Open Arms Worldwide

In Their Own Words

2012-02-08T15:45:00.001-02:00

From December 3-December 13, 2011, Open Arms were blessed to receive a teamfrom Global Impact, a ministry of Mclean Bible Church.

What better way to share what occurred during this trip, then by allowingyou to hear individually from several team members. Stay tuned for the rest ofthis four part series which highlights personal experiences of how team memberssaw the Lord work during their stay in Assis.

In Their Own Words (Part #1): Bob Nehring

After nearly 24 hours of travel, wearrived in Assis, Brazil; we were all exhausted butexcited at what was to come. The first day, we met the Open Arms team, learnedabout the ministry, and made some home visits. I saw many run-down houses withmany people living in a very small room. More striking were their stories. Weheard many stories of how the drug industry and its associated violence hadtorn families apart and were on the brink of ruining the lives of the children.It was remarkable to see how Open Arms was able to reach the children and givethem a hope for the future.

The next day, playground construction began. Though I had extensive experiencein playgrounds, I had never built a playground quite like this: we started withlogs of Eucalyptus trees. Throughout the many days of construction, Godprovided us with some local help and expertise, tools, materials, and beautifulweather. The Brazilian culture’s slower pace allowed us to learn patience andwe had a blast playing soccer, ping-pong, and various other sports with thekids when the work was slow. Though we worked some very long days, by the endof the week, the playground was complete: 3 see-saws, 3 swings, a bench, 3chin-up bars, a fort, and a tire swing.

Perhaps the most impactful event was on the last day when we visited a juveniledetention center. We were among the first Americans ever allowed into thisprison for teenage boys. When I first walked in, the pain, anger, and lack ofhope on their faces and in their eyes struck me. I’m not sure that I had everseen such agony in a group that size. After performing a skit, singing somesongs, giving them a brief message, and playing with them for a bit, I noticeda change in many of them. Though it wasn’t a complete transformation, as weleft, I could see a sparkle in many of their eyes and their entire countenancehad changed. This glimmer of hope that I saw was one that only God could causein such a short time. Though their circumstances hadn’t changed, I could tellthat many of them had received a different outlook on their future. This entireevent affected each team member in different ways, but it was something thatnone of us will ever forget!

In addition to learning patience and dependence on Him, God showed me howblessed I am. He has not only blessed me with material possessions and freedom,but with my past. I was not born into an area or family where drugs andviolence are prevalent, but God put me in a great family and gave me countlessfriends who have pushed me to do what is right. The temptations and struggles ofthe people I met in Brazilwere on a whole different level than what I have had to face, and I feelblessed by God to have been placed here. No matter what our presentcircumstances are, we have all been blessed by God in many ways that we oftentake for granted.

Open Arms Christmas Campaign 2011

2011-11-09T11:56:00.004-02:00

Open your arms to a child

What a yearit has been! In 2011 Open Arms Worldwide hasbeen able to reach hundreds of children, in 4 different states in Brazil, on aweekly basis, pulling them away from the influence ofdrugs, violence, and poverty, teaching them the timeless truths of the Bibleand putting the love of Jesus Christ into action. And still, there are so many more children who have yet to hear, seeand experience the Good News.

Knowingthat many of you are making giving decisions for theend of the fiscal year, I want to earnestly ask that you consider investing inthe lives, character, and eternal future of children through the work of OpenArms in Brazil. Help us to complete the work we havebeen called to do!

Accordingto research reports, what people believe about life, family, morality, andfaith is basically set in stone by the age of 14 and is very unlikely to changeduring adulthood. Every day millions of children pass through that 14 year markwithout a Biblical foundation. Reaching them now is an urgent need.

You can be a part of this team. You can give online by clicking here, or send your check, made out to Open Arms, to 1562 Woodcrest Drive, Reston, VA 20194.

Thank youand God Bless you,

Michael J. Meyers

Open Arms Worldwide/Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil

Children's Day Festival & Benefit Concert

2011-10-14T13:40:00.000-03:00

This past Saturday, Open Arms commemoratedChildren’s Day—a holiday here in Brazil—by hosting a festival for the childrenin the morning and a gospel show in the evening. What a day! The morning festivalincluded soccer, ping pong, arts, painting, kite-making, dancing, a visit fromseveral special guests, and more.

Proverbs 17:22 says, “A cheerful heart is goodmedicine,” and we see this proven true every time special guests ‘Doutores doBem’ (Doctors of good), partners with Open Arms. This Christian clown ministryaims to cure children with laughter and they did just that through theirsilly antics—and by showing true Christ-like love to many hurting hearts. Inaddition to their participation in the festival, they brought along over 800gifts that they gathered throughout the city to donate to the children of OpenArms.

Before a snack was served, the children gatheredfor a moment of worship and to hear quick word from one of our projectcoordinators. What a blessing to look over the crowd of 350 attentive children andhear the Gospel of Christ be proclaimed! It is truly amazing knowing the Lord isworking in hearts and drawing young ones to Himself. Werejoice as we think of Isaiah 55:11, which says "...my word that goes out from mymouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire andachieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Later that evening, a gospel show, “Voz& Vida” (Voice & Life), was held in support of Open Arms. Open Arm’s ownspokesman Rosana Melo, among others, performed alongwith her husband and their band. What an exciting and encouraging a night!

Open Arms extends ourdeepest gratitude to the many people who made the show possible: theperformers, the set-up & clean-up crews, those who sold & purchasedtickets, and those who worked during the show. We are thankful for the body ofbelievers the Lord has led to support Open Arms’ heart for children.

Aboveall, we praise and thank the Lord, who brought the day’s hard work into fruition.We recognize the Lord’s sovereignty in every detail—to the gospel being shareddown to the weather. It was sunny and clear for the morning festival and theLord sent rain just before the start of the show, chasing the hot and humid dayaway. We’re continually thankful for God’s goodness to us!

If you feel led to support Open Arm’s ministrywith children, please visit here.

Furthering the Gospel in 'Vila Progresso'

2011-09-29T17:36:00.001-03:00

It is in praise and thanksgiving we share about the recent opening of a new outreach project here in Assis. This past Saturday, September 24, Open Arms, along with a local church, held a kick-off party that was attended by over 150 children!

Open Arms has desired to open an outreach project in this specific neighborhood for several years. The Lord fulfilled our prayers by providing a local church, “Igreja Batista Filadélfia,” which also has a heart to minister to this particular neighborhood. It is our prayer that Open Arms would be a light in this very dark community, where many fear to go because of its high incidence of crime.

As we hope to increase and further our ministry, Open Arms is thankful for churches that recognize and respond in obedience to the call Jesus gave to make disciples.

Prayerfully consider how you can make a difference in furthering the gospel of Christ today!

Click here to find out how you can give to Open Arms!

Praise Report - Open Arms News - August 2011 Edition

2011-08-30T11:53:00.001-03:00

Want to be a part of the blessing? You can make a donation online by clicking here. Every little bit helps. Join our team and get the Open Arms of Jesus to more children today!

BIRTHDAY BUZZ

2011-08-06T20:49:00.001-03:00

It's Open Arms birthday!!! Celebrate five years with us by,

1. Passing on the buzz to your friends via email, Facebook, Twitter or whatever social networking tool you choose,

2. Give an online birthday gift through United Charitable Programs.

May the next five years see many, many more children touched by the "open arms" of Jesus!!

“Open Arms Brazil is a project of United Charitable Programs – a registered 501(c)(3) public charity.”

"You are special to God."

2011-06-10T14:31:00.000-03:00

This past Saturday, May 27, the children of Open Arms, along with our volunteers, came together for an outreach mission to “Lar dos Idosos” (Home for the Elderly) to bring a message of Christ’s love.

The children presented in drama and dance and, with loads of love and affection, the Open Arms soccer team delivered cards to communicate the following message: "You are special to God."

Both groups left blessed. The children were blessed by ministering in the lives of these elderly ladies & gentleman. They saw the impact that lies in even a small gesture of love, a hug, or even with the phrase "God bless you." We pray that the elderly were blessed in being able to share their life experiences. Many shared the importance of choosing and following the Lord early in life.

This visit to the elderly was valuable and worthwhile. We pray the Lord worked in every conversation, smile, sharing of the Word, and gesture of love being shown from both sides. We’re thankful that many of the children left with the following question on their lips: “Can I come back to visit you?”

Observing the actions of the children we remember this verse, found in Mark 4:20: “Others, like seed sown on good soil, hear the word, accept it, and bear fruit.” We are thankful that seeds are being planted and that the Lord is producing good fruit.

To find out how you can contribute to

Open Arms online click here.

Open Arms Worldwide Alumni Event - June 4th

2011-05-19T10:13:00.000-03:00

Palm Sunday Event with Global Impact

2011-04-26T20:23:00.003-03:00

We were so blessed to have a team from Mclean Bible Church's Global Impact ministry with us in Assis for Easter week. The first order of business for the week was an evangelistic event in the main public park here in Assis. Our theme, "Jesus Renews Everything!" Pictures tell a thousand words so I will spare you the words for now. What a great opportunity it was to thank God for all his blessings, especially the blessing of his Son, and to thank the city of Assis for all their support for Open Arms these past 5 years. We will have a full report coming soon.

- Michael J. Meyers
President - Open Arms Worldwide & Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil

Global Impact & Open Arms Together

Easter Art Tents

Egg Hunting - something new for Brazilian children

A special choral presentation

A word from our honorable Mayor Ezio Spera

Open Arms Dance Team

The beauty salon tent was a hit

Our Theme - Jesus Renews Everything!

Nationally reknowned dance team from Art Company

A special performance by Rosana Melo to top things off

Egg Dying

Benevides March 2011 - by Holly Vieira

2011-03-24T14:11:00.005-03:00

Marcelo helping to lift the house frame into place

Marcelo and I recently returned from a trip to Benevides, located in northern Brazil . Open Arms has been assisting with camps for children living in an at risk neighborhood in that city for the past four years. It has been a joy to see the Lord produce fruit in this community. We were privileged to work alongside the local full-time missionaries of Creative Hands and a team from Reston Bible Church to build a house for a family who has participated in ministry since its beginning.

We can recount many instances of how we saw the Lord work, how He graciously protected us, and how He touched the lives of His children. In all of this, I was awestruck in how the Lord paved a way, as only He can do, to share His good news with open hearts.

As the house was being completed, a woman commented, "Why does God love bad people?" In conversing with her, we found her impression was that the people in the neighborhood where they lived were not good and that God was blessing them nonetheless. We shared that, no, the people in the neighborhood are not "good" as the Bible would define, but neither is the team that built the house, and yet God in His goodness, does bless us nonetheless. Through this simple question the woman was able to hear about Jesus Christ, the greatest blessing humanity, which is not good, has ever received.

