By the time I arrive back in Ireland, baring in mind I returned a few times during the year, I will have been working here around 400 days…

Hello again to everyone, as always, it’s been another busy period in Abrac since the last time I spoke to you. The majority of the children have been off since the beginning of this month and I have been trying to keep everyone occupied and happy, while at the same time being involved in our new project, which I will get to…

Hi everyone, did not realise how long it had been since I wrote an update, it has been about 6 weeks exactly.  Part of that reason has been the nature of those 6 weeks.  They have been very trying and testing on everyone involved here, particularly those that are at the orphanage every day.  A few new children arrived and we had a host of problems involving them and one of our other members currently living there.  It was just through the grace of God that nothing serious happened and that we were able to accustomize those new arrivals to living in an institution and one of the girls currently living here was transferred to be with her brothers and sisters.

Aside from what was a tiring period, improvements have continued.  We have more young people than ever doing well in school and using their free time to do courses in English or Computer Literacy.  We also have more 15+ year olds enjoying part time jobs and having the satisfaction of buying things for themselves and with our help, managing their own finances.  Its a bright time for everyone involved and I would just ask you to pray that the stream of new children are managable in the future and that we have time to help them acclimatise to their surroundings before more arrive and threaten to disrupt the harmony and atmosphere we have worked so hard to build.

In regards to spiritual development, we have found a church run by an American pastor very near to the house.  It is simple, with lively, genuine praise and has basic, helpful bible teaching every week, which allows for the young people, both young and old, to not only understand, but to gain and interest and participate in earning more about their Saviour.  We are hoping to begin to frequent and strengthen ties with this church now, in the hope that the young people can become part of the community their, and indeed, that the bright young people we have here can give their own bright ideas to the church community and particpate readily in their activities and calendar.

We have planned another Talent Night, which we will hopefully film this time around.  Its a really great night and not costly to put on, hopefully, with a bit more money, we can do something big,  like a costume party or something new before I go back.  I love to do these activities because it really does unite everyone and helps new people to settle in and enjoy life here.  We also have our Olympic games happening in July, should also be a great day and a chance for the athletes to shine!

The update is entitled needs, and so leads to my second part of the update.  I wish to provide some basic necessities for Abrac within the next 3 months of my time here.  Things like the bills and construction of new rooms are taken care of by different sources, but often, basic needs can be neglected when the money is so sorely needed elsewhere.  I would like to help in several ways, and I know people have helped so much already, many have been very generous, but for those who would like, or could possibly give again, here are a list of things I would like to accomplish.

- New sofas for the house, as the old ones are torn and broken in places, the costs to buy new ones would be between 200-300 pounds

-It is FREEZING here, about 5 degrees today, and will get colder in the next few months.  Money to buy gloves, warm socks and maybe even a few coats and jumpers would be greatly appreciated.  Gloves, underwear and socks can be as little as £1, the more I can buy for 30 young people, the better.  Hooded tops and coats can also little as £15 for a decent one.  Again, the more I can buy, the better.

-New games and DVD's and activities are also needed.  Everyone can get very down in the cold, when its wet outside and they have no way to use their free time. DVD's to add to our collection and Christian literature, varies in price, but can be costly, but I want to leave here with a good library of resources.  So any money for games, activities, DVD's or books.  We also need more bibles for people to use in the room which I will have photos of upon my return (having problems uploading to the site!)

-There are also the special nights, like a fancy dress night, or letting the children go out to McDonald's and the shopping center, which costs about £150 for everyone to go, get dinner and buy a little item each.  If I could do a few more of those, that would be wonderful also.

.....there are also many more things that we are trying to accomplish and these are just examples of things that I personally have thought of in the last week.  We have done so many activities and workder with so many people.  There have been trying times, but it has been a great year.  In the last few months, God willing, I would just like to know that the work will continue after I leave, Abrac will tie themselves to a church for that much needed prayer and spiritual support, that we will have left a library for young people to seek God and have time to themselves, and that we will have helped bring them closer and more readily prepared for the future of Abrac and their own futures.

In the last few months, I would also like to help practically, and if I were able to accomplish the few items listed above, that would be a superb way to end a great year.  Again, I can't state enough how much Abrac and myself have appreciated your generosity and I am not expectant.  I just wanted to set out a list of a few practical needs that have been overlooked, and if anyone feels moved to help in any of those areas, you can see what is needed, and give accordingly.

As always, it is your prayer support that keeps me going and sustained me through our difficult period.  I can see God helping us along everyday, so please continue to pray for everyone here, and prayer earnestly that God will stay among us and continue this work, and draw more and more people closer to him.

My apologies if my English has been poor, that is what happens when you are trying to speak another language everyday!

Thanks again for all your continued help and support, and I pray that everyone reading is well,

God Bless,

Adam

I am pleased to be finally getting a chance to sit down and write to you all after being back here in Brazil for a month already.  Although it was rushed, and I used most of my time getting rid of a nasty headcold and getting much needed energy back, it was great to see everyone I saw, and I was so encouraged to know that there are so many still thinking of me on a daily basis.  I know Paul Crothers, for those who know him, will be getting back from Recife in a few days for a break, and the first prayer point would be that he can get the rest, and get his energy levels back up, as I was able to do in my time at home.  Hopefullt his time at home will be just as relaxing and encouraging, as mine was.

