Peter and Josi's Newsletter March 2021

Afternoon visit to the Mangroves  - Crianças do Rei project

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - March 2021

Dears Friends,

Greetings!

The year 2021 has arrived and we are already in March!  Quite a lot has happened since our last Newsletter December 2020.  We do thank all of you who pray and support us throughout 2020, and grateful for all your kind messages and friendship. 

Earlier this year - 2021 The school opened again and we had about 50 pupils enrolled, but we had to close because we had a case of Covid with one of our teachers, then a pupil tested positive. We took the prescribed measures and isolation and were preparing to open again after quarantine for the school. But the Governor for Ceara closed all schools including private schools.  Last year was extremely challenging even though we provided pre recorded video classes for pupils to study at home. But parents struggled to motivate children to study as days of lockdown turn to weeks and then months.  So this year we decided to develop live video classes so pupils can interact with their teachers and fellow pupils online. The link above shows a short video and each teacher in their classroom during school hours while children stay at home to view their classes online.  Our team of teachers are very enthusiastic about this. So we hope and pray the pupils will be too! By the end of last year, we had lost many pupils. Many parents lost jobs and work….. And this latter situation continues this year with parents losing jobs. It's getting serious for many, and with this also comes much increased inflation since last year. With the lockdowns and disruption many businesses are finding it hard to keep afloat. We don't know what the next few months will bring, but the government will need to take care of all those who don't have income. Issuing lock downs and trying to keep everyone at home only works when people can have food and able to pay their bills. There is a great need for food distribution….and wonder just how families are going to cope. The vaccines are being rolled out now. But the hospitals are close to collapsing with so many Covid cases. Please pray for Brazil and the government.

                                          

Crianças do Rei

A few weeks ago two volunteers came to our YWAM base, they had been recently with YWAM South Africa, They stayed about a month, but they made a wonderful difference to part of the property which wasnt being used and needed renovating. We are so glad they came to help. Below is one of the places they helped renovate and we can now use for the Crianças do Rei project. Josi is serving the soup. 

A short video of Ministry in the Mangroves -The video is Unlisted on Youtube, and can only be viewed with the link below and those you share with 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqKrhuS5Cm4

Dive into the Bible - A very deep pool, no one knows it's full depth, only God, yet its safe for toddlers to paddle and enjoy...in fact learning to swim in the Bible pool is the best thing children can do growing up, with eternal blessings for all who enjoy its benefits and find the Pearl of Great price found within its depths. Many wise merchants have been known to sell all they possess, that they might obtain this one unique precious pearl. Have you swam in this pool of no regrets? Whatever situation you are in, take a swim in the Bible pool, don't give up, when you find this precious and valuable pearl, seek to obtain it - because you wont regret it! “Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it. Matthew 13:45-46.  

                                        .         Prayer and Thanks!

We give thanks and praise God for the many answers to prayer for construction and renovations and those who help.  The maintenance of the school and base is an ongoing work and currently one of the projects we are working on is completing a small soccer pitch, which can be used for different activities. We need to raise funds for suitable  fences and gate and repair and raise boundary walls.  

Praise the Lord for continued health and strength!  

Praise the Lord for His provision.  (We give thanks for all the provision and blessings throughout 2020!)

Pray for the school and project, the need for safety, health and quarantine 

Please pray for the Bible Museum and for partners. If anyone has any suggestions or thoughts please contact us. 

Please continue to pray for more volunteer staff and for evangelism. (We give thanks for answers to prayer!)

With our best wishes and prayers 

With our love - 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.

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 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.  CEP. 61.627-250.  Brazil. https://www.facebook.com/escolacristaaguaviva  ​  *Email: ​jocumpraia@gmail.com​ ​ *Please note the email address is the current one I use 

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - December 2020

First day back - December 2020 - Escola Crista Água Viva

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - December 2020

Dears Friends,

Christmas Greetings!

The year 2020 must be one of the most unusual.....and it still isn't over!  

