You are here: Home / Archives for Aningas

A Day in the Life of Mark & Lori Procopio- A Special Christmas meal!

January 9, 2016 By Leave a Comment

A Day in the Life of Mark & Lori Procopio: A special Christmas meal, through the eyes of a visitor.

By Sandra Livingstone

 

 

THE STREETS OF NATAL– Christmas Meal Delivered

It all starts with two massive pots of baked beans (with lots of other tasty things added in!)  These cook all night and someone has to stay up to stir them every 30-45 minutes

 

Picture1

 

There are also large pots of rice cooked early in the morning.  They are then dumped into two large plastic bins that have a special space on the back of Mark’s truck.

 

 

Picture2

 

Bags of farofa are emptied into another large plastic bin.

 

Picture3

 

Mark has built a wooden compartmentalized piece for the back of his truck that holds the large pots of beans, container of rice, and juice coolers.   Straps are tightened to hold everything in place.  The food can be served right from the back of the truck.

 

Picture4

 

Our first stop of the day (second day of serving this special meal), we stopped at a favela called Cambuim.  We developed a system with Mark scooping the beans and Layane holding the dish for Natalie to scoop up the rice.  Then I added a scoop of farofa on top and put a spoon in the dish.  Lori then handed the dish to the next person in the line.  Meanwhile, Antonia Bednarik made sure every person received a gospel tract.  There were at least 150-200 people served in this area.

 

Picture5

Picture6

 

The second stop for the day was at Km 6 of Felipe Camarao where the rest of the food was distributed.  Children came running from all directions, and many adults joined the line also.  The food distribution team:  Layane, Sandra, Lori, Natalia and Mark.  Antonia was busy distributing gospel tracts again at this location.

 

Picture7

 

Picture8

 

This is what it’s all about:  touching a life, showing love and compassion, being the hands of Jesus in a world filled with alcohol, drugs, abuse, and lack of the basic necessities.  Mark and Lori are not afraid to get their hands dirty, and they open their hands, hearts, and home so willingly.

 

Picture9

 

This young boy finds it very hard to walk because his feet are so infested by bugs that they are swollen and painful.  He probably doesn’t even own a pair of shoes!

 

Picture10

 

Did you stop today to thank God for a home in which to live? decent clothing to cover your body? a pair of shoes on your feet? a safe environment in which your children can live and grow?  Please take a moment to thank God for so many basic needs that we take for granted but which are not part of the lives of these children.  Also remember in prayer Mark and Lori and the young people who help them when they are visiting these very poor areas and taking food or helping with their medical needs

 

Picture11

 

Even though Lori doesn’t have a medical background, she is often called on to administer first aid for these people.  It might be as simple as cleaning and dressing a wound, as repulsive as digging bugs and eggs out of a child’s foot, or as severe as dressing a stab wound.

 

Picture12

 

 

THE TOWN OF ANINGAS – Christmas Fun

Another special event that happens over the Christmas holidays is a fun day for the children in the town of Aningas where the orphanage will be built.  Children wait in anticipation for the afternoon when fun and laughter and color brightens their little world!  A variety of equipment is set up and the children line up and wait patiently for their turn to slide or jump or play.

 

Picture13

 

Picture14

 

Picture15

 

Picture18

 

Picture19

 

Picture20

 

Picture21

 

After the kids have played for a while, they are all given a corn snack and even the adults come looking for a treat.  There were lots for everyone, and no one was turned away if they came back a second time.

Later in the afternoon when it was hot, we gave out popsicles to everyone.  They are a nice fruit-flavored creamy popsicle that really hit the spot on a hot day!

 

Picture23

 

Picture24

 

 

Please pray for Mark and Lori as they continue their work in Natal and look forward to starting building the orphanage in Aningas.  Pray for their safety and wisdom as they move forward when God opens doors.

 

Picture25

 

There are a number of nice young people who have gotten saved, but during the Christmas holidays while we were there to help the Procopios, we spent quite a bit of time with two young ladies.  Please pray for their spiritual growth and preservation.

 

Natália and her cousin Layane

 

Picture26Picture27

 

Mark and Lori Proopio with four of the young Christians.  Back left to right:  Geovane (age 23), Lori, Natália (age 21), Joab (age 20).  Front:  Layane (age 21) and Mark.

 

Picture28

Filed Under: Aningas, Favela, Prayer, Street Work, Vá Livre Update

Geovane’s Scan

August 12, 2015 By Leave a Comment

Geovane’s PET scan has been scheduled for tomorrow morning! After four months of court appearances, trips to the public defender, and finally getting the city’s bank account blocked for the amount of the test, the money got transferred to the cancer hospital’s bank account and they scheduled the scan.

God has been very close to Geovane. He has been speaking to him. And Geovane has responded. He’s been out on Sunday nights and it makes us so happy to see him! We pray for his complete healing and for him to be a living testimony to what God can do when someone calls out to Him and asks Him for His help.

