Mafú (Matthew Abel) on Mission

Hello Friends and Family!

    Ãcõreba bendesidia! (“God bless you” in the Emberá language.) It is great to be back in Brazil, and I look forward to some time at home.

First off,  thank you for your prayers and financial support. We found ourselves constantly depending on the work of the Holy Spirit in order to succeed in all areas - spiritual, emotional, relational, physical, financial. Your prayers helped us succeed and your financial gifts provided for our basic needs for transportation and food. We made it - Thank you!

As you may or may not know, I have spent the last two months, along with 14 others, among the indigenous peoples of Panama. Just being a part of our team  was a cultural experience in itself as we had young people from Canada, U.S., Holland, Nicaragua, Honduras, Brazil, Columbia, Panama and 2 different Indian tribes in Panama. We traveled by land and water from the northwest corner to the south side of Panama on the Pacific side and back up on the Atlantic side. Though we ministered to various people including Ngobe, Buglere, Emberá, Waunán, Afro-descendants and Latinos, the bulk of our time was spent with the Emberá Indians in the Darien rain forest near the Columbian border.

We spent time in churched areas, evangelizing and encouraging the church, loving and serving in Jesus’ name. We also went to where there are no churches preaching the Good News that Jesus paid it all and purchased our freedom from fear, sin, and damnation.  We entertained, we taught, we preached, we prayed for the sick, we cast out demons and we served in Jesus’ name.  

I have graduated from Discipleship Training School and am once again serving in Brazil.  As I reflect on this past semester I am encouraged to see how the Lord has used me in the building up of the Kingdom and how He has worked in my life, conforming me to Jesus.

Now I am at home with the continual mission of making disciples of Jesus by cultivating intentional relationships, pursuing Jesus, living the model life, preaching, teaching, loving, giving, serving, singing, smiling, submitting, encouraging, challenging, correcting, influencing, empowering ….. All for the glory of God, the salvation of souls and our joy!

    God bless you all.  In Christ, Mafú

"However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace." Acts 20:2

Kvale Connection Prayer Letter - June 2014

Jesus Christ is the Same Yesterday, Today, and Forever (Hebrews 13:8, NIV).
Since our visit to the Wycliffe headquarters in December to touch base with the team, the project on the new Wycliffe USA website has launched as of this week! This change is one we hope will render effective matching of willing servants of the Lord from many places to positions needing serving in to further the efforts of Bible Translation to all peoples.

  To read the entire newsletter, click here. 

Update on flood

Thanks so much for your prayers and encouragement.  Thankfully, we didn't get any water in the house and the church fared pretty well.   No damage.  Most people in the neighborhood of the church had water in their homes but most escaped any major losses.  However, there are 3 families of children in our Tuesday Kids' Club that lost many things including clothes, beds and refrigerators.  Their homes are lower-lying and one of the mom's said the water in their street was waist-deep.  She also had a couple small snakes that she found in the house afterward as well.  Please pray for these families and for God to open doors for His Word in their hearts and to the ministry of our church as well.

Thanks so much!

Todd and Barb Schierkolk

Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico

New Mission Social Media Editor

AFLC World Missions has a new editor of our social media, Facebook and blog.  We say thanks to Matthew Pillman who volunteered as editor during this last semester of AFLBS.

Our new editor is Carol Knapp.  Carol lives in Willmar, MN with her family George and Helen Knapp.  Carol was born in Maringa, Brazil and has had a long term personal involvement and interest in AFLC World Missions. 

Thank you Carol for being willing to serve the Lord in this way!

Baby Levi

Introducing... Levi Michael Coyle.
Our sweet baby boy arrived this past Wednesday, June 18 at 7:14 a.m. He weighed 7# 3 oz. (3260g), and measured 19.25 in. (48.9 cm). We are so incredibly grateful for how God answered so many prayers. Praising God for this precious gift!

Andy, Monica, Moriah, Isaiah, Josiah and Levi

www.amcoylefamily.blogspot.com

Flooding in Jerez

Lots of rain last night (Twin Cities will sympathize) that resulted in a dam breaking just a few miles away from our side of town.  Last time this happened many people close to the site lost everything.  The attached picture is from the street behind our house.  People in the neighborhood of our church are battling with water either coming in through the door or up through the drains.  Praying that God will use this to draw people to Himself.  Haven't been able to get out to the church building yet.

In Christ,

Todd, Barb and Kirstie Schierkolk

Never heard this one before . . .