Later, another woman made a similar comment about how God loved them and gave them something they don't deserve, but they needed (the house). We were able to reflect with her that God did the same thing in sending His son—we don't deserve Christ, but we desperately need Him. At the end of the trip, we rejoiced that the Lord had allowed for us to complete the building of the house, but we were even more joyous that His name was further proclaimed.

As we returned home, we pondered some of the many things we have to be thankful for:

The neighborhood saw the gospel in action. The Lord used the building of the house to bring up spiritual questions and conversations with those in the neighborhood.
Despite a difficult location, the Lord's hand of protection was on each and every one of us.
The Lord's name was lifted up
Our sisters in Christ who are laboring with Creative Hands to lovingly speak the gospel to the Flowers Estates community
The house was completed
A family was blessed in receiving a house, was served well, and the relationship was deepened, prayerfully leading to more spiritual conversation.

Thank you for your prayers!

In Christ,

Holly Vieira

To find out how you can contribute to

Open Arms online click here.

Marcelo with Paulinho, the youngest son of the family who moved into the new house

Holly & Miriam, who we met when she was a toddler

All Systems Go - Outreach Projects Swing Back Into Action

2011-02-21T19:30:00.000-03:00

Participants from our first outreach serving now as volunteers

Brazil - February 2011
As the Open Arms outreach projects throughout southern Brazil came back online from the winter break (summer for us) I had one of those special ministry moments. Those moments when you think, "Yes. It has been so worth it!". As the activities at our original project in the Cohab IV neighborhood of Assis began winding down and the children gathered for their snack, it happened. There serving the snack were six teenage volunteers all of whom were part of that very first year of ministry. I could picture their photos from back then in my minds eye and the idea for the montage above was born. So here you have it. As we celebrate the fruit of God's harvest in the lives of these young people we look forward to seeing His plans unfold for the now 600 children participating in Open Arms projects every week. If you have a moment and could just raise up a simple prayer for these young people I just know our Father would be well pleased to respond in amazing ways.

Thank you all for your prayers and support over the years. There is so much more to come I am sure!

Blessings,

Michael J. Meyers
Open Arms Worldwide

To find out how you can contribute online to Open Arms, click here.

Open Arms Official Kickoff in Aquidauana, Mato Grosso do Sul

2011-01-25T15:15:00.003-02:00

To find out how you can contribute online to Open Arms, click here.

We’re excited to share about our recent trip to Mato Grosso do Sul. Our ten hour drive took us into the Pantanal, the world’s largest wetland, home to a uniquely beautiful flora & fauna. We arrived in the small town of Aquidauana, largely inhabited by the Tereno Indians, a uniquely beautiful people. Our hearts were brought to Revelation 5:9: “…with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation.” It is with this knowledge and joy we are pleased to announce the start of Open Arms’ first indigenous outreach project.

We accompanied Sarita Romeiro, who is relocating from Assis to the "Thick Forest of the South" (the literal translation of ‘Mato Grosso do Sul’). Her presence will be missed greatly in Assis, both as an outreach project coordinator and as a dear friend. We’re excited and overjoyed to see how the Lord will use her, as the Open Arms coordinator in Aquidauana, to further lift up His name through the ministry of Open Arms.

During our week’s stay, our team was able to get to know the local church, meet the children we’ll be working with, train volunteers, and hold an Open Arms event to welcome the children and introduce the project to Aquidauana. We had a number of very unique experiences such as a rendition of “How Great Thou Art” sung by four women in the Tereno language and sharing stories and testimonies while drinking Terere (a traditional tea) in a circle under the stars.

It rained almost constantly throughout the week, and the day of our event, we woke up to yet another rainy day. We began to pray and sent out prayer requests, and an hour before the event, the rain clouds rolled away and the sun peeked through. We were immensely blessed, not only by the amazing weather, which allowed more children to come to the event, but by the incredible prayer support we were shown and given. We are immeasurably appreciative for those who remember Open Arms in prayer. Thank you!!

We leave Aquidauana having met dear brothers & sisters in Christ and having made dear friends. We are grateful for the traveling mercies we were given, for the sweet time of fellowship with Sarita & her family, for beneficial trainings held that will prayerfully lead to God-honoring ministry, and for the hearts of the children that were ready to hear the good news of Christ.

To find us on facebook, go to http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/group.php?gid=50208520335

and http://www.causes.com/causes/569467-be-the-open-arms-of-jesus-to-a-child?m=8c40d02d

To find out how you can contribute online to Open Arms, click here.

OPENING OUR ARMS WIDER STILL

2011-01-11T10:16:00.002-02:00

Friends of Open Arms,

It is with great joy that I thank God for all that has been accomplished over the last five years through the ministry of Open Arms Brazil, now incorporated under our new name, Open Arms Worldwide. 500+ children are being pulled away from the influence of drugs, violence, and poverty and being ministered to on a weekly basis, learning the timeless truths of the Bible and seeing the love of Jesus Christ in action. You all have, in a variety of ways, played a huge role in this movement that has blessed so many young people, their families, and their communities.

So it is with even greater joy that I announce our plans for 2011-2015, commit them to God, and ask that you join us on the front lines in prayer and support. We will need you and many more like you to make these dreams come true.

Mission 10,000 in 2015

In July of 2010 before addressing a small group of supporters and potential supporters I felt led to add these words to a flyer that we planned to hand out at the event, “In five years OA Worldwide will fund child and community development missions reaching 10,000 children weekly through well organized and executed, faith-based teaching, mobilization, and training programs.”

In the five years since this ministry began we grew from 30 children to 500. This represents a seventeen fold increase. I had now committed us to a twenty fold increase in just four years. I am sure that many of my colleagues thought I’d flipped my lid. Thinking that they might be right I started praying specifically for God to show me if this was His plan and if so, how!? How do we grow more quickly while maintaining quality and not becoming top heavy administratively?

The following strategy, I believe, is the answer to those prayers.

Open Arms Center for Leadership Training

By gathering the knowledge gained over the past five years, inviting experts in particular fields to contribute, and capitalizing on the combined experience of our current outreach coordinators, and pastors, we are developing curriculum, materials, and logistics for the launch of the Open Arms Center for Leadership Training, with the first graduating class planned for the 3rd quarter of 2011. This course, which will be open to Mission Outreach Coordinator candidates from around Brazil, will prepare and equip each student to return to their local church and target community to plant an Open Arms outreach project.

Our goal is for each quarterly intensive course to have 15-20 students. If each student effectively plants a project in their community and we continue with our current average of fifty (50) children regularly participating in each of these “projects”, then we will have reached or surpassed the goal of 10,000 individual children being regularly discipled by the end of 2015.

The Math

4 Intensive courses per year x 15 graduating coordinators per course = 60 new outreach projects per year x 50 children participating in each new outreach = 3,000 additional children participating per year x 4.5 years (3rd quarter 2011 through 2015) = 13,500 additional children being reached by 2015.

In keeping with our principle of training, equipping, and supporting each mission locally, each of these new mission coordinators and their individual outreach project will have their basic needs met through their local church. Open Arms will provide curriculum, administrative materials, video training materials for volunteers, short term mission team opportunities, fund raising assistance, and ongoing education and assistance through our regional missionaries.

Our prayer is that this center will be the model for future centers in Brazil and abroad.

Counting the Cost

“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?"

So what is it going to take to get started? Video filming and editing, full-time regional missionaries, a support team, promotion of the training courses, and start up kits for each new outreach project are all things that have a cost. In making these calculations we tried to keep three basic cost containing principles in mind,

• Where it is at all possible, provide opportunities for volunteers to work within the ministry. Each member of the body has a gift to give.

• Open Arms is not in the business of investing in buildings, vehicles, or land. We are the business of investing in people for God’s Kingdom.

• Whenever feasible, staff members will partially self-support through “tent-making” activities.

Considering the work that lays ahead for implementing the first phase of this plan we have set the urgent goal of raising $50,000 in the first quarter of 2011 and an overall fund raising goal of $216,000 for fiscal year 2011.

Phase 1 (1st quarter 2011) – $50,000

What does that really boil down to? About $145 per year for every new child being reached through the work of Open Arms. Is that a worthwhile investment?

According to research reports, what people believe about life, family, morality, and faith is basically set in stone by the age of 14 and is very unlikely to change during adulthood. Every day millions of children pass through that 14 year mark without a Biblical foundation. Reaching them now is an urgent need.

Knowing that we are approaching tax time and folks are making giving decisions for the end of the fiscal year, I want to earnestly ask that you consider investing in the lives, character, and eternal future of children through the work of Open Arms in Brazil.

Thank you and God Bless you,

Michael J. Meyers

Open Arms Worldwide & Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil

You can learn how to become a financial partner of Open Arms by clicking here.

Global Impact and Open Arms 2010 – Phase II: Assis

2010-12-17T14:41:00.001-02:00

Saturday was a day full of fun, challenges, encouragement, and—of course—pool time. This camp was run in a similar format to the event in Florestopolis, with a few notable exceptions. Kids from the various projects in Assis came, so there were more than 200 children participating!

We started out the morning with breakfast, after which the Open Arms Worship Band opened up the day with some fun worship songs that had everyone joining in. Eduardo shared with the children how they can make a U-Turn to follow Jesus working out of Matthew 5 and 7. After he closed the morning teaching time, all the kids enjoyed activity hour. A few chose to play Frisbee or do crafts, but, with temps up around 100 F, most kids opted for the pool. Everyone came together again for lunch, lovingly prepared by a wonderful group of ladies representing the various Open Arms projects in Assis. With their stomachs full, the children got into small groups with their leaders to discuss the mornings message and reflect on the challenge laid down by scripture to walk against the flow of the world system.

As the children wrapped up their small group time in prayer, our friends from Mclean Bible Church’s Frontline Global Impact ministry were racing to put the finishing touches on the hugely popular obstacle course. The Americans had put together a unique course, using both the natural landscape and items brought from the US. For part of the course, the kids would need an adult to help them get through, illustrating two concepts; the first being that no one can go at life alone without Christ and the second that God intends for us to walk alongside faithful brothers and sisters who can help us when things get hard.

After the obstacle course, the kids again had their choice of activities. This time, a massive inflatable slide and trampolines persuaded some kids to opt out of the pool in favor of racing each other down the slide. The beauty salon and arts stations were open again as well. Ice-cream was served to help cool down the troops.