For our school it has been a very challenging time, many private schools in Ceara already closed as they struggled through the year financially, It's been a very confusing time, even with reopening the school,  we hear of schools who did open and then have to close because of cases of Covid…..  Now Ceara is with a high number of cases of Covid….and may well go into another lockdown. But at the beginning of December our school opened again. We lost a lot of pupils...but maybe now we are open, things hopefully will gradually return to normal although we still need to observe distancing and masks etc.Thank you to all for your help, support  and prayers! 

     

In the month of November we hosted a team from Fire and Fragrance Discipleship Training School. It was a very encouraging time and the team got to visit many needy places here for prayer and outreach.  

Recently we have been evangelising with art in the city and locally, and made a small video in portuguese https://youtu.be/qlOE7FrOYQE 

 To help churches find out about the kind of evangelism ministry and training we do. We also produce flyers to hand out for interested passers by. Part of the text of the flyer in the video is below - English Translation.

Eternity......Eternity, is ringing like a bell....Its chimes and echo enough to make me stop one morning last year and sketch a picture like this.....My prayer is it will make all to hear the ringing bell of Eternity ......its chiming for you and for me ....are we ready? Have we made our peace with God? If we died tonight...where will we spend eternity? Some may recognize the esteemed gentleman who writes "Eternity" on the bell. ...this man is perhaps the greatest Graffiti artist who ever lived and yet he could hardly write his own name.....he spent 35 years writing "Eternity" on the sidewalks and pavements of the city where he lived, and for years know one even knew who the writer was. We are well reminded of the scripture "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man’s wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man’s strength. Brothers, consider the time of your calling: Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were powerful; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly and despised things of the world, and the things that are not, to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast in His presence. 1 Corinthians 1:25 -29

Vaccine - 2 Chronicles 7:14

The world is changing rapidly before our eyes now, politically and in so many ways. Many things have come to the surface this year we could never have imagined, we are seeing division, intolerance, polarization, extreme ideas - what was before unseen and hidden is now in full view. New names, words and phrases have come into use for a narrative few of us would have understood a year ago. Taking the knee and Cancel Culture, to name but a few.  Much of the Press is no longer a neutral public service… but have agendas other than just the news. Listen to the cancel culture talk of Free Speech, then watch them coerce people into taking the knee... Where did this soft version of totalitarianism come from? Much of the free world has enjoyed a period of relative peace unparalleled in previous generations, a hard won peace on the backs of those who fought and died resisting tyranny during WW2, but above all we have to thank the Lord answering prayers of the faithful generation of Christians and Churches. The Salt and Light of their generation. Sadly, it appears, many nations today are turning their backs on God. At the same time, increased persecution of Christians and attempt to silence those who stand for Bible values…..We can perhaps remember one example earlier this year of religious intolerance - Franklin Graham banned from some Stadiums in the UK, he was accused of hate speech. It is interesting to reflect - because strangely enough it wasn't too long afterwards, all stadiums were being closed - to everyone,  but for another reason - Pandemic!  Before the pandemic really got started.  In February, I woke one morning with a dream (The link to the dream) So should we really be surprised  the Lord is shaking the nations?  Who can blame Him?  They say there is a vaccine for Covid, but the vaccine will not work for a virus which has been around much longer and more deadly - Sin.  Have the nations looked at the vaccine God has provided for sin?  if they continue ignoring His vaccine, what will happen?  But we the people of God,  if we fulfil the conditions He sets for His people...We shall indeed have hope for our land   "if my people who are called by my name will humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14. 