We were delighted last week to see this little group of 3 kidlets come around the corner to the new location of our Kid's Club at our church building in their neighborhood.  It was a couple extra blocks to walk for them and little Danny is prone to bolt out into the street without looking so we weren't sure they would be able to come.  But they did.  And they had some interesting news for us!  We've heard lots of different types of criticism of us, our church and what we believe; a couple examples . . . we don't believe in the Virgin, we don't believe in the saints or we don't believe in the pope.  But the oldest of these 3 kids told us that someone said that we don't believe in God!  Yup.  That's what they were told.  So, of course we were happy to see that they didn't believe what was said about us.  They've been coming to the club for over a year now and we're very grateful for the privilege and opportunity to continue to teach them about the God we very much believe in and the wonders of His love.

A couple quick prayer requests:

For Rachel as she is counseling with Teen Camps at her college.

For Megan as she travels with the South Barnabas summer team helping Home Mission congregations with their VBS's.

And for us as we get ready for our own VBS here in Jerez next month.

New Church–Schierkolks

We're in a new church building now!  So grateful for the opportunity to rent this house and meet for worship here.  It had been available a year ago but someone beat us to it.  Then it became available again and ​we made the switch in March.  We were also just able to move our Kid's club to the new church as well.  God's timing is really wonderful because just after we rented the new building, the owners of the house with the garage that we had been meeting at with the kids on Tuesdays moved into it!   Most of the kids have made the transition but a number of the little kids still haven't yet.  Hoping that we can see some kind of arrangements made for them to come as well.

​Thanks so much again for your prayers for us and this ministry.  We could not be here without you.  And for those of you who have been able and led by the Spirit of God to help us financially . . . thank you for your generosity.  We're grateful to all of you for your partnership with us in this ministry in whatever way that manifests itself.

In Christ,

Todd and Barb Schierkolk

​Jerez, Zacatecas, Mexico​

Amanda Bellefy - Ecuador

As I'm writing this, I'm outside watching the biggest and prettiest hummingbird I've ever seen fly in front of me.  The school year is coming to an end here at the Bible school.  The students are taking finals this week and they graduate on June 14th.  Next week I will be going with them to Cuenca as they will have a week of practicals before they graduate. 

After they graduate, I will be moving to Cuenca for the summer and house sitting the Pillman's house as they are in the states until August.  I was in charge for most of May as the administrator was in the states, and praise God nothing too major happened and I think it went well.  I taught her literature class and a class on the book of Ruth during that time, which really helped my Spanish. 

I got a 6 month tourist visa, so I have until November to get my missionary visa.  I have all the papers that I need except one-the church's registration papers.  The place that has the registration papers is currently without a manager, and so I am waiting for them to get a manager so that they can sign the paper.  It sounds like such a simple thing, but I have been waiting for this paper for 2 months already, so please pray for this. 

Yesterday we had a fun adventure chasing our chickens-I have decided I never want chickens (unless I can watch the entertainment from a distance).  I have been working on a play based on the book of Hosea and the book Redeeming Love.  I just finished it and it will be performed by the students in August, I am told.  This summer I will be working in Cuenca, and Rachel (the administrator) and I are organizing a Kids' Camp for the month of July.  I will be working on making the Bible lessons for the teachers this coming week.  Thank you for all of your support and prayers.

Prayer Requests:

1. For the students as they graduate, that they would continue to grow in their faith after leaving Bible school (Pocho, Kevin, Taty, Johanna, & Raquel)