A delicious dinner re-energized everyone, and the evening session opened with performances from the kids of the many projects being represented at camp. There were some very talented performers, and the audience thoroughly enjoyed the show, kids and adults alike. After the kids were finished, the Global Impact team performed their skit again, illustrating how difficult it is to go against the flow of the world. Michael then spoke about how many people will try to get you to follow the world, and referenced the obstacle course to remind the kids how important it is to have someone to help you and encourage you in your walk with Christ.

After Pastor Vandergleison closed the message in prayer the band took the stage and led the children in a super animated time of worship. Everyone present sang, danced, and praised the God whose great works never end and whose love to us is never ending. This went on until the buses arrived to begin taking the children home. According to one of the boys, as he stepped of the bus and saw his mother, “this was the best day of my life!” Please keep the children, volunteers, and missionaries of Open Arms in your prayers this Christmas as we all continue our walk with Jesus.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STAND WITH US AND BE THE OPEN ARMS OF JESUS TO A CHILD TODAY JUST CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW.

Global Impact & Open Arms 2010 - PHASE I: Florestopolis

2010-12-15T10:23:00.001-02:00

The day began bright and early with breakfast for the kids at the small farm where the Open Arms outreach project is normally held. After everyone had finished, the kids were bussed over to another location that boasts of a pool and a soccer field, as well as a covered area for singing and teaching. Around fifty kids came to participate.

Eduardo began the day by speaking to the kids about walking against the flow of the world. He illustrated this by having the kids try to tie a knot in a rope, by holding it the way most people would. No one could figure it out, although many tried with many helpful suggestions from the audience. He finally showed everyone the trick, which consisted of holding it differently from everyone else.

The kids all enjoyed a round of activities afterwards, which had the different groups rotating to different stations. The stations included field games, arts and crafts, and the pool. The latter was by far the most popular, and the volunteers got a good workout chasing kids out of the pool when their time was up. Everyone enjoyed relaxing in the shade for awhile while partaking of the delicious lunch provided by volunteers from the church.

Another round of activities began after lunch, with new crafts, soapy soccer, and more pool time. The arrival of a storm with lightening brought everyone under the covered porches, where the volunteers quickly improvised to create a beauty station, jewelry-making station, temporary tattoos, and new crafts so that everyone was able to occupy themselves while we waited out the storm. After a snack, the kids were bussed back to the pick-up point with lots of reminders to come back to the farm the following evening for the closing event of camp.

Monday night saw even more kids show up at the farm, with a group of older kids bringing the numbers up to 60 or 70. Everyone played and socialized until some fun videos brought everyone to the stage area. The Americans from Mclean Bible Church’s Frontline Global Impact ministry started off the evening with a skit illustrating the concept of going against the flow of the world. Afterwards, Michael spoke about the meaning of the skit and engaged the kids by having them call out their observations. He then spoke about how going against the world is never easy, and used some short videos to illustrate different points. The message ended on an encouraging note by reminding the kids that Jesus will walk with them the whole way.

Tio Michael & Samela have a dance

Afterwards, Marcelo stepped up and invited the kids who were choosing to walk against the flow of the world to come up for prayer. No one moved for a few seconds, until a little girl named Samela led the way all by herself. This was followed by a large group of teens and then the majority of the kids came forward as well. Marcelo prayed for them all, and then led everyone in a time of singing and dancing. The festivities ended with a song about being lights in the world, illustrated by the glow sticks passed around to each kid. Afterwards, the kids were sent off with popcorn, hugs, and many blessings and words of encouragement from the volunteers and visitors.

Many of the volunteers at the project were very encouraged by the response from the kids. Pastor Vandergleison, who leads the church that partners with Open Arms, said that this camp marked a new period for the project. “We’re starting a new phase, because now the kids are taking stands and influencing others for Christ. You saw how Samela was the only one to come up at first, but then all the other older kids followed her.”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO TAKE A STAND WITH US AND BE THE OPEN ARMS OF JESUS TO A CHILD TODAY JUST CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW.

A CHANGED LIFE - Eduardo's Story

2010-12-04T07:04:00.003-02:00

The outreach project at Assis III, a neighborhood on the south side of the city, will celebrate its three-month anniversary on December 11th. In spite of its new existence, already it attracts anywhere from 50-70 kids each week. The kids can choose to participate in soccer, volleyball, arts and crafts, hip-hop, and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Michael, Guto, Eduardo (back row left to right)

Eduardo is the Coordinator of Assis III, and has a unique history with the neighborhood. “I grew up here,” he says. “And I got caught here.” As a teenager, he got into a lot of trouble and hung out with a group of similar individuals. One night, they went to a house planning to rob it. As they prepared to enter, Eduardo got a really bad feeling, and called off the break-in. As the group returned home, they decided they couldn’t show up empty-handed, so they robbed a man they met on the way. The police came across the hold-up, and the teens took off running. Eduardo was caught and sent to a juvenile detention facility. He was fifteen at the time.

Tio Guto teaching Jiu-Jitso

Abandoned by his friends, one day he received a letter from his old soccer coach, Marcelo. “He told me I would get through this, and to look him up when I got out,” Eduardo remembers. When he got out, he was seventeen and a brand-new believer. He looked up Marcelo, who invited him to help out at an Open Arms project in another part of Assis, and Eduardo started volunteering right away. He also started attending the church there and participated in the youth group, where he made new friends. During a special youth group event, the group went over to the house of one of the girls. It was the same house that Eduardo had nearly burglarized years earlier!

Now he is back in familiar territory, reaching out to kids with the same problems he once had. “I’m motivated because I see these kids going through the same things and we have a chance to change their direction,” he says. There are some challenges he is overcoming, such as a shortage of volunteers for this project. But working in his old neighborhood gives him the benefit of familiarity. “It’s easier working here, I know everyone, or if I don’t, one of my brothers does.”

Seeing the change in his life serves as a powerful testimony to the people of the community. “Some of the older kids remember me from before,” Eduardo says. He’s able to relate to them, and to encourage them to walk with the Lord. He’ll be speaking at this year’s camps in Florestópolis and Assis, to kids from all of the various projects. The theme? “Going against the flow of the world.”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE THE "OPEN ARMS" OF JESUS TO A CHILD TODAY CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN GET INVOLVED.

My Afternoon With the Swim Team - by Kelly Pedroni

2010-11-30T19:28:00.005-02:00

January marks the beginning of the competition season for the Open Arms Swim Team. Practices are held twice a day, once in the morning or early afternoon, and once in the evening. The team plans to participate in ten competitions this season, which lasts through October.

Though they’re currently not in competition season, Lucas and Pedro are two of the boys on the team who swim frequently to stay in practice. “My favorite stroke is the breaststroke,” says Lucas, although he also swims the butterfly, freestyle, and the medley for competitions. “My best time is 1:24 in the 100m breaststroke.” Lucas celebrated his 13th birthday on Sunday.

At a very young age, Lucas was abandoned by both of his parents, and spent five years in a children’s shelter along with his siblings. His mother eventually came to claim him after remarrying, and Lucas’ stepfather legally adopted him. When his stepfather suddenly passed away from kidney failure due to alcohol abuse, Lucas was abandoned again. He found his way to the home of an elderly woman who was distantly related to his recently deceased stepfather. She took him in and treated him as her own grandson. By the age of eleven, Lucas was using drugs and committing petty crimes with older teens from the neighborhood. By the grace of God, he was caught and sent to a reform school called Beija Flor. Open Arms taught Bible classes at this school, and it was here that Lucas met Michael Meyers in April of 2009.

Through swimming classes organized by Beija Flor, Lucas met Zinho, who runs the pool. Zinho asked Lucas to be on the competition team, and when he learned of Lucas’ living situation, got permission for him to come live in the apartment attached to the pool. He has formed a close relationship with the Meyers family, and often spends weekends and holidays at their house.

Pedro started attending the project at Cohab in 2009. Towards the end of the year he started swimming in the Open Arms swimming classes, when Zinho asked him to attend practice three times a week. Pedro agreed, and would bike the distance. In April, Zinho then asked him to start training five times a week, so Pedro started living in the apartment attached to the pool along with Lucas. He returns home on weekends, where he lives with his mother and grandmother. “My father lives far away. I haven’t seen him in a very long time.”

He also likes the breaststroke best, although he swims all the strokes for competition. “My fastest time is :36 in the 50m crawl.” Both Pedro and Lucas are now on swimming scholarships to a private school in the city with an excellent reputation. This education almost guarantees that both will attend college. In addition, Brazil will pay athletes a monthly stipend of 500-600R ($300-$350) once they reach a certain level.

Both boys also talk about the role the Bible lessons play in their lives. “I like them because I learn more things about God, and they help me not to do bad things,” says Pedro. Lucas agrees. “I was going to say the same thing as Pedro.” The lessons are in a small group format with discussions about the day’s topic. One of the themes included a study of Proverbs, with an emphasis on Biblical wisdom and how that applies to daily life.

Open Arms goal for next year is to arrange a working relationship with the city to provide transportation for the kids to get to the pool, while Open Arms takes care of the rest of the costs through sponsors. The costs include pool fees, suits, swim caps, goggles, and other supplies for each competitor. Currently there are seven sponsored kids on the team; Open Arms hopes to raise that number to twenty within the next year.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BECOME A SPONSOR OF THIS OR ANY OTHER OPEN ARMS OUTREACH MINISTRY IT IS AS SIMPLE AS CLICKING HERE. BE THE OPEN ARMS OF JESUS TO A CHILD TODAY.

An Active Response

2010-11-24T23:41:00.003-02:00

“I like Quest, and the games and activities,” Elias says. He wants to be an IT professor when he grows up. His favorite class is P.E. When asked what he likes about Quest, he considers the question carefully while munching on a lollipop. “The proverbs.”

His peer, Nayana, echoes his opinions. “My favorite part is Quest, because I like learning new things.” Quest is about the search for Truth, and emphasizes Biblical teaching with practical application.

Elias and Nayana are two of the many kids that attend the new outreach project which is based in a local school in Assis, Brazil. The project started in July of this year, though the actual beginnings can be traced back even farther. For many years the outreach coordinator, Tamara, worked in the elementary schools of Assis and as the director of the children's ministry within her church. A former coworker of hers in the schools and current Open Arms missionary, Marcelo, invited her to visit another Open Arms outreach project in Assis where she started working as a regular volunteer. After a year of learning the program and interacting with the kids, Open Arms approached her about the idea of a new outreach in a different neighborhood. Tamara went to her church to get support.

Tamara's brother and sister-in-law, Gilberto and Rosana, are the pastors of the church Tamara attends and she works with Rosana to coordinate the children’s programs there. They were very enthusiastic about the idea of a project in their neighborhood. “We began planning in June of 2009,” Tamara says. First they started with outreach events involving music, skits, and family days. They participated in special events at school.

