Easter Preparation

Easter is coming quickly, and we want to make sure that each of the Living Stones programs can have a celebration for the children in their community. We need your help to be able to do this.

All of the information to get involved is here: Kits for Kids
Also, if your church or small group is open to it, Caid and I can come share about this opportunity to share the Gospel and about Living Stones, or prepare you for a simple way to raise awareness about Living Stones Easter celebrations through passing out Easter eggs. amobrasil99@hotmail.com for more information.

Carnaval

Who doesn’t like a good party? Brazilian Carnaval is the biggest party in the world. It is foundational to the culture, and every Brazilian is affected by it. There is much laughter, much fun, and much exploitation.

Northeastern Brazilian Carnaval is made up of “Blocos,” groups of people who parade down the city streets. There is a lot of music, a lot of drinking, and a lot of sexuality. For some, this is fun. Some of the Blocos are “clean,” with a focus on children or even a church group that wants to reach out to their community. It can be a time of coming together and enjoying time off: no one knows how to relax or celebrate like a Brazilian.

But is Carnaval just for the rich? You get what you pay for. Those who cannot pay are catering to those who can—sometimes in dangerous ways. Carnaval in Brazil is the highest rate of tourism, prostitution, and alcohol consumption (and the resulting violence)  for the whole year. And what about the children?

The poorer children in Brazil cannot afford a colorful costume. They are not carefully monitored by their parents to have a safe time. Parents are often working or drinking during Carnaval, making them mostly on their own. Many sell candy or beer during Carnaval. Some wander around, looking for fun. Some are exploited, or put into dangerous situations.

Most Brazilians are careful about Carnaval, and monitor it to their taste: some getting away to a quite beach, some going in safe groups, some in careful participation. But most of those in poverty do not have that priviledge.
Help us give the children another option: many of the churches in Brazil are planning Carnaval camps. Please consider donating to Living Stones to help with costs for these children to attend the Carnaval church camp in safe beach locations, where they can enjoy themselves and grow, while being surrounded by godly influences and families who care about them.

Needs and Dreams for 2014

Current monthly giving: around $700 a month

Basic needs to continue: $2000 a month

Fully supporting each Living Stones: $6000 a month

Dreams to accomplish all of our goals: $7000 a month

Each dollar counts, but what we desperately need is faithful giving by people who understand that the children need to be provided for all year, not just Christmas (wribrazil.com/foundationbuilders). A monthly gift of any amount helps us be consistent supporters of our brothers and sisters in Brazil.

12 Need and Dreams for 12 Months

1.       Cajueiro Claro’s basic budget needs to be raised from $750 to $1000 a month (400 food, 250 transportation, 200 salary for cook, 150 general supplies)

Dreams:  a computer lab/program for the kids: $750, and a cafeteria area for Living Stones/the church: $1500

2.       Mussurepe’s basic budget needs to be raised from $250 to $1000 a month (400 food, 250 transportation, 200 salary for cook, 150 general supplies)

Dream: Two classrooms for teaching: $750

3.       Belem, a new ministry with Pastor Flavio in Paudalho needs $500 for start-up costs and $500 monthly (300 food, 200 salary for cook)

Dream: Gravata needs between $200-500 monthly (250 transportation, 150 general supplies, 100 food)

4.       Easter, Mother’s day we want to make sure each Living Stones program is able to share and open up for a celebration with the community on these important days. (wribrazil.com/kitsforkids and wribrazil.com/momentsformoms) $500 for Easter, and $500 for Mother’s Day

5.       Guadalajara needs more church volunteers to help out and assist, and Luizinho, who leads the sports ministry, needs $150 more a month in personal support

Dream: Guadalajara is not receiving any funds from Living Stones at this time, we would like to begin supporting them up to $1000 a month

6.       Kombi—needs 5 new tires: $150 each, $750 for all. We will be having the Trek for Transportation June 7 to raise money for maintenance and gas (wribrazil.com/trek)

7.        VBS in USA churches to raise funds for children in Brazil

8.       Lagoa is not receiving any funds from Living Stones at this time, we would like to begin supporting them up to $1000 a month. They are also in great need of workers/volunteers.