2. For future students in the fall

3. For my missionary visa

4. For the summer Kids' Camp

In Christ,
Amanda Bellefy

World Relief in South Sudan

World Relief is the aid organization approved and used by AFLC World Missions World Relief is on the ground in South Sudan working with families displaced by the current violence. Recent fighting has resulted in nearly 10,000 deaths and displaced over 900,000 people from their homes. Read more The United Nations expects an estimated 3.7 million people in South Sudan are currently going hungry and over 50,000 children are suffering from malnutrition. Read More Health concerns continue to rise as conditions deteriorate for displaced families. World Relief has been working in South Sudan since 1998, responding to the growing humanitarian needs, and empowering local churches to address the complex problems that stem from chronic poverty through agricultural development, health, nutrition, food security and education. In the coming months there is potential for the worst famine Africa has seen in 20 years to develop. Food supplies and communications have been nearly cut off, and shelters have been destroyed in the violence. World Relief is responding. Our work on the ground in Unity State is bridging the gap with the supply of essential medicines and food distribution to displaced children and families. You can help make change possible through your financial and prayerful support. Here are 4 ways you can get involved PRAY: We know that God responds to the prayers of His people! Download this prayer card that will help you and your congregation to pray for the churches of South Sudan and other needs. LEARN: Join a national conference call, June 11th at 1PM EDT. World Relief staff, recently returned from South Sudan, will give an update on the current situation and share details about our response. Click here to RSVP—we will then e-mail you the call-in details. GIVE: By taking a special offering or giving a one-time gift, your donation will help meet the most crucial needs of vulnerable children and families in South Sudan. Your gift will provide: Urgent food assistance Specialized nutritional assistance for children Critical care for those who are wounded Emergency kits to prevent disease Gifts can be mailed to 7 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21202 with “South Sudan” in memo line. PARTNER: World Relief is looking for a group of dedicated churches to partner with us in South Sudan and to be involved in transforming communities in that region over time. Church partners commit to World Relief in South Sudan for five years through building relationships with our staff and local church networks. U.S. Churches leverage financial resources to help promote the work of the church in South Sudan. They allow themselves to be transformed through relationships with Christians from South Sudan, enjoying how this deepens discipleship in their own congregation. If you would like more information about what it means for your church to partner with World Relief in South Sudan please e-mail James Misner at jmisner@wr.org.

WORLD RELIEF 7 East Baltimore Street, Baltimore, MD 21201 | 800.535.5433 | worldrelief@wr.org

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Intense rest and intense ministry

Passion Play Cast 2014

Many times life on the mission field with all the activities and all the people coming and going is just a matter of doing the next thing and keeping the right attitude. When our house is full of people (more often than not) there are many routine things that just need to get done – food prep, dishes, clothes-washing, visiting with people who are in the house, answering e-mails, making phone calls, planning the next program…. sandwiched in between our regular ministry responsibilities. It’s a blessing to learn to “do all things without grumbling or complaining” (Phil. 2) so that we might be a good example to those around us and point them to Jesus.

Putting on a big production like our Passion Play requires a lot of work each year – some of that work includes re-writing the script, recording new voices, making sets, preparing costumes, designing publicity, contacting participants, raising money to cover costs, finding volunteers to help with parking and canteen and set-up and tear-down, and the list goes on. The whole production is surrounded by prayer and dedication with the goal of reaching people with the overwhelmingly Good News that God’s Son Jesus became a man and victoriously lived, died and rose again to give us new life. We praise God for not regarding the weather report and blessing us with three beautiful nights to present the story of God’s love and grace. Over 1000 people made their way to the ARCA grounds to take in the awesome outdoor production. We were thrilled to have son Andrew and his wife Alexi with us to help with all the sound and light production. Our two granddaughters were very excited to be a part of the cast this year. Many people responded to the altar call at the end, and we hope these people will seek to know the Lord and have their lives changed for now and for eternity. Thanks to those of you who prayed for this outreach.

ARCA Family Chalet

Besides working hard on the set-building for the play Paul has also spent hours working on the construction of the new room for couples and families at the ARCA. He has overseen the whole project and purchased materials in addition to helping with the roof construction and painting. Everything is looking great! We are thankful for friends who have donated financially to make this project possible. The room was first used over Easter by a Brazilian pastor and family who were involved in the play. Our house was filled to capacity so it was nice to have another special place to house people. The remodeling project continues as we work towards having housing for about 15 more people in this "ARCA Family Chalet."

Sharing the Word 
Paul has also had the opportunity to do many hospital visits and lead people to Christ in the past months. Two of these people passed away recently, but they had the opportunity to hear and respond to the Gospel. Pastor Joel’s mother-in-law also passed away last week. Death is a reality that every person alive must face. Sometimes we avoid talking about it, because it is uncomfortable and sad and sometimes fearful. The Bible says that death is the last enemy to be conquered (I Cor. 5:26). It is our job as Christians to help people prepare themselves for death. He who is prepared to die is prepared to live. We are so thankful for the assurance that God has given us in His Word in I John 5:11-13 – “God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life.”

Paul has been discipling a new family in the basics of the Christian faith. He loves doing one-on-one work

and helping people understand God’s plan for their lives. Both of us participate in another weekly Bible Study led by Christina’s in-laws. This study has been a blessing to us and has been an opportunity to involve the two couples we have been trying to reach for Jesus. Pray for John and Maria, Levir and Rose.

