Newsletter november 2011

Dear friends,
What a great conference we had about human trafficking recently here in Belo Horizonte! We had been preparing for this for almost over a year. In the middle of all the preparation I would ask myself every now and then what we had started…. The plans started when we did a brainstorming meeting about how we would celebrate our 25^th anniversary of the YWAM base in Belo Horizonte. Yes it has already been 25 years that we first started the Rescue House , and with a small team reached out to the street kids in the center of the city. Since then the base has grown to the point that now we have 8 centers that reach out to various needs in the city. Hundreds of workers and volunteers have dedicated part of their lives to minister to the children at risk. Thousands of children have been touched by the Love of God through all these different initiatives both in Belo Horizonte and in other cities in Brazil and around the world.

 25 years the leaders of YWAM Belo Horizonte

Giving thanks to God with a congress about human trafficking

But we didn’t just want a celebration. We wanted to find a way to give thanks to God for the privilege it has been to be able to do this work. But how do you thank God in a proper way? We didn’t just want to do something with words, but rather do something practical, … something that would really bring joy to God. He is our loving Father who knows all the needs around the world and He wants to share some of the pain about the sin and injustice He feels with us. We believe that God is pleased when people get involved and start reaching out to those in need and try to make the world a better and more just place to live. Over the last years we had been confronted over and over with the growing problem of human trafficking and sexual exploitation of children and teenagers. We started to dream about the possibility to see a new ministry being born through which children and teens that are being trafficked for sexual exploitation, can get an opportunity for a new life.

A part of the more than 200 young people who participated in our seminar.

A new team,

The best way to realize this was to organize a conference to cause awareness for Christians. And at the same time we were praying that various people would feel called to start a ministry against human trafficking. And it looks like it really happened! Various people came forward to form a new team.

Our seventh grandchild: Elina

During this special week of commemoration we were also blessed with our seventh grandchild, Elina, the third daughter of Johanneke and Jonathan. I was able to be there during the delivery, so special. We are so thankful to God for this beautiful family.

A very proud grandfather!

Things are taking off…

We have already seen different effects because of the congress about human trafficking. Johan was invited to a meeting with the ministry of justice with the result that one of our staff was able to participate in a national program for prevention of human trafficking. One of the most popular Christian singers, Nivea Soares, has invited us to pray during one of her shows against human trafficking and give a presentation about it. In 2 weeks’ time there is going to be a big interdenominational church conference where we have been asked to give another presentation. We don’t know where all of this will lead, but please join us in praying against human trafficking and sexual exploitation.

Financial pressure

In YWAM, Youth with A Mission, the organization we work with, nobody receives a salary, but everyone is encouraged to form a personal support group. In this way we have already been living through the help of friends, family and churches. What a miracle! With our family of  five kids, we had never lacked anything. Yes, sometimes the budget was tight, but we are so thankful for God’s provision during all those years, and we would like to express our gratefulness to all who have been part of this over the years. However, lately prices of basic products have been raised quite a bit and foreign currency has devaluated a lot. Some people had to stop their support because of financial problems themselves, and others adopted other persons or projects. As a result, our budget has been very tight lately.

Every bit helps!

That’s the reason we would like to ask those who have been following our news and been praying for us to consider becoming part of our financial support team through one time gift or monthly donations. This would help us tremendously in consolidating the future of our ministry. Please see the donation details on our page "donations and contact info" . Thanks to all who are connected with us in this way.

Christmas and the year 2012

And of course we want to wish all of you a very significant Christmas season, and a new year full of God’s blessings where you will experience His joy and grace and be aware of His constant presence in all your ways.

Johan and Jeannette Lukasse

Please join with us in prayer and thanks giving.

·         Give thanks to God for the tremendous congress against human trafficking we had. And pray for those who feel called and the new team that is forming.

·         Thank Him for the opportunities that are appearing even on national levels to act against human trafficking. Pray for wisdom in the midst of these opportunities.

·         Give thanks for all the people who have supported us during the last 31 years. Pray for a good level of support for the future.

A photo journal!

A photo story about the congress and seminar we organized here in Belo Horizonte against Human Trafficking.

