Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - December 2022
Dears Friends,
Greetings again from Iparana, Brazil! We sent our last newsletter out in September. We are grateful for the messages of encouragement, gifts and donations that come through and prayers on our behalf. God is faithful and we praise Him for all His blessings and for good friends He gives to us!. We certainly could not do this by ourselves. Please note this is a public Newsletter, readers wishing to recieve the full unedited version please contact me.
Escola Cristã Água Viva
Maintenance for the school. We give thanks to the Lord that we are making good progress through the to-do list! I think I mentioned in previous newsletters challenges we have with our roofs for the school. So it was indeed a great blessing, friends kindly offered to donate to help fix part of the roof. It was a complex challenge as we didnt want to remove the existing rusty steelwork and roof without taking it all down - So we built a wall beside it and then extended the roof to the new wall. When complete we removed the old rusty steelwork. The photo below is from about two weeks ago. We thank the Lord for the roof and help kindly sent to us. What a blessing to have these roofs which offer so much needed shade and shelter for the children in school. We are in a tropical climate, so both sun and rain are often extreme.
Crianças do Rei
On the 5th of December we will be helping to run a Workshop online for Teachers for the Nations.
The picture above left is remembrance of the word Tom Bloomer gave at the JOCUM in Family Reunion 2017 about Education. Since then Christian Teachers and Educators in YWAM have been mobilising. When we heard Tom Bloomer at the reunion we realised how important that word was….How are we doing? If we believe this is from God then we better act upon this. That was 5 years ago…. At the time Josi called a meeting of teachers and educators at the YWAM family reunion 2017.and so since then we are still pursuing this. It is so important these days for Christian teachers to receive encouragement, support, prayers and network together. When we see what is happening in the world today. When we see the enemy coming in like a flood everywhere, we need to hear God, He has the only strategy that will work for reaching the nations for such an time like this…. So shall they fear the name of the Lord from the west, and his glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a standard against him. Isaiah 59:19.
"Just as I am"
Our Latest edition to the online gallery shop
An old picture, faded and forgotten from 1876, what a joy to restore this! - It illustrates the text of the famous hymn "Just as I am" by Charlotte Elliott. (1789 - 1871) with scripture -"Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out." John 6:37 Charlotte Elliott's background was of a wealthy evangelical family, and was highly educated and refined. Her maternal grandfather was the Rev. Henry Venn of the famous evangelical Clapham Sect. Even growing up with such a background...as an adult she had become a popular member of a social circle where religion was not mentioned. She was a writer of humorous verse and a gifted portrait artist. But at 32 years of age her health broke down so severely, she faced a very different future. Now distant from worldly friends and influence, faced with the challenges of her health - the need of the Saviour and the Gospel came into sharp focus. During this time a Rev. Dr Cesar Malan of Geneva, came to visit her father's home, and while there Charlotte met Dr Cesar Malan, and during conversation the Dr asked her whether she was at peace with God?" The story goes she was not too pleased with this line of questioning and resented it. But some days later Charlotte returned to Dr Cesar Malan, and apologised, she had wanted to make her life clean first before becoming a Christian. At which Dr Malan replied "Come just as you are," and that day Charlotte committed her life to Christ. The story of how Charlotte came to Christ, later resulted in this amazing Hymn being written. and the rest as one would say - is history. Translated into many languages it has gone throughout the world, and when Charlotte Elliott passed away a great many letters were found in her home, which had been sent from those who over the years had gratefully acknowledged how the words of this hymn was instrumental in their own profession of faith and coming to Christ. Her illness and physical weakness continued throughout her life, which prevented her from doing much more than staying home......but Charlotte was a prolific writer and wrote many poems and hymns....it was through her pen she was to reach the world for Christ. But it was for the hymn "Just as I am" Charlotte Elliott is remembered. Dr Billy Graham wrote that during evangelistic crusades when they called people to come forward to commit to Jesus Christ it was invariably this hymn "Just as I am" they would use since it presented " the strongest possible Biblical basis for the call of Christ" Isn't this such an amazing story how God would use Charlotte, in spite of her illness and limitations of health, to reach the world for Christ! "But God has chosen the foolish things of the world to put to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to put to shame the things which are mighty" 1 Corinthians 1:27. Don't ever think you are too weak, frail or insignificant to be used by God....According to the Bible you are well qualified for His service! As it is written by the Apostle Paul, 2 Corinthians 12 : 9 - "And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me."
Prayer and Thanks!
Praise the Lord for roof repairs! - Thank You to those who kindly helped to make this possible….What a difference it will make!
Please continue to pray for the school and project, safety and maintenance etc is an ongoing task. Realistically, to keep pace with maintenance etc, we need to raise significant finance to cover costs….the school roofs have other areas they need looking at, the play area needs reconcreting, some classrooms need floor tiles installed, new white boards. Certainly running a school is not for the faint hearted! Please pray.
Please pray we might be able to purchase a new laptop computer.
Please pray for the Bible Museum and for partners. If anyone has suggestions or thoughts please contact us. We still keep praying knowing that God hears and answers in His good time… and His timing is perfect! Praise the Lord!
Please continue to pray for more volunteer staff and for evangelism. And Praise the Lord for answered prayers! We still need to pray very much for staff to join us as part of YWAM.
Please pray for a return visit to the UK, hopefully we can stay longer next time. Dorothy enjoyed it very much and we feel it particularly important for her when we visited in 2018/19. We don't want to leave it another 11 years to pass by! We know it's a challenge to raise finance...but ask for prayer and trust in the Lord to make a way.
I hope to send a Christmas Newsletter When it is closer to Christmas, and will write more. Please pray for Brazil, the elections have been controversial and difficult to understand and many people are upset about what is happening. For the moment the World Cup is occupying a lot of minds and hearts.
Thankyou to all of you who remember us, in prayer and support us in various ways. We appreciate this very much. Please do visit our online gallery shop this Christmas - lots of unusual gifts, ranging from mugs, floor cushions, tapestries, prints, cards and much more. Can also be posted directly to friends and loved ones..
With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy
Giving through Stewardship
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