“He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble, I will deliver him and honor him. With long life will I satisfy him and show him My salvation.”
‭‭Psalm‬ ‭91:15-16‬ ‭AMP‬‬

Filed Under: Aningas, Prayer

Recognizing God

June 23, 2015 By Leave a Comment
There are times when God has shown Himself, and these are the times I love to tell you about, because we all need to be reminded of our God’s love and power. And there’s nothing better than knowing He’s right here and He can still use me.
Geovane is 23 years old from Aningas. He had three cancerous tumors in his pancreas which were removed in March. His surgeon was confident that he removed all traces of the cancer, but asked for a PET scan, to see if the cancer had spread. The public health system refused to allow him this scan, which costs $7,500 reais.
Natalia’s uncle, Francisco, told us about Geovane and asked us to help. So, we went to visit him the next day. Since that Monday morning in April, we have spent days every week with Geovane, going back and forth to try to get the government’s approval for the scan. Natalia and Layane accompany us. But we never preached to him. Together with the girls, we prayed that God would direct us, prepare Geovane’s heart, and prompt us–in His time!–to tell him about his need to be saved.
One Tuesday morning, I arrived in Aningas and picked up the girls. Natalia said, “Geovane’s mom told my uncle that she’s so happy Geovane is getting out. He was depressed and didn’t want to leave the house.” Then Natalia asked, “Should we talk to him about God?” So we prayed, right there in the car, “God, make Your timing known to us and give us Your words.” And we picked up Geovane at his house and went to the courthouse in Ceará Mirim.
After leaving the court, we went to the market. The girls went in to buy something, leaving Geovane and me in the car.
“I have to tell you something,” he said. “Before I met you I was so scared, and I wanted to know God would hear me. So, one Sunday night there was a bingo game at the church. I prayed that if God was real and He cared, I would play bingo and would get all the numbers except the last. I did that because I didn’t want God to think I just wanted to win the game. I went and that’s exactly what happened. But then I told God how scared I was and I wanted Him to be with me every day, through this. And you came the very next day to my house. I know God sent you.”
It was my privilege to tell him that God did send us and tell Him all about God’s love for him.
Let be and be still, and know (recognize and understand) that I am God. 
Psalm‬ ‭46‬:‭10‬ AMP
I have learned this verse this way: Be still. Because if you wait, you will know that God is here. You will recognize Him at work. And He will get all the glory.
Filed Under: Aningas, Prayer, Vá Livre Update

Building!

April 18, 2015 By Leave a Comment

The building process for the Children’s Home has started! I cannot believe I’m writing this. Thursday we met with an engineer and architect, and got a list of permits that are needed. And yesterday we paid for an official land topography survey, which is the first step in construction.
Like with everything else here, we are completely dependent on God to direct every part of this process, and thankful for His promise to do so.

God will make this happen, for He who calls you is faithful. (‭1 Thessalonians‬ ‭5‬:‭24‬ NLT)

Filed Under: Aningas, Orphanage, Prayer, Vá Livre Update

The Mayor

August 4, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Ceará-Mirim is the main city about 40 minutes from Aningas. Mayor Peixoto welcomed us to his home this morning and spent some time talking about our work in Aningas. 


He asked if he could be a help to us, so we asked him to help us get the city’s approval, register Vá Livre in Ceará-Mirim, and give us an operating ID number, as a non profit here in Brazil. 


He told us he is traveling tomorrow and Wednesday, but told us we could arrange to go back on Thursday, if his schedule permits. He will call the official responsible for this work, so that he can be there, with his stamp and signature. With this approval, we then take the signed paperwork to a cartório, or records office, to register the Vá Livre foundation. Next, we take all of this to one of the city’s accountants, who will take the paperwork and generate an operating number. With this operating number, we can start to build. 
Mayor Peixoto also offered to show the construction plans, that Daniel Valvano did for us, to the city’s engineers. Hopefully, they can stamp the plans, approving them and making them certified to use, here in Brazil. This would save a lot of money. (Something else for prayer!)


I hesitate to say that this can be done in the coming week or so, because living in Brazil can be like living a good news/bad news roller coaster. But, I will tell you this: today Mark and I felt real hope. And just a little excited! More than that, and far more significant, we felt that God arranged this. Really. The mayor? Out of the blue? Serving The Lord certainly brings us to places we’ve never been before!


Lean on, trust in, and be confident in the Lord with all your heart and mind and do not rely on your own insight or understanding. In all your ways know, recognize, and acknowledge Him, and He will direct and make straight and plain your paths. (‭Proverbs‬ ‭3‬:‭5-6‬ AMP)

Filed Under: Aningas, Orphanage, Prayer

Meeting with the Mayor!