Bible Museum

Since our last newsletter, with the school being closed made me think about what education means and the challenges education faces.  A while ago (Last year) we visited a city further up the coast,  where we came across a small permanent museum run by Christians. It was very good and very well presented. They made the most of the local history to make a very interesting and thought provoking exhibition.    And with my interest in restoring and collecting old Gospel pictures…….it got me thinking, perhaps we should look at creating a museum - for the Bible. A Bible Museum is much needed and should be a good way to help children and young people learn about God’s Word.  So this will be a long term project we can plan. We should have enough space without affecting the school. I have enough interesting artwork to make displays, all we would need is to create a chronological exhibition and hopefully acquire artifacts and old Bibles. Displays can be changed to feature Pilgrim’s Progress and notable historical figures, plus testimonies of Christians today. There are so many different ways to present the Bible and how it has impacted people's lives through history.  If it is well done, hopefully many schools and churches may like to visit. Please pray…..Should anyone like to help please contact us. 

Restoring and Republishing Gospel Pictures

Earlier this year I was able to restore and republish an old lithograph - Baptist Messenger Memorial Portraits. 75 portraits of well known Baptist preachers, including John Bunyan, Christmas Evans, Dr John Gill, William Carey. The lithograph covering a period of Baptist history.  When I have completed researching I expect I shall have a better idea of the date of the lithograph. Also I want to plan another picture based on this, featuring all the preachers surrounding the United Kingdom. with the scripture  "The scepter of the wicked will not remain over the land allotted to the righteous, for then the righteous might use their hands to do evil."  Psalm 125:3    Even though the preachers have gone before us  - this is the land where they once lived, walked, preached and prayed for......land allotted to the righteous. ..I bought the old picture because of its significance.  We need to encourage the church throughout the UK of God's mercy in previous generations and remind the UK of its inheritance in the saints.

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off every encumbrance and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with endurance the race set out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider Him who endured such hostility from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” Hebrews 12:1-3

                                        .         Prayer and Thanks!

We give thanks and praise God for the work on construction already completed for the 3 new classrooms. Please pray we might quickly raise the necessary finance to complete       Praise the Lord for continued health and strength!

Praise the Lord for His provision.  And for all who help and pray for us throughout 2020!.  

Please pray for the school Escola Crista Agua VIva and project Crianças do Rei - For provision, the need for safety, health and quarantine 

Please pray for the Bible Museum and for partners.

Please pray for more volunteer staff for evangelism. 

With our best wishes and prayers for Christmas and the New Year!  

With our love - 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.

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 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.  CEP. 61.627-250.  Brazil. https://www.facebook.com/escolacristaaguaviva    *Email: jocumpraia@gmail.com *Please note the email address is the current one I use  

Peter and Josi's September Newsletter 2020

 

Josi and Teachers - Escola Crista Água Viva

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - September 2020

Dears Friends,

Greetings Once again!   Thank you to all of you who remember us in your prayers, messages and support,  Since our last Newsletter in July, we have been thinking and praying about when schools will reopen here. Public schools will be closed till next year.  Private schools have been allowed to reopen now. But capacity for school is restricted to just 50% of pupils for the Infants school.  And 35% of pupils for Junior school ages 7-8 years.  older pupils not allowed to go back yet.

This is going to be quite challenging, as we try to look at the feasibility of reopening with these measures. Please pray, Already over 180 private schools have now closed in the state of Ceara, and teachers made redundant. Our school is still providing online classes to pupils..  A little bit of how we are at this time: Our Christian School, Escola Cristã Água Viva, has suffered from the effects of the pandemic. We are living difficult times with families in general, many have lost their wages, with many unemployed parents of pupils affected, which affects the school directly, because of the lost school fees. We made a group on whatsapp to keep our students together and try to overcome it, even without monthly fees. Teachers continue to give their classes even without receiving their salaries, we have been looking for help, talking to friends to get help for our teachers. Everyone in common decided to continue with online classes even without their salary.  They have also lived with great difficulty, some need to pay rent, very difficult. The government have been providing some finance to help the needy who are registered, but the amount is being reduced. We are feeling if we stay together we can overcome this year of 2020 and we much hope that we will succeed.

In the Criança do Rei project we have much more difficult situations, social isolation, quarantine and other protocols as well as increased violence, in the Mangue community, some get government assistance, others not. Social inequality has only increased. We have kept in touch with the families of our children in the project and helped as much as possible, but their situation is very difficult.