Get-away
After months of non-stop people and activities we were blessed by our friends from Chicago, Ken and Carla, who took us on a trip to spend a couple of days in a beautiful hotel in Iguaçu Falls as we showed them the sights. Unfortunately, it rained like crazy so they didn’t get the full benefit of appreciating God’s stupendous handiwork in this place. We joked about having a real “rain forest experience.”After they flew back to the U.S., the sun came out in its glory, and we spent a few more days ministering at our churches in Falls.

What's Next?

At the end of the month we will travel once again, this time to participate in our churches in Vitória, ES. Since we came back from furlough last October we hadn’t had time to travel to the churches outside of our area so we are trying to schedule several trips for the coming months. We are also planning a weekend retreat for couples at the ARCA in June. July and August will be devoted to hosting two large short-term teams. You will hear more about that in future letters. We await the arrival of two MN girls in May who will spend almost three months in Brazil. In June a couple of college students will arrive to spend a couple of months. Two seminarians continue to come once a month for ten days. And we have two Brazilian teenagers who spend the weekends at our place. So, you can well imagine that we haven’t struggled a lot with the “empty nest syndrome” although we do really miss having our own kids at home.

Click here to read the complete letter.

May update from Jonni

Milestone Moments
Four sweet children left the Miriam Home yesterday. For two of them it is hard to tell if they understand the idea of “going home” because they have spent so much of there lives with us. William is 18 months old and as spent 11 of those months in the Miriam Home. He took his first steps here, learned to feed himself here. We have had the blessing of seeing some of his milestone moments!...

It has been a blessing to be a part of the lives of these sweet children, and it is exciting that we will be able to continue! Through the “Follow Them Home” program we will be providing assistance and encouragement to the family along with the AFLC church in Lar Parana. Please pray that the children’s parents will value the opportunity they have to be a part of their children’s milestones! 

With Baited Breath 

No, that isn’t the opening to a fishing joke (though it is the punchline to one), it is our current state as we wait for our short term assistants to arrive! We are so excited to receive Ruthie Grove back, she will arrive shortly after you get this newslet-ter! Ruthie will be joined by Cheyenne Hanson will be in Brazil for three whole months and we already feel our feet cooling, as our socks prepare to be blessed off!

We will also be receiving the FLY team for a time in July and we may even have others helpers, depending on tickets, etc. We are more than ex-cited to have these precious brothers and sisters coming along side!

Precious Hands and Hearts! 

I have been told sometimes that I don’t tell you enough about what is happening in the Bible School and Seminary. I apologize for that, because God is doing such wonderful things among our students and we want to praise Him for it. Well,there is a big carry over going on right now between the two ministries that occupy 

this space. The students have invaded the Miriam Home, in the best possible way! We have been blessed with young men and women who choose to use their free time to play with the little ones. And, even more thrilling, several students have “adopted” each of the teens in the house, as big brothers and sisters. The talks they have and the prayer times they share have blessed these kids so much! It is wonderful that the children in hte Miriam Home feel loved and cared for by the staff, and receive God’s truth on a daily basis (as I write you I am listening to them singing in the next room as Odete leads the morning dovotional—it is beautiful!). But there is something extra special when someone who doesn’t “work” in the Miriam Home seeks you out and wants to spend time with you. Praise the Lord for these amazing young people! 

Please Keep Praying! 

Praise the Lord! Our car is on it’s way! Last month I asked you to pray for the replacement for the Miriam Home car totaled in an accident, and your prayers have power. There is a good chance that we will receive this next week—yeah! 

Please pray for a trip I will be taking the end of the month, visiting the newest AFLC church in Brazil, in Ijuhy, Rio Grande do Sul! I am very excited to introduce the Miriam Home to them and at the same time bring a word of encouragement to our new brothers and sisters! 

Doubting Thomas? Really?

