The Gift of Opportunity

 Hello To all Friends and Faithful Supporters!!!

As always, I am so grateful for all of you. Everyday that I move forward here, I have you to thank for it. Your generosity and sacrifice are a major key to my success.
I want to highlight a special person for you this month to show you yet another way that you are helping to make a difference.

One of my students, Nayara Sabrina, is exceptional. Over the time that I have known her, she has learned English quickly.  She was always a very active participant in class, asking a lot of questions. Her hunger to learn has been a delight for me as a teacher.
Nayara grew up in the country where she was very isolated. The schooling that she received was good but inconsistent. Her teachers were sent from the city, so she and her fellow students could not have class everyday. However, her parents were intentional about encouraging her in her education, and Nayara has a special love for studying.
When she was 17, she received a scholarship to go to the Federal University in Altamira. She and her family moved to the city, and Nayara began studying for a degree in biology.
Nayara had a desire to learn English, and the English classes provided at CDR were affordable for her family. She said that her original reason for wanting to learn was so that she could translate her own worship songs into English!
During my time with her, we would try to get together once a week and practice speaking in English, and I would often help her to translate documents and projects for her college assignments.
I admire her focus and joy. She is only 20 years old, but she knows exactly what she wants. She is always charming and curious. She also says that now, God has given her other desires as well for learning English. Being that she is a biology major, understanding English gives her many more opportunities. She can read articles published in English concerning her field, and she has the possibility of studying at other universities.
A few months ago, Nayara took the TOEFL test, which is an international standardized English test, in order to apply for a scholarship to study in the US. She passed the test, and recently, was accepted by the Science Without Borders program to study in the US. She received a full scholarship to go to the University of Miami for a year and a half, starting this fall. For the first 6 months, she will take English classes, and then, she will continue on to complete her degree in biology there.
It has been amazing to be apart of this process with her. It is such a gift to watch someone's dreams come true. I have no doubt that Nayara will make the best of this opportunity, and that doors will continue to open for her in the future.
It also makes me very grateful for places like CDR. It is so easy to see how it can make a difference for the people of Brazil. Being apart of investing in the potential of others is a great gift.
Please keep Nayara in your prayers as she takes this big step in her life. Pray that she adjusts well to living in the US, and that her family is blessed as they let her go.

Love, Allison

Bittersweet

Hello to all my Followers and Faithful Supporters!

I hope all is going well for you! I know that the Spring has finally arrived in Ohio, and I'm sure all of you are especially thankful for it this year! In Brazil, the rainy season is ending, which means it will be hotter and there will be a lot of dust. Here in Altamira, they are working on a project to add a new sewage/water system and have systematically torn up almost every street in the city. The streets weren't that great to begin with, and now, they have more holes than they have paved parts. As you can imagine, it makes driving a bit of a nightmare and the dust is 10 times worse! Needless to say, I already miss the rain.
Also at this time, CDR classes are ending. This will be my last semester teaching at the CDR in Altamira. It causes me to reflect on what has taken place over the past 2 years. When I arrived here, I had no teaching experience, nor did I speak any Portuguese, and I got thrown into the mix. I had to learn fast how things worked. Luckily, I had some great people around me who taught me a lot, as well as some really great students who were patient with me. I learned that I actually really enjoyed teaching, and that I was pretty good at it. I have learned a lot of new methods on how to really engage the students, and hopefully, get them excited about learning, too. I can't tell you how grateful I am to God for positioning me here in Brazil, doing something that I love. You too, have been a big part in making that happen, and I am very thankful.
The next few months marks the conclusion to my time here in Altamira, and it is bittersweet. I will miss my friends here so much, but I am also looking forward to my new adventure in Portel. I will spend this time working on my final preparations to move, as well as enjoying my last moments with all those I have grown to love so much. Just to name a few that I am leaving behind, there is Cleide, whom I have already told you so much about. She has been like family to me. There is Gustavo and Marcelino, who both have spent so much time making me laugh. There is Steve and Elba, who have guided me through all the rough patches and helped me to continue. There is Cyndi and Art, who have delighted in me and also listened to my struggles. And many, many more. Leaving people behind is definitely one of the hardest parts about being a missionary.
I am also going to use this time to continue working on my classes for VI. I am currently taking a class called Assimilation. It is about the importance and use of church systems, and how to use them to make your church grow. I am excited about learning these things, and hopefully, putting them into practice in the future. After this class, I only have one more, and then, I will graduate. It will be nice to have that under my belt.
As usual, I will add a link to my pictures below. This past month, we had our CDR project, which involved us going to a local elementary school. This time, we taught about "Safe Touch". It's a program that helps kids recognize abuse and how to deal with it if it's happening. I also included some pictures of my students from our last days together. And finally, there are a few pictures of our Alpha group, which will be concluding in a few weeks. Going through the Alpha program has been a great experience for our church. They are hoping to do another one in the future.
I, of course, want to thank all of you for your continued and faithful support. I have been so blessed and honored by all of you. I appreciate all your comments of support through facebook and on the blog. Knowing that you guys believe in me greatly encourages me. And I want you to be encouraged, too. I pray that God continues to give back to you what you have given. That he blesses you, spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally with refreshment and rest. I pray that he takes away your fear and worry with his constant love. Bless you all.
On a side note, my back has been hurting me a lot lately. Please pray that God will heal it. Thank you!

