Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Moving in the Right Direction


Hello Trusted Supporters and Friends!


As always, I hope you all are doing well! Things are going great here in Brazil. Everyday, I am still learning so much and working towards my goals. I want to give you an update on what I have been up to recently.
First of all, the group, Alpha Circles, is still going strong. The students from our English school seem to really enjoy it and have a lot of fun. What is interesting about the group is that in the culture of Northern Brazil, there are not a lot of people who claim that they don't believe in God. Most of the people in our group are either involved in church or have been at one time. As leaders, we question what is the best way to engage the members. We want to give people an opportunity to grow closer to God, no matter where they are on their journey. We have tried to set up an environment where people feel comfortable asking questions and expressing any fears or doubts they have about God. This is very important because in some churches here, people are often told what to believe without the option to be honest about their true feelings. We are continuing to question how to move the group forward. Please pray that God gives us wisdom.
Also, through CDR and the Alpha Circles, I am getting an opportunity to grow closer with some of the students. I have been working on building relationships with them, and helping them to grow closer to God. Please pray that God uses me to be a light in their lives, and that I would have the wisdom and patience and love that I need to bless them.
A few weeks ago at our Youth Group, we had a special night where we asked the kids to invite their friends. Around a 140 kids showed up for a night of dancing and skits and great worship. Christopher, our new missionary, shared his testimony. Everybody seems to really enjoy it, and many of the kids have been coming back since then. There are pictures in the link below.
I am still teaching English at CDR, and plugging away at the language. I am definitely improving all the time, but sometimes, because I am spending so much time speaking English, I don't get a lot of opportunities to practice as much as I would like. Please pray that I continue to learn and that my mind would be able to grow in this area.
Thank you again for all of your support. I am so blessed to be here, doing something that I love to do. You make this possible. Your sacrifice and willingness to give make this possible. I know that as you give, God is giving back to you in big ways and small. Thank you for your prayers for me. Even though I am very happy here, there are times when I feel lonely and miss the things that are familiar. Your prayers reach me in those difficult times. They have the power to comfort me and hold me up. God bless you all.

Love you,

Allison

 Please click on the link below to see my recent photos.

Pictures of our Youth Group