New Classrooms 

The finishing of the new classrooms is still on hold. We still need to raise 5,000 reais to hopefully complete it. Please pray. At least if we have finished them it will mean when school starts again more space for pupils to meet Covid requirements for schools. 

YWAM Brasil 

What would we do without the technology for zoom meeting!  Josi has been busy networking with other YWAMers in Brasil involved in Education. It's been very important to stay in touch, and have input and encouragement  from the University of the Nations, College of Education, while everyone is going through times quite unlike any other.  YWAM this year celebrated its 60 year birthday celebrations and so we were able to join in with the celebrations, reminiscing and teaching. Loren and Darlene Cunningham are still going strong and are inspirational as ever.  

Restoring and Republishing Gospel Pictures

To enjoy your work is a gift from God. Ecclesiastes 5:19    it's true!   I really enjoy being a picture detective, and finding some long forgotten work of art. And I really do think God wants us to enjoy the service He gives us. It should not be a drudgery, .it should be a pleasure. Recently I digitally restored a Chart called The World View of Baptist History. 1928 The unusual chart below, shows the key moments in Baptist history through from the Life of Christ and upto 1928 when the Chart was published.  Please click the link to find out more.

The next picture below is also extremely interesting and much older…..

“Bunyan's Pilgrim” by Hammatt Billings. The black and white engraving was first published in the USA 1853. (24" x 30")    The engraving based on John Bunyan's  "Pilgrims Progress from This World to That Which Is to Come". Portrays the whole of the Pilgrims Progress. The original source image can be seen at the blog link along with its history. Digitally colouring the picture was abit  like climbing the Eiger mountain of engravings...a daunting task! but very happy how it turned out.  If anyone is thinking about what to buy children or young adults that may keep them fascinated while learning Pilgrim's Progress and following Christian's route to the Heavenly City. The picture comes in various sizes and even Jigsaws available. Also for anyone needing a visual aid teaching the Pilgrim's Progress the picture is ideal.  

At that time His voice shook the earth, but now He has promised, “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.” The words “Once more” signify the removal of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that the unshakable may remain.

Therefore, since we are receiving an unshakable kingdom, let us be filled with gratitude, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe. “For our God is a consuming fire.”  Hebrews 12:26-29

Verses of scripture which seem to be appropriate for these days. 

                                        .         Prayer and Thanks!

Praise the Lord for continued health and strength!

Praise the Lord for His provision.  And for all who help and pray for us!.  As we pass through uncertain times and the world in so much turmoil. For the school and project, the need for safety, health and quarantine and conscious of the needs of our teachers.

Please continue praying for the Art Gallery and Art competition ……. But we do need to find partners able to help. Also for old evangelical prints and creating exhibitions for churches to reach their neighbourhoods.

Please pray the Lord will raise up more regular support. We know the School and Project Crianças do Rei needs a lot of help - or falls on our shoulders bearing the burden providing Christian Education in a very poor area. 

Please pray for YWAM - Educating for Life. We are still in the process of revision and correction and raising funds to complete the Curriculum translated into Portuguese. 

We give thanks and praise God  for the work on construction already completed for the 3 new classrooms. Please pray we might quickly raise the necessary finance to complete                                                                   

With our best wishes and prayers for all of you too  

With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy

​For those who would like to help financially my bank details are as follows. 

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.

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 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.  CEP. 61.627-250.  Brazil. https://www.facebook.com/escolacristaaguaviva  ​

Peter and Josi's Newsletter July 2020

   

Dorothy’s birthday - July 22nd 2020

Dorothy holding the handkerchief, my mother Dorothy had 75 years ago celebrated Victory in Europe May 1945.   I don't know when the photo of Mum was taken, but it looks to be the closest to the year 1945.

