Prayer Request from Coyles

We are requesting prayer for our upcoming trip to Moldova this Sunday, August 26. We are hoping to receive the "D" visa, which provides us with 45 days to apply for and receive our temporary residency status.

After the Sunday service in Odessa (Andy is leading it and preaching), we will be traveling to Chisenau, Moldova (a four hour drive). Our landlady's son will be traveling with us, and we will be staying with her (she lives in Chisenau). The embassy opens at 9am, and we plan to be there waiting... and hoping that we can receive our documents the same day. If not, we have to wait until Thursday, since the embassy is open on those days only.
Prayer Requests:

• Helpful border guards
• Favor with the consulate
• That our documents will be sufficient
• That we can receive our visas the same day
• That we can be a blessing to our landlady and her family

Praises:

• Our landlady's willingness to not only register us (something not many are willing to do), but also to host us in her home.
• Our landlady's son, who is traveling to and from Chisenau with us.

Thank you so much for praying for us!

Let Your Light So Shine-Paul and Becky Abel

In May we enjoyed participating in a conference for teaching camp directors how to teach sexual purity concepts to young people. We were blessed by a speaker from the U.S. name Bob Tissot and had fun meeting other people who work with camping in Brazil. Many of the ideas we learned we incorporated into our July retreat and will use again as we travel to other places to teach youth.

Paul and I enjoyed planning a retreat for our pastors and wives in Campo Mourão. We used several hands-on experiences to involve the pastors in the learning process. Most of our national pastors were able to attend. We are thankful for the gifts donated to the National Leadership Conference Project which made this event possible. It was also nice to be appreciated by the pastors for all my hard work in organizing the event. They pooled together to buy me a beautiful azalea.

Fishers of Men was the theme of our Children's Camp in July. We had a great week! One of the activities was random prayer times. At the blast of a loud horn everyone knelt down wherever they were and prayed for one minute. The silence was awesome and it was amazing to experience how much you can pray about in one minute! This was our granddaughter Deborah's first camp experience with Grandma and Grandpa at the ARCA (she's the last little girl on the right in the canoe).

Fifty-six  youth participated in a Purity Seminar based on I Thess. 4:3-8 at the ARCA during July. It was a weekend full of fun interactive studies and teaching. We enjoyed having eight of our nieces and nephews participating in the retreat. Pray that these young people will stay true to their decisions to wait for God's best for them. The theme of the retreat was "To Love is to Wait and To Wait is to Walk." Three young men who are in drug rehab spent a week with us and also participated in the seminar before starting another treatment program. Please pray for Alex, Jean and Julio (see photo) as they try to get re-integrated into life. All three boys have accepted the Lord and are trying hard to walk in victory. Also pictured below is Shepherd who has lived with us for the past four months. Pray for him as he travels to the U.S. and enters a military academy to finish his high school education. Maybe we'll have an "empty nest" again for awhile.

Editor’s Note:  There is so much more to read from the Abel’s newsletter.  Click here to see more pictures and their prayer requests!

Update from the Ukraine

Summer is flying by so fast... perhaps you know the feeling? Here's an update on life here in our world. We enjoyed our time with EEMN's English Bible Camp team, especially the chance to stay in Petrodolina with them for a week. The two weeks of VBS-styled camps, one held in a public school and one on the grounds of the Youth Center property, allowed many of seeds to be planted in the hearts of children. We pray for each of these students and their families, that God would continue to draw them near to Him. We are very thankful for the Ukrainian and American team that the Lord united for this special ministry.

We just arrived home from Family Camp, which was a really good time of relationship building and fellowship. We met some new couples, and enjoyed getting to know some friends from Russia. Moriah and Isaiah had a great time in their Bible classes. What a joy to see them trot off to class and come back to tell me all about what they learned!

Andy is finishing his last preparations for a three-part series he is presenting at a Christian Music Festival called GloriaFest, which officially begins tomorrow. We are praying that the hearts of those who attend, mainly 15-30 year-olds, will be hear and know the Truth!