9.       The Trash dump is still in upheaval as they work towards relocation, which (by law) is to be completed in 2014. We want to continue working with them through and after the transition.

Dream: The Trash dump is not receiving any funds from Living Stones at this time, we would like to begin supporting them up to $1000 a month.

10.   Children’s day Literacy celebration in October (wribrazil.com/literacy) $1000

a.       Rachel and Caid Ferguson having a Living Stones Conference to unite, update, and provide resources.

b.      Shelbyville’s short term missions trip and Children’s day celebrations, providing books/toys/Bibles for the children

11.   Thanksgiving: making sure the children are receiving food on a regular basis, and spending a time of prayer and fasting in solidarity with our brothers and sisters in Christ (wribrazil.com/5for5)

12.   Christmas we want to make sure each Living Stones program is able to share and open up for a celebration with the community (wribrazil.com/10forthem) $500 for Christmas

Dream: Someone to be raised up to do home visitations/Birthday parties for Living Stones

Jim Winzeler in Brazil

(Note from Rachel, Living Stones coordinator and daughter of Jim:)
I've been asking my father to write down his experience in Brazil with Living Stones. He has been dragging his feet about this, which surprised me, because of the obvious impact that it made in his life. After going to Cajueiro Claro, he and Pastor Flavio came up to me with big hugs and tears.
"Rachel," He told me, "All your writing and pictures didn't even explain 20% of how it really is. I've been hearing about this for nine years, and now I finally get it."
Even though my father was only in Brazil for 8 days, and most of that consumed with wedding preparations, it meant so much to him and the children (who had been looking forward to meeting "Rachel's dad" for months). I will not be able to explain to you how much it meant to me. Yes, short-term mission trips are expensive. And if you want to explain your way into not going, you will find a way. But some trips are just made to be.

From Jim: Someone asked me what they would pray for me while I was in Brazil. I didn’t know what to say. I hadn’t been accustomed to praying/being close to God for quite some time. “I want to be able to fit in,” was my reply.

Little did I know, but God would answer that prayer in more ways than one.

I had no clue what to expect in Brazil. My main concern was just getting there safely—I just knew the plane would crash: how could God have any other thing planned for me, considering the way I had withdrawn from Him the past several years? Besides, maybe it was the easiest way out—I wouldn’t have to be around and depend upon other people.The last thing I wanted was any new or different situation. Going to Brazil would make me face my depression and despondent way of existing.  

God had prepared a place for me to “fit into” in Brazil, where he would draw me out of my self-imposed exile. From the welcome reception at the airport and the wonderful sight-seeing tour of one of the most beautiful places I have ever seen (Olinda), to the International school, where I would call home for the next 8 days, God began his work of restoring His life in me.

 (Olinda)

God used this trip in several ways. First, He re-opened my spiritual eyes, ears, and heart to Him. I cannot begin to list all the ways He revealed Himself to me during this trip. Suffice it to say that He started to draw me back to Himself, and that is continuing on to this time.

Second, the wedding of Caid and Rachel. All the preparations, all the places to go, all the people to meet who were and are a part of Rachel’s life and now Caid’s, and the privilege of being a part of the wedding itself.

Thirdly, being able to go to two of the communities where Living Stones ministries meet. It cannot be put into writing the dichotomy of the beauty of Brazil’s scenery as the backdrop to the places where spiritual needs were being met. The three hours of interaction that were being given to these children on a regular basis results in hope for the children—physically, mentally, and spiritually, these children were being touched by the people who had been called by God to provide for them.

And therein I have the answer to why it’s taken me this long to write this down—I found that I was in the same place as these children at Living Stones—needing to hear that God is and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

The Living Stones ministry is about providing a place where children who are born into a place on earth where (as the human eye can see) there is no hope of a productive life, can be shown the true meaning of a life of abundant living, of eternal life, of living the life Jesus created for them.

Isn’t that why I was there? To rediscover the meaning of life, to discover again the life of Christ? Isn’t that the ministry that we all need to be involved in? To receive from Him and then to give to others that which we’ve received? It’s just so much easier to see in Brazil. The contrast of not having, versus the “having” in the USA. But each one is in the same position, we both are spiritually in need, which can only be met by someone sending and someone going.