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - July 2020

Dears Friends,

Greetings Once again!   Thank you to all of you who remember us in your prayers, messages and support, we thank God for you all, and pray God’s blessing and keep you safe!  Since our last Newsletter, it appears the world has taken a strange turn not only do we have a pandemic, we now see a Cultural war with protests and rioting in various nations. With the present state the world is in, it is difficult to comprehend how people can live without Jesus Christ and the comfort of the Holy Spirit. The wonderful song by Keith Green  How Can They Live Without Jesus seems to sum this up well.

Escola Cristã Água Viva School Iparana

The School continues to provide online teaching and each class of the junior school receives a video each school day, which pupils are able to follow from their work books. It's the least we can do in the circumstances.  But understandably it's not the same as a real classroom. A number of parents of pupils have stopped paying school fees. But we are grateful for those who continue, we offer reduced school fees to help parents during this time too, as many are finding many challenges financially during the pandemic. Of course this affects the salaries of our teachers, but there is little we can do, except be grateful that some parents are continuing to pay.  Clearly everyone wants to know when the end will be in sight for lockdown and quarantine. But even the authorities are not sure and dates keep being postponed as the pandemic continues to increase. When schools do return we expect social distancing rules will be very challenging too, so we take each day at a time. 

Brasil and COVID -19

Sadly, a childhood  friend of Antonia, Josi’s mother, died some weeks ago from Covid-19. Luiza lived just a few doors away in the same street.  Hardly anyone doesn't know of a family or friends who have not been affected. Even a very popular local TV reporter, who had appeared healthy and well, also died.    We had some strange symptoms some weeks ago, and started wondering what this might be - Praise the Lord, we were able to shake it off….while others we know who live nearby have been very sick.     Even now the President of Brasil, Bolsonaro has been diagnosed with Covid -19 some days ago.  Without adequate testing it is difficult to track who has and who hasn't been infected with the virus.   Restrictions and lockdown is very difficult to enforce and the pandemic still effecting everywhere, shops and businesses are reopening again with rules for masks and distancing. We don't know when the peak of the pandemic will reach, only days ago the deadliest toll so far in Brasil was reached - over 1300 deaths in one day.   

Crianças do Rei Project

     

We continue to help the families and children connected with the Crianças do Rei project. Photos of children, mothers and goody bags for the children to brighten the days in lockdown, art activities and Bible stories online. The families are the poorest in the community and live in the mangroves.  Josi was also able to purchase masks to hand out to families as well, many who arrive do not have masks.  

Restoring and republishing Gospel pictures

While some are busy it would seem trying to erase truth and rewrite history…I expect I need to press on even more now preserving the history and art of evangelical missions and evangelism.  Earlier this year I was able to purchase "The Gospel Ship" which arrived here safely in Brazil from the USA - I have been searching for some time for this.  It was quite battered and torn, but it was an original Chromolithograph print from the Victorian era which is not often seen. They are quite different from modern Offset type of print. More about the picture and the scripture texts featured can be found at my blog  However did I get caught up collecting these kind of pictures!  Awhile ago I found notes I made about this - In the notes I had been asking God to give me more pictures to make......and I believe He reminded me of pictures already done by other artists.    As I researched, I discovered more and more evangelical pictures which appear mostly forgotten...And I discovered I even had one stored on my hard drive must be since 2007 when a very kind friend gave me an original Gospel Compass for Sailors of All Nations, I took the scanned image with me to Brasil, but did not investigate until my interest had been awakened  It's been very enjoyable researching and discovering more than I could have imagined.  Pictures which open up the window on a bygone world which was not so very long ago.

