Mom's big 7-0!

Birthdays are definitely special occasions in my family and my parents always made my brothers and mine a big deal.  Sometimes it was the rare event: pick your favorite restaurant--which was a no-brainer as kids--Pizza Hut! Apparently, nothing else compared back then. :)  A favorite memory is also going to bed the night before with that great anticipation that it was your birthday the next day...and to be "overcome" with excitement in seeing the house decorated with balloons and streamers.  Then, when we were older, dad started the tradition of waking up the birthday-ee right at mid-night and singing "Parábens" in their room to them...and after a couple of years when it became expected, it was always still happily received. :)

Ever since we were kids, dad always built up the anticipation for birthdays and in particular, mom's birthday.  Recalling memories, I have to smile and laugh! "Sneaking"downstairs to "quietly" wrap her presents...then watching her open a box, to find another box, and yet another box...you get the picture.  He always had roses for her and we always knew that if he was mysteriously "not present" the day before that he was out shopping.  :)

Today is my mom's 70th birthday.  It's not just any birthday--it's a landmark birthday! Mom, I am so thankful for your life investment into my life.  Nineteen years without seeing your family in Brazil to invest in Christian education, music lessons, and college funds...you and dad made sacrifices that I am still yet to fully comprehend.  You are a lady of inner strength, boldness, love, virtue, honesty and steadfastness. Thank you for your consistency and "toughness"-- (not always welcomed as a teen)-- but today I want you to hear me--Thank You!

That any of us (Dolfo, Fel or I) serve the Lord is a tribute to your faithfulness in prayer for us. We know that it is God that does the work in and through His children; yet prayer is that part that "availeth much"and makes the difference.

I love you! Happy 70th Birthday!!

Celebrating mom's birthday in 2010!

Up for the Challenge?

When it comes to going against the odds, it seems there's usually two types of people -- those who pursue against obstacles and those who give up before starting.  Take my older brother for example.  As the oldest, he was usually the one who bumped headfirst with the obstacles and challenges of life... teased as a kid for obeying our parents, pressured as a teen to not live for the Lord, missing out on the birth of his firstborn...if you start counting there's definitely a list...yeah, somehow he always got the toughest hits of the three of us. However,  he never gave up, he didn't give in, he just always pursued to do his absolute best..."keep your eyes on Christ" is the blueprint of his life!

Then....comes me.  

Hmm...the comparison takes me back to when he and I went through several teachers in our "career" of music lessons. In one particular piano lesson, I remember that one of the teachers we shared said to me -- well, you'll never be as good as me. ughh--thanks! :-\... I already knew I wasn't very good... My reaction was the opposite of what I guess my brother would have done--it was more like, well why bother trying to improve?! Thankfully, in spite of the deflating words of that day and because of the locked-in decision of my parents to continue lessons until the end of high school, I learned that skills can still be developed and you can always grow somewhat by continued practice...not to mention that "not trying" was even an option!

My "why bother" philosophy changed as I learned that it is God who gives, it is God who enables; it is not about me or for me but about God and for Him!

So....the daunting challenge facing me today? It's the group of fifty young teens of varied backgrounds and behavioral issues that await me next Thursday.  I'd have to say this isn't exactly.... comfort zone. :P I surely don't feel like the right person for the job! But I remind myself that...I wasn't the one Who opened the door; my only surety of going through the door is grounded in God who strengthens and enables those He uses; it is He who works in hearts and transforms lives. 

And a door has opened...

For Thou are great, and doest wondrous things: though art God alone.

Psalm 86:10

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,

JOSEPH

We have seen the Lord do some great things in past several weeks! Our theme for the February/summer VBS this year was “Joseph: From Prison to Palace.” Though our workers were few in number, we had a great VBS teaching through the life of Joseph.  It was a big help and special blessing to see the young ladies Sunday school class get involved by acting out a daily skit that went with each day’s theme. 

“God, do I love you?

Right on the heels of VBS we had summer camp organized by Brazilian youth pastors and leaders from several local churches.  I was asked to help assist as a counselor and in organizing the music for the week.  We had a GREAT week with a strong spiritual focus building on the theme: God, do I love you? (Mt. 22:37).  Several teens made decisions ranging from faithfulness to church to removing certain sins in their life to glorify God.  We saw one teen boy share his salvation testimony—having received the Lord that week! Our prayer and yours can also be that God would rise up more youth to serve Him whole-heartedly and respond to His call towards ministry.