Later in the month, we will travel to Moldova to apply for (and hopefully receive within a timely manner) our 45-day visa, which will allow us to apply for Ukraine's temporary resident visa. This is standard procedure for all foreigners and missionaries staying longer than 90 days, but unfortunately the process is quite complicated. We request prayer for God's provision, protection as we travel, and for wisdom as we navigate the details.

Editor’s note:  You can read the rest of the Coyle’s newsletter and read their prayer requests here.  Check out the Coyle’s Blog here.  They have some great photos!

Trees Planted by the Waters

He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in season, and its leaf does not wither. In all the he does, he prospers. Ps 1:3

Over the last months you have been praying for one of our girls in particular, Daisy. She has been a part of the Miriam Home, off and on, for four years now. Recently she has gone through cycles of extreme highs and lows emotionally, to the point of putting her well being at risk. Hurts from the past have come up again (especially when an aunt, responsible for many traumas as a child, stepped back in to her life); and prospects of change and fear of the future made looking ahead difficult (even good things, like new jobs and the independence of being 18 can be scary if they are new to you). What Daisy saw looked like frightful giants. But through all of the struggles, what Daisy has held on to, what has secured her is her love for the Lord. Just a few weeks ago Daisy had to prepare an oral report, to be presented before her class at school, the theme was “Hope” and she gave me permission to share it with you.

“Sometimes we look at our lives and we see something like a tree. We go through seasons when our leaves are green and we have lovely fruit and flowers. Suddenly winter comes, and our tree looks sad—like we have lost everything, like all our fruit has died. Where is the beauty of the tree? Where is its life? Could there still be hope inside this dry tree?

There is hope, it is coming in the very next season!  Spring arrives with new leaves, wonderful colors and fruit. The beauty is renewed because the life was always there, inside the tree! It doesn’t matter what the season of life we are going through.  You can be rich or poor, young or old, where ever you are there is hope. Our hope is in the promises of God. In His Word God speaks about you. When you look for signs of hope but don’t see them, hold on. Believe in the life God has for you, deep inside. All of His promises are true and in his time they will sprout. Winter can be sad and difficult. It is hard to wait to get married when you are young; when you aren’t so young you still have to wait, when you look but don’t yet see—believe that spring is coming, that it will arrive. How many of the young people here are looking forward to getting married? Looking forward to a blessed marriage? Wait on the Lord, please Him and He will give you the desires of your heart. It is hard to wait, but remember that there is life, the very Word of Life, in you and you will bloom again!”                                  Daisy Ribeiro

Editor’s note:  This is only a small part of Jonni’s newsletter.  They are always so well written and full of news from the Miriam Infant Home.  So you can read the “Rest of the Story" by clicking here.

Laying Down One’s Life

John 15:12,13 “This is My commandment that you love one another, just as I have loved you.  Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

On the national news these days is a situation that is presently happening in Iran with the woman accused of adultery.  The authorities in Iran say that she confessed but others are pointing out that she did so only after one hundred lashes.  She is sentenced to die by stoning and it is causing a worldwide reaction by human rights groups.

Miriam Adeney in her book, Kingdom Without Borders, tells of martyrdom in China:

“You have some nerve!” shouted the judge as he struck the bench.  “You are so young and yet you dare to deceive the People’s government. … Little child, I promise you there is not heaven for you here. …”

The year was 1983 and the place was the province of Henan.  This story has been recorded in China’s Book of Martyrs by Paul Hattaway.  Hattaway has amassed a spine-tingling account of faithfulness across time and space.  While it is true that many Christians in China move freely, other have suffered.  The history of their faithfulness is part of the noble heritage of Jesus’ people in that land.

Seven years before the judge shouted at Xiaoxiu in the court room, her mother had fallen sick.  Xiaoxiu’s ancient great-grandmother urged the woman to trust in Jesus.  Lishi did and recovered.  Over time other family members believed, and a house church began.

Then a young woman named Meichun was diagnosed with a terminal illness.  Meichun’s sister was married to Xiaoxiu’s brother, Wuting.  Meichun came to the Shi household for prayer.  But she died.

When someone dies in a house other than his or her own, the householders may be held responsible legally.  Grieving, Meichun’s family filed a complaint.  So police arrived at the Shi home and arrested all but the youngest children.