Love, Allison

"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." Zephaniah 3:17

Praying for a woman in our Alpha Group

 

Last Days at CDR

Celebration!

Hello to all my Friends and Family!

I miss you all, and hope everything is going well for you.
It's been an exciting month here in Altamira, as we celebrated the marriage of Christopher and Denise. It was an incredible wedding. When Denise starting walking down the aisle, everybody started crying, including Christopher and Denise! I took some pictures for all of you to see with a link below. It was a truly beautiful day, and I was so happy to watch my two friends give their lives to each other.
Another amazing thing that also happened on the wedding day is my friend, Cleide, had a new baby girl named Liah! She is so beautiful, of course, and I got to spend some time with them in the hospital the day after. We are lucky to have so much to celebrate on the same day!

Things here have been pretty routine. I've been teaching at night, and working on developing my lesson plan for when I get to Portel. I still have a lot to learn about teaching English. It can be difficult to explain when you don't fully understand the other language, like Portuguese. It's always a work in progress, but I'm excited to be on the journey. I'm also trying to learn as much as I can about how the school functions, and what I will need to do to make it a success.
 I have been talking with Manoela, and it sounds like she is making the decision to come with me to Portel. She will probably come in March, when the school starts its first semester. I am very excited about this, and I know that it will be a great opportunity for both of us. 

Our church has also started doing the Alpha Course every Friday night. So far, it has been a great experience, and some of the people from our small group have been attending. I love the simplicity of the Alpha Program, as it offers a place for relationship as well as curiosity about following Jesus.

We have also been continuing our ministry to the homeless. Once a month, we take food and basic supplies to various places around the city and offer to pray for the people we find there. It was been a privilege to serve these men and women and bless their lives. Our team will be meeting this month to discuss other ways that we can begin helping serve the poor in our city.

I also want to mention to all of you that since I came back from my visit to the States, I have seen a great increase in my level of support every month. This is a huge encouragement to me. Having the funds I need to do the work I am doing here is a major relief. I also feel greatly loved and supported by all of you because you have chosen to invest in what I am doing in Brazil. I believe in the work here, and I know that you do, too. Thank you all so much for your sacrifice.

 I am very grateful to have you all on my team. Bless all of you! Enjoy the pictures.

Love, Allison

Christopher and Denise's Wedding

Portel Trip

Hello Friends and Family!