It started with a lunch in our house for a group of 35 people who were member of justice department, police, politicians, directors of NGO’s, etc.

Beautifully set tables....

Nice food...

Our son in law Jonathan designed a very nice T-shirt against human trafficking that Johan is showing in this picture.

He explains to everyone how important it is to join efforts against human trafficking.

Kevin Austin, one off the leaders of NotforSale, explains that in many poor countries you can buy a child for the price of a cup of coffee. So chocking!

The lunch was a great success. 

In the evening we had the congress in a big church. A TV station was there to interview us.

Luciana, the leader of the Reborn Hope House, started the evening reading part of my book, “A cry from the streets”. During this congress we also commemorated the 25 year jubilee of the base.

Mati, the hero from the first chapter of my book, came from Recife to celebrate with us.

The musicians from Kings Kids lead us in worship.

Edivando, one of the ex-street boys, now leading the Restoration house, gave his testimony..

For Dilma, our deaf daughter, everything was translated in sign language.

Johan explains why we celebrated our 25th jubilee with a congress against human trafficking.

Felipe, the leader of the Light house, was the MC.

We joined all our staff on the podium.

Jacob and Elly, our longtime friends and representatives in Holland, were our special honored guests.

It was a very special time.

The kids from the different ministries did a dance.

We received flowers and many big hugs.

Afterwards my book was at sale.

After three evenings of Congress in the church, we started three days of seminar, an intensive training for 200 people at the YWAM base in Contagem.

Tijs, the leader of our FCD, started with a clear presentation.

Everyone received a nice hand out in English or Portuguese.

I did a presentation about our YWAM base in Belo Horizonte.

“Uncle Pedro”, leader of the impact ministries, told a powerful story about the outreach in the red light district.

Prayer and worship.

It was a very intense time, but very worthwhile. Shortly we hope to see a new team start, specifically against human trafficking, with influence not just in our city but all through Brazil. This will be very important, knowing that the World cup will come to Brazil in 2014, with games in 12 cities. Please pray with us.

Short video about the YWAM Base in Belo Horizonte, Brazil

UofN Workshop|Reaching Cities|Johan Lukasse from connectingpixels on Vimeo.

We are busy organizing a Congress "Stop Human Trafficking" The link to the blog we made for this event you can find here!

http://www.ywambelo25years.blogspot.com/

Newsletter July 2011

Dear friends,

After a wonderful time in Holland, we are now back in Brazil for more than a month. A question that people ask us every now and then: “As YWAM base leaders, what do you guys do exactly, what are your activities in a regular week?” Maybe it is time to have a look over our shoulder…

Monday: We start every morning with an hour of Bible reading, prayer and reflection. Then Johan fixes breakfast, including soft boiled eggs and coffee with whipped hot milk! We go over our weekly schedule together and have a time of intercession. At 8:30 AM we are ready to go to our office, comfortably at our own home, each one behind our own computer. Like always, there are lots of emails to read and answer, which we mostly do in between major tasks. Last week the newsletter of the YWAM base of Belo Horizonte was written and edited, and this week I’ll get to send it. Since last year we have two separate newsletters, one for the base, and one which is our personal news (this very one). Initially this creates a little more work, but eventually other people will be taking over the base newsletter. So I quickly send the base newsletter to the YWAM mailing list, jump in the car and go to the Light House, our community center in one of the slums, where I am teaching for two mornings in the FCD (Foundations in Community Development School). This is one of the three schools we are offering on the base. Johan and myself teach regularly in those schools. I get there at 9:00 AM sharp. Johan continues at home in the office, preparing for a meeting he will have on Wednesday morning, and also for a sermon on Thursday evening. Between things, he solves administrative issues with some of the staff. Today he gets the job to cook lunch. We try to keep that as practical possible, and have a load of little food containers with rice and beans in the freezer in order to prepare lunch fast. When I get home at a quarter to one, all I need to do is to sit down and eat. It`s delicious!

In the afternoon we have a meeting with our base council, a group of 15 people that carry together the responsibility for the base, which today consist of 8 operation locations and 100 fulltime missionaries. We host those meetings in our own home. I quickly prepare some coffee and snacks and at 1:30 PM we are ready to start. We normally finish at 5:00 PM, but today it extents till 5:30.