“One problem was that kids were stealing supplies from the schools and taking them home,” Gilberto remembers. “We started doing home visits to get to know the families.”

For Rosana, the project taught her many new things about working with children. “Working with kids off the streets is a huge change from working with kids in church. I’ve been able to learn a lot from them.”

In the few months since the project began, the volunteers have been greatly encouraged by the change they’ve seen in the children. “At the beginning, they would not sit still for Quest. They would fight a lot, and not show respect to the teacher,” Tamara says. “There was no trust,” Gilberto adds. “Now there is less fighting, and they participate and listen to what is being taught.”

Through working with the children, Gilberto has learned to be patient and now has a deeper understanding of God’s will in our lives. “The Bible talks about not forgetting children, that God desires a relationship with the youngest of us and that His will for our lives begins in childhood.” Gilberto also noted the difference the project had made in their church. “We have a greater vision for missions outside of the church, for going out and being active rather than just responding to those who are seeking.”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE THE OPEN ARMS OF JESUS TO A CHILD TODAY CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW.

"Something for you to do" - Testimony from Sarita Romeiro

2010-11-16T09:33:00.001-02:00

In 2006, Sarita was praying for the Lord to provide a ministry for her in her neighborhood, Cohab. Mike and Patricia Meyers came to speak at her church about the possibility of starting an outreach mission to children, and told Sarita, “We have something for you to do.” They asked her to be on the Board of Directors, and the first Open Arms project began at Cohab in August of that year.

Sarita has lived in Cohab for the past sixteen years. She has watched it grow from a swamp to a busy neighborhood with lots of families. Sarita has also had the joy of watching the impact Open Arms has made in the community. Before the project, most of the parents had no connection to the local church. By reaching out to the kids, they hear the Word, bring their friends, and then share the love of Christ with their families. Most of the kids in Cohab are either currently in the project or have passed through it and are now working as volunteers. Sarita has seen a big difference in the behavior of the kids in the neighborhood as a result.

The Lord has used the project to greatly change Sarita’s life as well. “I found myself,” she explained. Volunteering in the project, teaching the kids, and encouraging them gave her a new purpose to life. Her walk with the Lord has grown stronger as He continues to do a great work in her life. Sarita is a widow with two children to care for. Most women in this scenario would be struggling to provide for their family’s needs. But as she told her son, “Look at our situation. We have been blessed and provided for.” Answering God’s calling on her life has left her joyful and fulfilled.

When asked what is one thing she would like to share with those who will be reading this, she smiled. “As I say to my kids, it is so gratifying to be a volunteer, to do something from the heart. It gives us happiness and causes us to grow. God desires that we do things from the heart and expect no return.”

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO BE THE OPEN ARMS OF JESUS TO A CHILD TODAY CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW.

Celebrating four years of partnership & blessings in Belém

2010-11-05T14:34:00.002-02:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More open arms

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO JOIN US AND BE THE "OPEN ARMS" OF JESUS TO A CHILD TODAY, CLICK HERE

Reaching Out to Local Schools

2010-10-05T16:33:00.000-03:00

On Saturday, September 25th, Open Arms was invited to participate in the celebration of the 16th anniversary of a school named “Nisia Mercadante do Canto Andrade,” where we’ve recently started an outreach project.

In addition to leading the children in numerous activities, missionaries of Open Arms were able to present the good news of Christ to the seventy children (and several adults) in attendance.

Amidst scooter tournaments, relay races, crafts, a dance off, and soccer games, the volunteers of Open Arms had the opportunity to deepen relationships with the children present. We are always prayerful that through these relationships, the hope of Christ may be shared, understood, and accepted.

We are continually blessed and incredibly thankful for the favor of good relationships with the local schools. The Lord continues to give us platforms to share His word. Christ has gone before us and opened many doors and many hearts—indeed “the harvest is plentiful.”

To see how God may use you to reach a child for Christ, click here.

-Holly

Open Arms Swimmers in Action

2010-09-28T11:11:00.000-03:00

On September 25th the swim team for Open Arms competed in the city of Atibaia, Brazil about 7 hours drive from Assis. It was well worth the trip and a huge boost for the moral of these young athletes who have adopted for themselves the name, "Swimmers in Action." We took home 37 medals and scores of personal best times. There was scarcely a time when there wasn't an Open Arms swimmer on the podium. Even more satisfying was the way in which these youngsters represented their team and their city, with dignity and humility. God is at work! "The old is gone, the new has come." Thank you to everyone who has invested in the lives of these young people. God bless you.

- Michael

We need your help today to reach more children with Jesus´ message of hope. Click here to find out how you can be the "open arms" of Jesus to a child today.

Michael, Lucas, and Raphael with their medals

Rest and concentration before the first races

Last minute encouragement from the coach

Lucas, João, & Michael Jr.

Hania preparing for what would be a gold in the breast stroke

Jaqueline with her medal in the back stroke

Pedro swimming breast stroke

(left to right) Renan & Raphael

Heading Home Victorious

Breaking News - Family Night in Echaporã & Girls Soccer Clinics

2010-09-23T13:30:00.006-03:00

The cold night didn't hold anyone back

This past Sunday night we celebrated 3 years of ministry in the city of Echaporã by inviting the families of the children among whom we work to join for a night of music, dance, and words of encouragement and challenge from the Bible. To accommodate everyone we had to close the road in front of the little church that hosts Open Arms in Echaporã!

Dance Team

The children were thrilled to be able to share the hope they have found with their parents and many of those parents approached us afterward to see how they can get involved as well. That is progress! It was a cold and windy night but the crowd stayed for the full 2 hours! Amazing!

1st Open Arms Girls Soccer Clinic

Soccer in Brazil has traditionally been a sport reserved for the boys. That is changing. As the notoriety of the Brazilian women’s team has increased on the world stage, the interest, among Brazilian girls, to learn to play the “beautiful game” has increased as well. At the same time there are very few opportunities outside of the mega-cities for girls to train. Eduardo, one of our project coordinators, recognized this as yet another opening to both share the good news and hope we have in Jesus and provide a quality of life opportunity for these young ladies. He has begun a soccer school in conjunction with our newest outreach center in Assis. We have a long way to go but the girls are thrilled with their chance to “kick the boys off the field for a couple of hours.” Our hope is to develop this into a discipleship group just for the girls. Please be praying.

We need your help today to reach more children with Jesus´ message of hope. Click here to find out how you can be the "open arms" of Jesus to a child today.

A new milestone! 500 children participating weekly!

2010-08-07T16:47:00.000-03:00

Friends,

This is a special thank you to everyone who believed in the dream that, five years ago, existed only in our hearts and on paper. Four years ago, with faith and hope for a bright future, we began working with 30 children and about 10 regular volunteers in one neighborhood in the city of Assis, Brazil.

This month as we celebrate the four year anniversary of this ministry and as our outreach projects restart after the Brazilian winter break we have hit a milestone. We have officially 500 + children involved in Open Arms outreach programs on a weekly basis at 9 locations in five cities with more than 100 + trained volunteers.

So thank you to everyone who gives financially and prays faithfully so that children here can hear of the Hope and the future that can be theirs. May God bless you!! For those of you that haven't joined this movement I encourage you to share in the blessings and join us today! CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT HOW

Michael

May/June 2010 Open Arms News!

2010-07-06T22:08:00.001-03:00

Open publication - Free publishing - More open arms

Wednesday: Pure hearts!

2010-06-30T23:28:00.000-03:00

Wednesday, June 30, 2010

The third day of camp has ended, and it was a very fun day. Again the kids started with breakfast, although a few were a bit slower to wake up after the previous fun-filled day. After cabin time, where the younger kids had devotions, the kids filled the chapel to have some worship time together. After the singing, the 5, 6, and 7-year-olds went to the pavilion where Matheus spoke to them, while Vandergleison addressed the older kids. The message focused on having a clean heart so they can see God, with Matthew 5:8 being the theme verse. “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” Afterwards many of the kids chose to go to the pool, although a group decided to stay at the pavilion and do crafts. Too much sun the previous day. After lunch, activity time consisted of two different crafts, games in the chapel, and a fun obstacle course that ended with a slip-n-slide. Many of the kids elected to bypass the obstacle course and go straight for the slip-n-slide. A brief rainstorm put a stop to the outside activities, so the chapel games got a little crowded, but everyone had fun.

After dinner, the kids all met in the chapel again for a worship session with their favorite songs. Afterwards Vandergleison spoke to the kids, and did an excellent job of keeping them engaged. He continued with the theme of being pure in heart and addressing sin. The American teens then performed a skit with four sinners and Christ. The four sinners each had a sin around their necks: drugs, theft, violence, and gossip. These four sins were chosen after missionaries in the community recognized that these are four big problems that need to be addressed. The sinners all act out their lives, interacting with one another, until Christ comes and takes their sins, putting them on the cross and dying for them. The end has the sinners asking each other for forgiveness after receiving forgiveness from Christ.

After the skit, Vandergleison explained it a bit more then led the kids in a prayer. To end chapel a little differently, the Americans played a video of a dance they had recorded the previous week, called Jai Ho. The kids all enjoyed it, and Marcelo surprised the dancers by calling for a live performance. The kids were able to join in and picked up the dance very quickly. After they got their snack (cake again) many of the kids were performing the moves on the way back to cabins. The cabin leaders finished the day with devotions for the older kids.

Please continue to pray for good health. Many of the campers were not feeling their best, and we all hope that everyone will be able to fully participate in our last full day tomorrow. Pray for God to continue working in the lives of the kids, for them to have open hearts to the messages they will hear. Continue to pray for the leaders from the Flowers Estate community, who stepped up today and performed a dance in front of all their peers.

In Him,

Kelly Pedroni

Camp Benevides 2010!

2010-06-29T23:55:00.000-03:00

Tuesday, June 29, 2010

The kids were up bright and early, ready for breakfast at 8am, followed by cabin time where many room leaders with younger age groups led their kids in devotions. Chapel began with some creative worship songs that the kids really enjoyed. For the lecture time, Matheus spoke to the 5 and 6-year-old children, while Vandergleison spoke to the older kids. The goal was to take the central theme of preparing the soil of the heart for Jesus to come walk with them and make it more applicable to the different age groups. Both sessions went very well.

After chapel came one of the favorite parts of the day for the kids—pool time. With over 150 kids in the pool, the leaders had their hands full making sure the non-swimmers stayed afloat. The kids all had a great time jumping in, flipping each other over on floats, and playing with other water toys. Many would have preferred to stay in and skip lunch, so getting them out took a team of very dedicated and persistent leaders.

