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At the end of April, we transitioned the hands-on mission portion to the Schnaiders. They have taken the mission as their own and have poured their heart and soul into serving the community along with the faithful volunteers that help everything happen.
Please follow our instagram @associacao_aguaviva for live updates and help us spread the word!
Read on for a summary recap of all the work God is doing through the missionaries and volunteers at Agua Viva.
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Mother's Day Brunch
A moment of restoration and renovation offered to moms in the community. The aim of this event was to help women see their value as beloved daughters of God our Father, experience forgiveness in Jesus Christ, and the power to move forward in the new identity they have received. Many of the women do not have a church home and others have strayed.
Through a time of prayer, worship, reading God's Word, sharing a message of hope, and time of fellowship, this ministry serves women bi-monthly. Rubia organizes these events along with @mulheresintencionaisporcristo which is a group of female volunteers that organize all the coffee chat events at Agua Viva. |
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Church Services
The community is growing and supporting one another taking on initiatives to help meet immediate needs.
Daniel remains supported by the directors including Calvin, Andre, and Fernando. Pastor Fernando is administering the Lord's Supper the last Sunday each month and he and Calvin share their sermons with Daniel, while Andre preaches bi-monthly. His seminary courses are going well.
One young man from the shelter chose to rededicate his life to Christ this past Sunday, and he also attended our worship night. Praising God for that! |
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All the projects that were started are continuing, including:
- Monthly vacation bible school & community birthday party (in May we had 38 kids! 21 from the community and 17 under government care)
- Bi-monthly day retreat for teens in the community and those under government care
- Picking up the homeless men from the shelter to participate in Sunday services
- Bi-monthly women's coffee chat and retreats
- Kids Sunday school
Some new projects that the Schnaiders have started are:
- Guitar lessons for men at the shelter
- Worship nights
At this last vacation bible school and birthday party, we focused on the theme of our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit. We taught about personal hygiene, caring for our bodies, protecting ourselves, and our value. This project took a lot of effort from all parts. One donor pledged to cover an amount that was able to cover all food expenses. A volunteer made and donated the cake. A barber donated his time and gave haircuts to the boys, some had their first ever barber haircut. The female volunteers bought tiaras, nail polish, hair brushes, hair ties, rings, etc for the girls. Agua Viva purchased plastic gems for them to personalize their brushes. The girls from the foster group home made a comment that now they each had their own personal hairbrush.
Daniel created a DIY zip-line and the kids got to use it for the first time. Through the monthly giving donations from the church services, we were able to cover some simple birthday gifts for the June birthdays. And of course, every single donation we receive helps keep this place running and without them, we would not be able to do any outreach activities!
We would also not be able to accomplish any of this without the dedicated volunteers that donate their time the entire day from prep to clean-up. The volunteer help is now being organized by Rubia, and she is also now the one in communication with the government employees that oversee the foster group homes.
The worship night was organized by the members of Agua Viva, under the ministry @intencionais_ministerio and joined together 50 or so people on a cold and rainy night from several denominations to worship together as one Church.
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While we don't send a newsletter out every month, you can follow all the work that is being done by following @associacao_aguaviva. Please help us continue this mission by honoring your pledges and consider giving. All amounts help and have greatly blessed this community.
1. Give Online
Donate securely:
Credit card or bank account through paypal:
2. Mail a Check
Make payable to: Smoldering Wick Foundation
Mail to: 1632 Kapok St SW
DeMotte, Indiana 46310
3. Bank Transfer
Email us at: retiroaguaviva@smolderingwickfoundation.org
And we will provide the necessary banking details for foundation.
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June will be another busy month with our on-going church services, Sunday school, kid VBS & birthday party, guitar lessons, and teen camp.
Please be in prayer for God to continue to open doors and hearts, please pray for health for Rubia as she struggles with her on-going health problems, and please pray that we can continue to fund this ministry together.
Daniel and Rubia have been maintaining the property beautifully, creating new garden spaces, pressure washing, painting, creating a new bike rack, bunny house, etc, all with the goal of creating a space of fun and rest in the presence of God. They have made Agua Viva their home and are faithfully serving God as missionaries. |
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May God himself, the God of peace, sanctify you through and through. May your whole spirit, soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do it.
1 Thessalonians 5:23-24 |
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The Hamstra Family
Calvin, Lorena, Josiah and Jonah
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