In the courtroom the next day Lishi, the mother, was the first person to stand trial.  When she described how the family had prayed, the judge go so mad that he told the guards to kick her to the ground.  They beat her until she fainted.  Then they poured a bucket of water over her to revive her and sent to her cell.

Although her face was bloody and her arms were bruised, she whispered to her children, “Remain strong! We are considered worthy to suffer reproach for the Lord.”

Her two sons, Wuting and Wuming, were unrecognizable when they were returned to their cells because they had been beaten so badly.

The twenty-four-year old sister, Meizhen, was a school teacher.  She was beaten so severely during several “confession” sessions that witnesses said there was not a square inch of her body where she skin had not been broken or scarred.

Finally the three minor children were called to give testimony.  Xiaoxiu was one of those.  Each child claimed responsibility for praying for Meichun.  Each one wanted to take the blame and shift it away from their mother and older brother.  (emphasis mine)  The court had never seen anything like it.

When the court convened for its final session, seven members of the family were sentenced to prison, one for life.  Lishi and her son Wuting were sentenced to death.

With a fatal sentence hanging over his head, Wuting paused as he walked past his wife.  “Mieying, my beloved wife, why are you crying?” he said softly.  How can I not drink the cup that the Lord has given me” … Beloved Meiying, it is only that I will be one step ahead of you. … Don’t be sad.  Be strong and courageous.  Whatever happens, you must live fully for the Lord. Don’t waste any time.” (emphasis mine)

Meiying and her mother-in-law, Lishi, shared a cell.  One night they both dreamed that they were flying, dressed in white.  As they rose, they saw “The Beloved.”  His arms stretched out to welcome them and his scarred hands wiped their tears.

Two weeks later Lishi and Wuting were executed … they showed no fear, according to a house church historian named Danyun.

“May we pray?” Lishi asked.  A soldier nodded.  They knelt, and prayed to the Creator, “forgive our country and our people.  … Save our country and our people.  … Lord, we ask you to receive our spirits.”

They were shot.

When relatives retrieved the bodies, they found a note in Wuting’s clothes.  “It is now finished.  Do not be sorrowful for me.  I am only going to that place before you.  … For my funeral, make it very simple.  Take care of my two children and let them know that I died for the Lord.”

It is the deep love of Jesus that has grasped the lives of people in China and has been the seed that has produced the millions who today believe in Jesus and continue to live and die for Christ.  And we within the United States need to let that same love be at work in our hearts and lives.  That truly is mission!

Editor’s note:  This was the July devotional World Missions Board.

We Made it to Ecuador

We praise the Lord that we are finally here in Ecuador! We could see God’s hand of blessing and protection at work in the trip down, even in little details like not getting charged for our second bags.  Nathanael did well, considering the long day of travel he had.

Since arriving in Cuenca, we have been enjoying reconnecting with old friends and meeting new ones. We have also been working on finding a car and a house or apartment to rent. In the meantime, we are living in a mission home owned by the bilingual school next to the church. It is a lovely place and we feel blessed to be able to stay here for the interim.

One of the new friends we have been able to meet is a young married couple who are new to the faith. We have been blessed by their hunger for God and hope to be able to continue to encourage their growth in the future. We have already been blessed by their relationship, as the man has graciously volunteered his time to drive us around Cuenca to look at cars and help us properly register our visas (a long process).

Keep us in prayer as we continue to adjust to our new surroundings. Patricia is striving to absorb as much Spanish as she can, while Nathanael continues to get used to the strange new surroundings. We thank God for each of you!

Love in Christ,

Justo, Tricia and Nathanael

Editor’s note:  You can read some specific prayer requests and praises for the Pillman’s here as well as see some more photos.

