News from Paul and Becky Abel

The Cold Weather
Time is marching on….. Here we are in June already! Hope you are enjoying warmer temperatures than we are. We have had hard frosts several nights in a row. With no heating in the homes, the chill is hard to bear. We are thankful for nice sweaters and warm blankets and a well-built home. However, our hearts go out to the many poor families who live in clapboard homes where the wind whistles right through and the family members huddle together or all sleep in the same bed to keep warm at night. Count your blessings! Since I’ve never been a fan of cold weather I thought was so smart moving to South America where I would never see snow again. NOT! I’ve felt much colder here that I ever did in Minnesota. The bright side is that usually the sun shines during the day to warm us up and get us ready for the cold evenings. We were blessed by two boxes full of warm, soft scarves (100 of them) lovingly made by the Janesville church women which we happily distributed at church last week. No buildings have heat here so everyone tries to dress warmly when going to school or work or church. A couple of weeks ago we were able to put glass in the windows of a home of a family from our Campo Largo church. We plan to help them with a ceiling to make it a little warmer for their five young children.

Well, what’s happened in the last month?

• Campo Largo Church - Lots, as usual. Paul has been busy with several construction projects, including finishing the wall behind the altar area and putting in a ceiling in the Campo Largo church, re-doing the kitchen roof at the ARCA, and putting a new roof on the Bateias church. He hasn’t actually done the work himself, but has contracted and overseen the various phases of the work.
• Medical Needs - Paul has helped several people with medical needs - running to the doctor and hospital, buying medicines, and finding people to donate blood.
  
• Funerals - We also had two funerals during these cold days with all night wakes. In Bateias the people are very supportive and funerals draw big crowds of people, so these are always great opportunities for sharing the message of hope and eternal life in Jesus.
  
• Couples Retreat -We spent time planning and carrying out a retreat for couples at the ARCA this month which was a big blessing. We had lots of rain that weekend, but the couples were happy to be inside around the fireplace as they learned about God’s plan for their marriages.
  
• Ladies' Tea -This past week I spoke for a Ladies’ Tea that we planned at the ARCA. We were happy to have about 70 ladies participate. It was a special afternoon of fellowship and encouragement as we considered the value of good friendships. This Saturday we will participate in another ladies’ gathering at our Vila Camargo church with the gals from all of our Free Lutheran churches in the Curitiba area.
• Youth Groups -Paul and I have also taken on the challenge of directing the youth activities in Bateias and Campo Largo for the months of June and July in an attempt to attract more youth and teach the youth sponsors how to spruce up their outreach to the young people. Pray for us! One Saturday we took a busload of kids to the new church plant in Borda do Campo for their first reception of new members. It was a night of celebration of a new work being established.
  
• Abused Mother -Another bit of news is that we welcomed Marcia and her two little girls, Amanda and Gleiciele, to move into the little cabin behind our house in the beginning of May. Marcia was being abused by her live-in (father of the two girls) and we felt it was time to help her get a new lease on life. She is a lovely Christian and willing worker. Marcia has had many health issues, including worms in her head, causing terrible headaches. Her daughter Amanda needs surgery to correct a hearing and sinus problem. During this time of medical issues we are supporting this family and hope that eventually Marcia can find a job and start a new chapter in her life. We appreciate your prayers for them as well.
  

Andrew and Matthew
This is just a glimpse, but I know I’ve probably already rattled on more that you would like so I’ll try to wrap it up for this time. We are loving every minute with the boys at home. They are 100% great – always ready and willing to help. Andrew has been giving guitar and drum lessons to many needy kids who are interested in learning. Matthew has been discipling a young man from Bateias weekly. Both boys help regularly with praise and worship at both churches. And they are a joy to have around! I can’t tell you how much they will be missed! Andrew finally finished his big project of making a movie of our Passion Play presentation. Maybe he will put subtitles on it when he gets back to the states so you English-speakers could enjoy it, too.

Tomorrow is a holiday here and we are having a clothing sale at our Campo Largo church to distribute the lovely clothes that our friends in the U.S. have sent us in boxes. Thanks for your contributions to our ministry, whether it be boxes or financial gifts or prayer and friendship. Your participation with us is a blessing!

“The Lord has done great things for us, and we are filled with joy!”

Rejoice with us!
Your missionary friends in Brazil,
Paul and Becky

Interesting tidbit: A winter treat here is eating pinecone nuts from our big Parana pine trees. They are best roasted on the woodstove.