            “Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, ‘We have seen the Lord.’ But he said to them, ‘Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe.’ Eight days later, his disciples were inside again, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you.’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.’ Thomas answered him, ‘My Lord and my God!’ Jesus said to him, ‘Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” John 20:24-31 ESV

            When people talk about Jesus’ Twelve Apostles, there are a few who often have  negative things associated with them. Of course there is Judas Iscariot who betrayed Jesus. We correctly remember his infamous actions. Judas was full of remorse after his betrayal of the Messiah—he felt bad about the consequences—but did not repent and receive forgiveness from the Lord Jesus. There is another Apostle—Thomas, AKA “Doubting Thomas” by many. How is he remembered? He doubted! But whatand why did he doubt? He knew that Jesus had been crucified. His Messiah was dead. And that was the end of that—or so he thought! He did not anticipate a resurrected Lord who would rise from the dead on the third day. Jesus told him in advance, but Thomas did not understand what Jesus meant by those words at that time. So, when the other disciples claimed to have seen Jesus who had risen from the dead, Thomas doubted. He thought that it would never happen; it could never happen. There was no conspiracy among the disciples to make up stories. The Scriptures record the true, historical events that correspond with reality.

            What would persuade Thomas to go from disbelieving to belief that Jesus was alive?

            “Unless I see in his hands the mark of the nails, and place my finger into the mark of the nails, and place my hand into his side, I will never believe,” Thomas said. Why was Thomas so stubborn? He needed to be convinced that Jesus was alive with proof, not with a mere subjective feeling in his heart. Eight days later, Thomas had his chance. Jesus, in his mercy, offered to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and see my hands; and put out your hand, and place it in my side. Do not disbelieve, but believe.” A resurrected-from-the-dead Jesus was not a figment of anyone’s imagination. He was raised bodily from the dead, after defeating sin, death, and the Devil by His sacrifice of Himself. In doing this, Jesus satisfied the holy wrath of the Father on our behalf—for you and for me! Thomas confessed about Jesus, “My Lord and my God!” Notice that Jesus accepted those statements about Himself. Jesus is Lord! Jesus is God! Jesus is the second person of the Holy Trinity! He is the only means by which we can be certain that our sins are forgiven, that we have peace with our Creator, and that we have a home in Heaven. “Do not disbelieve, but believe.” These words are for Thomas; these words are for you. Thomas did trust in Jesus—even to the point of dying a martyr’s death as a missionary to India for his Lord.

Initial days in Sierra Leone

I thantho kuru!—I thank God! This is a common response to “How are you?” and other question greetings. We thank God for these past three months in Sierra Leone! An important step in our orientation was being formally handed over to our Sierra Leonean partners—first to the Bible Society of Sierra Leone, then to the local Themne translation and literacy projects in Makeni...

Vehicle for tough roads

Surprise!

Time to practice Themne

Until next time...
❤ Josh, Ruthie, Elijah (1.5 years) & July Baby

Click here to read more!

April update from Jonni Sliver

A Shift in Power 
Over the last several months the Miriam Home has had a more masculine air than the name would indicate. In fact we have had a little boys club, with 9 of our 12 children being boys, most of them 6 years old and younger—it has been a loud and very fun place to be!

Please Keep Praying! 

For precious co-workers on their way! Ruthie Grove, who knocked our socks off last year is returning in May and bringing a friend! Cheyenne Hanson is working right now on getting her visa and ticket - please pray for both to come easily =) Please pray for Pr Silvio as he hunts for a new car for the Miriam Home. Our lovely, new Ford Fiesta was totaled in a car accident the end of January (praise the Lord, no one was seriously hurt) and we have been hobbling ever since. The insurance money has finally been released, pray that Silvio finds just the right car at just the right price!

Click here to read the entire letter.

Family, Ukraine, and ministry update from the Coyles

Dear Prayer Team,

Greetings from Ukraine, where spring is upon us. Trees and flowers are blooming, kids are playing soccer in the streets, and farmers are busy in the fields. It is a great time of year. It is easy to enjoy these simple things and ignore the complexities of life that we, Ukraine, and our Bible school are facing.

In many ways, moving to the village has helped us not be constantly inundated with the tense political situation. We can enjoy being outside and tackle new projects with the yard, as well as enjoy hosting our staff and students. This has been a blessing for our family amidst the recent challenges. Much greater than that, however, is peace that the Lord gives through His presence and His Word. We are grateful to Him, and we are grateful to you who have been praying for us, for the ministry here, and for Ukraine.

Click here to read entire newsletter.

Searching for the Lost

After more than three weeks of searching, the prime minister of Australia said, “There was no time limit on the painstaking search to find the missing Malaysian Airlines jet.” He said they owe it to the families of the missing passengers. He pledged that the governments involved would “do whatever we reasonably can to get to the bottom of this mystery.” Twenty aircraft and ships, 550 search personnel and a vast amount of modern technology was involved in the search effort on that day, March 31.

