Transitions (Jason)

As many of you know from the letter that we sent in February, Kristin and I will be transitioning back to the States by midyear 2011  (see our letter here).  We look forward to seeing many of you again and will be in touch once we get settled.  In the letter we highlighted some of the ways that God has worked during our time here in Brazil.  As I believe it is fitting, I would like to give greater attention to some of those works here in this blog update.  

First, I would like to start with REAME, the orphanage.  For 10 years now Sombra Road has supported the work of REAME with financial assistance.  Tom Carson, a shrewd judge of character, made a wise choice when he decided to invest in Gislaine, REAME's founder and director.  Gislaine has administered Sombra Road's investments wisely as she has sheltered hundreds of abandoned children in REAME's 17 years.

Next, we thank God for the opportunity that Sombra Road has had to reach out to many while focusing on a few.  We have had the opportunity to conduct weekly Bible studies, English and soccer classes, and prayer meetings with hundreds of disadvantaged youth in our time here in Brazil.  Within the past year we have had the benefit of seeing some longstanding relationships pay off with the development of a soccer ministry.   Among this group we have been able to have many spiritual conversations and have seen much fruit.  However, we are even more thankful for the lives of Claudinho, Paulo Sergio, Paulo Ricardo, Adilio, and Anderson.  We thank God that we have been able to share our lives with these young men whom we consider to be close friends.  We believe that God has entrusted them to us, that he is doing and will do great things in their lives.

Please pray for us as we make our transition back to the States, for employment and that we would trust in God's guidance and care.  Also, pray for Jeremy as he continues Sombra Road's work here in Brazil.  Finally, pray for the boys in the Sombra Road Program as they continue to mature and grow in their love for God.

Flooding in Friburgo (Jeremy)

As many of you may have heard, the towns of Friburgo and Teresopolis (a mountainous region about 2 hours from the Rio’s city limits) were ravaged by flooding this week. The official death toll is at 534, but rescue workers cannot even speculate how many are actually missing. Everyone here follows the news reports quite closely, as most have relatives or friends that live in that area. The stories that have surfaced are horrific, like one father who found the body of one son buried in the mud in search of the other three that are missing. The press has labeled it the most devastating natural disaster in the history of Brazil.

The somewhat chilling part for us in all of this is that Jason, Kristin, Carol and I spent last weekend there. We had purchased one of those Groupon packages for a discount on a bed and breakfast in the area. We used the time to step away from the fast pace of life in Rio. Everything about the place was conducive to rest, as I would describe the area as green and slow. It’s eerie to think how rain can change that in a night. I don’t want to be melodramatic, nor am I trying to revisit the Left Behind series. I just cannot seem to shake how much this speaks of our need for preparedness and unity among believers. I don’t believe that the Western church will continue to be successful in insulating itself from tragedies and suffering. In such, I believe we will also stumble upon our true and real Hope.

Pacification (Kristin)

As many know, Rio’s favelas (slums) were pockets in the city where the police had no presence or control.  In an effort to control violence and lawlessness with the upcoming World Cup (2014) and Olympics (2016), special police units have been created to subdue and control the favelas in Rio.  First, the BOPE enters (think military police specially trained in favela warfare) to kick out the drug dealers and take control (Jeremy wrote about it here).  After a specific time, control is handed over to the UPP, Unidade de Policia Pacificadora (Pacification Police Unit), whose role is to maintain peace and order and be the law in the community.  On November 30th, 2010, the UPP was officially inaugurated in Morro dos Macacos.  What does the arrival of the UPP mean?  Peace? Normalcy?

I've asked several residents what effect this has had on their lives.  Do they see a difference?  Most respond similarly, shrugging their shoulders and saying “things are mostly the same except that we don’t see guns.”  Apparently the UPP only provides a more superficial "peace." But there is actually more crime now in the favela whereas before most of the crime (other than drug dealing) took place outside of it.  When the drug traffickers were in control, residents would not dare steal from one another.  Such crime was severely punished.  A friend went to the hospital recently and saw a young boy with a bullet wound in the middle of his palm, a common consequence enforced by drug dealers on thieves.  But now, when I ask if they can report these incidences of theft to the UPP, residents respond in horror, “no way”.  You see, some of the drug gang has returned (though mixed in with the population) and they are watching to see who is talking to the police.  Fear still rules in the hearts and minds of those living there.    

This false display of peace is evident all over society, even down to the individual.  Externally we have an impression of safety, order and tranquility, but internally there exists distress, corruption and violence.   The only hope we have, as a society and individuals, is found in Christ and in letting “the peace of Christ rule in your hearts…” (Col 3:15).  Please join us in praying for this internal peace to come and reign in the hearts of all men. 