Barb Schierkolk’s Father Dies

Dear friends,

Barb's father, Rev. Lowell Sheldahl, passed away on Monday morning, July 16th, at about 5:30am surrounded by his wife, Jan, and his two daughters, Barb and Linda.  Barb's brother Mark had also been able to be with his father many times over the last couple weeks of his life.  Lowell was 75 years old.  Along with several other diseases Lowell had battled Parkinson's disease for the last fifteen years.  He was diagnosed with terminal cancer the end of April.  While we were surprised at how quickly he declined from the time we arrived to help out, Lowell had told us that he had prayed he would die while we were here in Oregon.  His heavenly Father granted that desire.

Lowell and Jan served as missionaries with the ALC and were called to Japan in 1962.  After 9 years they returned to the U.S. and Lowell served a church in Wisconsin.  God then called him to serve a parish in southern Australia.  His last two years in Australia were spent on an Aboriginal mission in tropical northern Australia which he remembers as a time of great spiritual impact in the community.  He returned to the U.S. in 1982.  After serving churches in Illinois and Indiana, Lowell joined the Church of the Lutheran Brethren and served his final congregation in Kelso, WA.  One interesting note is that Lowell's grandparents (Barb's great-grandparents) are buried at the cemetery connected with Salem Lutheran Church in Radcliffe, IA.

Lowell was always very encouraging and supportive of our missionary aspirations.  He and Jan willingly carried the burden of having their only grandchildren for 12 years outside of the United States.  We were all delighted with the arrival of two more dear grandchildren from Barb's brother and his wife.  He left us with many wonderful memories and a lasting legacy of love and service for His Savior and he will be greatly missed.

Thanks so much for all of your comforting and encouraging notes and for your prayers for all of our family as we walk through these days.

In Christ,

Todd and Barb Schierkolk

Editor’s note:  Lowell Sheldahl passed away on the Morning of July 16th.  Please keep Barb and her family in your prayers as they prepare for his funeral on August 2 at Trinity Covent Church in Salem, OR.

Ukraine Update

One year ago, we said our goodbyes and began our adventure to Ukraine. It is hard to believe that it has already been a year. By God’s grace, we have met and come through various adventures and challenges. By God’s grace, we have experienced a wealth of blessings for which we are so thankful for. We are so humbled that God has called us here for this time in our lives. It truly is a privilege to serve Him.

Right now we are thankful to be hosting the EEMN English Language camp team here in Ukraine. Their purpose is to teach English, plant seeds of the Gospel, make friendships, and support the Youth Center’s local ministry. By God’s grace, this will happen over the course of their two weeks of camp. Please pray for all the students that come, that God’s Word would penetrate and make alive. Please pray also for the American team. Pray for strength as they will face jet lag, culture shock, spiritual warfare, and other issues that could prevent their work. For updates on the camps, click here.

I (Andy) am excited to share a number of ministry updates. Things are progressing very well for the Bible School. In a recent conversation with my co-worker Ole Magnus, he said with a knowing smile, “It’s almost as if God is in this.” And He is. We really believe this because doors are opening that only He could open. I mentioned before that in June, all the Bishops of the Lutheran Churches from the former ELCROS (Evangelical Lutheran Church in Russia and other States) met in Odessa. There were about 10 Bishops in attendance representing their country, or region of Russia. We hosted them at the Youth Center for a presentation and meal. It was a wonderful time and they were very interested in the project. The day after the council ended, Pastor Alexander Gross told me the news: 1)The Bishops’ council decided to close their Seminary in St. Petersburg (though this will not be official until the General Synod meets in September); 2) All future seminary students will attend our Bible School in Odessa as a prerequisite for the new correspondence-based seminary course. This will open the door for us to receive students from all parts of the Russian-speaking world. As you can imagine, this is a big open door for our school and give us an opportunity to ground future leaders in the Word of God. Praise God for his guidance and open door. 

We continue to prepare for the start of the school this fall. Right now there are potentially 8 students. However, only a few of them have officially completed the registration process. Please pray that these young men and women would press on, and accept the challenge and opportunity to study the Bible for this year. 

It has become increasingly obvious to us that our time to move out to Petrodolina will be sooner rather than later. Our team is there. Our work is there. Please pray for housing for us.  We are hoping to find a house nearby the Youth Center property. This would be a blessing for our family, and we hope for our ministry as well.

Thank you for your prayers for us and this ministry. You are a vital part of this mission!

