We were a bit afraid my last blog seemed a bit whiny to people. It is just that life on the edge of the world can be hard but God’s grace is so much bigger. I was just wanting to illustrate how without it the challenges would drive us back the the US. Because of grace this is home.
That is the wonderful thing. Through the many challenges this becomes more home. Through the good times this becomes home. All the experiences we have here good and bad begin to build a new history. The reason Oregon, the US hangs on as home for so long is the history you have there. I wrote about some of the hard things then we had a couple weeks of the good.
The last 10 days have seemed like a month. First I finished the roof I was building. They seemed much more blessed and it really brought Fabio out of his shell. I wish I had a magic cure for the damage done by sin but it isn’t magic. It is God’s grace applied on lives and He goes about it gently and slowly. That we might learn and be able to apply it to others. I don’t know what abuse Fabio faced to be so repressed. To give him the maturity of a 12 year old when he is 18 but I know time, love, patience and above else the Word of God can open him up, God wants to make him a new creation.
Also Melissa had the neighborhood girls come over for a bible story, snack and some games. It was fun to see them interact but man, it is harder to keep kids organized in your house. They just have never had structure. One of the big needs is to just teach discipline, structure, obedience of rules. Many groups have came through, there are pastors here, many of these kids have heard the gospel and have prayed prayers. Getting people to take the time to get close and teach them how to live is always the hard part.
Why is that necessary? Why is that worth your dollars? Why is that worth our family living here on the edge of the world?
Our neighbor was 9 months pregnant and had never went in for prenatal care. Medicine is free here. The public system is slower and more crowded but if you have no job it is still good and you have time to waste. The problem is it is inconvenient and you don’t see the need. Why take a taxi or the bus to go wait in line when you could just sit home and wait? She didn’t know she had preclampcia and ended up going into cardiac arrest and quit breathing. Her boyfriend had to pull her tounge out of her throat and give her mouth to mouth. She went to the hospital after being revived and had an emergency c section. A few days later she came home.
She had been prescribed medicine for both her and the baby but again it is work to go get it. So she didn’t. Melissa was holding the baby and noticed he had a fever. She commented on it and began praying. The adult daughter of the boyfriend was there and convinced them to take the baby in. The baby ended up in the hospital a few more days and the mom was at home. Melissa was down there visiting them that night and I went down to check on them. They were nervous, scared and weren’t too sure of anything. I prayed for them and the baby in Portuguese. I encouraged them to trust God and that he cared about Joao as much as them. Kayla the mom seemed a bit more at peace and we left them to rest.
Joao ended up making it through the fever and getting to come home a few days later. What a joy to see Melissa holding him and Kayla smiling. To see Alannah’s big eyes looking at the little guy. Kayla's 2 and 3 year old still run naked in the streets, still need some education but at least Joao will have the opportunity to run naked too.
Also this week Kayla’s brother brought someone to the gate and called Melissa. I am the big meanie that says no to everything so they always try for the sucker. They wanted to sell us their blanket. It happened to be well over 90 and was almost 10 at night. I didn’t mean to but I laughed. I couldn’t imagine buying a blanket. I felt bad right away as they left discouraged. Obviously they needed something. After I went to bed and realized I wasn’t going to sleep I walked down the street and called Wallace. I asked what she really needed. He told me school supplies so her son could go to school but that an aunt agreed to buy them. I told him if they had used furniture to sell or found some I would help them refinish them for sell and left.
I told Melissa what they needed and she told me the kids of the worst mother on the street don’t go to school because they don’t have the supplies. You need a uniform, pants, lots of notebooks and pencils. The mother may be a prostitute because the 13 year old boy tries to take care of the girls 8,7 and 2. She is never home and always dressed to party. I have compassion on her too but am very frustrated for those little girls. They jump up on any table, block of concrete, grab poles and dance like strippers at the drop of a hat.
I couldn’t sleep thinking of those kids repeating the life of the mother. What chance do they have an a nation so rapidly growing. Growing more expensive and more globally competitive. If they don’t go to school they are doomed to stay in the dark ages while the nation around them buys big TVs, cars and all sorts of newly available toys. Brazil is a rich nation where 30% of the population lives in absolute poverty. I was really bothered, with school it is hard to climb out of that without it is impossible.
I had coffee yesterday with our Pastor here. Altair told me the moms can go to the school and register them and ask for assistance. There is a way for any kid to go to school and get an education but the mom has to do some work. That is why we are here. The kids, the moms, the ones who are willing to change need to be taught the biblical importance and disciplines that can lead to changed lives, to changed family histories. These kids will grow up to reproduce. Either reproduce poverty or reproduce believers. It is not about the amount of money but about the mindset. Only the power of God’s word can change the mindset.
Be praying for us and whether God might want you to join us. We are living ok. We still need many things that cost a lot here but they will come over time. What we are short is the extra funds to bank roll ministry. To buy materials for the kids on the street. To buy wood for projects to teach kids how to build furniture. We need a bit more personally to buy a medical plan for our family but really we just want to grow in effectiveness. We have time, we are here, we aren’t short money for food or bills. We would like to take on more projects like the roof. You can donate once or sign up for monthly below.
http://shepsstaff.org/lyon.aspx
Also we need to visit the states. We both have Grandparents that are ageing and would like to meet Alannah. We need to visit our church. We need to broaden our support base and we need to rest. It is going to take a good chunk of money, around 10k for airfare and some more for travel in the US. My parents are donating a car they bought here that I should be able to sell for about 5k. Pray about giving as they would like to see this function as a kind of matching gift. We plan to be in the states July 2nd – Sept 2nd. We need to firm this up and buy tickets in March. It is very important. If you want to take part in this email me at lblyon@yahoo.com and let me know. I will be making information available on how to designate for a special fund.
Thanks and God bless you all.
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