It was quite an undertaking, traveling by boat to England, we had our van full with Davi and Dilma, 12 big plastic boxes with food, presents and games, a wheelchair, but what a lot of fun it was!
We were able to celebrate 2 birthdays: Igor our grandson's birthday was December 24, and Davi was born on December 25. Pies, turkey, all kind of Christmas cakes and deserts, it was one big party, where together we got to celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus.
Look for the differences! :)
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| The drawing of the family was made before the picture! |
We ended the week with a family thanksgiving service, in which each person shared what he or she thanked the Lord God for, and each played a worship song that had touched them the most in the past year. What a special evening that turned out to be! How grateful we are to God! What a privilege and blessing, and at the same time we also realize, that there are so many families around the world where big problems have broken the shalom.
For those, the song: "I speak Jesus" is a beautiful song, which we may then pray together:
I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
'Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus.
I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
'Til every dark addiction starts to break
Declaring there is hope and there is freedom
I speak Jesus.
'Cause Your name is power
Your name is healing
Your name is life
Break every stronghold
Shine through the shadows
Burn like a fire.
I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over fear and all anxiety
To every soul held captive by depression
I speak Jesus.
Shout Jesus from the mountains
Jesus in the streets
Jesus in the darkness over every enemy
Jesus for my family
I speak the holy name
Jesus, oh,
I just wanna speak the name of Jesus
Over every heart and every mind
'Cause I know there is peace within Your presence
I speak Jesus.
Ina
Similarly, we would like to ask you for prayer for Johan's sister, Ina, who had a serious accident with her bicycle last Wednesday. She is seriously injured in the hospital. Will you also pray for her and her family?
Health of Davi
After Davi had erysipelas 6 times last year, it was quite scary to take such a big a trip with him to England for Christmas. But fortunately, it all went very well. He now has a constant maintenance dose of antibiotics, which is going well, as long as he has no other problems like flu or corona. He remains very vulnerable. But if you think for a moment, aren't we all really? We live in a very vulnerable world, in which we need to choose daily to trust Jesus, to put our lives in God's hands. To ask his grace for us, our neighbors and those in need in so many places of war and violence around the world.
Five schools and two online courses
Right now, we are back making lots of plans for this year. Five Children at Risk Schools are planned: in the Netherlands, Brazil (2x), USA and India. These schools will be held at different Youth with a Mission campuses and will last three months each. In three of these schools, we hope to teach classes this year.
We are also in the process of organizing the second module of the online course on working with children in need, so that we can run it in April. It are actually 2 courses: one in Portuguese, the other in English. We have had the opportunity to teach and encourage hundreds of students in this way in recent years. They are mostly young missionaries, working in difficult circumstances with children in need. For more information about this course, you can take a look at this website: https://www.childrenatriskschools.com/online-seminar
Thank you very much again for reading this letter, being supportive with prayers, gifts, visits and cards. How beautiful that we can do our work together with you. What a great encouragement you are to us! We wish you God's rich blessing!
Prayer points
Similarly, we would like to ask you for prayer for Johan's sister, Ina, who had a serious accident with her bicycle last Wednesday. She is seriously injured in the hospital. Will you also pray for her and her family?
Health of Davi
After Davi had erysipelas 6 times last year, it was quite scary to take such a big a trip with him to England for Christmas. But fortunately, it all went very well. He now has a constant maintenance dose of antibiotics, which is going well, as long as he has no other problems like flu or corona. He remains very vulnerable. But if you think for a moment, aren't we all really? We live in a very vulnerable world, in which we need to choose daily to trust Jesus, to put our lives in God's hands. To ask his grace for us, our neighbors and those in need in so many places of war and violence around the world.
Five schools and two online courses
Right now, we are back making lots of plans for this year. Five Children at Risk Schools are planned: in the Netherlands, Brazil (2x), USA and India. These schools will be held at different Youth with a Mission campuses and will last three months each. In three of these schools, we hope to teach classes this year.
We are also in the process of organizing the second module of the online course on working with children in need, so that we can run it in April. It are actually 2 courses: one in Portuguese, the other in English. We have had the opportunity to teach and encourage hundreds of students in this way in recent years. They are mostly young missionaries, working in difficult circumstances with children in need. For more information about this course, you can take a look at this website: https://www.childrenatriskschools.com/online-seminar
Thank you very much again for reading this letter, being supportive with prayers, gifts, visits and cards. How beautiful that we can do our work together with you. What a great encouragement you are to us! We wish you God's rich blessing!
Prayer points
- Thank God with us for the wonderful time we were able to spend with our family.
- Pray with us for Ina and her family.
- Pray also for Davi's health.
- Pray for the students of the 5 Children at Risk Schools and the online seminars, that they may learn a lot, be encouraged and reach many children with God's love.