Having a Charlie Brown Christmas? (Jason)

“Sure, Charlie Brown, I can tell you the meaning of Christmas.  Lights, please!”  A friend of mine said that when a life falls apart Linus’ words are a message of hope.  Charlie Brown had been seeking the true meaning of Christmas.  He knew that he didn’t get it.  He knew that he was missing something.  Why else should he be feeling so disappointed and depressed?  He seeks help from Lucy.  We learn that, for her, only real estate translates into happiness.  Likewise, his sister thinks that satisfaction comes from 10’s and 20’s.  Charlie Brown himself seeks fulfillment in being the director of the Christmas play.  This only ends in greater disappointment and depression.  We all have a similar tendency to take Christ out of the manger and replace him with our frankincense, gold, and iPhone 4’s.  All this sets the scene for Linus’ famous monologue.  Linus the Wise understands the meaning of Christmas.  He knows that the only way to satiate the pining of the human heart is to put Christ in the manger.  It is only after Linus reorients Brown’s values system that the story is resolved.  Charlie Brown smiles.  He finally gets it. 

It is our prayer that we all put Christ in the manger this holiday season.  Merry Christmas.

A Nontraditional Thanksgiving (Jeremy)

Nothing on the table last Wednesday night would have indicated that we were celebrating Thanksgiving. No turkey, no dressing, no sweet potatoes - just 3 pounds of noodles and a bucket of spaghetti sauce. Yet, for all its simplicity, the evening transmitted a sense of gratitude that would have made our forefathers proud. After the meal, each of us had an opportunity to express our appreciation to God for the things He has given. Here's a run down of what each had to say (besides Claudinho who was working).

Jason - my wife, Jacob, the baby on the way and Sombra Road
Kristin - my mom's successful surgery, the baby and Jacob (besides those mentioned in the previous blog)
Paulo - Sombra Road and how it is a family for him, the guys in the house and his mother
Ronnie (a guy from the favela) - His mom, his girlfriend, his friendship with Marcos Paulo and Jefferson and his relationship with the people of Sombra Road
Adilio - his family, his girlfriend and his growing relationship with Jason

Jeremy - Marriage with Carol, privilege to be around the guys, Kristin, Jason and family and friends here and in the States

Anderson - the hope he feels for the future that God is preparing for him and the way Sombra Road has become a family for him

Carol - our Sombra Road family, her parents and brothers, and a loving, servant-minded husband that does not merely listen to her but actually intuits her very essence (she didn't exactly say this last part, but I could tell that this is what she desired to express)

In looking over the list, I know there is nothing remarkable about it. The entire activity could be little more than a mindless exercise in civic responsibility - like a kid expressing his gratitude for the socks his grandmother gave him for Christmas, parroting the words that mom and dad had scripted for him on the ride to her house. However, I think that these moments allowed us to step out of the routine and appreciate the privilege of our present reality. I hope that even if your own Thanksgiving was too busy for thankfulness (as mine often is) that you would prioritize stepping back this season to find it in your own life.  

Thankfulness (Kristin)

'Tis the season...to be thankful.  It's sad how this coming holiday is almost completely overshadowed by the commercialism of the one to come.  I wish more emphasis was put on Thanksgiving...on being thankful to God for what this year has brought us, the good and the bad, knowing that our perfect heavenly Father has our lives in His hands and transforms even ashes to beauty. 

We are thankful this year...

for Jeremy and Carol's marriage
for the blessing of new life growing in Kristin's belly (and growing, and growing)
for Anderson successfully completing a rehabilitation program and returning to live and grow with us
for Claudinho's good job
for Paulo returning to the Sombra Road House
for Adilio growing more and more in maturity in Christ
for Jacob's health and joy
for God's guidance and direction in the future of our ministry
for God's provision even in difficult times

What are you thankful for?

Additionally, we would like to invite you all to a beneficiary concert in support of Sombra Road.  Our dear friend, Kristin Turney Jones, has kindly offered her (and her band's) amazing talent and time in order to help us raise needed funds.  The entrance to the concert is free, with donations requested.  Please see the invitation below and invite your friends:

Good Try (Jason)

 

Several months ago Jeremy sent me this email:

Claudinho recently bought a cell phone direct from China. He asked me to translate something from the manual into Portuguese. This is exactly what is written:

You can information and others of the usage writing carry on confabulation. Chat has diagrammed a mark to show at which chat room. Chat function of operation with get to the Internet chat homology.

I thought maybe you could help me out. I know so little about confabulation these days.

I can just imagine the guy who wrote this manual bragging to his co-workers saying, “English - English is practically my first language.  I got this.”  When it comes to cell phone manuals it is not the end of the world if you get it wrong.  The same does not apply to life.   

We have been talking a good deal about Paulo lately, both in our blog entries as well as in our staff meetings.  Paulo thought that, in his own strength, he could be good enough, smart enough, motivated enough, etc. to succeed and achieve all his dreams.  He has come to a point in life where reality has weighed down hard leaving him disillusioned and depressed.  We have been trying to help him see that he has at least three choices: he can give up, he can try harder, or, he can lean on Jesus.  This may seem simplified, but I think that this is the reality.  Paulo is not the type to give up.  However, he, as well as all of us, runs the risk of just trying harder.  It is our prayer that Paulo would not settle for what he can do for himself.  We pray that he, coming to the end of self, would rest on Christ.  We hope that Paulo, unlike the manual writer, would not say, “I got this”, but that he would turn to Jesus in desperation and say with Peter “Lord, to whom shall we go?”  Please pray for Paulo this month.  We believe that he is in a very impressionable period.  Pray that his life would be marked by dependence on Christ.