Brazil
Brazilian authorities began destroying homes in some of Rio’s slums after deeming them at risk from mudslides, following floods last week that killed 229 people in the city. Rio mayor Eduardo Paes confirmed that the city would demolish at-risk homes, and warned that 4,000 families in seven slums would be forced to leave their districts in coming days. The heavy rain and flooding last week killed 146 people in Niteroi, a satellite agglomeration of Rio, and 63 in the city itself, according to emergency services. Searches continue for another 200 people still missing. Pray for the church in this area as it works with local people in challenging circumstances.
Pray for Bishop Robinson & Miriam Cavalcanti in oversight of the Diocese of Recife, for the work of the parishes and the contribution of the diocese to the Province of the Southern Cone. Pray at this busy time for Marcus & Tamara Throup in João Pessoa as they await the birth of their first child, Marcus continues his PhD studies and has increased teaching commitments at the seminary.
Ruth & Efraim Vilella moved three months ago to Porto Alegre. Pray for their roles at church and in social projects, and keep in prayer the House of Hope project in Recife, where they served for several years, as it ministers to poor folk in the neighbourhoods. Pastora Dorinha leads the mission church there.
Pray for mature disciples to emerge from the youth ministry in Espirito Santo parish, Recife, of Josias & Danielle de Souza and Daniel. Ask God to bless the family in this and the wider ministry of the church.
Alison and Chris Hawksbee in Paraguay ask for prayer for more rain in the Chaco areas to fill reservoirs, water cisterns and for the growth and maintenance of subsistence crops. Please also pray for Chris as he liaises with representatives from the Ministry of Agriculture about funding and running courses in the Chaco on basic livestock husbandry courses, cheese making, beekeeping and brick making.
Living Waters church in Olinda is a refuge, spiritual home and community centre. Pray God to raise up more leaders and to develop the ministries of care, evangelism and education for many needy people. Uphold Ian & Siméa Meldrum in oversight there, and in refurbishing the farm for future ministry.
Just an update on Throup life! Please continue to pray for Tamara and me, as it is quite hard being apart. You’ll recall that I’m on a post-graduate diploma course in Theological Education in Belfast, whereas Tamara is at her Mum’s in Recife, finishing her post-grad course in Psychology. Studies are going well for both of us, and one good piece of news for me is that the University of Nottingham accepted my PhD proposal in New Testament studies, so I am now officially a (part-time) PhD student!
The pregnancy is going well and via Skype I am able to have some idea of our daughter (Rebekah’s) progress. Tamara is now 22 weeks and so far so good; this Thursday Tamara is due in for another important scan so please pray for her and Rebekah.
Here in Belfast, I’m having a productive time. As well as studying around 10 hours a day on the Theological Education and on the doctorate, I have done a small amount of Greek teaching and may yet do some further teaching in other areas. I’m also learning a little Swahili with Dr Paul Mwangi, my Kenyan roommate! We’re quite an international group, with college lecturers and principals from all over the world. A lot of us (me included!) are feeling the cold now! Term is coming to an end though, and on January 1st, after Christmas with my folks, I’ll be getting on a plane to Brazil!
Both Tamara and I sense that this is a very special and formative time in our lives. The arrival of Rebekah and the start of the PhD bring new challenges and serious commitment, but both of us are sure that the Lord is with us, guiding us through. As of next year, alongside the PhD hours, I’ll be doing various teaching jobs that the bishop has lined up for me. Please pray that both of us will be refreshed and rested over the coming Christmas break, so that we can be at our best for the things God has for us next year.
With every blessing in Christ
Marcus and Tamara
Mount Horebe Information & News received into the SAMS office:
Brazil
Severe flooding has displaced many tens of thousands of people in northern and north eastern Brazil and killed dozens of others.
Weeks of torrential rain have affected several Brazilian states, especially the ones in the semi-arid region, leading to at least 200,000 people becoming homeless.
Some of the worst affected states were Pará, Maranhão, Piauí, Ceará and Paraíba, which are among the poorest in the country.
Tearfund’s Country Representative for Brazil, João Martinez da Cruz, said, ‘The recent torrential rains were a real surprise to the local people. Temperatures are always high and it normally only rains for a few months during the year.’
Tearfund partner ACEV (Evangelical Action) reports in recent weeks many houses were practically submerged by water in a neighbourhood of Patos, the town where they are based in the state of Paraíba.
Sacha Medcraft from ACEV, said, ‘The rescue services could not cope with the demands and we had to mobilise a large number of volunteers to help out. In three hours, it rained more than in four months.’
ACEV has mobilised local church volunteers and members of the community to help provide basic provisions for those forced from their properties.
Other regions of the country have been severely affected by floods in recent months, especially the states of Santa Catarina in the south, São Paulo, Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro in the south east.
Dear Friends,
Hello from England!! Rose and I arrived back in this fair land on January 26th after an 11 hr flight from Rio de Janeiro. It’s great to be back even despite the freezing weather! Rose is enjoying getting to know snow for the first time in her life, I’m sure the excitement will die down the moment it turns to slush.
Christmas Reflections
Many of the boys in My Father’s House have run away from home due to
physical/sexual abuse from their families or because their parents are addicted to drugs or alcohol. Our youngest boy came to the project at the age of 4; he was found abandoned on the rubbish dump and covered in marks from where his mother had been biting him. Two of our boys have witnessed one of their parents being murdered: one boy’s mother held his father down whilst her boyfriend stabbed him and the other boy has to live with the fact that his own dad murdered his mum.
Christmas is a time to be with family and loved ones. Unfortunately, as you’ve just read, many of our boys don’t have any family or have no family suitable to take care of them. Parental love is something many of our boys have never felt. We work closely with whatever family the boy has to try to restore them both and this Christmas we hope that most of our boys will be able to pass a few days with some sort of family – their own or a substitute family. On the favela many of the children work on the rubbish dump picking through the rubbish to find recyclables, the majority of them supporting entire families from the little money they manage to earn.
For many children Christmas Day will be spent just like any other day, up on the dump picking through the rubbish, and Christmas lunch will be whatever they find there.Christmas is also when we remember the birth of Jesus Christ, who said in John’s Gospel that he came to give us life – and life to the full. It’s only through Jesus Christ and the new life that he brings that these boys and these children will change their lives.
So during this busy Christmas time please give a thought to these children who won’t be spending Christmas with loving families but rather on the streets and rubbish dump of Olinda. And we’ll be praying for all of you that this Christmas you might remember that Jesus Christ came to save and give life… and not just to street kids.