August 3, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Tonight we had just finished up the adult Sunday School class in Aningas, and started getting things together for the kids, when Nildete said, “The mayor wants to see you tomorrow morning at his house.”
“Huh? What?!”

“He sent a message. He’d like you to be at his house at 8:00 a.m. He wants to talk to you about the building project in Aningas!”

We know you’ve been praying; we have felt God’s Presence and His peace with us. Please ask God to give us His Words, when we talk to Mayor Peixoto, tomorrow morning. Pray that he helps us get this final approval to build. Please keep praying that God works in Aningas, for His glory, and the community’s blessing. 

Unless the LORD builds a house, the work of the builders is wasted. Unless the LORD protects a city, guarding it with sentries will do no good. (‭Psalms‬ ‭127‬:‭1‬ NLT)

Filed Under: Aningas, Prayer

Urgent Prayer Request

July 22, 2014 By Leave a Comment

We are in the middle of a spiritual battle. First, we heard that there may be problems with our visa renewal. Then, Aningas is under attack and our work as well.
Next week we are supposed to go to Ceara-Mirim to talk to the different political offices there, bringing our written applications for building in Aningas.
Satan does not want us building a home. Satan does not want the gospel preached in Aningas. He hates us. He hates the Truth.
We console ourselves with the experience that has taught us: the conflicts/battles are bigger when God’s plans are bigger!
Yesterday, we went to pray with Cleide. We prayed together for three hours and it felt like 15 minutes. My face was covered in tears and worse…so, I asked her for a Kleenex. She went outside her little room and came back with a small red towel. She looked at it and burst into tears and yelled, “Hallelujah!”
Embroidered on the towel was-

I have heard your prayer and I have seen your tears. Isaiah 38:5

Needless to say, peace filled me and I blew many kisses to heaven. God knows and He is SOVEREIGN!

image

Filed Under: Aningas, Prayer

Carnival

March 7, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Think Mardi Gras times ten. Or maybe times fifty. That’s what Carnaval is to Brazil. The police turn a “blind eye” to all sorts of illegal activities, and there is partying in the streets for days.

So, on Friday we picked up the teens in Aningas and brought them to our house for a kind of a Carnaval Retreat, or a time to spend together.

A trip to the grocery store to get all sorts of snacks and goodies was an adventure. We entered the store and the lines to check out went down every single grocery aisle. Apparently, the store wasn’t going to be open the following day. We quickly split up into groups, and smart Layane immediately positioned herself in a line for us. Even for here, where chaos is commonplace, this was crazy! In my mind (I used to work in grocery stores) I was muttering and organizing the whole operation, opening additional checkouts, and moving people to one side of the aisles so others could get by without doing the limbo. After several hours, we headed home with food and snacks to get us through the next five days.

We had a fun time and we had a good devotional time together, too. They talked about wanting to serve God. They talked about how they love to come out on the streets and into the favelas with us. And I realized how good God is to us. I thought about the years at home teaching Sunday School and our times on Sunday nights with the teens. I remember feeling sad that those amazing times were ending and  those particular kids had grown up. But just look at what God has given us here! More precious teens (my favorite age even!) to love and cherish, and lambs to feed, with His help. Once again, I am struck by how God uses everything in our life, and brings it around to good for His glory. Yes!

Turns out, it was also good to get my mind off of the day-to-day struggles, pull back, and appreciate how much God has done. God is really working in lives. We lose sight of this a lot here, because we get so focused on the despair and poverty and all the things we are powerless to change. But then, we are forced to slow down. Sometimes, it’s because the truck dies. Or, the country is on a wild five day spree of sin. But the result is the same: we pull back and look at what God HAS done. And this really is cause for celebration!

 Yes, they shall sing of the ways of the Lord and joyfully celebrate His mighty acts, for great is the glory of the Lord. (Psalm 138:5 AMP)

Filed Under: Aningas

Relationships

January 5, 2014 By Leave a Comment

Francisco is Natalia’s uncle. He opens the Catholic Church in the center of Aningas every Sunday night, and leads the service. Tonight, his two children came out to Sunday School at the Galpão.
And, as we were singing, several new kids came in and sat down. There were two benches filled with new little faces. And they listened and took their verses home with them to learn.

So, our Kids’ Festival last week helped us to make new friends. It takes time to build relationships with people. Especially when you come from thousands of miles away and look and talk differently. But people always seem to know when you genuinely love them when God is in it. And when God is in it, it is good.  It’s all about relationships. Jesus said it.

‘And you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength.’
The second is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.”  (Mark 12:30, 31 NASB)

Filed Under: Aningas, Galpao

A Look at the Crowd

December 30, 2013 By Leave a Comment

Over 700 people attended including 475 children under the age of 10 that received prizes. Here’s a look at the crowd-

IMG_2386-2

Filed Under: Aningas
« Previous Page
Next Page »