Wedding Bells

In just 45 days, I will become Mrs. Ferreira.  Actually, it will probably be Helring-Ferreira because Lucivan wants to actually exchange names.  I never really thought about it but he wants to do that as a way of honoring my family and really becoming one. So we will be the Helring-Ferreira's haha.  That is a mouthful ;)!

Many people have been asking my mom and me how they can send gifts due to the wedding and us being out of the country.  I did some research online and found a great registry site that is a bit different.  If you would like to be a part of the wedding in some way, please check out the following link.  It tells a little of our story, has some details about the wedding and a few pictures.  I will be updating it as time gets a little closer.

lucivanandclaire.mydagsite.com/

We appreciate all of your prayers during this time as we are about to make a huge transition.  Of course, it is a very exciting one as well!

Blessings!

Claire (and Lucivan)

Here Comes the Bride and other news...

My poor blog has been quite abandoned recently.  Most of you follow me on Facebook or at least try to with all my posts in Portuguese (sorry about that haha).  So for those who don't already know, I am getting married on May 25th here in Brazil!  My future husband, Lucivan, is from this area and we have known each other for over 2 1/2 years. We are very excited with less than 3 months to go til the big day.  My parents and sister will be coming down to share in our joy and we couldn't be happier.  We got engaged back in July but our official engagement in front of the church was on February 2nd.  We decided to be a bit different and get engaged during the monthly youth/young adult service which was a packed house!  Here are a few pictures of the church engagement.

With wedding plans in full force, time is very precious.  Both of us are very involved in the church ministry here of discipleship and cell groups.  I have 4 disciples and a cell group in my house every week.  Lu has 5 disciples and 2 cell groups that he leads and supervises each week.  We have made a decision to really invest in the lives of these young people.  We are all so close that we act like a family with our disciples calling us "mom" and "dad" and we call them "daughter" and "son" and they call each other "brother" and "sister".  We made a commitment as a "family" to fast each Wednesday together for different purposes and to about once a month get together for a time of prayer and worship.  We know that this is what is going to make the difference in our lives, their lives and in the lives' of others around us.  Once we get married, we will be able to join forces to be even more effective in ministry.  We are praying for the Lord's direction as to His will for us but until then, we are here serving Him in this region.  Here are a few pictures of our "family"...

Part of the family :)

With my disciple Mari

With my disciple Renice

With my disciple Isabel

With an upcoming marriage, my expenses (ours actually) have gone up and will be going up more.  I would like to ask you to prayerfully consider joining with us on a monthly basis in support or sending a one time gift to help us continue working in the lives of these young people and investing in our cell groups.  Thank you so much for your prayers and support throughout the years.  May the Lord bless each of you!

Address to send donations (please put my name in the memo):

Project AmaZon
PO Box 3253Peoria, IL 61612

Link for online giving (donation to make sure to select my name):

http://www.projectamazon.org/footer/donate/?category=listmissionaries

Prayer requests:

- Wedding plans

- Marriage - God's love to reign in our home

- Disciples and Cell groups

ORU and Parintins

For 3 weeks, I had the privilege of accompanying a great group of young people from Oral Roberts University to the island city of Parintins.  Each year, I accompany the teams that come from this college and we always make a trip to Parintins but this year we stayed the entire time there as opposed to doing other trips close to Santarem.  It took my responsibility to another level and it was a stretch to be away from "home" for so long.  The trip was amazing and team even better.  I fit right in with them and they seemed to like me haha.  In Parintins we had several different opportunities, being construction work, visiting a local English school and giving out Bibles, taking a river trip to two communities, doing a presentation in a local elementary school and many opportunities for the team to preach, share testimonies and do skits.  The local PAZ church in Parintins is growing leaps and bounds and is currently in the process of having their new building built.  Right now they have two packed services on Sunday's and are still growing.  The team helped with the beginning stages of the project and even during our 3 weeks, we were able to see much progress.  My main role was in translating during services and other events.  The team was able to visit several times a local English school as an evangelistic tool.  One day in particular there was a nice breakfast setup for us and the students where each student was given a Bible as a gift.  Praise the Lord for the work He is doing in Parintins, which for those of you have followed the blog for the past few years, know that it's a city with a very demonic festival each year.  The festival was this past week but during our stay we did a prayer walk and prayed breaking down strongholds over that city and over the people.  Parintins will be known as a city for Jesus and not the festival of the bull!  Here are some pictures of the trip:

                         After a Sunday service celebrating a couple of birthdays

                        A 15th birthday party - cultural experience for the team

                                     Out on the river, on top of the boat =)

                                                Church Construction

                                    Giving a Children's Bible to a young girl

                                      With some of the English students

At the PAZ church in Vila Amazonia

                       Translating a Sunday message given by team leader, Jessica

                 The team with Pastor Samuel and the Portuguese Bibles they received

                                         At a local elementary school

                                   Youth service w/ such a pretty little girl

                                                          The team

Starting tonight is our annual Congresso.  A 3-night evangelistic crusade in the soccer stadium.  Please be in prayer for the event, for protection for the people working and participating and for many salvations.

