Peter and Josi's March Newsletter 2023

 

Dorothy 's class - Praying for Turkey - Escola Cristã Água Viva.

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - March 2023

Dears Friends,

Greetings from Iparana, Brazil! 

Thankyou to all who sent us Christmas Greetings, gifts and  encouraging words.  Where would we be without brothers and sisters in Christ who God raised up to help us here in various ways, means and prayers.

We are indeed grateful to the Lord for all of you who support us through prayer, finance or both. We pray for you all and give thanks for you!  New supporters - For those wishing to support us regularly or with one off donations please contact me.

Since the last newsletter, we have had to deal with sickness. I (Peter)  started just before December. I started with something I thought I could shake off. It lasted a month and a half! Thankfully during Christmas it eased off, but then came back.  I had a Covid test but the results were negative. Physical weakness, sore throat etc.  Then over a week ago I had another bout of sickness, a heavy cold and cough…..which Josi had too. But it seems everywhere at the moment lots of people are suffering with coughs, colds and such, and particularly children. Now School started back in January, a number of pupils and teachers also have sickness. Please pray for health. Thankfully Dorothy has not had any illness.

Economically, these are challenging times for Brazil with inflation for basic commodities. But watching the news it seems to be the case for so many nations around the world and even worse situations like earthquakes and wars. Over the recent years it is as though the world has been turned on its head. This is no longer 1989 and the fall of the Iron Curtain that so many longed and prayed for decades. The world has changed completely in so many ways since those days, and not for the better.  One cannot help but reflect on the scripture.

 “Once more I will shake not only the earth, but heaven as well.”The words “once more” indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.” Hebrews 12:27

Escola Cristã Água Viva and Crianças do Rei project

A recent event with the children from Criancas do Rei. Peter telling a story of the founder of YWAM, Loren Cunningham. 

I wanted to produce a picture to inspire the kids and so shared a story about Loren, how as a child he would look up to the moon at night and wonder how he could make known to the whole world God's great love. He imagined if he could just go in a space rocket and place rocks, large enough on the surface of the moon, spelling "God is love" all the people in the whole world would be able to see...I then recounted how God spoke to Loren when he was in his twenties with a Vision of Waves of young people going through all the continents of the world to preach the Gospel and how God fulfilled the childhood dream, Loren had for reaching the world for Christ. Loren Cunningham Loren and Darlene Cunningham.They are such a great blessing to many people. 

I need to share some sad news. Loren has recently been diagnosed with stage 4 cancer and the prognosis is terminal. Loren is 87 years of age. In spite of this, Loren continues to be full of the joy of the Lord and encouraging everyone….. still sharing his vision to reach a lost world for Christ!  Please pray for Loren and Darlene and all their family. 

Watching Loren Cunningham live on Vimeo TV a few days ago. Even sick Loren is such a great encouragement for a new generation of missionaries, Josi took this photo of Dorothy in front of the TV screen with Loren. Only the Lord knows how long Loren really has left, could be days, weeks or months. But here Loren is with a big smile on his face sharing about making the Gospel known……We give thanks to God for the life of Loren Cunningham!.

Jocum Praia

In the next few months we shall be busy with various events, hosting a church group for Easter. Also we need to attend a YWAM Leaders Brazil reunion in May. We need to raise finance for this.  In June we have a YWAM group who will be with us for 3 months making an Christian education course Teachers for the Nations.  Please pray for us as we prepare and organise. 

Banking Challenges

A few days ago I had money stolen from my Barclays bank account by someone unknown. I informed my bank and so they blocked my bank card. They are sending a new card out and will reimburse the loss, not a great deal…but it is quite alarming to know someone can just take money without my knowledge. 

We are going to be struggling somewhat as we wait for a replacement card to arrive from the UK, the only UK bank I have is Barclays bank. Banking has become really difficult to navigate these last few years, and I can't really use Paypal any longer (It's a long story) and it's difficult to organise a secondary bank to help when things like this happen. Trying to figure out banking now is so very complicated. The closure of so many high street banks in the UK is only part of the problem and the drive to a cashless society. The much vaunted Barclays banking app doesn't work outside the British Isles. I found out as I bought a smartphone to keep up with all these banking changes. Thankfully Barclays fraud line was very prompt when I informed about money being stolen from my account.    Please pray we are able to figure out banking, better than what we are doing….It really isn't my area of expertise!  

A picture from 1879, a word of encouragement from the Bible.

If God be for us, who can be against us. Romans 8:31                                                                                                                       

Prayer and Thanks!

Praise the Lord for health and pray we might get past safely all the illnesses going around!

