Pastor Flavio Comes to the USA

Please keep Pastor Flavio and Mercia in your prayers as Mercia is pregnant with their first child. Flavio will be making a trip to Ohio and Kansas for a couple weeks in September, his first trip to the USA, and their first time apart.

Please pray for wisdom, as traveling to the USA is difficult, especially when you don't speak English (Pastor Flavio speaks "Flavish," and is very creative with his communication). Also, please pray for the meetings he has planned, that he would stay healthy in the busy schedule, and be able to truly share his heart and vision for the ministry. 

VBS with Morning Star

Morning Star Friends church assisted Cajueiro Claro (and many other friends/volunteers) to have an amazing VBS for the kids at Cajueiro and Mussurepe:

We are so excited to have Cassie Hlebovy back in Brazil and working with Living Stones! You can read her blog here and we want to make sure to credit her and the Morning Star team for all of these great pictures (and Flavio)!

Cupcakes Creating Change

Morning Star Friends church missions trip has included this young lady, Riley Matchinga, who used her cupcake making skills to teach the women at Cajueiro Claro how to make/decorate/sell cupcakes as a side income. 

Decorated cupcakes are a recent "cool" bakery treat in Brazil, and are currently in high demand at events and stores. This is a valuable skill for many of these women, who are barely getting by. 

We are so excited for the new opportunity and ministry for/to these women! 

Gravata Ministry

Pastor Flavio and Mercia led a group of the children from Living Stones Cajueiro Claro (in matching mime team green shirts) to minister in the city of Gravata (close to two hours away).

It was a wonderful and exciting opportunity for the kids in Cajueiro Claro to minister to others.

And those in Gravata were blessed spiritually and physically.

We are so grateful for the Kombi to get them places, and for those involved in the Trek for Transportation for helping to make this happen! 

Recently, 5 people have given their life to Jesus, including some men from the community! Praise the Lord for breaking down hard hearts and bringing healing to their lives.

In Time of Need

This video was done by someone in Paudalho who is upset about the current political party in power, and how they have had no doctors in any of the hospitals in over a couple of months.
The situation is critical, with this man, who suffered a motorcycle accident, laying on the ground for 2 hours before an ambulance came. In the video you can see some of the members of the church helping, with Pastor Flavio taking charge in getting some bandages and getting him on the ambulance.
We are so glad that he knows basic first aid and could be there in this time of need! Pastor Flavio asks us to pray for this man, and many others in the community who are suffering without a doctor's care.

The World Cup

Pastor Flavio is using soccer as a time of celebration together for the children and community of Cajueiro Claro.

They invited everyone to come and watch the game on the projector (a larger screen than anyone has at home), and there was a full house, including many men from the community who would not normally come to church. 

They also had a time of worship, and sharing God's Word

What a neat opportunity! Special note: Pastor Flavio's wife, Mercia, had a medical scare with the pregnancy, and was put on bed rest for ten days--but is now doing well (as is the baby). Thank you for your continued prayers!

Sara (youth worker) and Mercia

Mothers Celebrate

The children in Cajueiro Claro celebrated their mothers, and the church had a wonderful time for Mother's day. Last year when the Mother's teas began, Pastor Flavio's wife Mercia continued the idea, meeting monthly with the local ladies. This has resulted in exponential growth in the church:

We are also excited to announce that Mercia will also become a mother soon!

Congratulations to this amazing couple who is serving the Lord with their whole hearts!