 

As I study and restore digitally these old pictures... I started to appreciate how much God has done in the lives of the faithful in previous generations, there needs to be remembrance, gratitude and praise for all God has done.....we need to thank Him for His blessings of yesterday and the lives of  generations of faithful Christians, who are now as the great cloud of witnesses, who no doubt will be cheering us on. Hebrews 12:1-2:  

 

Please pray for George Soros - I need to share for agreement in prayer. I wont go into much detail, I think most of you are familiar with what is happening in different places around the world and what is at stake. Most will have heard of George Soros. but if unsure, Its quite easy to find information about him on the internet. There is every reason to believe we must pray specifically for him. That the light of the Lord Jesus Christ would be shone upon George Soros, not just him, but his activities also. Rather like Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus. If you keep up with the news you will understand . Many of the groups he supports - if they succeed in their goals, life as we know it will change overnight. So we need to arise in prayer and action now, before it is too late. (More sketches may come) but The picture here is specifically for George Soros and the Light of the Lord Jesus Christ to shine upon him... You are welcome to print the picture and what is shared. For prayer in your church's and fellowships. But above all we need to pray!! I am doing my best to alert people for prayer and action....while others are also too.

Please pray in agreement in Jesus Name!..... Because nothing is impossible for God! The Lord did it for Paul (Saul of Tarsus ) - He can do it for George Soros! Let George Soros hear - "Then he fell to the ground, and heard a voice saying to him, “George, George, why are you persecuting Me?”

May the Lord even wake George Soros in the middle of the night and show him His great need of the Lord Jesus Christ!

"...He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end." Ecclesiastes 3:11 God puts eternity in the heart of man -There is a day when we all have to stand before God and give an account for our lives - good or bad! And so we need to pray George Soros will repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ. Since the rioting, many Innocent lives have been lost including children, because of all the trouble.

A scripture verse to finish on - To ponder and pray over for all the would be activists, revolutionaries and extremists - “There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers. "Proverbs 6:16-19      

                                                                        Prayer and Thanks!

Praise the Lord for continued health and strength!

Praise the Lord for His provision.  And for all who help and pray for us!.  As we pass through uncertain times and the world in so much turmoil. For the school and project, the need for safety, health and quarantine and conscious of the needs of our teachers.

Please continue praying for the Art Gallery and Art competition ……. But we do need to find partners able to help. Also for old evangelical prints and creating exhibitions for churches to reach their neighborhoods.

Please pray the Lord will raise up more regular support. We know the School and Project Crianças do Rei needs a lot of help - or falls on our shoulders bearing the burden providing Christian Education in a very poor area. 

Please pray for YWAM - Educating for Life. We are still in the process of revision and correction and raising funds to complete the Curriculum translated into Portuguese.

We give thanks and praise God  for the work on construction already completed for the 3 new classrooms. Please pray we might quickly raise the necessary finance to complete.                                 

With our best wishes and prayers for all of you too  

With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy

​For those who would like to help financially - Giving through Stewardship

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 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.  CEP. 61.627-250.  Brazil. https://www.facebook.com/escolacristaaguaviva  ​  

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - May 2020

Josi's Birthday 30th April 2020

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - May 2020

Dears Friends,

Greetings!   Thank you to all for your support, prayers, and messages of encouragement, we thank God for you all, and pray God’s blessing and keep you safe!  

The pandemic here is advancing, but difficult to see where it will go.  Everywhere is in quarantine and isolation. Only the most needed shops and services are open. Our school is still closed…..and looks like the authorities will keep schools closed though the month of May too. Thankfully enough school fees came in at the beginning of April to pay our teachers salaries. Please pray our teachers will be able to secure government benefits.   But of course the longer schools remain closed the likelihood parents will take their children out from the school will increase.  And we do understand, it's very difficult to expect parents to pay when the school remains shut. At the same time it's very difficult for us, as we have no government subsidies. Please pray, because if the school has to remain closed past May it will be difficult -  We need to prepare and  organise online classes, the logistics involved...we need a projector to help the teachers with school workbooks. We need to look at what we can offer as regards online classes.    Please pray, 

The Pandemic, we are hoping and praying will fizzle out......but it could be just the start here the way the statistics are.   This video at the link below shows the challenge Brazil faces. So many poor people who rely on a daily wage (They rely on money earned during a day to be able to eat) The link below is a video showing how long queues are outside Caixa Economica Bank,, Caucaia and going around the block. Dozens of people registered on the morning of Tuesday April 14th.  