Please pray for electrical items, our microwave has broken and the fridge is on the blink! Also the school electrics need a bit of an upgrade too, rewiring.

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. Certainly running a school is not for the faint hearted!  Please pray.

Praise the Lord for a new laptop! An answer to prayer! 

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. 

With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy

*Email: ​jocumpraia@gmail.com​ ​ *Please note the email address is the current one I use.

​For those who would like to help financially please contact me

​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 2022

 

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

In October we celebrated Children's day at our project - Crianças do Rei. For the devotional I painted a picture about Mary Jones and her Bible, and shared the story with the children and adults. I wanted to show the inestimable value  Mary Jones had placed upon possessing a Bible ........and how much more valuable the Bible was compared to any earthly treasure....  The painting was of Mary Jones holding her new Bible, she had walked nearly 26 miles to purchase. I asked the children about what is precious to them.  For Childrens day many children in Brazil want a cel phone or a new bicycle.......But for Mary Jones 220 years ago, she had set her heart on possessing her own Bible and saved up 6 years to purchase one. I shared how Mary Jones' story inspired a group of Christians to start the Bible Society. Full story can be read here at the Bible Society website Later one of the children, Vitoria, won the picture.

The Holy Bible is of so much value, that at the coronation of our late Queen Elisabeth the second, the Bible was carried before her with such reverence. And the Archbishop said to her when presenting the Bible to her majesty...."Our gracious Queen: to keep your Majesty ever mindful of the law and the Gospel of God as the Rule for the whole life and government of Christian Princes, we present you with this Book, the most valuable thing that this world affords." And the Moderator shall continue: Here is Wisdom; This is the royal Law; These are the lively Oracles of God."   

If people regard diamonds as precious, then how much more precious is the Holy Bible. What do we hold in our lives as precious?  We know from the story of Mary Jones, just how much value she placed on owning a Bible.  Photo left. - One of the children, Vitoria, who won the picture about Mary Jones.  

 Jocum Praia

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

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  ​ 

Peter and Josi's Newsletter September 2022

 

Celebrating Dorothy’s 14th Birthday!

Peter and Josi’s Newsletter - September 2022

Dears Friends,

Greetings from Iparana, Brazil! 

It was last May we sent our last Newsletter. Thank you to all of you who respond in some way

through prayers, encouragement or gifts and donations. We appreciate this and Praise the Lord

for all His blessings and good friends He gives to us!.  

This public Newsletter doesnt cover everything, For those who wish to recieve the PDF

version of our News/Prayerletter with all the news to pray for - please ask I can then send

to your email.

Escola Cristã Água Viva 

After our last newsletter, and explaining our challenges -  We are very grateful to the Lord for the

donation which came through in June to purchase eight new fans and 30 new chairs…plus we

were able to purchase 8 new tables! Below is a photo of the school sitting in the new chairs and

with the new tables. Thank You to those who kindly donated - it makes a big difference and a

wonderful answer to prayer! 

Praise the Lord!

Peter is ready to unpack eight new Ventilator fans! What a difference it makes in the classrooms

with the hot weather  now the rainy season is over! Other maintenance challenges for the school

are ongoing and will be mentioned later, but what a relief for the children and teachers in their

classrooms!

Crianças do Rei

Mothers Day Celebration for Crianças do Rei with volunteers kindly helping.

(Last newsletter shared about Mothers day in Escola Cristã Água Viva) 

The project ministering to needy families from the mangroves. As mentioned in

our previous newsletter, explaining the challenges of helping those who are the

poorest. One of the most important aspects of discipling is to sow hope in the

hearts of those who are struggling. Please remember in prayer. 

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper

you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

Jocum Praia

Financially it is very challenging....as maintenance has been eating into our

resources and I can't avoid having to repair or fix structure issues.  One

building we have had water leaking into the roof every rainy season for a

number of years and was in danger of collapsing the concrete ceiling if I

don't fix it. (It is now fixed praise the Lord! But we need to repaint it, also

the floor - it was a storage area, but we will be using it for Crianças do

Rei and Art workshops )  Because we are near the sea, the rain is salty

and corrodes the steel reinforcing. With this and a host of other structural

challenges - my plate is full.  We have spent years praying for the right

staff, the Lord wants to bring to our base. While our school has teachers

who receive offerings each month. People who are on staff with YWAM,

do need to raise their own support to serve with YWAM. Of course it is a

big challenge…Jesus didn't say it would be easy…He said deny yourself,

pick up your cross and follow me… if one really believes God and His call

on our lives..…we better put our best foot forward and live by faith in Him

and His promises.

“No Stress”

This is what the Sovereign LORD, the Holy One of Israel, says: “In repentance and rest is your salvation, in quietness and trust is your strength….Isaiah 30:15.