At the same time, in Washington State, people were searching through the wreckage left behind from a deadly mudslide that devastated the community of Oso. After eight days of searching, even the rescue dogs were in need of rest. The death toll had reached 25, with 30 people still missing. Those involved in the search made clear, in spite of the conditions and challenges, the search was going to continue on.

In Luke 15 Jesus tells a parable about a shepherd who goes searching after one lost sheep “until he finds it” (v. 4). He follows that with a parable about a woman who loses a coin and then lights a lamp, sweeps the house and searches carefully until she finds it (v. 8). Both parables make the point about how the Lord engages in an all-out search to find lost sinners.

The parables were in response to the teachers of the law muttering that Jesus “welcomes sinners and eats with them” (Luke 15:1). The teachers did not understand or appreciate what Jesus was doing. He came “to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10). He was willing to enter the homes of those society pushed away. He befriended those who were often scorned by the world. He is the good shepherd who engages in an all-out determined search for those who are lost.

The searches going on in the southern Indian Ocean and Washington State are commendable and impressive, but they are no comparison to the amazing search the Lord has conducted for you. The mud in Washington is a messy place to search. The spiritual filth of this world was a much dirtier place for the holy, pure Messiah to come to and live and search. But He humbled Himself and came. The search zone off of Australia is a long ways for the searchers to travel. Our mind cannot conceive of the distance from the glorious throne of heaven to the painful hill of the cross. But Jesus made the journey.

The Lord continues to search. He searches until He finds. When others give up and say there is no chance of recovering that lost soul, the Lord keeps searching. Jesus is searching today for your friend and loved one who doesn’t know Christ. If you’re not right with the Lord, Jesus is searching for you.

With the Malaysian jet and the Washington mudslide, there seems now to be little chance of finding any survivors still alive. But with the Lord’s search for lost souls there is great hope. No matter how far a person has wandered, if they are humbly willing to be found there is hope. Jesus, the crucified and risen One, is able to find them and give them new life.

                     

This is a monthly missions devotional by Pastor Craig Johnson

Ministry and family update from Ecuador

Dear family and friends,
“That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being made conformable unto His death,” Phil. 3:10. We pray that as you meditate upon the deep significance of this Lenten season, you will come to know Christ better and enter more fully into His power and fellowship. We have just come out of a very full, but blessed season of ministry here and are moving on at a bit more normal pace. In January, we were blessed with a mission team from Hosanna Free Lutheran in St. James, MN. The days were full, but we were blessed with sweet fellowship with the team members. The next group was from a non-AFLC church led by a previous missionary to Ecuador, and Justo wasn’t as actively involved with the group, though he did drive them around to a few places.

After the teams left, we enjoyed a restful, enjoyable two weeks with a visit from Tricia’s parents. They were an encouragement to us, a huge help with the kids, and a blessing to the church as they also shared at a
couple of cell groups. We were a bit sad when they left but grateful for the effort they made to come. Right after they left, we attended a family church camp celebrating carnaval here in Ecuador. Justo has also been Vieworking on his various other ministries, including starting the third and final trimester of the Bible school. He will be teaching I and II Corinthians this term.

Looking ahead, Justo has several all day youth activities lined up in March and then we get to welcome a team of Bible schoolers led by Kevin Olson in April. Our big news is that Tricia is expecting another baby! The all-day nausea has set in again, so please pray for grace for the whole family as we run on “survival mode” for the next couple of months. Having two little ones while sick in bed is quite a challenge!

Thank you for your continued faithful prayers for our
busy, growing family!

Justo, Tricia, Nathanael, and Hannah

The entire newsletter.
www.pillmanfamily.org

March update from Jonni Sliver

A Tale of Two Parties
Marcia is ten years old and adorable. She arrived to the Miriam Home on the 30th of December 2013. She ran away from the Miriam Home with an older teen-ager on the 31st of December 2013. Now, that short a stay may make you think that she really hated the Miriam Home, but no, both girls returned of their own free will on January 1st. They just really didn’t want to miss the party! And what a party they had. Both of the girls were still drunk when they arrived home, but Marcia, younger and smaller suffered the most. She spent most of the day near a bathroom or with a bucket close at hand. Her head hurt and all she wanted to do was sleep (a desire that went unfulfilled—the house mom kindly explained that both of the girls were going to stay awake all day so that at night they would remember that the dark hours are for sleeping, not for sneaking out).