Most were looking for information about the emergency aid of the federal government. So many needy people who have no option but stand in long queues close to each other for hours. Not all people wear masks as you can see if you watch the video at the Link

We are living in very challenging times, and very harrowing to see the news from the UK and many other places...it is so sad.   I don't think it has sunk in here yet for many, what is happening.  Brazil has had some time to prepare....but if people are standing in queues outside of banks and lotericas...then the idea of isolation is a bit of a myth. The authorities have no way of implementing isolation measures effectively…  and it only takes one infected person to infect many.  It really will be the grace and mercy of God, if the pandemic stays away, because if it gets into the population like we see multitudes in the video...it will be a disaster.

Josi keeps in touch with the families in the mangue...many are not eligible for government help......Their documents are not regularised.  Josi has helped one mother to get her documents in order...but it is very challenging...so much bureaucracy and many people with little education get disillusioned and then live on the margins of society like they do in the Mangue.

In spite of everything. We try in our small corner to hopefully make a difference, We have been helping  those who are needy, preparing activity kits for children for this time of Lockdown. Also some food for families who live in the mangue. There must be at least 30 families we know of, but some more were arriving because there is so much need. Please pray
Meantime, I have been only too aware of the need for a transparent face mask - So I made one!  If you don't have a transparent mask for the pandemic or know those who do not have access. You may like to watch the video  -  the importance of wearing face masks not only for the nose and mouth, but also for the eyes..... the virus can enter. This mask can be made in just a few minutes with a stapler, a hat and an empty bottle of coke! Even though the video is in Portuguese it should be easy to follow.

  

Dorothy has been busy in lockdown too! And has made a picture of her Kitten,  Fumaçinha /Smokey...So I put her design up  at my online gallery at Redbubble. I made a place to have her own collection available. Recently, Dorothy has been getting sales for her artwork on products, so Dorothy is very excited! Please visit the link to see this and Dorothy’s products with artwork!

Time is Short - I wrote to a friend in  2017 - sharing something which was significant to me about three years previously....Which now would be about 6 years ago.  I thought it worth sharing now at my blog - Time is Short                                  

Prayer and Thanks!

Praise the Lord for His provision.  And for all who help and pray for us!.  As we pass through this uncertain time with the school and project, the need for safety, health and quarantine and conscious of the needs of our teachers.

Please keep praying for the Art Gallery and Art competition ……. But we do need to find partners able to help. Also for old evangelical prints and creating exhibitions for churches to reach their neighborhoods.

Please pray the Lord will raise up more regular support. We know the School and Project Crianças do Rei needs a lot of help - or falls on our shoulders bearing the burden providing Christian Education in a very poor area. 

Please pray for YWAM - Educating for Life. We are still in the process of revision and correction and raising funds to complete the Curriculum translated into Portuguese.

We give thanks and praise God  for the work on construction already completed for the 3 new classrooms. Please pray we might quickly raise the necessary finance to complete                                                                   

With our best wishes and prayers for all of you too  

With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy

While looking through old sketches and photocopies of sketches....I came across one I did years ago as a commission..... Somehow it seemed appropriate to look at it again and make it into colour.....I sketched a young woman walking through a forest full of scary trees next to a cemetery, and a freshly dug grave nearby with arrows in various places which had missed along the path. At the foot of the sketch is  written the words from Psalm 91:4-6.."He will cover you with his feathers, and under his wings you will find refuge; his faithfulness will be your shield and rampart. You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, nor the pestilence that stalks in the darkness, nor the plague that destroys at midday." 

Picture also available with text from the Hymn “Trust and Obey”  In the picture at the link, I placed words from the old hymn Trust and Obey.....Some how it sums up the life of a believer and all who would embrace the words and promises of God in Psalm 91.......Trust and Obey

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​For those who would like to help financially my bank details are as follows.  

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.

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 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.  CEP. 61.627-250.  Brazil. https://www.facebook.com/escolacristaaguaviva  ​