here is a try: http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/web/guest/country/home/tags/brazil.

(some of the homemade houses)

Northeast Brazil led South America (including Haiti) in infant mortality rates until the late 80s. Most of these mothers have lost children. Infant mortality was around 80% in the 70s, 60% in the early 90s, and luckily, is down to about 20% currently (http://www.ruralpovertyportal.org/web/guest/country/statistics/tags/brazil). Abortion is illegal in Brazil, but “home remedies” are still often attempted by younger girls. While the culture promotes promiscuity, and expects boys to sleep around, women are still expected to be virgins when they marry.

Unofficially, Rachel’s personal statistics, from what I have seen from working with and visiting homes for the past couple of years, is that about 60% of the mothers cannot read, or read very little. Most of them dropped out of school to become mothers. About 30% of them do not have a bathroom or kitchen in their house. I have not met one mother that had a washing machine. About 75% of them have refrigerators, but about 80% have an old TV. About 15% lived in mud/stick/various make-do supplies houses that are in danger of falling apart. Only about 20% of the children live in a home with their mother and father.

(the center of "town")

These mothers work hard to provide their children with daily food, clothes, and make sure they are getting an education (where only 28% will graduate in public schools in rural Brazil). It is a constant struggle, and most of these mothers have to work as well, leaving the kids on their own for most of the time, and never making more than minimum wage (which is less than $2 an hour). Most of the time women in rural Brazil are paid much less than minimum wage, getting jobs cleaning houses or taking care of other people’s children, often traveling an hour or two to get to work.

Living Stones celebrated with Paulo’s mother her 33^rd birthday: it was her first birthday party. She had dropped out of school in 4^th grade. She works to support her 3 sons, ages 16, 14, and 12. There is no father in the picture. This is a typical story. Thank you for supporting Living Stones, and enabling us to bless these mothers this Mother’s day.

Mussurepe Mothers:

We made handprint cards with a heart in the middle:

And, of course, presentations and presents:

In Cajueiro Claro, we also had cake and other goodies:

From the two celebrations, we had over 30 mothers come to celebrate with their children the work that God is doing!

domingo, 6 de maio de 2012

Rachel's Trip

Rachel, the coordinator of Living Stones, will be traveling to the USA this summer. If you are interested in hearing about Living Stones, this is the perfect opportunity! If you have a small group, Bible study, children's program, or just a general interest in helping others, please contact her at amobrasil99@hotmail.com to set up a meeting.

Trip: May 27-August 29

Available dates: May 31-June 26, August 18-25

(July 9-August 17 in Asia with Supercamp)

Happy Birthday--You are Special

On the left side is the child who had/is having a birthday, and on the right is the name of the person who provided for their birthday party through www.wribrazil.com/10forthem

January/February:
Rosineide (January 4)-- Nicole
Cesar (January 7)-- Anna and Donovan
Glabison (January 24)-- Anna and Donovan
Luana (January 24) -- Ann
Love (February 19)-- Ann
Luciclede (February 25)-- Ann
Allan -- Ann
Girlane -- Ann
Joelma -- Kathleen
(Pictures are at this link, if you would like to see the children: http://buildinglivingstones.blogspot.com.br/2012/02/celebrating.html)

March/April:

Claudia (March 6) -- Kristin
Leandra (March 12)-- Kristin
Josefa (March 21) -- Joyce (read more about Josefa at: http://buildinglivingstones.blogspot.com.br/2012/03/josefas-birthday.html)
Camila (March 23) -- Lillian
Liasa (March 24) --Beth
Tamires (March 25) -- Kathleen (read more about Tamires at: http://buildinglivingstones.blogspot.com.br/2012/04/tamires.html)
Rafael Jose (March 26) --Kathleen
Morgana (March 29)-- Kathleen
Arthur (April 18)-- Beth
Paulo s. (April 20) --Kathleen
Eliza (April 24) -- Beth
Camila (April 29) --Awana group from Horizon Central
Marcos (April 30) -- Awana group from Horizon Central
Milena (April 30) -- Awana group from Horizon Central

(pictures of the rest of these children are at: http://buildinglivingstones.blogspot.com.br/2012/05/past-and-coming-birthdays.html)

May/June/July (Rachel will be traveling during the summer, so Living Stones will celebrate birthdays before she leaves)

Mercia (May 1) -- Beth
Isac (May 1) -- Beth
Mariana (May 5) -- Beth
Iago (May 8) -- Beth
Eduardo (May 9) -- Beth
Emerson (May 10) -- Beth
Marcella (May 10) -- Beth
Erastmas (May 12)
Eduarda (May 24)
Karla (May 27)
Clayton (May 31)
Rodrigo (June 4)
Vera (June 6)
Leandro (June 6)
Mariana (June 8)
Estephania (June 10)
Felipe (June 13)
Rosilda (June 21)
Joseane (June 27)
Rosineide (July 10)
Daniel (July 11)
Leondardo (July 14)
Poliana (July 30)
Jasmine (July 30)
Birthdays from Mussurepe (5 children)

(pictures of these kids are at: http://buildinglivingstones.blogspot.com.br/2012/05/past-and-coming-birthdays.html)

As you can see, we need 22 people to contribute to the upcoming birthdays-- quickly! Please pray about giving $10 in your name, or in the name of a loved one to support these children on their special days.

Past and Coming Birthdays

Help us celebrate that these children are special! www.wribrazil.com/10forthem
Special thanks to those who have contributed so far! Birthdays from March, April, and those coming up in May, June, and July:

Leandra