Though the New Year’s Eve escapade included drinking more than she ever had it was not the first time Marcia had run away to go to a party. Sneaking out her bedroom window and staying away for days on end where the very reasons she had been brought to the Miriam Home in the first place. Marcia simply couldn’t see the danger she put herself in every time she spent the wee hour of the night out with her friends. She didn’t see that the only reason she was able to return to our home on the 1st of January was because God’s gracious hand had protected her - that she had been completely defenseless as she wandered the streets of Campo Mourao.
Marcia wasn’t with for a long time, she went to live with her aunt and uncle in a neighboring town just a month later. But during that month we found that Marcia wasn’t as hard headed or hearted as her first couple of days would indicate. She was, however easily influenced. Initially the older, tougher girls seemed to be the people to imitate, but as the days passed, with the remembrance of the hangover fresh on her mind she decided that, perhaps she didn’t want to hang out with them. She began participating in devotions in the house and in Sunday School, and one day, just a week before she left Marcia prayed with our house mom, Odette, to turn her life over to Jesus.
Last week we called Marcia to see if she wanted to come to our annual youth camp (Brazilian FLY), held every year during Carnival. I was a little worried; Marcia had responded so well to the Word here, but back with her family, surrounded by a lot of her old friends (her aunt didn’t live far from her mother), how had she responded to the old influences?
Marcia jumped at the opportunity to come to camp! She chose to study, play, pray and celebrate with 160 teens she didn’t know instead of staying home and sneaking out to a street party! And she not only came, she dove in to the camp life, making friends and participating in every thing. Please continue to pray that this sweet young lady will grow up to be a mighty woman of God!

They’re Heeeeere!
I was reminded recently that I almost never mention the Bible School and I have to apologize for that! God is doing wonderful things in our southern AFLBS (here it is called SETELL), and it is truly my privilege to have a part in it!

We had an amazing year in 2013 and we were so blessed because everyone who left in December returned in February, with a significant number of new students swelling their ranks!
Among the returning students we have five seminarians in their last year. Each young man is spending one week per month at churches in Curitiba, Campo Largo, Vitoria, Campo Grande and here in Campo Mourao, serving the churches as interns. They each began their internships by offering up one month of their summer vacation so that they could spend a longer time with their assigned church, letting the congregations get to know them and finding their place in the body. It has been a wonderful win, win situation where many people have already been blessed.

I am starting the school year teaching the Biblical Basis for Missions and Missions History, and though I have only had two classes so far, I really enjoy my gang of first and second year students. We have 20 young people in the class, and it is thrilling to hear their questions and observations and to see the hunger and thirst they have for the Lord and His Word.

Please Keep Praying!
Please continue to pray for our little Raphael. He is returning to Curitiba for a second surgery, this one is much more complex, involving the stomach and intestine. Please pray for strength for the baby, success-ful surgery and good healing. I will give updates on my Facebook, feel free to check in. Also, please pray for his birth mother. Because of this situation we have a lot of contact with her and we have had to oppor-tunity to share the gospel in many different ways. She desperately needs the Lord and this is a door that the Lord has opened!
Please pray for brother Ali (5 years old) and Miguel (2 years old). They have only been with us a little over a week and sadly, they are perfect-ly happy to be here, never asking for mom or dad.
Thank you for your prayers, my trip to Curitiba was wonderful. I had the opportunity to not only visit all of the churches I also got to interview many of the SETELL Alumni. That is our first step in preparation for the 50th Anniversary of the Bible School in 2016!

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Amanda Bellefy arrives in Ecuador

Greetings from Ecuador,

It's crazy to think that I have already been here a week.  I have already learned so much.  Thank you so much for your prayers.  There was some confusion at the airline in New York on my way to Panama City and I had to quickly purchase a $1000 return ticket, but thankfully they were wrong and I get a full refund today.  Praise God!  I am living at the Bible school and on Monday I was put in charge of the five students, mainly in the areas of cooking and cleaning.  Thankfully I have been healthy and have been able to get right to work.  I have felt God's presence strongly, especially in being in a new place and meeting new people.  God has been my comfort and my strength.

Amanda is serving as a Short Term Assistant

Please continue to pray:

1. That I would continue to learn the language

2. That I would be a light and a witness

3. For the spiritual growth of the 5 students here: Taty (Tatiana), Raquel (Rachel), Joanna, Kevin, and Pocho (Christian)

Thank you for your prayers. 

In Christ,
Amanda