I believe this scripture, and we must live it!  ……we live in challenging times, would you not agree? …So we must look to Jesus, and fix our eyes upon Him - who does not change. … This may encourage some who are now reading this newsletter.  …….I have been praying previously and I believe the Lord spoke to me, " I care for you"   And so I cast all my care upon Him because He cares for me. 1 Peter 5:7.And so pray this for Josi and Dorothy too!  In fact it's been the “now" word for me for quite some time, and steadies my spirit and verbalise it into a prayer.   "I am casting all my care upon you because you care for me"  Often times when I get anxious thoughts...The Lord speaks to my spirit - I care for you ...then I know I need to say out loud - Thank you Lord for your care for me and cast all my cares upon Him. Confession and proclamation are good to silence the enemy and we need to “REST” in the promises of God!   I know if I don't do this...I couldn't cope!  its the way of peace, I can rest in God and His promises......and know it is well with my soul...and no stress! We are not called to be stressed out by circumstance or anything. But to trust God….If we are the followers of the Prince of Peace we will certainly know His peace. His peace must reign  in our lives…. the peace of God, is a sure sign He has listened to our prayers! 

Holiday Missionary School July 2022

When we had two staff members with YWAM with us for a few months. We were able to plan

and run a Missionary Holiday School in July. It went surprisingly well considering the challenges

we had. We are very grateful to those who helped and hosted the two teams on their outreach

practical  During the school we had a Art Workshop Vocation and Calling and each student

was able to paint a picture about what this means for their lives - Link 

Continuing with the theme of “No Stress” 

The Cheese Sandwich of El Alamein  

- "The 75 is firing. The 37 is firing, but it is traversed round the wrong way.  The Browning is

jammed.  I am saying "Driver, advance" on the A set, and the driver, who can’t hear me, is

reversing.  And as I look over the top of the turret and see twelve enemy tanks fifty

yards away . .. someone hands me a cheese sandwich."

 

I have seen this humorous story of the cheese sandwich a few times posted on FB and it

always gives me a chuckle, so I couldn't resist making it into a picture.   I didn't know very

much about the background....So I researched to make sure I got the details right. I found

the famous quote belonged to a British tank commander, Lt Ken Graves, of the Sherwood

Rangers Yeomanry, and first published in Keith Douglas' book Alamein to Zem Zem.

It’s just a funny anecdote from the war. But it made me reflect on many things…and has

applications for the Christian life too when we are in a tight spot…In the heat of a spiritual

battle - I really think the Lord wants us to enjoy a nice cheese sandwich….a spiritual one

that is! …..because He has already won the battle! He has put the enemy under our feet! 

We need to be looking to the Lord to sustain us in the heat of battle, If we are trusting and

resting in Him…then we will enjoy the spiritual food He gives. Or will we be stressed and

anxious?  I think I know what I prefer. 

*The source of the anecdote from the war - Reading more about the accounts of those

who fought certainly makes for humble reading. Sadly, Lt, Ken Graves, was killed in

action on 15th January 1943 at Wadi Zem Zem. Capt, Keith Douglas was killed in

action 9 June 1944.  ( Keith Douglas was also a noted war poet.)

Prayer and Thanks!

Praise the Lord for new Ventilator fans, plastic chairs and tables - Our cup runneth over! 

Thank You to those who kindly donated and helped make this possible….it even extended

to being able to purchase plastic tables!  

Praise the Lord for two new members of staff we had, one has stayed on to help as a

teacher with the school. But now we longer have YWAM staff  with us.Please pray 

Please pray.  We have a YWAM Leaders meeting for 3 days in December plus

YWAM Family reunion  09- 12 December 2022.in Caldas Novas, Goiás. In the south

of Brasil.   I estimate the cost of staying in the Hotel plus plane flights for all three of

us R$12, 276 reais. It's about over £2,000 UK pounds. With all the needs we have,

we need a great deal of wisdom too!

Please pray we might be able to purchase a new laptop computer

Prayer for the school and project, the need for safety and maintenance etc. To

realistically keep pace with maintenance etc, we need to raise sufficient finance to

cover costs.  10,000 UK pounds would go a long way to resolve much of it.  Running

a school is not for the faint of heart!  Please pray.

Please pray for the Bible Museum and for partners. If anyone has suggestions or

thoughts please contact us. 

Please continue to pray for more volunteer staff and for evangelism. And Praise the

Lord for answered prayers!

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 the finance...but ask for prayer and trust in the Lord to make a way. 

God bless you all and thank you for all your support and prayers

With our love - Peter, Josi and Dorothy

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

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  ​