Trip preparations are almost complete. These pictures show 7 of our 9 team members. We had a great day Saturday going over our Bible lessons, packing supplies, and spending time in prayer for our up-coming trip. We also were thrilled to be prayed for by both churches represented by our group: Lakeside of Folsom and Bayside Auburn. We will be leaving VERY early Thursday morning...arriving in Sao Paulo about 24 hours later. We will immediately be off to Camp California to prepare for receiving our first group of about 50 kids for a weekend camp.
Specific prayer requests: for God to be preparing the hearts of the kids that we will be bringing the good news to...both at the camps and in our ministry opportunities throughout the week; for God to be working in the lives of our team members to grow us more like Him in all that we say and do; for finances to continue to come in (several of our team members are still way short of the funds they needed to raise); for family and loved ones left behind; for safety in our travels and during our ministry times; and for the people and staff of Restoration Ministries that we will be working with: that we can bring them encouragement and times of joy and refreshment. A very specific request for the ministry....one of their staff members, Rodrigo (better known as Italia) was in a VERY serious accident on Friday late afternoon. He was with a team from Arcade Baptist, also from the Sacramento area, and as they were returning from their afternoon street program, he stepped off the bus to cross the street to buy something. He was hit by a motorcycle. He was helicoptered to the hospital (not so uncommon in the US....very rare in Brazil) and is intensive care, in a coma with severe skull and spine injuries. He is an outstanding young man and a very vital part of their ministry staff. Please be praying for miraculous healing...but that God's will be done in the situation. Sometimes it is so hard to see how God can bring good out of situations like this. But we know that He promises in His word that is exactly what He does. "All things work together for His good"....we sing that song but need to actually let the words sink into our lives.
To all of you, thank you for your support and your prayers. Please feel free to comment back on this blog and the postings while we are gone. Our first updates on the trip will come on Sunday night when we return to Sao Paulo from the camp. We will try to update as often as possible and to post lots of pictures.
Muito obrigada (thanks very much in Portuguese). God bless.
Diane Slusher
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