The Next Step of our Journey Begins...

WHEW!

I wish I had had more opportunity these past few weeks to keep you updated! SO very much has happened, and it will be impossible to even summarize half of it.

WE ARE IN CAMBORIÚ!!!!

And, our internet devise does not work here. :-( So I am sorry that I have not had a chance to get back to emails and facebook messages, but know that they were ALL very much appreciated! Maybe someday communication will become easier....... I am at an internet cafe now. I will try to find a way to post pics soon.

We were able to take care of my ID situation in Santos, and all went smoothly, praise the Lord and thank you for your prayers!

Fabio is feeling quite well now! Again, thank you for your prayers! We now know that it takes many people months to get over fully over dengue fever, also known as breakbone fever, and recover their strength, so in light of that, it was quick! :)

We arrived in Camboriú, Santa Catarina by bus on Tuesday morning of this week, March 9th. It was a 10 hour bus ride from Santos, south. We had had limited communication with Pastor Facundo, so we really did not know what to expect.

They have recently gotten a new facility, where we are living. It is a large three story building. There is another family living in the bottom floor, who are leaders in the church and have 2 daughters. They care for many things, including a community breakfast and lunch. There are other offices and a community area downstairs as well. The second floor is the "sanctuary" , which looks like a theatre. I think it used to be. And the third floor is our room, and another room where another guy from church lives, and a tiny kitchen as well.

So far, we have done cleaning and painting, cooking, and settling in a bit. They recently became responsible for a school in the favela, and I will be teaching there next week, and I think every Friday. Fabio is building a website for the church as well.

There are many young boys and men who have been recently saved out of drugs that come to the church every day to help with the fixing up of the facility, eat together, have Bible studies and receive strength to keep on keeping on! This is the heart of what is going on here.

Last night, a few of us were sitting on the front step and a teenage boy walked by, looking dirty and carrying a sack over his shoulder. I smiled at him as big as I could and said HI! He kept walking to the corner, stood there a while, then came back to ask me what the building was? We started talking to him, found out his mother had abandoned him as a small boy, and he was living with another lady who was taking care of him, until she died 2 years ago. He has been living on the streets since then. He is 17. We talked with him a long while, and then took him to a home. But the desire of the church is to prepare the church facility to receive others like this young man.

There are two castle-looking buildings by us, one on either side of the church. One is a transvestite theatre, and the other is a Masonic lodge where they do all sorts of rituals, etc. What a strategic spot! The building next to the church is a small hotel-type thing, also mostly inhabited by transvestites. There is much to do in this place!

We have encountered MUCH difficulty since we came to Brazil, much of which I have not felt at liberty to write about, but the spiritual warfare is very real and is raging. PLEASE continue to pray for us!

Pray that we would be strong in the Lord and in His mighty power!
Pray that we would have boldness to share the Gospel with the least of these!
Pray for supernatural protection and a shield around us and our children.
Pray that the Lord would give us diving DIRECTION to know what to do from here on out.

We love you all!!!