Current News
March 2007 Update
Lar Batista: Blessed to be a blessing!
Dear family,
We want to start by thanking you for the so many ways you bless us. 2007 has started as a wonderful year for us. The super hot summer also brought us a wonderful soybean crop that was a dream come true. The farm continues to be very productive and now, with a family feel to it.
For many years we prayed that God would bring us the right couple to keep the farm and no matter how good they looked at first, there was always something to prove us wrong after a few months.
It was a great blessing for us when our Lar Batista-daughter, Roseli and her husband Gilberto decided to move there with their 8 year old daughter. It was a day of great joy in my heart! After a few days of their move, the farm was looking better and whenever I get there, I can see a little smoke on the chimney, which means a good cup of coffee, is waiting for me. In the past, when only boys lived there, the little smoke could mean they had burned something, and I usually rushed to farm. Now, I get to take my time and see how things are going, on my way there. Having a lady there has also been good for the boys. We are thankful that this couple decided to leave their nice house in town to bless Lar with their services. Full circle, blessed to be a blessing!
The school year also started and our children are doing well. The youngest ones in "The Pack", as they are lovingly called, turned 10 last year; the youngest ones are in fifth grade and mostly enjoying it. Felipe loves math, and so does Daniel. They are not sure they like having so many different teachers, though. Please keep them in your prayers.
Also, keep Ingrid, Sandy and Bruno in your prayer as the girls start first grade and Bruno starts Pre- school! As usual, it would be wise to pray for their teacher as well. Sometimes children have more energy than they need.
Speaking of school, we finished the year with many beautiful graduations. While Bruno graduated from kindergarten, Ingrid and Sandy from Pre-school, Cristina graduated from Jr. High, Joaquim Jr.; Julio Cesar and Acacia graduated from College. Joaquim graduated with a degree in international Business Administration; Julio with a Degree in Computer Science and Acacia with a degree in Languages and Literature with a double major in Portuguese and Spanish.
Two days after the end of her classes, Acacia was on her way to the USA where she was to get married in a beautiful ceremony in Grand Rapids, Michigan where Eric's family live. She is now Mrs. Acacia F. Vande Bunte! She lives in Cordova now, and it is good to know she has her sister there. That is mutually beneficial.
March came and we were happy to celebrate my birthday, on March 2nd when I turned 70 and Mae's birthday on the 7th.
Mae and I received a great gift from God for our birthday, but to tell you, I need to go back in time a few years.
The year was 1999 and Marta wanted to go for a job in a hotel, because we could not afford to send her to school. I agreed with her idea, but before her bus arrived where she was going, God spoke to my heart. He clearly told me this girl was to come back home. I called the hotel and told them NOT to give her the job, even though I did not understand what God was telling me to do. My child obeyed! She came home!
A few months later, God brought angels to meet her here, sweet people who loved her and blessed her to go to the best College in her area in SOUTH AMERICA + Grad School!
Marta graduated with a Hotel, Tourism & Hospitality degree and got her Masters in Event management and planning. She was invited to go to France for work. She arrived in Paris on Sunday the 11th and she seems to like it all a lot so far. Please keep this young lady in your prayers. We are aware that God used so many wonderful people to bless and encourage Marta. He used her sponsors to allow her to go to College and now we have to say that her success is our success because, again as a family, God has used us all.
We always wanted to raise our children for God's glory and for His use. It is great to see that He has pleased himself to accept our commitment as a living sacrifice to Him.
Paris has a brighter light shining now because one more person who loves JESUS lives there!
That was quite the gift for my 70th birthday!
Thank you for investing in the lives of our children!
Merci!
Pai
Jeremiah 33:3