In Jesus' Love,
Andy and Monica, Moriah, Isaiah and Josiah

To read the rest of the Coyle’s newsletter, click here.

Finding Hope

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by name, you are mine.”  Is 43:1a

At this moment many of you are enjoying the sweet days of summer—planning vacations, enjoying week-end visits to the cabin, going to Family Camp and spending time with family. There is something wonderfully restoring in this time of year. Here in Brazil, even though we are going in the opposite direction weather wise (ever day is a little cooler than the last), we are seeking that same rest and relaxation form the Lord. Praise the Lord, it isn’t dependent on the sun shine or the thermometer, but on the work of the Holy Spirit!

Last month had more than it’s fair share of excitement here in the Miriam Home. In the June newsletter I told you about the Three Musketeers who arrived on our door step. Just two days later we had to Nicole to the hospital. She became stiff as a board and didn’t seem to see anything (her eyes were open, but didn’t focus, or follow objects). We were so afraid that it was something like meningitis, but the cause was simpler (but no prettier), she was going through a withdrawal crises. Her mother had been breast feeding her, and through her milked shared every drug and drink she had taken. Nicole was in the intensive care unit for three days, and in the weeks since she has become a different baby. She is showing her own little personality, playing with the other children, cuddling with the house moms, happy to eat and in just three weeks she has already grown. The one thing Nicole still doesn’t do easily is smile. She is a serious little girl - and in her short life time she has experienced plenty to be serious about! But we know that the joy of Lord is Nicole’s strength, and His Holy Spirit is reaching out to this young heart!

On the other end of the spectrum we have Daisy and Larissa. Both are 17 and are the oldest members of our family. Considering that these girls have been living in the Miriam Home for months now (for Daisy it is actually years, since she lived here before) because their families were unable or unwilling to care for them, they are doing pretty well. Larissa attends one of the best private schools in Campo Mourao, on a scholarship because of her grades. Daisy just received a two year contract to work with one of the biggest companies in the city and will be receiving on the job training in office work and administration.

Of course, it is difficult to be a teen-ager and not have problems. Larissa has set her own limits and bounders for years. She has been frustrated by the fact that while she is in the Miriam Home she is not allowed to date, that she has to share her room with two other girls and that they are responsible for cleaning the room every day.

Daisy’s problems are very different.  Daisy has a real love for the Lord and a desire to serve Him. Because of  extreme abuse as a child she also carries  a great deal of fear around. While she is very excited about her job  she has also been intimidated. A new job, surrounded by people she did not know, doing jobs she had never done before. What if they didn’t like her?  What if she couldn’t do what they wanted her to do? They are the same fears all of us face but for Daisy they were nearly crippling.

Another, old fear popped up when Daisy was told she would have to appear before the juvenile judge. Her maternal aunt was requesting custody,  now that may sound like a good thing but Daisy has lived with her aunt before and knows the woman’s intentions (she tried to involve Daisy in prostitution). Daisy knew the judge wouldn’t force her to go to her aunt, she also knew that Surai and Silvio (the administrator and director of the Miriam Home) were working with the judge on her behalf, but all that she knew was not stronger than the fear she felt.

It is natural that Larissa and Daisy, being the same age, are best buds in the house. Unfortunately, for a awhile instead of encouraging each other they were affirming the fear and frustration each was experiencing. For several weeks both began spiraling downward in depression, acting out in ways that put them in serious danger. Just three weeks ago the girls reached a point of crises and Praise the Lord, they decided to return to the hope of the Father. Day by day we see them opening up to talk and receive counseling. They are taking part  in activities in the Miriam Home and at church and are finding a true source of joy once again!

To read the rest of Jonni’s July newsletter, please click here.

Update on Barb Schierkolk’s Father

We are currently on the West Coast with Barb's family . . . waiting.  We came out a couple weeks ago to help with Barb's father who is on hospice care.  We have had some wonderful moments with her father and family.  We thought he was leaving us twice in this last week.  But he is still here with us  . . . waiting and hoping for Jesus to take him soon.

