“Now unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us…” Ephesians 3:20
We are so thankful that our search for a home is finally over - we just moved into a new home! After living out of suitcases during a great part of our 1 year furlough, returning to Brazil in May, we continued to do so as we stayed in rooms at the Bible School in Campo Mourão. It feels so good to retire our suitcases and ‘hang our hats’ for a while!
While in Campo Mourão, we got to know the students quite well and were able to have some positive influence on their lives as well as other families living around there. Michelle got close to the girls in the Miriam Infant Home and also able to be a Christian influence since they come from very messed up homes. She enjoyed the free roam of a spacious campus and friendships everywhere. However, we now need to get back to a normal routine.
Here in Maringa, where we have our church family, we want to focus on seeing some new action take place here. Please pray that we will make the right decisions concerning how to take the church to the next level: whether to rent a small hall temporarily or to begin building a church on the property we already have for that. Jonathan will continue to teach a class each week at the Bible School and oversee the Bible Camp ministry in Campo Mourão.
Please pray also for the many new changes that will be taking place in Campo Mourão:
1) for the students that just graduated from Bible School (Jonathan preached at their graduation this week)
2) the installing of a new Academic Director for the Bible School,
3) for future students preparing to join our Bible School next school year (March),
4) for the replacing of our faithful caretaker (Sr. Antonio) at the Bible Camp grounds with a capable couple,
5) for safe travels back and forth from Maringa to Campo Mourão (for Jonathan),
In the US: 6) Also pray for our two oldest – April & Thomas who are studying in the Twin Cities (for safety, health, provision & spiritual growth).
Jonathan traveled to Vitoria to help celebrate the church’s Anniversary and completion of their remodeling efforts, Nov. 22nd – 26th. It was a fruitful weekend for the church there.
November was indeed a month for Thanksgiving for all that the Lord has done! The main blessing being finding and moving into a house! But many other prayers have also been answered! God is so good!!! Now we focus on CHRISTmas and all that goes on during this season! We will have a Christmas Program in our home for our church family!
Once again we want to thank our Lord for you who uphold us in your prayers and in your financial gifts, to enable His work to go on in this part of the world! Thank you!!!
Jonathan and Tamba Abel
definitely seen some major waves landing on the shores of the Miriam Home! They began three weeks ago, just days after Larissa and Paola returned to their homes; the familiar white car from the juvenile authorities arrived with Joao (8 years old) his sister Heloisa (6) and the baby of the family Mateus (3). They came to us from a nearby town when their mother was arrested (their father is already in jail). The first days here were difficult, the abrupt separation from their mom was traumatic, but in a few days they began to settle in and feel more at home.
boarding house while their mother was out with friends. Their father works as a laborer on a farm and is only able to come home every two weeks. The first days in the Miriam Home were challenging for this gang too, but for different reasons. Maicon spent his first night, not in the home, but with Pr. Silvio in the emergency room because of severe stomach pains. After hours the doctors decided he had a severe case of intestinal parasites, and because he had been eating very little for a long time, the good meal he had at night brought on a crises.
don’t know if he knows about his little girl, because we don’t know his name. At four months of age Ana Laura had not even been registered yet. Something that a mother normally does in the first week was done by our social assistant soon after Ana arrived in the Miriam Home. During her first week Ana stayed with Aunty Odette (one of our house moms who is just finishing up her maternity leave. Ana Laura is almost exactly the same size as her baby boy, Daniel), getting a little more focused attention, but she is now in her crib in the Miriam Home, the youngest reining princess.