Afternoon activity time had groups of children rotating between five different activity stations that included crafts, games, and water sports. One of the crafts was tie-dye where most of the children chose the Brazilian flag colors—blue, green, and yellow—in honor of the World Cup. They will all be ready for the kids to wear for the next game. Go Brazil!

There was time for everyone to take some badly needed showers and then everyone enjoyed an excellent dinner of hamburgers prepared by the staff from the Palavra da Vida (Word of Life College). The evening chapel service opened with some great worship songs. There were a few new songs and one of the kids’ favorites from last year, Usa Me. After the songs, Vandergleison expanded on his earlier message of preparing the soil and finished with the verse of the week, Matthew 7:13-14 which says ““Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Becausenarrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.” The Americans performed a skit that reflected this verse, and illustrated the Christian walk with the many temptations that exist. They had two gates, one narrow with a cross at the end, and one wide that led to destruction. During the climax, Christ intervenes when a Christian is attacked by the devil and his followers. Christ is nailed to a cross, but defeats it and goes to support the Christian on his journey down the narrow path. The kids cheered and applauded during the defeat of the devil. It was very encouraging to see that the point of the message and the skit was understood by everyone.

After chapel the kids got a snack on the way back to their rooms, which was a delicious cake that had many kids doing their best to sneak back for seconds (a few succeeded). Many of the older groups then had devotions in their rooms with the leaders.

There were many encouraging moments during the day where little changes in the kids could be seen. One leader shared how his kids had started telling him to pray before they would begin eating. Yesterday he was the one asking them to take a break from eating so he could pray for the meal. Another big encouragement is seeing some of the older teens from the Flowers Estate stepping up and leading the younger children and serving as role models. What a testament to the change God can work in lives. While they previously had been campers, now they’re returning to support the other leaders and serve as examples to the younger children.

Please continue praying for all of the different teams, leaders, and campers during these next few days. Pray for good health and rest for everyone. Pray for those ministering to the campers; that they would have wisdom in dealing with any issues that come up. And pray for the campers to have open ears and hearts to the messages they will hear this week, that they would be receptive to what God is teaching each one of them.

In Christ,

Kelly Pedroni

Extra! Extra! Read the latest News from Open Arms

2010-02-26T22:33:00.006-03:00

Click on a link below to read our e-News in PDF format.
NEW EDITION!

If you'd prefer to receive Open Arms e-News via email you can contact us at info@openarmsbrazil.org and write "e-News" in the subject field. We'll put you on our list right away.

You can also check out our facebook group, "Friends of Open Arms Brazil" to interact with our online community of friends and supporters.

e-News Issues in PDF (click to access)

NEW EDITION!

January-February

July 08 - Belém Issue

April 08

February-March 08

End of year 2007

If you would like to access our e-News archives back to March of 2006 click here

Open Arms Camp 2009 Video Report!!

2009-12-29T23:27:00.013-02:00

Our end of year newsletter is coming soon and in the mean time you can check out the 2009 Open Arms Camp video report below!
Camp was a huge blessing and we would like to thank everyone who gave and served to make it possible. We'd like to especially thank the Global Impact ministry of Mclean Bible Church for the wonderful team they sent, Lynne Mcleavy and her young missionaries team from Benevides, Brazil, and the children's ministry of Reston Bible Church for supplying our ministry with so much needed material. We have been so blessed with partners and we thank God for you all.

Blessings,
Michael for the whole Open Arms Brazil Team

Would you like to make an end of year contribution to this work? Just click here to see how.

Camp Delta Force 2009

2009-11-19T19:46:00.004-02:00

You can help one of these children attend Open Arms Camp 2009

December 18-21 in Assis

Camp costs $55 for each child. We are hoping to send 150 children. You can make your donation today by clicking here - make sure to indicate that your gift is for camp. Keep us in your prayers.

News from the field - Disaster Response

2009-08-22T23:12:00.001-03:00

Embracing Children displaced by natural disaster in Brazil

Field Report #1

Open Arms and our partner church in Assis, the independent Presbyterian Church of Jardim Paulista, sent off one of our missionaries, Marcelo dos Reis Vieira, and several of our volunteers as part of a disaster relief team heading to the northern Brazilian state of Piauí. The state has been hit hard by flooding and many, many, families have been forced out of their homes. Of course thousands of these displaced people are children.

Marcelo dos Reis Vieira - Cocal 2009 - Piaui, (translated)

"God morning brothers,

The sun is strong and we are working very hard here so far delivering 5,000 kilos of food and supplies along with attending to the families and working with the children affected by the flooding.

After many hours of travel on the highways around the capital city of Terezina we arrived at the city of Cocal where there was an enormous disaster, where the houses, entire neighborhoods, forests, and neighboring cites were destroyed by the force of the water.

Throughout the week we ran activities for the children with games, sports, and God's message of hope in Jesus. We also have a medical team with us and a civil construction expert to assist with recovery planning.

Please continue in prayer for us because there is still so much work to be done in these next several days. Pray for our team and for our transportation to the areas most inaccessible. Pray for the the lives that need to recover from the great trauma they have suffered. They have lost their homes, there is no electricity or water in many areas. But in the midst of tragedy God is using our team to demonstrate the character of Jesus whom we serve and the children are wonderful and have welcomed us with open arms. Glory to God!

I would like to send a hug to the church, continue in prayer. May God be praised. - Marcelo

More to come...

Join us in lifting up the team in prayer during their 10 days in the field. Feel free to post your comments of encouragement to them here. If you would like to make a one time gift to help off-set the cost of sending this emergency team out of Assis, click here.

Mission Accomplished - Camp Benevides 2009

2009-07-09T20:30:00.004-03:00

Dear Friends of Open Arms Brazil,

TO SEE VIDEO CLIPS FROM MISSION BENEVIDES 2009 - CLICK HERE
You may recall that I wrote in our first report from the field that God had impressed on my heart what His purpose was for this year's camp, namely; His children from this neighborhood needed a week of rest away from the very difficult lives they live in a poor and violent place, they needed to be encouraged to continue their walk with Him, and they needed to feel His joy. So, it is with great pleasure and thanksgiving that I bring you this message...Mission Accomplished.

I would like to share just a little of what occurred on the last night of camp. The day's teaching was on faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Thursday evening started with a powerful skit called, The Path, presented by the youth from Reston Bible Church. The gist of the skit was that Jesus is leading us along a path that is full of challenges, difficulties, tests, and even danger, but He is with us, even unto the end of the age. With this knowledge we can step out in faith and walk each day in the Spirit and trust that He will produce in us fruit that will last.

After a few words explaining the skit, Marcelo called the local missionaries, and founders of the work with these children, Bete and Lynne, up front as living examples of faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. They received thunderous applause from the 170 children and youth assembled. Bete then took the microphone to recognize two young men who had stepped up throughout the year to make a positive impact in their community. One of these teens, Carlos, had had a tough start at camp with several discipline issues and even a scuffle in the cafeteria. He had turned a corner on Wednesday and when he took the mic Thursday night something amazing happened. Without any prompting he asked all those assembled to forgive him for his behavior earlier in the week. Then he called up front the boy with whom he had fought and apologized to him on stage and gave him a great big hug. The place just exploded in applause and cheers.

It didn't end there. The worship team took the stage and asked that all the chairs be removed from the auditorium. The call went out to the youth and volunteers to give thanks and praise to God with everything they have and dance like David before the ark of the convenant. It was an amazing scene and makes me get choked up just writing about it a week later (take a look at the video). The sight of all these kids who live in the most difficult of circumstances day in and day out, holding hands and in circles all around the auditorium, singing with one loud voice these words, "Great is the Lord, His great works have no end, His eyes are upon me, Great is your love poured out on me through your Holy Spirit, counselor and faithful friend, pleasing is your will and eternal is your goodness. I don't get tired, I don't get tired, I don't get tired of jumping in the presence of God!!" And did they ever jump and sing and shout. It went on until our lead guitarist, Lucas, was beginning to loose the skin on his strumming hand.

God is so, so good. I wish every one of you could have lived that night with us. What joy, what rest, what peace. Mission accomplished, praise God. When we asked for a show of hands of who had accepted Jesus as their Savior either at this camp or at camp last year or the year before, so we could sing happy birthday, nearly every hand was raised. I could go on and on but instead I have posted some unedited video clips here for you to enjoy. Thank you to all who prayed, who gave, who encouraged. May you be blessed with all the richness of Christ.

Blessings,

Michael J. Meyers
Presidente - Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil

Video clips from Mission Benevides 2009

2009-07-09T18:49:00.012-03:00

UNEDITED VIDEO CLIPS FROM CAMP BENEVIDES 2009

Singing and dancing to "Children of Jesus have energy to spend"

Crianças de Jesus tem energia pra gastar!

"In the Secret - I want to know you"

"Eu te busco"

Tia Lola and the international language of "Jenga"

West Side Story - RBC Style

Teatro dos jovems da igreja Reston Bible Church

Pool Party - Festa na piscina!

Saying goodbye to the kids after a long week!

Falando tchau depois de uma semana longa!

Mission Benevides 2009 - Day 5

2009-07-02T11:01:00.004-03:00

Grace & Peace!!!!

Yesterday was a wonderful day of fun in the sun. We had great weather for games and swimming. The teaching in the morning captivated the kids as our newest team member, Matheus, did a fantastic job with the teaching on patience, kindness, and goodness. He’s only 17 but it is clear that God is with him and has given him a gift for connecting kids with God’s word. We’ve taken to calling him Timothy.

The evening worship service was amazing. The skit from the RBC team was right on the money, as usual, and accented the teaching perfectly. It is amazing to me how powerfully God is moving among these kids. When they sing, our team will often stop singing and just let them go. It is the most beautiful thing you could imagine and is bringing tears to my eyes just writing about it. We put together a slide show of all the blessings God has realized in their neighborhood over this past year since our last camp. It was fantastic to hear the cheers of thankfulness from the kids for what is clearly a God thing.

Please keep praying. We have had several difficult challenges with some kids but through patience and prayer God has turned those around into a blessing. Today is the last full day of camp and one of the most critical as we try to finish strong and drive home the message we’ve been given to deliver. Marcelo has taken the wheel for the teaching so please keep him especially in your prayers.

Thank you for keeping up with our adventures this week. More to come so stay tuned. It’s all Open Arms all the time!!!

Sending a big hug to you all from our whole team!

Michael

Mission Benevides 2009 - Day 3 & 4

2009-07-01T06:02:00.008-03:00

Good morning from Benevides, Pará! It is 6 AM and the kids will be waking soon for another full day. So I will need to be brief. The children and youth, 170 of them (ranging from 5 to 18 years old!), arrived on Monday morning in two bus loads. It was a loud and happy reunion as the children recognized many familiar faces from years past and some new ones as well.