I have been back from our trip to Portel for a little over a week now, and I am anxious to tell you how it went. Being there again reminded me how much I like the city. It reminds me of one of those beach towns off the coast of North Carolina that I used to go to as a kid. Well, expect its a river instead of an ocean! But it still doesn't lack for charm and sentiment.
Richie and his team have already made a lot of progress in getting acquainted with the city and its residence. They have already started holding a church service on the boat with at least 3 or 4 families attending. There are also several children involved, some of them coming without their families. It was a pleasure to be apart of one of their services, and see how quickly they are growing.

Church on the Boat

As I said before, Richie has succeeded in laying the foundation for the school. His first priority is to finish at least one room, which will be used for both our classroom and to hold church services in the beginning. He is currently working on raising financial support of around $10,000.00 to complete the first room. If you would be interested in helping to support this project, you can click on the link below connected to Porto de Moz. You can also contact me or Richie directly.

http://www.xingu.org/15b1_porto-de-moz_donation.html
Richie Bouthillier: transamazon@xingu.org

The Foundation for the School

Richie and I also had a meeting while I was there to figure out what we need to do to get the school ready, including supplies and materials. We are working on putting a budget together of all the things we will need from desks to printers to markers. I will let you know more about that when it is ready and how you can help. I also had the pleasure of meeting an English teacher who works in Portel in the public school. He speaks excellent English, and is interested in helping with our project.

 Manoela, Denise, and Christopher enjoyed the trip as well. We spent some time swimming and getting to know the city. We also spent a lot of time with Richie's family playing Wii! Richie and I also drove around looking for apartments for when I am ready to move, at least to get an idea of what is available. Throughout the trip, I was trying to get a feel for how Manoela was taking it all in. She is a slow processor and needs time to digest information. I wanted to give her the space she needed to think about if she could really see herself there in the future. I think one thing that really impressed upon her was the amount of kids around. She has a deep desire to help people have a better life, and she could see the need around her. She still has not decided, and that's OK. I want her to make the right decision for her. Please pray for Manoela that God directs her feet on the path he has planned for her.

One of the things Richie and I spent time talking about is a group called i-61. (http://i-61.org/) The name comes from Isaiah 61, which is one of my favorite passages of Scripture. It talks about how Jesus will redeem every area of our lives. It paints a picture of the Kingdom of Heaven coming to Earth. I believe, as the church, we have a calling to join with Christ and bring this redemption to the world. That is why I want to build this school. I believe it can be one aspect of this redemption process. This organization, i-61, has that same vision, and is working to make it a reality throughout the world. Please check out their video below.

What is i-61?

I hope all this info gives you a good idea of what my future holds. Of course, if you have any questions, please never hesitate to ask. I feel really good about where I am going. I feel that I will be using my talents and abilities to honor God and those around me. Please pray that God continues to give me strength as I walk into new territory. Pray that he protects me from distractions and setbacks. Pray that I am surrounded by his love.
Thank you and bless you all. I also pray good into your lives. I pray perseverance and joy in the face of suffering. I pray that you lean on each other more in vulnerability and weakness, and that you allow grace to hold you together. Mercy and peace to all of you.

Love, Allison

Portel Trip Pictures

Sad Times

Hello to all my Faithful Friends and Supporters Back Home.