May each one of us have our “Brazil” to awaken us to our total need to the Lord Jesus and then to go and tell others of the One who is their Creator and through whom they can discover the meaning of life.

10 Perfect Present Ideas

1.       Become a Foundation Builder

Child sponsorship through Living Stones provides for a child, a church, and a community (wribrazil.com/foundationbuilder)

2.       Buy a present for a child in Brazil

Provide a birthday party/holiday present for a child who wouldn’t normally receive one (wribrazil.com/10forthem)

3.       Feed 5 Children

Giving $5 provides for 5 children to have a hot meal (wribrazil.com/5for5)

4.       Magazine Subscriptions

Sign up for Living Stones e-newsletters at buildinglivingstones.blogspot.com. Other amazing ministries are gfa.com and wordmadeflesh.org

5.       A Real Letter

Forget Hallmark and sit down to write a letter that they can treasure forever

6.       Photobooks

Blurb.com has options for as low as $6 for books of pictures, poems, recipes, or your creative works/memories

7.       Homemade Cookies and coupons

Breakout your Pinterest ideas, and then add some coupons for future service in something meaningful

8.       Make Memories

Find out their love language (physical touch, gift giving, acts of service, words of affirmation, or quality time) and then give them that gift.

9.       Volunteer Together

At a soup kitchen, friend in need, baby-sitting for someone who needs a night out, hanging out with someone lonely…

10.   Passion

The greatest gift you can give someone is YOU being passionate about life and what you can do to make a difference.  Begin the wave of something great.

An amazing 2013

Living Stones has 5 different programs running, currently on a $1000 budget (ideal is $1000 for each Living Stones program). This year:

·         17,000 meals served

·         280 children enrolled at Cajueiro Claro, Mussurepe, Trash dump, Guadalajara, and Lagoa De Itaenga

·         250 Birthday parties

·         300 involved in the Literacy program

·         600 children heard the gospel

·         Vehicle (Kombi) was purchased for Living Stones .

As far as finances, $14,150 was spent ($4,800 on food, $4,800 on transportation, $2,100 on salaries, $2,150 on special events and promotional costs, and $300 on general supplies). Donations were $16,250, so we have over $2,000 rollover for 2014! Praise the Lord! Note: the Kombi was $17,500, but that was stored in a separate account and given over in a one lump sum, and so counted separately. If you have any other questions about finances or accountability for Living Stones or Rachel Ferguson, please write to amobrasil99@hotmail.com. We are firmly committed to using every cent given to us wisely and with accountability. 

Merry Christmas from over 250 children in Brazil! 

Cajueiro Claro:

Mussurepe: 

Trash dump:

Guadalajara:

Lagoa de Itaenga:

The Wedding

On November 9th, over 100 children from Living Stones (Trash dump, Cajueiro Claro, Mussurepe, and Guadalajara) were able to come and be a part of Caid and Rachel's wedding. Rachel has served in Brazil for 9 years, and been the coordinator of Living Stones for the past three years. For many of these children, it was the first wedding they had ever attended:

You can read more about the event here:

http://rachelsnewday.blogspot.com/2013/11/washingtons-car.html and 

http://rachelsnewday.blogspot.com/2013/11/making-special.html
Rachel and Caid are now back in the States enjoying the holidays with their families. Rachel will continue to be the coordinator for Living Stones, just on the USA side of things. She will still be in charge of checking finances, writing the Living Stones blogs, sending out monthly information and newsletters, and raising funds for Living Stones through speaking/meeting with churches and individuals.

Caid and Rachel are excited with the special opportunity to partner with Shelbyville Community Church, who is taking on Living Stones as a church ministry! They are sending a trip to Brazil in October 2014, and Caid and Rachel will be helping them to prepare for it, as well as praying (and hoping!) to go along with them as they help Living Stones celebrate Children’s day 2014.

Caid is working on finishing his degree (he has over 90 credits) in Urban Leadership at Crossroads Bible College next year, so they will be living in Indianapolis, close to friends and family, during that time. They are both looking for jobs and opportunities as God leads them in this new life together, as well as praying about what God might have for them in the future—whether in the States or abroad.  

Merry Christmas and God bless you--From the Fergusons