The Lord called Barb's parents first to Japan as missionaries where Barb was born, and then to Australia.  Barb has often joked that if you look on the bottom of her foot you'll see a stamp that says "Made in Japan."  Her parents, Lowell and Jan, served their last couple of years on an Aboriginal mission in the northern tropics of Australia where Barb sensed God calling her to follow in her mom and dads' footsteps as a missionary.  It has been wonderful to share many memories of missionary days gone by with Lowell.  And soon he will get to see the Savior he told so many about in several parts of the world.

Thanks so much for your prayers for us and Barb's family in these days as we wait . . . with hope.

In Christ,

Todd and Barb Schierkolk

Ben and Adela Jore–Missionary Candidates

Ben and Adela Jore have been accepted as candidates with AFLC World Missions.  Ben is in his second year at the Association of Free Lutheran Seminary and works for Distance Shores Media (DSM).  DSM works to reach people for Christ worldwide using the internet. 

AFLC World Missions Sends Call to Wagners

The World Missions Committee has voted to issue a letter of call to Ruth and Joshua Wagner.  The Wagners will be placed on loan to Lutheran Bible Translators.  Ruth is the daughter of Rev. Bob and Margaret Lee of Naknek, AK.  Some final paperwork and agreements need to be in place before the Wagners are AFLC Missionaries on loan to LBT.

 

 

Ruth and Josh announced the birth of their first child born June 21.  This has been an eventful week for the Wagners.  Please keep them in your prayers.

Pillmans are in Ecuador

“I thank my God in all my remembrance of you, always in every prayer of mine for you all making my prayer with joy, because of your partnership in the Gospel from the first day until now.  And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.  Phil 1:3-6 

The Pillmans left for Ecuador on June 27th and are beginning their ministry there even as I write.  Please keep them constantly in your prayers as Paul did for the Philippians in the above verses. 

At our recent annual conference in Thief River Falls, I was constantly hearing one thing from our missionaries on furlough and in their greeting that they sent to us from the field.  (This greeting is in video form on an earlier post here on this blog)  They said that their work would be in vain and they would not be able to persist in their ministry if we all were not praying.  That is a strong statement and one we need to always keep in mind.  God yearns for us to pray to Him and keep His workers in our prayers.  And He desires all to come to Him in faith.  So, NOW, as you finish reading this, bow in prayer for the Pillmans and all of our missionaries and the people to whom they minister…I will be joining you!  Paula Nyman 

Annual Conference Greeting

Many of you have asked how you can see the 2012 Missionary Greeting from the AFLC Annual Conference.   Here it is!

2012 Missionary Greeting

Update from Uganda

Andrew Olson gives us an update as they arrive in Uganda:

From under the mosquito net, I'm writing: Hello to all who have faithfully supported me!Micah and I have made it safely here to Jinja, where we will be for the next 6 months. Classes start tomorrow and we are both very excited for that. It will be great to finally experience the teaching method and see the students' interest in the curriculum. We have unpacked our things here at the room and have already found a way to get internet and mail. The people are very friendly, and the food is very good. The Lord has provided for all our needs thus far!

Your dollars have gone to purchase some well needed supplies; including mosquito netting, plumbing for our toilet and a shower head! Thank you!

The need for the gospel here is great, but our God is greater.

Andrew Olson and Micah Berger Return to Uganda

In the absence of the Jores  while they are stateside, two faithful workers will be back in Uganda to carry on their work.  Andrew and Micah left for Uganda just this week.  They will be continuing the work of training pastors and leaders using the oral training method of the Ambassador Institute.  Please keep them in your prayers for good health and the ability to keep the continuity of teaching/ministry going.

Editor’s note:  To read more about the oral training method that the Ambassador Institute uses, please check out their website.

The Jores Are Stateside!

Editor’s note:  The following post was made by the Jores on their blog on June 2o, 2012.  You can read much more and see some wonderful photos on their blog.

We made it!