I want to start off by thanking you all for your amazing support and sacrifice and faithfulness to me and my family. You guys are truly the best, and I am lucky to have you.
As many of you probably already know, my brother Caleb Mark Hamer, died on February 26. He was only 26 years old, and leaves behind an 8 year old son, also named Caleb. My father called me the day after it happened, and of course, I was heartbroken. Immediately, I was thanking the Lord that I got to see him one more time before he passed. I realized how much my recent visit was really provision from God.
Caleb was unique. He was so funny in his very own special way. And Caleb was humble. He was a grateful person who wanted to help others when he could. And he loved his son.
I remember one story of when my brothers were little that always makes me laugh. My 3 younger brothers were all very strong and close in age. Caleb was in the middle and the strongest. One day, when they were just toddlers, the two other brothers, Joel and Joshua, were fighting over one of those plastic Tonya trucks. Joel had one leg hanging out of one side and Joshua had one leg hanging out of the other. During the fight, Caleb walks over and starts shaking the truck as hard as he could. Both Joel and Joshua fall out of the truck and Caleb jumps in and starts driving it around. It was hilarious! He was a tough boy, but he had a soft and fun-loving heart. I will miss him so much.
Many of you came together for his Memorial Service and Reception at our church to help and participate. I can't tell you how much that means to me. I thank you so much for embracing my family in our time of need and grieving. My sister in law even commented to me about how kind you were to them, and how lucky I am to have such great people around me. I agree with her.
Also, many of you may remember Steve and Elba Dolan. They also work here at the Xingu Mission and were there on the day I preached at VTC. Their family has also suffered loses recently. Steve's brother-in-law passed away when they were still in the States, and just a few days ago, Steve's dad also passed away. Their family just left to go back to the States again for the funeral. I can only imagine how difficult it has been to have two big blows like that in such a short amount of time.
I ask that you keep both my family and Steve and Elba's family in your prayers. That God would bring true comfort in the mist of grieving. And that God would bring something good out of our suffering.
Even in this heartbreak, things are continuing to moving forward here at the Mission. I am planning to travel to Portel next week to visit again. I will be traveling with my friend, Manoela, and also Christopher and his fiance, Denise. Richie and his family are getting settled in there, and they have already started building a foundation for the school. I am very excited to see his progress, as well as find out what we need to do next in order to keep the project going ahead. Please pray for safe travels and wisdom.
I want to pray for you all as well. I just bless each of you with the tangible experience of God's awesome love for you. For those of you who are sick or have sick family members, I speak healing and restoration over your bodies. I pray that, whatever struggle you are going through, the joy of the Lord would be your strength and salvation. I bless you in your finances that you would have the ability to take care of your own needs and also the needs of others. I lift up your relationships that peace and forgiveness would rule them all. Thank you again for your love for me. God bless.

Always,

Allison Rupert

Caleb with his mom, Debbie Hamer, this past January

Back to Work!

Hello Guys!!

So, I hear it is finally starting to warm up there in the north! My short experience with winter this year was quite the reminder of how much I don't enjoy it. I'm glad for all of you that its coming to an end! I am also very happy to be back here in the warm, tropical climate of Brazil. It is the rainy season now, so it is not too hot. It's perfect.
Despite the weather, I had a great time seeing all of you again. I really enjoyed the opportunity to preach at church and just share with all of you what I have been doing over the past year and a half. It was unfortunate that we weren't able to have church on my last Sunday there because of the snow. I know, however, that the church is still planning on having a lunch to talk about my plans here in Brazil and how you can get involved. I hope you will be able to make it!
Next time I come to visit, it will definitely be in the summer so that I can stay longer and get to spend more time with all of you!
So, now that I am back in Brazil, I have settled back into my life as normal. I have been teaching a CDR again, which has started off great. This semester, I am helping my friend, Cleide, in one of the lower level classes. Most of these students don't understand very much English, and as it turns out, neither do I! You may find this strange, but even though you are able to speak a language does not mean you know how to explain it to others. I am constantly learning new things that I always took for granted. Cleide is a great teacher, and without her, I would be completely lost! I know that my time with her will successfully prepare me for my venture in Portel.
My goal since I have been back is to slowly start preparing things for my move to Portel. My preparations are already underway, and God has already helped me so much. I have a friend here who is from Germany, and she will be leaving next month to move home. Because she is moving, she wants to sell all of her things. I jumped on the opportunity to buy them because when I move, I will have to buy everything. So far, the mission has provided most of what I need for an apartment, but I will have nothing when I leave here. So I worked out a deal with my friend to buy everything for around $750! That includes a washing machine, a refrigerator, a stove, table and chairs, etc.! It is such great timing for both of us, and I feel very blessed by this.
I just want to say again how great it was to see all of you. I was so thankful for all of your kind and encouraging words. You made me feel welcomed and loved and cherished. I know that you guys are thinking about me even when I'm not there. I know that I am in your hearts, just as you are in mine. I'm glad that you have chosen to continue with me on this journey. Thank you.

