“Peter and Josi’s Newsletter December 2018
Dears Friends, Christmas Greetings! Thought I better send out our December newsletter
quickly… just a few more days and we will be getting a flight to the UK! Thank you to all for
your prayers and for those who invited us during the time we will be visiting the UK - We will
be traveling God willing 13th December - And return Brazil 4 February 2019. Praise the Lord
we were able to renew Josi and Dorothy’s passports!
By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance,
obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going. Hebrews 11:8
Living by faith really is an adventure especially when you don't know where you're going! -
Please pray as yet we don't have anywhere to stay once we arrive in the UK….and hotels
and even hostels are too expensive for us…..and we are just days away from arriving….
lets see how the Lord leads.
Regarding our stay in the UK from December 13th till the 4th of February - Our agenda is
still open for anyone who would like us to visit their church, ministry or have street outreach
with pictures.
End of Term - Escola Cristã Água Viva and Crianças do Rei
Just look at this! - The swimming pool we asked prayer for is now completed - Praise the
Lord! Just in time for the end of term school party…….It was in January 2017 I took up the
challenge to build a swimming pool. For a recap I will share some of what I wrote way back
in February 2017- (“I believe the Lord spoke to me about our challenges “Make the best
of what you have” - I kind of made a mental note...but didn't do anything more. Then a
friend of Josi rang and asked Josi about renting our property for the Carnival period -
Which got me thinking ………..So right after new year, my backyard which has stood idle
for too long has been having a makeover! I got started on building a swimming pool 8 x 4
metres and make space for Churches and youth groups to rent. )
The photo below shows a photo timeline starting top left corner moving clockwise - I started
off January 2017 digging and concreting and using scrap iron I had left over but after awhile
I had to stop for quite a few months….then the season for heavy rain and that presented a
few challenges….and for a long time work was slow on the pool I never knew when it would
be completed….but we keep praying and many of you have prayed...also children at school
The swimming pool for a long time looked like a big hole and everything around it looked like a
off January 2017 digging and concreting and using scrap iron I had left over but after awhile
I had to stop for quite a few months….then the season for heavy rain and that presented a
few challenges….and for a long time work was slow on the pool I never knew when it would
be completed….but we keep praying and many of you have prayed...also children at school
The swimming pool for a long time looked like a big hole and everything around it looked like a
building site. But earlier this year out of the blue a visitor stayed with us for a few days…and
it just so happened he also had built a swimming pool and knew the challenges….Some
months later he kindly made a donation sufficient to complete the construction of the swimming
pool! So for the past few months we have been very busy. We give thanks to the Lord for
the amazing way this has all happened…...an amazing encouragement - Praise the Lord!
The children have had a wonderful end of term school party with time in the new pool...one
of the children said they had never been in a swimming pool before! 
The school ended on a high note - Photo the school Christmas Nativity play
Jesus - The present for all! The King always adored!
While the school ended on a high note….although each year it always seems to be a “Via Dolorosa”,
this year the school is carrying 8,000 reais of unpaid school fees parents did not pay yet and of
course some parents have struggles with unemployment etc . This is very tough….and of course
we have to pay teachers wages. The pressure upon us at the same time we are building a
swimming pool, and building a house for Marli (As mentioned in the last newsletter) and you can imagine...
Don't let anyone kid you, this is not a picnic…...
Why do we run a Christian school in a poor area like Iparana? Well, isn't that just what Jesus tells
us to do? - Preach the Gospel to the poor! Once when sharing our challenges - a church leader
told us it is better to start a school in a rich neighborhood...but we went away thinking this doesn't
exactly fit with the command Jesus tells us to obey. We have to understand that to walk in faith and
obedience we simply have to believe and trust God to supply no matter what. And that dear ones
exactly fit with the command Jesus tells us to obey. We have to understand that to walk in faith and
obedience we simply have to believe and trust God to supply no matter what. And that dear ones
takes faith and it also certainly crucifies our flesh life when you have few resources……..it was only
last year I was walking the roads of Caucaia….with not enough to pay a bus fare…...I was miles
away and had gone to the bank, but there was nothing in the account. Realizing the situation was
difficult I then planned to walk….but when I came to a dangerous area I had to walk through...I was
praying about what to do….not far away I saw a small Baptist Church...and I went over and asked
for help. Thankfully they helped me get back home. Praise the Lord!
praying about what to do….not far away I saw a small Baptist Church...and I went over and asked
for help. Thankfully they helped me get back home. Praise the Lord!
The vehicle above …..I have not been able to run for a few years...too costly. And now I am
selling it. We have no vehicle…..but that’s fine we use UBA taxi. We must accept God’s will
cheerfully no matter what...He is the Lord of our lives whom we serve…..while some think the
Gospel is all about prosperity and getting from God …...The Gospel is about giving…..giving all
you have - to the one you love “And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for
themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” 2 Corinthians 5:15 and “Love
themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again” 2 Corinthians 5:15 and “Love
the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind”
Matthew 22:37. God will have a Holy people….and He will refine us, and keep refining in the
furnace until Jesus can be seen in us..Until Jesus can rule and reign in us, through our lives.
