INFLUENCY
and FAMILY
Missionaries
Davidson e Lú...
...and the mini-missionaries
Samuel and Marina
Luciane and I have two children: Samuel, who is
6 years old, and Marina, 3. Those who are parents can’t forget the influence
that they
have in their children’s life.
As full time missionaries in YWAM, we chose to
live a life of faith, which is quite different from what we can call a normal
life. This life of faith is not only for missionaries, and it’s not
extraordinary in every single moment. But to be honest, in this almost 20 years
of ministry as a YWAMer, I can say that it was not only a few times that I felt
like Peter, standing in the boat and asking Jesus to give some steps in the
waves.
In our house, we are impressed by our daughter’s
faith, Marina.
She has been praying almost every day that she can study at the same school as
her brother. She studies at this little school near by the Semear House. It was
the same school that Samuel studied. This year he had to go to a different level
and we managed to get a 50% discount for him at the Baptist School,
but it’s not for sure that we will have it for the next year. But our little Marina doesn’t really
care about this detail, and even if she wanted, she would not understand it.
She keeps asking “Did you guys already prayed that I’ll be able to study at the
4-years-old school?” This faith has been giving a lot of joy and encouragement
to our hearts.
Setting the little ones as arrows
Marina was born in February of 2007, in the very same
week when the little João Hélio, 6 years old, was dragged by criminals till his
death in the streets of Rio de Janeiro (it was a famous situation all around
Brazil). In the hospital the grandmother of another baby that was also just
borne asked me “Is it possible to put a child in a world like this?”
My feelings and my answer said: “Yes, I offer my
children to a world like this”
Few weeks ago, Samuel told me that he wants to
be a missionary in North
Korea. I asked him “why North Korea?”,
and he answered: “Because that’s the place where more people still didn’t hear
about Jesus” I’m a missionary and I know that this is not an interesting choice
in the eyes of human been. Not at all! But than I said “Amen!” to my son
Samuel. Is it because of our influence as missionaries that Samuel wants to go
to North Korea?
I
believe so!
The
influence on the children at Sower
house
Our lives at Sower house
also has influence on the children and the teenagers that we work with.
Marcos Vinícius was a boy that participated in one of our groups for many years. During the time he was with us, he attended to several events that we organized. The Deaf Day (26 of September), Children Day, Family Parties (2007, 2008, 2009), camps, camping with fathers, camping with mothers, etc.
Marcos Vinícius was a boy that participated in one of our groups for many years. During the time he was with us, he attended to several events that we organized. The Deaf Day (26 of September), Children Day, Family Parties (2007, 2008, 2009), camps, camping with fathers, camping with mothers, etc.
On the last celebration of Children’s Day, in
the second week of October, I was impressed by a demonstration of thankfulness
and by the power of our influence in the life of the young Marcos Vinícius.
Together with other deaf friends, he prepared a great party to the children in
Casa Semear. They came to talk to us, to get some information and organize the
first details. They managed to get some money for the snack, they made and
bought some presents, organized all the games, invited their families to help
as volunteers, prepared dramas and a lot of other things. So, in the 9 of
October, from the morning till the afternoon our children had this big great
party. It was wonderful to see the kids having so much joy in this day and also
to see those young deaf people practicing the love that one day they received
through Casa Semear.
I’m thankful for each person that has been join
me and Luciane to influence the lives of this children. I’m thankful for the
missionaries Dilma, Débora, Anatália and Pérola that with full-time dedication
have been serving God at Casa Semear. I’m thankful for the deaf volunteers or
for those who can hear, brazilians or foreigners that have already been in our
House or that are still helping us. I need to give a special “thank you” to the
team of the New Destiny Adventure Center, that have been giving to our children
UNFORGETTABLE moments; for sure this moments will be taken to the eternity. And
to finish, I want to thank the Central Baptist Church of Belo Horizonte, the
Betel Presbyterian Church and the First Baptist Church of Pimenta Bueno that,
together with other churches in Brazil and other countries, have been sending
people to add in the work we do.
TOGETHER you are INFLUENCE in the LIVES of the children
in Sower
house and also in the society around them.
Thank you very much for the fellowship!
Thank you very much for the fellowship!
Oh! Samuel and Marina, with their beautiful
initiative of communicating with hands in our House, are also an influence in
the lives of our little deaf.
The
value we give to the families
In mother’s day and also in father’s day this
year, we organized our Third Camp for mothers and children, and our Second Camp
for fathers and children. We had parents and children together at the New
Destiny Farm for a whole day of fun, having relationship and learning. It’s one
of the most important events we have in our ministry. Sower house is
not a shelter for deaf kids. Each child and teenager has their house and family
that they live with. A lot of parents are divorced and we know how important it
is that they have a healthy relationship with their mother and father. As a
team, we are even more aware of the importance of being an influence in the
places where our boys and girls have been influenced. Pray with us that we will
have even more opportunities of being an influence in the family and at the
school of our children and teenagers.
The
Family Party 2010
Every year since 1999, we have a big
end of term party, so as to close our activities. December is coming, and one
more time we want to give presents to EVERY family and also EACH ONE in a
family. I emphasize these words because they are symbolical and very important
expressions of God’s love that is revealed in Jesus. We want your help,
especially for those who are from Belo
Horizonte, so that we can make this party. We have
time, space and some resources, but they are not enough to make everything we
have been doing in the past years and for everything we have in our hearts for
this party.
We receive 22 deaf children and
teenagers from 19 families in special needs.
What do we want to do?
·
To give 19 kits
with food;
·
To give 19
Christmas baskets;
·
To give each
deaf child and teenager a present;
·
To give
something to the brothers or sisters that can hear and that will be invited to
the party.
Holidays and School
The end of a year is a challenge.
With a bigger family and with both children in school, the challenge is even
bigger.
Since 1994, when I started to date Luciane, and especially after 1996, when we got married, we all go to visit her parents, who live in Cabedelo - Paraíba, 2.200 kilometers away from Belo Horizonte. In the beginning, without kids or when Samuel was still a baby, we could travel any time of the year. Now that Samuel and Marina are going to school we have to travel between December and January, when the costs are higher.
We want and need a good time of resting from work.
Since 1994, when I started to date Luciane, and especially after 1996, when we got married, we all go to visit her parents, who live in Cabedelo - Paraíba, 2.200 kilometers away from Belo Horizonte. In the beginning, without kids or when Samuel was still a baby, we could travel any time of the year. Now that Samuel and Marina are going to school we have to travel between December and January, when the costs are higher.
We want and need a good time of resting from work.
Prayer
Requests:
- That our
influence will reach the schools where our children are;
- For the Family Party of 2010;
- That both Samuel and Marina can study at the Baptist School in 2011;
- For our finances before the challenges of traveling and money for the school.
A big hug,
Davidson and Luciane, and the mini-missionaries Samuel and Marina
