Jan. 23, 2006 - Merry January

**************************Cliff Notes for "Merry January" at bottom...but this one isn't too long**********************



Well the holidays have come and gone, but here in Brazil it's summer time so lots of folks are still in the middle of vacation. Kids are out of school and daily there is a group of boys running wild in the empty field across from our house trying to get lift-off for their colorful kites. Those little plastic kites with long tails and string wrapped around an empty coke bottle provide them hours of entertainment and add so much color and joy to their lives and all who pass by. This was our first international Christmas and it was a great one. Micah's brother Aaron came down from Alaska to spend about 10 days with us. Coming from Alaska in the dead of winter to Brazil in the heat of summer was a bit of a shock to his system but I know he enjoyed thawing out. We were so blessed and had such fun introducing him to our church family and friends, riding all over the city on bikes and spending time catching up. A three day trip to Foz do Iguacu was a highlight for all of us as we saw the largest waterfalls in the world, rode bikes in the jungle, paddled rubber kayaks through river rapids and spent time with a local church leader and his two little boys all the while. All in all his visit was really great and just spending time together as family was special as we made a wealth of memories and took loads of pictures. And the Aaron that headed back to Alaska was a little more sun kissed than the one who arrived.

Now it's been back to our routine of quiet mornings for prayer, studying Portuguese and writing emails, hot afternoons of errands and chores, meetings and naps and evenings and nights filled with activities and services at church. These last two weeks we've been planning and preparing for our equivalent of VBS. The theme is Navigating with Jesus. This is our church's first time doing VBS and it's been a great learning experience of all of us involved. There are about 12 adults active in the planning phase and looking forward to teaching and interacting with kids from this neighborhood. We've been spending 4 or 5 hours every afternoon at church preparing, making name tags, poster board song sheets, planning activities and games for the kids. Our prayer is that this VBS will be about honoring and glorifying God through loving and teaching children about Him. Our first day this Wed. the 25th and we look forward to how God will use this time to transform little and big lives and hearts for his kingdom.

This weekend we spent with the other missionaries for the annual retreat. Friday afternoon we headed to a hotel/resort about an hour away for several days of spiritual retreat, fellowship and fun together as a missionary family. While the location was not exactly what everyone had expected, we still had a great time just relaxing and getting to know one another better. Even though we're all working in the same city, we seldom have time together just to hang out, so I think we all enjoyed the opportunity to build friendships, play silly games, and spend time together sharing and praying about the upcoming year. I know Micah and I came away refreshed and appreciative for the missionary family here in Brazil.

The guys group that Micah is facilitating has been a source of joy for him. Currently there are 5 Brazilian guys committed to this group and they meet on our back veranda every Friday night for accountability and Bible study. It's been Awesome for Micah to watch as these guys discover that God can speak to them personally through His Word. As they realize that God Himself can reveal His word to their hearts and minds. Their growing knowledge of and desire for God's word is an occasion for thanks and praise. There are still struggles as these young men and new believers battle the enemy and his desire to bring them low through sin, discouragement, fear and guilt. In a very real way we still ask that you pray for these guys, that God would use these times in their lives for growth. That their hearts will respond to Him and that His mercy and grace will shine through their lives.

We have started a women's group that is meeting once a month for fellowship, sharing and prayer with another. This is a source of both great joy and great frustration for me. I love getting together with these ladies and spending time trying to get to know them better. However, it is also so very frustrating and makes me sad when I cannot communicate easily with them. Both the difficulty of understanding what they are sharing and the inability to share my own heart with them while feeling like my personality is lost somewhere in the halting, labored Portuguese makes this building relationships with the ladies a challenge . While this has been a hard thing for me and it makes me feel like I'm not a "good" missionary, God has been using this to draw me closer to Him. As I am, in a sense, forced to use other ways to show love and interest in these ladies other than just words, God is reminding me that He is so very much bigger than my lack of ability. It's not going to keep Him from accomplishing His desires in the lives of these women. And when I focus on what I can't do rather than what He can do, I miss out on what He is doing right now.

Micah and I are amazed that it is already almost the end of January, our time here seems to be going so fast. And as it zips by and our return date draws near we ask for special prayers for our future. From the beginning we have simply desired to follow God wherever He leads, and as we come to another time of decision making that is still our desire. We will be here in Londrina until the end of May, then we'll return to the states for the summer to see our families, visit some churches and hopefully finalize plans for the next year. At this time we do not know what those plans are, where we will be and what we'll be doing. Our time here in Brazil has been so far above our expectations and the friends we're making have become so special...if God say's "back to Brazil" we'd be thrilled. At this time we'd like to be somewhere more long term, But we're praying for open hearts to go wherever He leads. We ask you to join us in this prayer, that our hearts will be open to His leading and will for our lives. That in His timing He will reveal what we are to do and that we will rest in peace and patience as we wait for Him. And that we will be obedient and faithful right where we are as we wait and trust Him with our future. Your prayers are such an amazing part of our lives. And please, please understand that these are not simply words that we write to close each e-mail. Often we sit amazed how much our lives have been blessed, and the protection we have received and we know it is because you all are praying. God loves on us so much through each one of you each time you pray. And your prayers are touching the lives of so many others here. You are being used in His kingdom, you are being used for His glory. We pray you are being blessed by His faithfulness and fullness in your lives.

in Him,
Marla and Mica

PS. the first picture is of Micah and I at a local park in front of some bamboo, and the second is of the three of us at a restaurant.



************************************Cliff Notes******************************************************************** ***
We were blessed by a visit from Micah's brother over Christmas. Had loads of fun and made great memories together. We're gearing up for VBS this week and ask for prayers for teacher and kids. We spent the weekend with the other missionaries at the annual retreat and had fun getting to know one another better. Micah's guys group is discovering that God can speak directly to them through His word. Please continue to pray for these guys as they battle the enemy and desire to walk closely with the Lord. Our ladies group is a source of both joy and frustration for me as I build relationships with such limited language. I'm reminded that God is not hindered by my inability, and I need to focus on what He can do rather than what I cannot do in order to be a part of what He is doing. We ask for pray for our future as we seek God's direction for this next year. We'd like to be somewhere more long term, but pray that we'll simply be obedient to follow where ever He leads. We're ever blessed by the way God loves on us through your prayers.