Monday and Tuesday were days full of activities, plentiful food, plentiful spiritual food and some surprises. After a rousing opening meeting we quickly moved to a morning of soccer and swimming. The afternoons are packed with recreational activities planned and led by our friends from Reston Bible Church who never seem to run out of energy. Monday evening after a sweet time of worship we introduced the teaching theme of this years camp, the Fruit of the Spirit, Christian Character. It was especially encouraging to see how much the children remembered the teaching from last year's camp and how many of the older kids had returned as camp counselors. Tuesday we taught on love, joy, and peace as the roots and nutrients of a strong Christian walk. Our texts ranged from Psalm 1 to Galatians 5 to Ephesians, to 1 Samuel as we brought the Word into the context of their daily lives.

Today is more of the same wildness so please keep everyone here in your prayers as we play, counsel, and pour out God's word and love. The teaching today is on patience, kindness, and goodness from God's perspective.

Before I sign off I wanted to share one thought with you all. On my morning prayer run I asked God to let me know what He was doing this year at camp, I mean, we've been here now 3 times and most of these children have given their lives to Jesus and are being discipled by the local team of missionaries and their church partners. So what does He want to do through us here now? The thing He spoke to my mind and heart was this; His children from this neighborhood need a week of rest away from the very difficult lives they live in a very poor and violent place, they need to be encouraged to continue their walk with Him, and they need to feel His joy. That is His plan for this week so we are giving ourselves to that, heart, soul, mind, and strength. Please keep up the prayers friends.

Blessings,

Michael

Day 1 & 2 - Mission Belem/Benevides 2009

2009-06-27T22:46:00.005-03:00

Saturday June 27

We arrived at Word of Life camp at 4 AM this morning. After 2 hours of sleep we were up and out for a morning run, prayer, and breakfast. Today we focused on communion, team building, and relaxation with our parterns from Reston Bible Church, the 1st Independent Presbyterian church of Belem and UFM International. We were treated to a boat trip on the Amazon river and privledged to participate in baptizing two brothers in Christ from the US. It was a wonderful moment to bond as a team and rest up from our trip.

Sunday we'll be focused on prepping the camp, training volunteers, and putting the final touches on our teaching. God has been very good to our team and, despite very little sleep, we have been free of illness and injury. All are in good spirits and ready for the children to arrive tomorrow.

Please continue to check back with us regularly. More to come tomorrow. We need your prayers friends. Thank you.

Michael for the whole team

Mission Belém-Benevides 2009

2009-06-24T01:20:00.006-03:00

Open Arms Mission Team Heads to Belém this Friday

In 2007 and 2008 Open Arms Brazil, in partnership with Reston Bible Church, UFM International, and the Independant Presbyterian Church of Assis - São Paulo, took a team of children´s missionaries to work with children at risk who are living next to and off of the city dump. This team of partners hosted a summer camp for 150 children where they participated in various activities including music, dance, arts, and sports. Most importantly they were introduced to the God of the Bible and His Son Jesus Christ. They were weeks of peace, fun, and love for children who live in an environment of poverty and violence unimaginable to most Americans.

The ministry of the UFM missionaries, Lynne Mcleavy and Bete Negrão, who live and work in this community, is thriving as more children and adults come to Christ, new partnerships are formed, and public attention is brought to the plight of these families. In support of this work, Open Arms Brazil has prepared a third team to return to Benevides to help run camp from June 26 through July 4.

We need your prayers and support. This page will be updated throughout the mission to Benevides so we invite you to return daily to hear how God is working.

You are an important part of this team!

Open Arms Brazil goes to Washington

2009-05-19T12:09:00.002-03:00

Thanks to our wonderful friends from Global Impact's Brazil 2008 mission team, we recently enjoyed the tremendous blessing of sharing, right there in downtown Washington DC, all that God is doing through Open Arms Brazil.

On Saturday May 2nd at the offices of OTJ Architects, we were pleased to host 60+ friends, some new and some old, of Open Arms Brazil. Bindu Balan and Ladson Webb, both volunteer ambassadors for Open Arms, organized and led the team that put together the silent auction, great Brazilian eats, music and a video introduction that got everyone's attention.

If you attended we want to thank you especially. It was a pleasure to meet you and have the opportunity to share our heart for ministry among Brazil's children.

We are very thankful to all those involved and grateful for the many new friends we made. Our hope is that many of you will be inspired to get involved in reaching and teaching children with Christ's message of hope and redemption.

If you would like to get involved don't wait, just click here to find out how.

If you would like to hear more about our trip you can click here and continue reading.

OAB goes to Washington...continued

2009-05-18T19:00:00.001-03:00

Open Arms Brazil goes to Washington...continued

After a wonderful evening of food and fellowship our weekend was only just beginning. We were invited to speak to the children at Reston Bible Church during the morning services on . It was so nice to catch up with my old friends there and see how many of them are growing in their faith as well as their height. What are they feeding kids in Northern Virginia!?

From there we ran to Mclean Bible Church where we were honored to speak at the "All Nations" missions coffee. The focus for the month of May was Brazil and so we fit right in. There were between 50 and 60 people in attendance and we were pleasantly surprised to meet a half dozen or so Brazilian's who live in DC and attend Mclean Bible.

After a quick planning meeting with the Global Impact leaders who will be coming back to Brazil to help us run our summer camp we ran back out to Reston Bible where we were honored by the children of their Awana ministry with a very generous gift and was blessed to able to share a few words with the children and their parents.

Much more happened during our very brief stay, fellowship with friends, time with family, and more but I think you get the idea. We thank God for the opportunity and thank all of you who welcomed us in with "Open Arms."

Blessings,

Michael

Special Event in Washington D.C.

2009-04-19T10:12:00.005-03:00

Open Arms Newsflash: You're Invited

Join us for a benefit reception and silent auction celebrating the promises and possibilities of Brazil's children. In this special evening, you'll learn more about Open Arms, a non-profit founded by D.C. native Michael Meyers and his wife Patricia, aimed at educating and supporting at-risk children in various communities throughout Brazil. Learn about the promise these children hold for Brazil's future and how your "open arms" can help them embrace hope. Enjoy cocktails, hors d'oeuvres, live entertainment, and unique auction items from the States and Brazil.

Please forward this invitation on to anyone you know who believes that every child is a promise, a possibility.
If you have any questions about this event, please email Bindu at bbalan4@gmail.com

Basketball Night at Open Arms in Assis!

2009-04-13T00:38:00.005-03:00

(For our 1st Quarter Issue of Open Arms e-News click here)

We would like to thank our friends at Assis Basket (local pro team) (http://www.assisbasket.com.br/) and the restaraunt, Agua Doce (Sweet Water) (http://www.aguadoce.com.br/) for the joy filled night they provided the children of Open Arms in Assis. On the 8th of April our children and volunteers were treated to an amazing dinner at Agua Doce and then VIP seats for a game between Assis and Flamengo (last years national champion from Rio de Janeiro). Sadly Assis lost a great game. We all had a blast just the same.

The owners and sponsors of Assis Basket have repeatedly blessed the lives of our children by demonstrating the principles of love and kindness in their actions. We give thanks to God for them. A special thank you goes to Teresa Aga, one of our star volunteers and the wife of head coach Antonio Aga, for putting this all together.

Michael J. Meyers

Presidente - Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil

Enjoy some photo's from our night out. The song is called, "We're in the game." It's in Portuguese but I'm sure you'll enjoy the rhythm.

For the 1st Quarter Issue of Open Arms e-News click here

1st Quarter 2009 Newsletter Is Here!

2009-04-08T12:52:00.007-03:00

News Flash!

Opening our arms wider in Assis!

For the full text of the newsletter in pdf click here

Every year our PM after school program loses some older children who move to an afternoon schedule at school. We have not started an AM outreach because of a lack of volunteers for the morning. That changed this year when two of these children took it upon themselves to recruit volunteers, invite Open Arms alums, and lobby Michael and Marcelo to let them start an AM outreach. We now have a team of 7 regular volunteers and nearly 40 children studying the Bible and participating in art, dance, and sport courses every Wednesday morning. Praise God who works in and through children!

For all the full 1st Quarter Issue of Open Arms e-News click here

Welcome to our new site

2009-04-02T00:12:00.000-03:00

Friends of Open Arms,

Welcome to our new site. We are still building but we thought it was time to flip the switch and let you all get a look at our new format. Our hope is that it will be more interactive and easier for us to update with fresh news for you. Bookmark us and come back often to keep up with all that is happening. We look forward to hearing your comments.

God bless,

Kim Reynolds

CAO/Program Manager - Open Arms Brazil

Assis - Strategic Location

2009-04-01T11:04:00.012-03:00

Our Headquarters and the Birthplace of Open Arms

Open Arms in Assis

What started with 30 children back in 2006 has grown to 80+ children from five different public schools and more than 5 high risk neighborhoods. Through our partnerships with the local church as well as the departments of health and education we are able to attend children with social, emotional, financial, and educational challenges with our Christian character based curriculum, social assistance, and counseling programs.

The need is still very great and we are working to establish new partnerships in other at risk neighborhoods in the city. The goal for 2009 is to establish one more outpost to attend an additional 50-60 children.

Fast facts

The city of Assis has a population of roughly 100,000

There are approximately 14,000 children 12 years old and under

The economic base for the region is agricultural, primarily sugar, soy, and corn

Assis was founded in 1905

Strategic location

Assis forms the intersection of the major highways leading from southern and western states as well as the countries of Paraguay and Bolivia. This makes it a major hub for goods, both legal and illegal, heading to the major deep water port in Santos for shipment to Europe. As such, Assis, although in a rural region, is plagued by urban problems such as the illegal drug trade and all the criminal activities that that brings, addiction, robbery, kidnapping, and prostitution among them. Education and financial assistance alone, without a life transforming encounter with the love of God, are insufficient to address the integral needs of these children.

Where is Open Arms Brazil?

2009-04-01T10:20:00.011-03:00

The international headquarters for Open Arms Brazil is located in the city of Assis on the centralwestern edge of São Paulo state. We are roughly an hours drive from the major cities of Londrina, Presidente Prudente, and Marilia.

This is where the work of Open Arms Brazil began back in 2006 and it remains our base of operations for an ever expanding mission to underserved and forgotten communities in Brazil. We have implanted and are supporting after-school outreach programs in the cities of Assis, Echaporã, and Florestópolis serving more than 150 children and their families. We have also formed strategic partnerships with other like minded organizations in places like the northern Brazilian city of Belém where our teams help run an annual camp for at risk children. If you would like to become a financial partner and help Open Arms embrace more of our world click here.