If we are going to turn the kingdoms of this world upside down here on the earth for Jesus - we
better get the right theology! Because the purpose of God for us in this generation is for us to
do just that - Below is a prayer I believe the Holy Spirit gave me - and maybe this can be your
prayer too….. God's purposes are too precious to miss -
“O God, fulfill all the purposes you have planned for my life, planned even before the
foundations of the earth...in Jesus Name. Amen! .
Yes, it’s that simple!.... then one day I was thinking about this ...and felt the Lord say - How
much do you want it? Good question!...how much do I want the purposes of God in my life? If we are to turn over the kingdoms of this world and to rule and to reign in Christ? What does it take?
Investing in lives
Last night Josi was watching a video - then listening to the music memories came flooding back
Music I hadn't heard for a long time - Love’s Theme by Barry White. Yes, it is secular music but
listening to the music you realize just how talented Barry White was…..and we also need to
remember music is a God given talent....how much Barry knew or acknowledged this I don't know
….but as a child Barry would listen to his mother's classical music collection and somehow learned
to play them on the piano. Some years afterwards Barry’s younger brother was murdered in a gang
fight, and Barry also had problems….he was jailed for 4 months for stealing tyres. Barry White’s life
it would seem was destined for crime….then something happened during his time in jail he
happened to be listening to Elvis Presley singing “It’s now or never” over the radio….And somehow
the music inspired Barry White to decide to change his life….and he went on to become a
phenomenal success. But the classical music collection and piano helped prepare and develop
him as a child. Then I wonder about all the children here in Brazil….I wonder how many Barry
White’s are out there? Both Parents and Teachers are called to be miners for gold...the talent
and God given gifts hidden in children, but how well do we invest in their lives? When I think
how things are here…I think of my own childhood and how blessed I was to be able to develop as an artist. We hope and pray our school and project can thrive and be the place God wants it to be, helping children find the gifts He has given and use them for His glory. When I think of the Via Dolorosa the school has been on all these years with unpaid school fees...I just want to listen to the music of Barry White and ponder on Love’s theme while floating in the swimming pool!. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uPHmsEoLsL0
Prayer
Please keep praying for the Art Gallery and Art competition …….As we know - God answers
prayer and in amazing ways!
Please pray for our journey to the UK - please pray we will be able to have all the necessary
things in order and ensure the property and base here will be easy to take care of for those
taking care of it. We have yet to see how challenging the cost of living will be in the UK...
I wonder how much Fish and Chips with mushy peas will be? Yes, and we need lots of warm
clothes!
Maintenance for the school structure...emergency roof repairs - Yes the rope is still there
helping to keep the roof in place - Praise the Lord!
For those thinking and wondering about buying gifts for Christmas, you are more than
welcome to visit my online gallery - you never know you might just find some inspiring
art as a gift for family or friends https://www.redbubble.com/people/petermill
With love and best wishes this Christmas!
Peter, Josi and Dorothy
Giving through Stewardship
An update - For those who kindly wish to support us in missions with YWAM Brazil. We are
registered with give net - Stewardship Services in the UK. Monthly and one-off donations
can be easily processed with Debit and Credit cards - please visit the link below to see our
giving page. Give net has made some recent updates which should make this easier - for
those who wish to remain anonymous, give net makes this provision. For people outside the
UK who wish to give - the payment process allows International donors to opt out of UK Gift
Aid system. Stewardship Services are a Christian organisation serving charities and
missionaries from the UK.
registered with give net - Stewardship Services in the UK. Monthly and one-off donations
can be easily processed with Debit and Credit cards - please visit the link below to see our
giving page. Give net has made some recent updates which should make this easier - for
those who wish to remain anonymous, give net makes this provision. For people outside the
UK who wish to give - the payment process allows International donors to opt out of UK Gift
Aid system. Stewardship Services are a Christian organisation serving charities and
missionaries from the UK.
For those who wish to pay through STEWARDSHIP We have an account at
https://www.give.net/20089559 Before confirming any gift on give.net you will be asked
whether you wish to remain anonymous. If you choose this option your personal details
will be will not be made known. If you have any questions please ask for details
https://www.give.net/20089559 Before confirming any gift on give.net you will be asked
whether you wish to remain anonymous. If you choose this option your personal details
will be will not be made known. If you have any questions please ask for details
Donations may also be sent via Western Union which we are able to receive here.
Peter and Josi Millward, Rua Pintor J. Figueiredo No. 805. Praia Iparana. Caucaia, Ceara.
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