“Back to School...”

My focus has been more recently directed to my participation in the public school.  Students here in Brazil recently started their new school year and have been underway now for about three weeks. A little over a week ago I met with the principal of the school in Ponta Grossa and discussed two project ideas.  The first project was to teach the recorder to one class, once a week, during class time.  We had discussed this before and now I agreed to teach on a volunteer basis. The second project idea is a Bible club.  Since schools in Brazil are half days and the public schools in this area have adopted a government program to keep the kids in school all day through supplement activities, there was a possibility to incorporate this activity into the day.

Cristina, the principal, has received me so well—she seems genuinely glad to have someone volunteer time to invest in the kids. In our discussions, she has shown that she is definitely open to the kids being taught about God.  Her belief is that any teaching about God will do them good.

This past Wednesday the Lord gave me the “door” for which I have been praying. I have been given permission to have the kids for one hour on Thursdays.  After asking some questions, I discovered I would possibly have around 50 students ranging in ages from 10-15.  Are you following that I could use your prayers? One of the seminary’s bible college students will be assisting and the school has offered a monitor.  I am currently working on putting together an activity /game for each session and revamping what I had planned on teaching since the age group is older than I expected.  If you want to share your top youth group games, send them to me!  Lord-willing this will be a dynamic time of activity and teaching.

One last thing

I find it a great joy and blessing to live in the bible college building.  This year the school has received new students of which two I will be teaching lessons (one piano the other violin).  I humbled by the Lord’s goodness in allowing me to have a part in training others to help glorify His name through godly music.

Your servant and friend in Christ,

Tati Cordeiro

Arrival in Brazil!

HITTING THE GROUND RUNNING!
Many of you, my friends in the Lord, live busy lives with full schedules. We have places, activities, and people that fill our days and our moments. When we go through transitions in life however; it seems there is not simply enough time in our day to complete all that needs to be done! I feel as if I have been in “transition mode” for the past three months as I was finishing meetings, preparing to come back to Brazil, and now settling back into life and ministry in Brazil!

IT JUST TAKES A LITTLE LONGER
You have to mentally switch gears when you switch countries/culture. I felt it when I went home last Christmas—my best description being—“everything is so….American. “ If you have ever left the US for any length of time, perhaps you can understand that culture shock description! Coming back to Brazil, I know that it is different and I just embrace the totality of the culture. Whether that involves document processing that takes longer to complete or sitting with one of the church ladies for “afternoon coffee,” all of each everyday activity is an opportunity to be a light to those who observe your life and behavior.

CUSTOMS
I was hugely blessed to have my mom and dad with me for ten days. They flew down with me and helped bring extra things since we had their baggage to work with. Among the luggage were two full sized keyboards and a guitar. One keyboard was for me to use in traveling to different outreaches/ministries and the other was for the church in Ponta Grossa that had saved money to purchase it. [The same keyboard would cost more than twice as much in Brazil.] Some of you were praying for no trouble at customs—thank you for praying. I think you learn something with each major trip you make—and I learned that without an original receipt (I had a receipt that the store printed for me when I realized that I had misplaced the original) you can’t expect to not pay a tax. The LORD was good and gracious though. The price I paid when I purchased the keyboard was $450. Not having the correct receipt, the man at customs went online and looked up the keyboard and he found it valued for at least $700. For the keyboard to pass, I was asked to change the amount on the customs paper to the higher amount and pay $100. My praise is that he did not charge the tax he had the authority to charge—half of the value of the object!

CAR UPDATE
Part of the reason my parents came down was to help with looking, searching, and hopefully purchasing a car! We were surely blessed to have friends here who were able to take us to car lots and car lots….and more care lots. To make quite a long story short, we found a great car only to realize from a team of mechanics that it wasn’t so great at all! The sellers had agreed to meet me at the mechanic and the team there found numerous problems that had not been exposed by the sellers. Seeing the information compiled on paper, my sellers excused themselves and made the fastest get-away!

The car I was looking at was a 2001 automatic Citroen, Xsara. In researching and talking with many people about different makes and models, this particular make is considered very good though parts will run higher because it isn’t a national car. My mechanic friends, as well as other Brazilian friends, have strongly encouraged me to look for a national car……..and learn to drive stick shift.

