October 2001

Dear Praying Friends,

Bethel Home has moved! We are in our new setting with all of the details that a new house has to unravel. Last week we were busy cleaning, packing, loading and unpacking while trying to keep up with the regular tasks of feeding and washing and sending kids to school and other appointments. The girl’s household moved on Tuesday and the boy’s followed on Thursday. There are many things that still need to be resolved, but the kids love the bright and airy kitchens and the "homey" feeling.

Our driver/handyman, Cido, is a superhero. He handles such diverse matters as the telephone installation, electrical glitches, finding the truck with a "munck" to move the industrial laundry equipment, and seeing why there is no water in this or that bathroom. There are many arrangements and tasks waiting for his attention and in the meantime our secretary Helena, Cássia and I are all helping with the driving to distribute children to schools, activities, and appointments since we are just six weeks from the end of the school year and cannot transfer the children to the nearby schools until the new school year begins next February.

Praise

• For God’s amazing grace and faithfulness throughout this process that has the children now comfortably installed in lovely homes in a residential neighborhood.
• For each of our staff (and even the children) who has risen to the occasion, working long and intense hours doing the actual heavy work, as well as dealing with the emotional issues of change.

Prayer Needs

• Financial resources to meet our moving costs and our regular ministry needs.
• The local Board is struggling with their role in this transition, and Cassi aspecially finds herself in a very lonely and responsible position (I try to share the burden).
• Our substitute housemother, Neusa, is leaving us, and we need to find a very special person to take on this sensitive and complicated task of covering weekly time off as well vacation time in each household.

Thank you to each one who stands with us in this ministry to our precious children! Blessings from our living God!

In Jesus’ gracious love,

Virginia

The 2001 Mission Yearbook for Prayer & Study, p. 258