To learn more about each of the cities where we work just click on the city name below...

Assis - Our Headquarters

Echaporã, SP (under construction)

Florestópolis, Parána (under construction)

Thoughts and Meditations

2009-03-31T17:09:00.005-03:00

You can come here for links to devotional messages, thoughts, testimonies and meditations posted by our staff. We hope they will bless you and enrich your experience with our site. Return often for new encouragement.

No Greater Joy

Just One Story

Self Image or HIS Image

It's All About Grace

Humility for Dummies...Like Me

Join the Open Arms team

2009-03-21T16:13:00.020-03:00

Here are 7 practical ways you can choose to be the "open arms" of Jesus to a child as part of our team. Email us at info@openarmsbrazil.org and let us know how you would like to make a difference today. Roll up your sleeves and get your hands dirty!

Pray. Commit to praying regularly for the children, volunteers, and staff of Open Arms Brazil.
Tell a friend. Get someone signed up for our newsletter.
Buzz. Send an email, link to our site, forward our newsletter, join our facebook group, use your imagination and get out the word.
Be an ambassador. Host an event, speak at your civic organization or church. Not the "up-front" type? We'll send a speaker to you.
Give the gift of you. What is your gift or talent? Could it be useful on a volunteer basis?
Organize a trip to go and work with Open Arms in Brazil
Invest. Become a one time or regular financial supporter of Open Arms. It is an investment with guaranteed returns.

Click here to find out how to give today

Our Vision & Mission

2009-03-19T22:12:00.007-03:00

Our Vision

To be the open arms of Jesus, demonstrating God's love through meeting the emotional, spiritual, physical, and academic needs of children, and their families, that live in communities at high risk for drug and alcohol addiction, prostitution, violence, and abuse. Every child is a promise, every child is a possibility, every child bears the image of their Creator and is special.

Our Mission

Help a child discover the hope and the future that can be theirs

Help a child understand that their beauty and value are found in God's eyes and not in the circumstances in which they live

Prepare a child for a productive life of service, honor, and dignity before God and their community

Contact Us

2009-03-19T13:18:00.009-03:00

Call us via Skype at openarmsworldwide

In the United States

Open Arms Worldwide

1562 Woodcrest Drive, Reston, VA 20194

c/o Kim Reynolds - Program Manager

703-651-2070

info@openarmsworldwide.org

In Brazil

Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil

c/o Michael John Meyers - Presidente

Avenida Otto Ribeiro, 200

Vila São Jorge

Assis, São Paulo 19800-300

(18) 3324-6352

mmeyers@openarmsworldwide.org

You can also check out our facebook page, "Open Arms Worldwide" to interact with our online community of friends and supporters.

What do we do?

2009-03-19T08:32:00.006-03:00

Open Arms Brazil, in partnership with our sister organization, Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil, works to develop and implant extra-curricular programs with the following objectives,

Investing in the character development of children at risk

Developing the childs ability to think and make decisions based on time tested biblical principles

Developing the childs imagination and love for literature, arts and sport

Investing in the childs social skills and emotional well being within an atmosphere of joy, unconditional love and acceptance

In partnership with the public schools and local church in Brazil we,

Strive to help children at risk overcome their academic and social challenges
Collaborate in the transformation of the local community through events, seminars, and community service

Offer training for those interested in serving with Open Arms Brazil on either a volunteer or full-time basis

Joining together with the church, the schools, local government and business leaders we are seeking to reach the greatest number of children possible through our message of hope, love, dignity, and redemption.

Our History

2009-03-18T18:59:00.005-03:00

The Birth of Braços Abertos Brasil

Braços Abertos Brasil was founded first as a private foundation called The Open Arms Brazil Foundation in January of 2006 in the United States but it was the result of a dream that God placed on the hearts of the original founders, Michael and Patricia Meyers, six years earlier. Their desire to bring hope and a future (Jeremias 29:11) to children at risk in under-reached, and under-served communities in Brazil led them to reach out to the Christian community in Assis, São Paulo where they found a partner in the Independent Presbyterian Church of Jardim Paulista and later their congregation at Cohab Assis IV. It was through this partnership that the Meyers´ brought two short term teams from Northern Virginia to work with children in Assis in 2003 and again in 2004. Based on the success of those early projects and a strong leading from the Lord, the Meyers´, with the help of a faithful group of advisors founded, “The Open Arms Brazil Foundation,” and began to raise funds to begin a full-time project in Assis.
In July of 2006 the first board of directors signed the founding documents establishing Comunidade Braços Abertos Brasil as a not-for-profit Christian association in Brazil dedicated to transforming the lives of children at risk through the power and love of God.

The Meyers Family(Founders)

Michael and Patricia Meyers live and serve in Assis full time with their three children, Michael (‘97), Raphael (‘99), and Gabriela (2003). Patricia and the children hold dual Brazilian/US citizenship and Michael is a permanent resident of Brazil. This makes Open Arms Brazil truly a “national” ministry. Michael was formerly the Children’s Ministry Director for Reston Bible Church in Reston, VA.
The Meyers family is supported by the faithful gifts of the Lord’s church in the United States through the Open Arms Brazil foundation.

Who are we?

2009-03-17T23:30:00.009-03:00

Open Arms Brazil is a not-for-profit, Christian organization dedicated to the physical, emotional, moral, academic and spiritual enrichment of children who live in underserved and forgotten neighborhoods of Brazil, neighborhoods with a high risk of violence, prostitution, drug and alcohol addiction, and abuse.

This movement was born of the realization that the most neglected, looked down upon, ignored, and all too frequently abused group of people on the planet is our children. This isn’t the example Jesus left us. Rather, God places a high value on the well being and character development of His little ones and calls us to do the same.

Studies show that a persons character and world-view are formed by the age of 14 and will remain largely unchanged for the rest of their life. Interestingly, more than thirty percent (30%) of the worlds population is under the age of 14. This information represents an opportunity for real transformation that we simply cannot ignore.

You can make a difference in the lives of these children and their families. With our eyes and arms opened wide to this reality we hope to tranform the lives of children, their families, and their communities with a message of hope and a future.

Click here to learn a little bit about our history: Our History

No Greater Joy

2006-11-27T23:50:00.000-02:00

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” 3 John 1:4

“I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth” 3 John 1:4

Scripture reminds us repeatedly to be focused on things above and to lay up our treasures in heaven but let us not mistake this for meaning we will never see the fruit from any of the work “which God prepared in advance for us to do” here on earth. We shouldn’t “expect” this from the Lord, but often in His grace and mercy we get a little glimpse. For you golfers out there, it’s a bit like that one straight, long drive you have, on a day otherwise filled with hunting through the forest for your ball, that makes you come back and pay the greens fee to try again next week. Our God is an encourager and often one of his tools for this is letting us see some fruit. Let me explain my recent experience.

While visiting at a worship service at our main partner church soon after we arrived in Brazil (the church that planted the congregation we work with now), we got to see a young man confirm his faith and be baptized. When he got up to speak to the congregation I recognized him immediately. The hair was shorter and he was a good two feet taller but it was definitely Guto, the little boy who had been in my small group years ago during a short term mission’s project we had led to Assis. Later Guto’s mom approached Patricia to tell her the story. She had felt like she needed some “moral” instruction for her son so they started attending their local catholic church but Guto wasn’t interested. Then they heard about a Vacation Bible School being held in town by some visiting missionaries (our team from Northern VA) along with the Independent Presbyterian church. That is where we met Guto. Afterwards he told his parents that this was the church for him. They started to attend and eventually Guto and his mom came to the Lord in faith and were saved. Guto still carries the Bible he got from our team back then with an inscription from me, in English, on the inside cover.

Guto is a fine young man and faithful brother in Christ today because of God’s amazing grace. Now he is also one of our most trusted and loved volunteers with Open Arms. You may never get to see the impact God makes through your surrendered life but be encouraged that through your faithfulness in a little the Father can raise up a Guto for you to.

Blessings to you in Christ,

Michael

Blessings to you in Christ,

Michael

In Memory of my friend – Jen Mitchell

2006-10-26T09:49:00.000-03:00

By the time I knew Jen was sick she had already left for treatment in the Bahamas. I never did get to say goodbye to my friend. I have decided instead to do so here. I hope you take a minute to read on about a person whose love for the Lord and for His children profoundly impacted my vision and mission in ministry.

I met Jen Mitchell formally for the first time not long after she had become the children’s ministry director at Reston Bible Church. I was teaching the 5th/6th grade boys for the summer and was not sure I wanted to continue. And so, with September fast approaching, they were looking for someone crazy or naïve enough to take on the 5th/6th grade boys Sunday school class for the full year. Jen stood up in front of the congregation to announce the needs for the ministry and it struck me that, as she spoke about the children and the Fathers heart for them, she was on the verge of tears. She shared very honestly about her own experiences as a child and how much she desired the love and acceptance that she only later learned was to be found in Christ alone. God used her words to move my heart (it didn’t hurt that I was both crazy and naïve) so I signed up. An incredible journey began that day and continues today half way around the world.

Jen’s passion, courage, and vision for reaching children for Christ by showering them with love and treating them with respect and dignity revolutionized the way many of us who knew her approach ministry today. I can trace many of my own strongly held positions on the evangelization and discipleship of children back to this faithful servant of God. It is because of Jen that I will not let it pass when someone refers to children’s ministry as “childcare.” I would look at Jen and her fearless advocacy of children’s ministry and think of Jesus rebuking the disciples who wanted to shoo the little ones, as though ministry to adults was somehow more “valuable.” Jen followed Christ and turned that equation on its head.

Later it was Jen, at the urging of the Holy Spirit and Kim Reynolds, who invited me to consider replacing her at RBC. She encouraged and loved Patricia and I as we took that step of faith. She showed me the importance of stopping and investing my concern in the individual and not staying aloft in the big picture world I tended to gravitate to. Even after we left for Brazil I could always count on Jen to surprise me on instant messenger with some encouraging words and an update on the kids.

Our treasures are in heaven but I believe our lives here on earth can be measured by the impact we made in the lives of others for God’s glory. My friend Jennifer Mitchell is living in glory now but her legacy for Christ is still being felt here in this world. For my part I know that someday there will be a Brazilian child in heaven that will want to thank Jen for the part she played in God’s plan for their salvation. Thank you Jen for the life you lived and the grace you allowed God to pour out through you. We miss you so much.

Blessings to you in Christ,

Michael

Just one story

2006-09-15T22:07:00.000-03:00

Hi Friends,

I couldn't sleep tonight. The kids at Bracos Abertos had a good week but one story has haunted my mind and I can't shake it. Maybe if I share it with you. At least you can pray for this young person. We'll call the child L. I don't want to share the real name or whether this is a boy or girl. It isn't important to the story anyway. All the kids at Bracos Abertos have a story and I am just beginning to learn some of them. This one made me cry when it was first relayed to me and will probaby do so again now.