My experience at the mechanic gave me the last, needed nudge to just go to the auto-school and like the majority of all Brazilians, learn to drive stick shift. I think the biggest intimidation factor are hills; I am hoping though, that I won’t have any stories to share. :) I have two lessons scheduled thus far—November 12 and November 16. By learning to drive stick, I “win” in: finding a newer car, receiving better gas mileage, being able to find cheaper prices for any needed part and on occasion when needed, drive the seminary van to take groups to different outreaches. However, if the Lord were to provide an automatic, I won't say no!

I am also looking forward to receiving my Brazilian driver’s license, Lord-willing, in six months. That process is a story in itself! Some things just take a little longer. :)

IMMEDIATE PLANS/ PRAYER REQUESTS
*I will be starting music lessons next week. *Please pray for the continuing car search/ stick shift lessons.
*I will be visiting a school near Ponta Grossa to offer volunteer help once a week to students who are struggling in school or to assist teachers. Please pray for this; it is something I believe the Lord would have me to do—and simply leave the rest to Him; perhaps even opening other doors.
*I am spending individual time with our ladies asking the Lord to show what area of Bible study would encourage and minister to them either individually or collectively

THANK YOU!
IN CHRIST,
TATI CORDEIRO

October 2010 Update

Reaching Thousands in One Week

Update from a co-worker in Brazil! This is a great one-week outreach--needs your prayers and mine.



Bah (Hey) Gaúcho !!! Where will you spend Eternity?
Two hundred thousand tracts have already been printed and are ready to be distributed at the largest international agricultural exposition in South America, “Expo Inter,” which begins Saturday, August 28 and ends on Sunday, September 5. It is expected that more than 500,000 people will attend this event. The ministry, “Gaúchos Para Cristo” (Gaúchos For Christ) has rented a booth in Expo Inter from which we hope to reach a significant number of those people. Over 15 fundamental Baptist churches will be cooperating during those 9 days to give out as many of the tracts as possible. Last year, our first time to participate in Expo Inter, about 90,000 tracts were distributed. We need you to pray that the Lord will give us much fruit during those days.


During the last year, our web site www.GaúchosParaCristo.com.br has been visited by almost 5,000 people, with over 3,000 being first time hits. Including Brazil, 16 different countries were represented by those hits. Only eternity will reveal the ones that have been saved by their access to our site. We do know that a Brazilian man, Carlos Pain, living in Australia accessed the site, made contact with me and expressed a desire to visit. He was saved and called to preach some time ago, not as a result of our site, and plans to return to Brazil and minister here in the south. He will be here to participate with us in Expo Inter. We also know of some that have been saved as a direct result of our web site and are part of our churches. The Lord has definitely blessed the ministry of Gaúchos Para Cristo.


Expo Inter ends on September 5 and our 22nd anniversary Bible Conference begins on the 8th and will end on the 12th. We will have a preacher from São Paulo as our special guest preacher. Please pray for the Lord to be exalted and that He will bless us by working in the hearts of those who come.


Thank you for praying for these very special outreach ministries. We’re grateful for your part with us.

‘Till He comes or calls,

Roger & Sharon Crowder

At the Doorstep of Eternity

Why do we live in the hurry of the temporal? Why is everything else important—where I am going, what I am doing—instead of the people around us? Life is so short. And really, as the “saying” goes, only what is done for eternity is what counts.

I was at the grocery store tonight and got in line to check out. The lady behind me had her hands full as I was beginning to put my items on the runner.

“Would you like to go ahead, ma’am?”
“Oh yes! Thank you!” She thanked me three times before leaving.

After some small talk with the cashier, I offered him a tract to which he accepted but then in defense he stated, “I have my own church.” Hey, no problem. Who was actually becoming a quickly, growing burden on my heart was the man behind me in line. I had seen him around the store getting his groceries. That man has cancer. His skin, his hair, --his eyes—all told this unavoidable fact. I looked to see what he was buying and it was all bright fruits and vegetables. Interesting how at a point like this in life no one has to persuade you to eat right. Offering the tract to the man, he looked at me and gave a genuine, sincere, “thank you”. Thank you's are hardly my goal; it’s the state of the soul that pleads for our compassion, for my compassion. I keep replaying his eyes, his look when he thanked me; …and I have been pleading with the Lord that He would have mercy on his life. May that man read the tract and know Jesus Christ as his Saviour!