Thank you for your prayers during our intense week of packing up and traveling. We have been stateside for almost 4 weeks already, so that crazy week seems like a distant memory. Everything went very well. We were able to pick up the boys’ passports at the Immigration Dept. on our way to the airport. The paperwork they were needed for was literally being stamped when Nate walked in the office. So thankful. The kids traveled very well, and we had a lot of help along the way. There were so many gracious people that stopped to give a hand when we needed it. We almost felt like a reality show as we traipsed through airports and got settled on our flights. It seems that not many people travel with 5 little kids!

These past weeks have been refreshing and encouraging to all of us. It has been wonderful to reconnect with family and friends, and to just be still a bit. The kids have transitioned easily. We hear “I love America!” frequently. They are loving all of the time spent with their cousins and grandparents, as well as the many perks of life here (i.e. mac & cheese in abundance, driving fast, non-malaria-inflicting mosquitoes, riding bikes, playing at parks). Amidst all of the fun of living here, we are being intentional about reminding them of where they have come from. We don’t want to forget those we have left for this season.

Last week we attended the AFLC Annual Conference in Thief River Falls. We walked away with deep gratitude and joy in our hearts. It is incredible to be surrounded, supported, loved and prayed for by such an amazing group of people. To hear many of you say, “Our family prays for your family every night,” surprised and humbled us. Thank you. Those words cannot begin to communicate how deeply grateful we are. God has sustained us and will continue to sustain us with the help of your prayers. We need you. You truly hold us up.

Our itinerary for these next months is listed below. We look forward to seeing many of you as we travel!

June 11-15: AFLC Annual Conference in Thief River Falls, MN
July 1: Christ the King Free Lutheran in Pipestone, MN
July 8: Dalton Parish in Dalton, MN
July 18: Grace Free Lutheran in Maple Grove, MN (evening picnic at French Park)
July 22: Our Saviour’s Free Lutheran in Zumbrota, MN
July 25: Christ the King Free Lutheran in Wilson, WI
July 29-Aug 4: Family Camp at the ARC in Osceola, WI (Nate will share at the Mon and Tues 11am workshops)
Aug 6-10: Nate will attend SIT (Summer Institute of Theology) at the AFLC headquarters in Plymouth, MN
Aug 12: West Prairie Free Lutheran in Kindred, ND
Aug 15: Our Saviour’s Free Lutheran in Dickinson, ND
Aug 16: Zion Free Lutheran in Tioga, ND
Aug 19: Bethel Free Lutheran in Minot, ND
Aug 26 am: Hope Free Evangelical Lutheran in Ishpeming, MI
Aug 26 pm: Redeemer Free Lutheran in Ontonagon, MI
Sept 2: Living Hope in Elk River, MN (evening BBQ)
Sept 9: Green Lake WMF Missions Festival in Spicer, MN
Sept 16: St. John’s Lutheran Missions Festival in Milford, IL
Sept 23: Ruthfred Lutheran in Bethel Park, PA
Sept 26: Peace Lutheran in Canal Winchester, OH
Oct 7 am: Redeemer Free Lutheran in Canton, SD
Oct 7 pm: Living Word Free Lutheran in Sioux Falls, SD
Oct 13: WMF Rally at Our Savior’s in Argyle, MN
Oct 14: Fergus Falls Faith Festival at Calvary Free Lutheran in Fergus Falls, MN
Oct 21: Maranatha Free Lutheran in Glyndon, MN
Oct 30: Student Missions Fellowship at AFLBS

We are so grateful for you, intercessors.

What Does Love Mean?

Can a mother forget the baby at her breast and have no compassion on the child she has borne? Though she may forget, I will not forget you. Is 49:15

I had a plan, knew pretty much what I wanted to say to you, but this letter changed at 11:55 this morning. That is when the familiar white car pulled up, the one that belongs to the juvenile authorities. It only appears when children are arriving or leaving and since I knew no one was scheduled to leave… sure enough three little people came to join our family: two brothers Luis (about 6), Kaiwan (about 5) and baby sister Nicole (5 months).