Most of the adults in L's life are drug users and have been L's whole life. When L was only 5 or 6, he/she and his/her uncle were home alone when a local drug dealer came to the door to collect a past due debt from the uncle. L's uncle didn't have the money. He was shot repeatedly, in front of L, and died. L spent the day sitting next to the uncle's dead body crying until finally someone came home.

It's been several years now but L crys to go into school and is terrified of being alone. When L first came to us we met someone who didn't smile and was very timid. By God's grace and, I believe, through the love of Christ that is poured out to L from our team of volunteers, L smiles now and laughs and plays. L has even started to go to school.

God can heal L's wounds. God can make L whole again. I want to see L in heaven clothed in white and walking on streets of gold. It will be so different from where L walks today. Here I go crying again.

Please pray for L with me. That's all. Just one story.

Mike

Self image or His image?

2006-08-14T19:14:00.000-03:00

The world sees my worth in what I do, what I have, what I look like, or where I’m from. If I’m an attractive, wealthy, successful person from a good family, I am viewed in one way. If I’m a poor child, with clothing as dirty as I am, one of six siblings all from different fathers, being raised by my grandmother, and living in a part of town no one visits unless they have to, I am viewed in a completely different way. The tragedy of this is that we, in turn, often view ourselves through the same distorted lens. Even more tragic is that this mentality has crept into the minds of God’s children as well. Has it crept into your heart?

OK, I’ll go first to break the ice. I have been guilty of both extremes. On the one hand I am often very hard on myself for my own perceived failures, faults, or imperfections. On the other it is all too easy for me to be puffed up by success, praise and status. The natural man is prone to this mindset after all. What we need is to be “transformed by the renewing of” our minds so that we might see the world and ourselves through the eyes of our Creator. Let’s get some perspective.

The LORD sends poverty and wealth;

he humbles and he exalts.
He raises the poor from the dust

and lifts the needy from the ash heap;

he seats them with princes

and has them inherit a throne of honor.

"For the foundations of the earth are the LORD's;

upon them he has set the world. 1 Samuel 2:7-9

We cannot and should not, as followers of Christ, attribute any of our worth or the worth of others to the relative amount of blessing each of us has received. Where is our true worth found? It is found in the One who alone is worthy.

“Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness,” Genesis 1:26.

If I am worth anything, if I have any glory, any blessing, any beauty, any wisdom, any success, any potential, it is because I was first created in God’s image and then, by faith, found in Christ, “for we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus.”

It is this certainty that I am created in God’s image, adopted into His family through faith in Jesus, and being daily conformed to the image of Christ that at once should make me confident in and humble about who I am. It is with these same eyes then that I should look at my fellow man. This includes my brothers in Christ, those will become my brothers in Christ, and those created in the image of the Father. In other words…everyone.

So friend, when you are feeling like a loser by the world’s standards, lift your eyes to Jesus and remember that you are “seated with princes” in the Kingdom of God. When you are thinking to highly of yourself, or down upon another, remember that is by grace alone that you sit at that royal table and not in the spiritual slum which you and I both deserve. Proper perspective is everything.

Blessings to you in Christ,

Michael

It's All About Grace

2006-06-27T21:13:00.000-03:00

“When the LORD your God brings you into the land he swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give you—a land with large, flourishing cities you did not build, houses filled with all kinds of good things you did not provide, wells you did not dig, and vineyards and olive groves you did not plant—then when you eat and are satisfied, be careful that you do not forget the LORD, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.” Deuteronomy 6:10-12

A couple of months back my boys asked me why we couldn’t just read through the whole Bible, cover to cover, instead of doing our usual devotional time. Well, I took them up on their challenge and we began in earnest that night. We are almost through the five books of the law now and we’ve been so blessed by this time focused on the Word without the added commentary (no slight on commentaries intended of course). It’s amazing how reading the Old Testament scriptures in light of the Cross brings into such sharp focus the themes of redemptive history.

The picture of the land that God records for us in Deuteronomy 6 is one of many such instances. When we come to Christ in faith, faith that is a gift in and of itself, we receive an inheritance that we did not earn, a forgiveness of sin that we did not deserve, blessing upon blessing that we did nothing to merit, and life eternal in a Kingdom we did not build, as part of a family we were not naturally born into. It was all provided ahead of time for us through the righteous work of Christ Jesus. We simply need to place our faith in Him and, as an outworking of that faith, obey His command to enter the “land” that He has promised to us.

My brothers and sisters, please join with me in praying that we may never forget the mercies of our Lord, the work He has done for us that we were incapable of doing ourselves, and the work in life and ministry He continues to do for which we can not claim credit and do not deserve glory. “Otherwise, when you eat and are satisfied, when you build fine houses and settle down, and when your herds and flocks grow large and your silver and gold increase and all you have is multiplied, then your heart will become proud and you will forget the LORD your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery…You may say to yourself, "My power and the strength of my hands have produced this wealth for me." But remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you the ability to produce wealth, and so confirms his covenant, which he swore to your forefathers, as it is today.” (Deuteronomy 8:12-14, 17-18)

Never forget.

Blessings to you in Christ,

Michael

Our First Easter In Brazil

2006-04-18T12:02:00.000-03:00

Well we are in between newsletters but I wanted to report on our first Easter in Brazil while the memories are still fresh. What a blessing mixed with suffering. Appropriate I suppose.

Thursday evening we had planned our annual Passover Seder. This year it would be just the family celebrating the last supper as Jesus and His disciples did so long ago. Or would we? At about 5 PM I began feeling an all too familiar stabbing in my kidney's. Another stone, my sixth, felt like it was on the move. My heart sank. We had all the preparations for the passover ready. I retreated to my bedroom and laid down as comfortably as I could and began to pray. "Oh Lord please not now. I so want to celebrate this meal with my family tonight. It's our first year in Brazil and it just won't be the same if it's not tonight. Please Father take this from me!" About 10 minutes later the pain disappeared...completely.

I went to the kitchen, gave Patricia the good news and began the final preparations for our meal. And what a wonderful meal it was. There are few better pictures of God "passing over" our sins, because of the sacrifice of His Lamb, than the Seder. And when we had finished communion, we sang a hymn together and prepared to put the children in bed.

At about 8:30 PM my repreave was up. The pain came back with a vengeance and I was off to the hospital, my first time in a Brazilian hospital. So I spent most of Good Friday morning suffering (for those who aren't familiar, kidney stones are equated with childbirth on the pain scale) and reflecting on the far greater suffering my Savior endured that morning for me. In time, this to "passed," pardon the pun, and by Friday evening I was ready to come home.

On Sunday we worshipped at our little church with about thirty other brothers and sisters. It was a tremendous blessing and time of celebration of victory in our risen Lord. The children of the church presented the gospel in song and dance. It was precious. The theme of the message was that if we live as though Jesus were still on the cross we live in defeat. But the Bible tells us that in the risen Christ, we are, "more than conquerors." The little cross in our church doesn't have an image of Jesus on it because, in the words of Pastor Tiago, "He isn't there! He is risen!" He is risen indeed friends. Praise God! Hope you all had a wonderful and peaceful Easter.

Blessings to you in Christ,

Michael

“Humility for Dummies…Like Me”

2006-04-10T20:55:00.000-03:00

Alternate title: “Getting the Gideon Treatment”

Matthew 23:12 - For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Deuteronomy 8:2 - Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart"

Ever feel like you’re on a roll? Ever say to your self, “God has really gifted me with X”? Be careful loved one. You may be due for a reminder of how much you rely on the Father every moment of every day, despite your gifting.

This is a reminder that God is giving me even as I write to you. I hope that in sharing it you may be blessed as well. Sometimes sanctification is happening below the radar of our consciousness. Other times it’s like having your wisdom teeth removed without anesthesia. This is one of those latter times.

Drifting into pride
In my own country, in my own language, operating within my gifting, and among familiar people and friends, I became very comfortable and confident. The Lord “frees the captives and gives gifts” to them. God has graciously given this freed captive the gift of administration, by which I mean He has given me the mind of a dreamer with the skills of a manager. This means, coupled with others with complementary gifts, I am suited to casting vision and then executing that vision. The administrator tends to be a confident person and this can easily lead to pride. And pride is our most subtle enemy. In my case I have never had trouble giving God thanks or glory for something He accomplished through me. No, my pride was more subtle than that. Here is how it happened. He had given the vision and now I was going for it. Over time I began charging into battle without first seeking God’s face. Once He won the victory I would give Him thanks and glory, but preemptive prayer quietly began to drift away. The more the victories the fewer the prayers. Prayer for others yes, prayers of thanks yes, but prayers humility and trusting God alone for guidance and victory, not so much. The subtlety of this form of pride allowed me to go along feeling pretty much as though my relationship with the Father was in good shape.

However, our King wants us to remember that we depend on Him for every breath, every minute. He wants us to remember that it is He who fights for us. Forget this and you risk falling…hard. Or you might get the “Gideon treatment.” This is what has happened to me.

The Gideon Treatment
You might remember, as recorded in the book of Judges, God finally convinced Gideon that he was in fact a “mighty warrior” and now he had 30,000 men ready to attack Midian. He was feeling confident I’m sure. Until…God said, “no that’s too many let’s cut that back to 20,000. Nope, still too many. How about 300? Perfect.” What!? That would have been my response I’m afraid. God knew that without question this victory would be attributed to Him alone and that Gideon would learn a valuable lesson. That lesson being that, even if you are gifted as a mighty warrior and blessed with resources to go into battle, God is still the one who fights for you. Not only is the victory His but the battle as well. And thus He alone deserves the glory for the outcome. Not because you are humble and don’t want to take the credit but because you, in fact, deserve none of the credit.

How have I been “Gideoned?” God took me away from a successful ministry, leaving a place where I had some degree of respect, a place where I could comfortably teach, debate, lead meetings, give presentations, lead prayer, etc. And He brought to me to a place where my language skills rival that of a 5th grader, my vocabulary that of a 2nd grader, and my writing skills, well I don’t want to talk about that. I was a mighty warrior with 30,000 men and now look at me!

The question and the answer
Oh God, why have you muted the gifts you yourself gave me? Why have you taken away all of my fellow soldiers? Why have you sent me into the greatest battle of my life naked? There is a quiet small voice in my soul that says in reply, “Because I AM the one who fights for you, I AM the one who wins the victory, I AM the one who rightfully deserves the glory, and I know that it is in your eternal best interest to remember these truths my child and I love you.”