In the evening we spend a little more time to bring our emails up to date.

Tuesday. After breakfast and prayer, I’ll check my emails before I rush off to teach again in the FCD. Johan needs to do various things at the bank.

In the afternoon we have our weekly meetings with all the department leaders. We take time to pray together, do a training session, and discuss various subjects that relate to the functioning of the work.

At 6:00 PM we put our sport clothes on. Johan goes for a run, while I go to the fitness center on the next corner of our city block. My left foot is partly paralyzed, and I use an orthopedic piece to keep it straight. But on the treadmill I can hold on to the handles, and happily keep going for a few kilometers. After an hour we are both home again and fix dinner. Today will be extra special, because we are receiving a couple of young leaders from one of the departments of the base. It will be a cozy evening in front of our fire place that keeps the place comfortable during the winter months.

On Wednesday I take an extended time to put my correspondence in order. I read and respond scores of emails. In the meantime, Johan has a monthly administration meeting with representatives of each ministry.

In the afternoon I have a reporting time with our communication team and right after start preparing our new weblog for our congress and seminar about human trafficking we are organizing for the end of September – beginning of October. Johan sits down with the missionaries that will staff the Children at Risk school with him, which starts at the end of August.

Wednesday night is separated every week to something special for just the two of us. Today we decide to rent a DVD. Johan prepares a special hamburger sandwich, which he proudly calls McLukasse . We enjoy a good movie together.

Thursday: Two masons are coming to do some repair work on the house. Well, that will give some extra excitement. We sit together to decide all that needs doing. Then we go over the details for the afternoon meeting with the team that will organize the congress and seminar about human trafficking. Johan finishes his Bible study in Power Point for the service tonight, and downloads a clip from YouTube. On Thursday evenings we have our weekly service with staff and other members of our YWAM community. Tonight is going to be extra special because of the graduation of our DTS (Discipleship Training School). I fix lunch today and make a cake and coffee at the same time for the afternoon meeting.

So in the afternoon we decide a lot of things and leave with the sense that the congress and seminar about human trafficking will be very special indeed.

In the evening there is a sudden rainstorm. Trees are knocked over, rain pours down, and the city becomes chaotic as in many neighborhoods the electricity is cut off. Our service starts half an hour late in an improvised room, because the main auditorium got flooded. But the enthusiasm and excitement is contagious. The little film and the preaching from Johan is well accepted, and we finish the evening with two huge chocolate cakes!

On Friday I need to go with Dilma to the doctor because of her medical insurance. They need to confirm if she is really deaf. They phoned the other day and asked to talk to her so they could ask about her deafness, well that was a bit complicated to arrange!  Johan takes us there by car so he can swing by the flower market where he buys some beautiful roses for me in honor of the Brazilian Valentine’s Day on Sunday 12th of June.

The remainder of the day is spent in doing more emails, the writing of an article about human trafficking, and a Skype meeting with the people of Notforsale, the organization that will provide the teachers for the congress and seminar about human trafficking at the end of September.

At night we relax in our easy chairs with a good book and some magazines.

On Saturday I visit the fitness Center again, while Johan takes his mountain bike and goes cycling with some friends in the mountains. After our workout, we go to a big construction depot to buy materials for the house.

In the afternoon Dilma comes home. During the week she helps in the Sower House, the project with the deaf children. Today they had an extra program for the moms of the kids. I update our blogs in English and Dutch. Johan fixes some lights around the house, and Dilma makes 3D postcards, her new hobby.

In the evening I watch a part of the ER series, and Johan reads a book.

Sunday. In the morning we go to church. Have a late lunch around 3:00 PM, and in the evening we go to another church to give a presentation. When we get home it´s a bit late and time for a cup of tea, and soon we roll into our beds because tomorrow will start a busy week!

I hope this will give you a little bit of an idea how our lives are organized. We are very thankful to able to work here and give leadership to this YWAM base with its 100 staff and various houses and departments that attend to hundreds of children at risk with the love of God.

Without the support of those who pray, give and participate in various ways, this would not be possible. We are very thankful to those of you who help us in any way.