Me, my Dad, and my brothers

Below is a link with the pictures I took on my travels back to the US. Enjoy!

The States 2014

Love, Allison

Living in Eternity Now

Happy Holidays to the Folks at Home!!

Often when I blog, I give you guys a little update about what's going on in my life. This time, I want to talk about that but from a different angle. I want to talk about something that is close to my heart. Its an idea that propels me and gives my life meaning on a day to day basis.
Its the idea of investing in people. As we all know, we aren't taking anything with us when we die. No money or possessions. So the question becomes, "What really matters? What is going to last?"
I believe that the investment we make in others is one of the treasures we will take with us to Heaven. And it's a treasure that we can start building now.
I want to tell you about a few of the people who have made an investment in my life, and also about a few people that I have had the privilege to invest in. Remember, these are just a few examples...there are many more people in my life who have made an investment and have shaped me into the person I am today.
The first person I want to mention is Penny Barrick. Some of you may know her already. She is my sponsor, and she taught me how to do the 12 steps. She was there to help me when I was finally ready to get my life cleaned up. She did two things that made all the difference in the world. She loved me unconditionally, and she told me the flat out truth. For the first time in my life, I told all my most damning secrets to someone, and they didn't judge me. Because of her own past, she very much understood what I was going through, and gave me a lot of grace as I moved to the next level.
The next two people are a couple that I'm certain many of you know--John and Cathy Lieb. I have spent countless hours on their couch, watching their TV and eating their food. I have debated with John about many political and spiritual questions and ideas. I have been put to work on the many projects that Cathy has around their house. I have borrowed many of their books. I have spent many hours crying and lamenting and laughing with them. Their patience and acceptance of me has brought immeasurable amounts of healing to my life.
I don't want to know where I would be today if it wasn't for these people. I'm sure that many of you have these same kinds of people in your own life. They may even be the exact same people that I have!
Now, I want to talk about some of the people that I have been able to invest in.

Some of you might remember my friend, Cleide, because I have mentioned her before in my blogs. She is a teacher at CDR, and has been around missionaries for most of her life. Through those missionaries, she has gain a relationship with God, an experience of family, and speaks fluent English. She is charismatic and extremely intelligent. Over the past year, our friendship has been a constant source of strength and laughter in my life. We have prayed together on several occasions about many things. We have been honest with each other, rather than putting on a 'happy face'. I have been able to help her on many occasions financially. And she has fallen in love with my Red Curry Chicken. I feel that I am just one more human notch that God has prepared along the way for Cleide and her family. I am just one person here at this special time in Cleide's life, helping her move on to the next level. 

I want to also tell you about my young friend, Manoela. Her and Cleide have been friends for years, and Manoela also works at CDR teaching English for the children's classes. She is also incredibly smart, but very shy. For Manoela, the longer I know her, the more I discover how amazing and gifted she is. Its like unlocking a secret. I have the privilege of teaching her English, and she is a member of my small group. Over the past year, it has been wonderful to watch her grow and be stretched as she becomes more willing to open herself up to others about her deep heart. I have made an effort to try and support her in anyway I can. I am currently working on trying to convince her to come with me to Portel. Her gifts with children would be a valuable asset there.
Both of these girls are my friends, but I have made a point to challenge them in different ways. I see all the amazing potential they both have, and my desire is to stand behind them and be a support whenever possible.
But you see, the only reason I am able to bless these girls in anyway at all is because someone first blessed me. We were all designed to do this, no matter where we are in our lives. We cannot measure in this life how many other lives we can touch just by simply taking the time to invest in one. Most people won't do something "big" to change the world, but we can all do something small consistently and faithfully to change the world. I believe this is one of the most important ways for us to go about "storing up for ourselves treasures in Heaven." Please, think of the people around you who could use your help and encouragement and support. What opportunities could you help give them? What potential do they have that you could help them reach? I hope you will think on these things.
I love you all and can't wait to see you soon! God bless you and your families!

Allison