Right now there is a lot we don’t know about the children (like their last name, their exact ages) but it is heart breaking to see all we do know. First, there is Nicole. She has thin hair, a poor appetite and cries without stopping. Her mom is a crack addict and an alcoholic, it is easy to see the effect of the mother’s actions on her child. Then there are her big brothers. It is unusual to see children arrive at the Miriam Home dried eyed, but these two little boys didn’t shed a tear as they climbed out of the car. There was no request for mom, no complaints that they wanted to go home. It appears the “home” doesn’t mean much to these little ones.

After taking a shower, receiving clean clothes and seeing where they are going to sleep (a kind of scary idea—each of them has their own bed! At home all three slept on a mattress), the boys sat at the table to have chocolate milk and a sandwich. They began to tell their story, not complaining or criticizing, just stating the facts the way children do. “I like chocolate milk for breakfast - my mom likes beer, but when she drinks it she drools. Do you drool?” By this time the children had been in the house two hours and Nicole hadn’t stopped crying. The house moms tried giving her milk, a light oatmeal dish and a baby food made with corn starch that is popular, but Nicole would have none of them. Luis went the house mom and said “you have to put pinga (a type of cheap alcohol) in it, that’s what mom does”.

As I said, there is a lot we don’t know. We were told that the children were removed from their mother by force; she maybe devastated right now. It is certainly possible that this young woman feels that it is an injustice that her children were removed, she may think she loves them. But love is demonstrated in our actions. These three small children have already discovered that they take second place to pinga, beer and crack. Now they have a chance to see what it means to be loved and cared for. Please pray for Luis, Kaiwan and Nicole, that they will learn what real love is. And pray for the house moms and all of us who help with these children, that we will show, in word and deed, the heart of the Father!

Editor’s note:  This is just part of Jonni Sliver’s June Newsletter.  Please visit here to read the entire newsletter including  how WMF quilts are a blessing at the Miriam Infant Home, prayer requests, and more!

Jonathan Abels return to Brazil

Thankful For You!
As we return to Brazil and reflect on this year of deputation, we are so thankful for all of you who took us into your homes and into your churches. We wanted to visit many more churches and even some of you were looking for us to show up at yours. To you we send our sincere apologies. Timing and scheduling did not make it possible to visit everyone that we had planned to visit. We hope that by God's Grace we might visit you on some other date. Our goal is to someday be able
to visit every church in the Association. Thank you so much for your prayers and financial support. Without you our work is greatly impaired. So once again thanks!

Praying For Fruit
In the beginning of Creation, God told man, "be fruitful and multiply and fill the Earth and subdue it." In a spiritual sense, He wants us to do the same thing. Since I started the church plant in Maringa, this has always been at the back of my mind. My  goal there in, is that our church in time, and we hope not such a long time, reaches 1% of the population for Christ. Today that would be 3500 souls. It's a very lofty goal but it keeps us looking for opportunities to share the Lord with others moving in a direction to conquer the city for Christ. Pray that God would give us those souls.

May Highlights
For the 1st time we were able to attend a child's graduation: April completed her 2 yrs of AFLBS! Now she prepares to attend Northwestern College this Fall. Also in May we traveled as a family to Brazil: Thomas & April for official reasons and the rest of us, to live and resume our work in Brazil.  We had the joy of celebrating with all of Tamba's siblings & their families, her parents' 50th wedding and ministry anniversary!

Editor’s note:  You can read the prayer needs for the Abels as well as see some photos in their newsletter here.

Ecuador Update

Editor’s note:  Here is part of the Pillman’s May/June Newsletter.  You can read it in its entirety here.

This past month we were able to connect with the pastor of the Paz de Dios church in Ecuador.  Pastor Santiago and his wife, Blanca, are visiting in the states for a couple of months and are temporarily filling in at an AFLC church in Northern Minnesota.  We spent a weekend with them and helped to organize and Ecuadorian night for the church featuring delicious foods from Ecuador, a brief overview of the country, and a taste of the culture.  All the activities made us that much more excited and ready to be there.  Our leaving date is fast approaching.  We appreciate your prayers as we transition from here to there!

 

 

 

 

Justo, Patricia, and Nathanael

 

The Pillman’s will be attending the AFLC annual conference in Thief River Falls and plan to leave for Ecuador on June 26!  Please be praying for them as they finalize plans and prepare to move.