Thank you for your prayers and support =)

Not your ordinary Tuesday...

The last week in April, I had the privilege of traveling with a medical team from Joyce Meyer's Ministries.  Their team was around 30 people which made our whole group 70+ with boat 3 different boat crews, missionaries, cooks and brazilian pastors.  We traveled to the small city of Curuá where 5 days of dental and medical clinics and ministry were awaiting us.  At the end of the week, over 3,000 people received treatment and 484 made decisions for Christ!

As I mentioned in my last blog, I was scheduled to translate for a midwife from Denmark.  The first day of clinics we were able to see many pregnant women and even do ultrasounds on them.  It was quite an emotional experience seeing their faces when they saw their baby for the first time.  I joked around wondering if we would have any deliveries during our 5 days of clinics...well, that brings me to the "not so ordinary Tuesday"...

The day began just like any other day.  We were up early and arrived at the clinic about  7:30 to be greeted by huge lines of patients waiting.  As Christina (midwife) and I arrived in our room, one of the local nurses came announcing that at the other end of the building a lady had just given birth.  We quickly ran down to the room where I had the privilege (had no choice haha) to see up close the process in the first couple of hours after birth.  It was a stretch for me as I don't like hospitals and blood but at the same time it was an amazing experience (once my head stopped spinning haha).  That was just the beginning of the adrenaline for the day.  For the rest of the day several women came in with labor pains.  One was sent off on a speed boat to get an emergency C-section as her baby was breech.  Around 4pm a woman arrived in extreme pain and wanting to push.  The problem was that she was only 7 months pregnant and Curuá doesn't have the adequate facilities for a pre-term birth.  She was only dilated 3cm. but it was her 7th child which worried the midwife and a neo natal nurse on the team.  With the river being very dangerous to go by speed boat, our only choice was to take a pickup truck with all of us (driver, midwife, neo natal nurse, pregnant woman and myself as the translator) piled in for a 2 1/2 hour bumpy ride to the nearest city with a hospital and pray to God that the woman didn't give birth along the way.  We prayed that God would stop her labor as we started our journey.  We got to the city of Obidos around 8pm and praise the Lord the labor had stopped and she was still only at 3cm.  They decided to admit her to the hospital though to keep an eye on her and the baby.  We made sure she was taken care of before stopping to get some dinner and heading back for another 2 1/2 hour bumpy ride back to Curuá.  We arrived around midnight and I was exhausted.  That's what I call adventure in missions!  Here are some pictures from the trip:

                                               The team in Curuá

                                             Lines to get medical treatment

                                                 The city of Curuá

                                    Sweet baby girl born on Tuesday morning

          On the way to the hospital...mom in between midwife & neo-natal nurse

Mission accomplished...leaving the hospital in Obidos with Midwife Christina & our driver

        Cutest little baby that just laughed so much when I smiled at her at the hospital

                                                   Precious angel

Stay tuned for the next update next week about my 3 week trip to Parintins with the ORU team...thanks for all prayers and support!

Claire

Highlight Reel...

Since my last post I have been on two river trips, participated in our yearly youth/young adult camp during Carnaval and been working with cell group and discipleship ministry among other things.  Here is a quick highlight about each one:

• Trip to Orivis:  I went back to the community of Orivis with a team from Canada.  It was a team of all men and they were ready to do lots of construction.  This trip I was the main translator so I translated in the 2 services that were held and also took the team members to make house visits and share the Gospel.  It was a wonderful trip and since then, the church building has been completed and inaugurated.  Praise the Lord!
• Famintos Por Deus Acamp (Hungry for God Camp):  I went as a camper for our 5 day long camp.  It was an amazing time in the presence of God.  The main theme was being hungry for God and the importance of intimacy with the Lord.  Of course, it was a lot of fun too with old friends and making new friends.
• Trip to Estrada D:  This trip was with Seacoast Church from SC.  I look forward to this team coming every year because they have become like family to me.  We headed to the city of Monte Alegre by a speed boat and from there went out by trucks to the community Estrada D.  There the project was the roof and floor of the church building.  This trip was different because we didn't have our PAZ boat.  We stayed at a campgrounds and each day went to the work site.  It presented many challenges but God did and is still doing a mighty work in Monte Alegre, Estrada D and other nearby places.  
• Cell group and Discipleship:  Recently, I had become pretty down with my cell group and the fact that it wasn't growing.  Praise the Lord because now we are having visitors and most haven't made decisions for Christ yet or are away from Him.  Please be praying for each one to make a strong commitment to walk with Christ.  I also am currently discipling 4 young girls.  It is a blessing and a big responsibility to be leading these young women in the ways of the Lord.