May God bless you all richly.
Johan and Jeannette Lukasse

Prayer and thanksgiving points:
• Thank God for the lives of the young leaders we have the privilege to train and mentor here at the base. Pray that they will reach their full potential in God.
• Thank God for the team preparing the congress and seminar about human trafficking. Pray that many people will be motivated to reach out to children forced into prostitution.

Just some nice pictures:

Bruno’s wedding! Bruno was one of the ex street kids who lived in the Restoration House from when he was 12 years old. Now he is a missionary to children at risk himself! He married a beautiful girl and together they plan to work with children in need in Vitoria, a city at the coast of Brazil. It is a wonderful party where we meet a whole group of our ex-street boys and girls, who all have become missionaries. What an encouragement!

Eva, our youngest grandchild, who had her first birthday.

Together we admire her birthday cake!

With our grandchildren "western style".

Little house on the prairie? No: our wonderful family!

Presentation in English and Dutch, furlough 2011 in Holland

Presentation we gave during our furlough in 2011 in Holland

View more presentations from JeannetteLukasse

Our furlough in Holland

At the beach in Holland in February, so cold – it´s winter!!

At the end of January, we went on a three month furlough to Holland. It was great to be able to spend time with family& friends and also do presentations around the country. We had various opportunities to share in different churches, seminaries, schools and also at the YWAM bases in Amsterdam and Heideek. We were also invited to women´s & family meetings. Johan and I also had two opportunities to give interviews; one on a radio program and another with a newspaper agency while we were in Holland.  We visited many people and received many into our home. It was a great time and we enjoyed every minute of it. It was a time to renew friendships and strengthen bonds.

We were deeply encouraged by so many who actively participated with us – standing with us in prayer, keeping in touch and blessing us with financial support!

With the students from a missionary course.

Teaching at the YWAM base, Heidebeek, where we did our DTS (Discipleship training School) 31 years ago.

In the presentation we gave all over Holland, we shared about the needs of “Children at Risk”.

Our definition of children at risk: “Children who are at risk are those who are unable to reach their potential that God has planned (dreamed) for them”.

Why would a ministry with children be so marvelous and important??

1.      Because of the Great Commission: Preach the gospel to all. This includes of course - Children who in various parts of the world make up more than 50% of the population!

2.      Children have their whole life before them; this is contrary to adults, whom in most part – have already lived a big chunk of their lives!

3.      Children are more accessible and open to God.

4.      Children are like arrows, they can go further than we can reach. It’s our way to influence the future.

5.      Jesus gave priority to children.

6.      The devil also prioritizes children!

Prayer points for Children at Risk:

• 1 billion children live in absolute poverty.

• 35.000 children die daily because of malnutrition and preventable diseases

• 15 million are orphans because their parents died of AIDS.

• 40 million babies are aborted each year around the globe.

• 100 million children live on the streets worldwide.

• 10 million children and teenagers make a living as prostitutes and each year, another million are forced to join their ranks.
• Approximately 100 to 200 million children do not go to school because they are victims of child labor.
• 300.000 children are soldiers in various armies and militias around the world.

 

The last month of our time in Holland was more relaxing, where we were able to spend time just with close friends and relatives. We also had quality times with our children and grand children, as we were altogether in one place for the first time in 6 years!

Pieter and Melissa already live in Holland with their children. Dilma came together with Johanneke and Jonathan and their 2 daughters in the beginning of April. Michele and Romeu and their children traveled with Johan and me and stayed also in Holland for three months. Davi has already been living in Holland for the last three years. He surprised us in this trip by deciding to  get baptized. What a full load of blessings!!

Davi ´s baptism!

In April it was hot enough to have water fights in the garden!

Of course we did a lot of shopping J But what to do with all of these grandchildren??

A small segment of the Lukasse family! Beginning with Johan’s parents they are already numbering 117 members!

Against such number, my sister´s and my own family cannot compete yet, but we are tryingJ

Look at how far we have come!!! (36)

We are now back in Brazil for almost a month - lots of work and challenges are before us!

To al who have participated with us and who are praying and supporting us, we say a BIG THANK YOU for your encouragement and love! We wish you Gods richest blessings.

Do continue to stand with us in prayer!

With lots of love,

Johan and Jeannette Lukasse