Tomorrow, I am heading out with a team to the community of Curuá.  It is a community of around 17,000 people so it is very large in comparison to the places we typically go.  We will be taking 3 boats.  The team of 31 come from different places in the US and all over the world.  They are mostly health professionals.  We will be doing 5 days straight of health clinics.  I will be translating for a lady from Denmark who is a registered midwife.  Maybe we will be delivering some babies haha.  Who knows?!  I do know that God has a mighty work planned for this trip.  Please be praying and I will be ready to give a report when I arrive home in Santarém.  

Some pictures from the last couple of trips...

Church in Orivis

Making a house visit :)

It was dead and I was still freaking out haha

Friends in Orivis

Estrada D

Translating

Local worker's precious little girl

Children showing off the salvation bracelets :)

Orivis and a Landmark Event in Santarém

Two weeks ago I set off on a 6 hour boat ride to the community of Orivis alongside a team from New York state, fellow missionaries and our brazilian team. Our goal was to work on the beginning stages of a wooden church building; as well as, evangelism in homes, children's activities and services at night. Each trip my roll is slightly different but generally I work with children or do home visits. This time I was on the "construction crew". We carried a lot of wood. It was hard work in the hot sun but it was also a nice time of fellowship getting to know the team as we were walking along carrying the big pieces of wood. I also learned about several tools on the trip as I spent some time as the assistant to the "boss". Basically that meant him asking me to grab him whatever tools he needed haha. But hey now I know what a plum bob is and how to start a generator and I know the names of more tools in portuguese :). Just cause I am the daughter of a carpenter doesn't mean I have any knowledge or experience in the area! We held two services during our stay, one in Orivis and one in Januário where a work was started this year. I had the opportunity to lead several of the team members in doing a children's program at the local school. We sang songs, played some games, presented the Gospel using a bracelet and even played kazoos. Here are a few pics from the trip:

Some of our wood carrying helpers!

Beginning stages and some of the wood we carried

Service in Orivis

Service

Last week, I was witness to an event that greatly impacted my life. I was able to be a part of a baptism of 1,467 people. I can't describe the emotion of seeing so many people taking the step to be water baptized as a symbol of the work Jesus has already done in their lives and their decisions to "bury" the old self and live as a new creation in Jesus. In less than 2 hours, everyone was baptized. Here are some pics to see the incredible work Jesus is doing here in Santarém and the Amazon through PAZ:

The line to get into the baptism

Lots of people!

Waiting...

As the year is coming to a close, I want to thank each of you for your prayers and support. Without them it would not be possible for me to be here. Prayerfully consider making a tax-deductible donation before the end of the year and also the possibility of the joining with me on a regular basis in 2012. May God bless you and your family! Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Livin' the Vision!

MDA Conference:

In my last post, I mentioned the upcoming MDA Conference and my houseguest from São Paulo arriving. The conference was an amazing blessing. There were over 2,000 participants from 23 Brazilian states and 5 other countries. The majority of the sessions were about discipleship and cell groups but the main speaker, Pastor Eddy Leo from Indonesia, talked about being a dwelling place for God. It was such a simple message but at the same time so profound. We can do so many things for the Lord but if we aren't first a dwelling place for His presence than it is in vain. Our relationship with Him needs to be priority. It is so neat to see people from all over coming to learn about cell group churches and the importance of discipleship. Praise the Lord for such an amazing time! During the conference, I had the opportunity to host Silvania from São Paulo in my home. I was hesitant at first because I didn't know her but it was one of the best experiences. In a matter of a couple of days we already had become great friends. God blessed my life through having Sil in my house.

Sil and I at the conference.

Cell Group Multiplication Party & Cell Group Celebration:

During the MDA Conference there is a big cell group multiplication party. All of the groups that are going to multiply and even those that aren't multiplying yet have a party during the Wednesday night cell group time. There is a quick message live on a local TV station where we all countdown together and set off firecrackers. In Santarém there are over 6,500 cell groups. Can you imagine that many firecrackers going off all at the same time?! It is an incredible thing to witness. My cell group didn't multiply this time but we still had a fun time of fellowship. Friday and Saturday during conference week there is also the Cell Group Celebration where everyone goes to the local stadium dressed in the color of their cell group region (mine is green). It is a beautiful site all of the colors in the stadium. There were dance presentations, music and Pastor Eddy Leo preached.

Cell Group "Princesses of the King"

Blessing over cell group leaders

A full house with guests from Manaus

Vanessa, Silvania and me at the Cell Group Celebration

Colorful Stadium!

The presentation forming the letters MDA and the MDA heart which has at the center one-on-one discipleship

Love Joy Team:

Friday there is a team arriving from New York. It has been awhile since we have had a team. I get the chance to go back out on the river. We will be going to the community of Orivis Sunday night and arriving back on Friday before noon. Be looking for an update when I get back :)

Please be praying for safe travels. Be back soon!