Even though I am back for less than a month, a lot, as always, has happened here at Abrac.  We have had numerous meetings to determine future plans, and have been trying, in earnest, to get more activities going and have a lively daily calender here.  A number of young people over the age of 15 have been able to gain part time employment through a course they passed last year.  This is great news and we now have 6-8 members of our institution who will be gaining money for themselves every month.  I will be in charge of all the money coming in and will be trying to work with all of them in regards to saving money and financial planning, as many of them wil need to move on when they are 18 years old, and it would be fantastic if they were able to plan, in an appropriate manner, for when that days arrives.  It is also great education for when they will be living on their own and having to plan their lives and pay their bills!

The days and nights of looking after the kids and planning activities, has been much the same.  There is still a lot of noise and incidents, but after several meetings and several young people really maturing, I am so optimistic about the future.  A few of the young people have really surprised me with their maturity and ideas, and I hope that it is a sign of things to come.  One of these ideas came from a 15 year old girl. The boys have been training for football 3 times a week, and the girls training had been aimless up to now.  What this girl proposed, however, was to have an Olympics here in Abrac, with all the diffirent events present.  I think the idea is great and the girls will commence training this week for our competition in late May.  We may even have a few future stars, as some of the girls really are very impressive, especially over long distances.

The boys football project has been such a success so far.  After months of training, we played our first game against a university side on Saturday.  We were beaten and played very poorly in the first half, but the boys really took the initiative and improved in droves as the game went on.  The final 10 minutes, they were fully on top of things and hopefully it is a sign of things to come.  The football idea, I decided to do, because it was a shared interest.  Its something that gets them excited and talking, it keeps them busy, and it helps unite them as a team and lets them spend time together.  Saturday was a really good day, and I hope there will be many more to come.  The project was so important to me that I paid for team shirts, which they love, before Christmas, and bought them all proper shoes (as many trained in their bare feet/old walking shoes) to train in.  It is great to see them so involved and enthusiastic.  I am talking to them ALL so much more about their lives, choices and future, and it has been such a blessing.  The girls, have ALREADY taken their tasks on with the same enthusiasm, and I am really looking forward to the same results from them!

Our Easter weekend was a great weekend too.  Saturday and Friday were filled with time together, discussions, DVD's, which I always like to do to get people interested and enjoying each other's company.  Sunday, we had a really bis special breakfast, which followed with our own meeting, in which I told the story of Easter, and many others read verses or prayed.  Was a really nice time and I would hope for many more days and evenings in the same mould as more and more people think about their own futures, and their lives with God.

As you can see, I have been busy and thinking/doing so many different things, but I really have a feeling of God guiding every project and meeting, day or evening, to coordinate with another and work to His perfect timing and planning.  It is not until these young people have the self worth and confidence in their own lives and what they have to offer, that they feel they can come to God.  Many just don't believe they are worthy, that, I am pleased to say, is all changing!  If the recent events at Virginia Tech say anything to us, they say that even in what would seem the safest of circumstances, we are not guaranteed tomorrow, and whatever else we do with our lives, we need to be right with God.  Fortunately, God has continually given me the insight to see that he is firmly in control of happenings here at Abrac, and I hope that with our prayers, brilliant and amazing things can happen in the future of so many of these young people here.

Pray for all of the above, and that God will continue to bless all these projects and meetings, and that he will keep me fit and well to do whatever I can, and whatever He needs me to do, in these coming months.

Take Care,

Adam

Hi again to everyone, I think this will be my last update before I return home for a month.  I have been rushing to get things finished before I leave and have managed to finish our new room and add the library section containing our games, puzzles and most importantly, our Christian literature section.  Unfortunately, books and CD's are expensive out here, but we have made a start and bought journals for each child in the hope that, on my return, we will begin serious classes in our new room for 4-5 people to meet together and study the Bible and gain the answers that they want. 

I am really excited about the possibilities for the room and although it was a while ago that I asked for your help, I would like to sincerely thank those that gave, all the staff and young people are so impressed and looking forward to starting activities and the 'official opening' of our room!

I thought that would be the end of things before I went home, but already there is so much more.  A visiting church came and the Pastor was very encouraging and I am really hoping that this could be the type of church link we have needed, so please keep that in your prayers.  It is a time where everyone (even the oldest and hardest heart) is agreeing to go to church and asking questions about God and the future, so please, keep praying and pray that that spiritual need will be met in the coming months.

Also, after thinking for some time about a group project for the boys, I have decided on the natural football team
idea. I am in the process of trying to buy in their shirt and kit, which everyone is very pleased about,
and we already have some tentative matches, with church teams.  This is a perfect opportunity to get people talking and get the boys together and enjoying each other's company, as well as that of the teams we play.  We only hope this will provide opportunities for more of the boys to open up to others about God.  Tied to that, our 4 team 5-a side tournament, has now become, with the help of our dance teacher, a 12 team, 7-a-side tournament, in which, we hope to minister to the boys and have times of fellowship before games.

ALL of this is very new and for this, we need your prayers. All these ideas and projects have not been lying about, the equipment is not here, and the desire to hear about God was not here. God has been able, in his power, to move, and work, with very little.  The changes are all very exciting and although we constantly have our drawbacks and disappointments, the progress has been phenomenal. God is alive and God is very much moving in Abrac orpahanage, so please, praise God for what He is doing here and continue to pray for us.  We still have children with many problems, and still need help in every area, but God is working, and you can see the Spirit movingin even the hardest hearts.  Please pray that these young people will turn to Jesus and accept Him in their lives, its a simple prayer, but really, there is absolutely nothing more important.

As always, I have only been able to cover a few of the projects and ideas, and nothing on the day to day work
(which is also going well!), but ANY more questions about projects, myself, any of the children or young people, and any ways you can help the work through financial aid or prayer, or anything else you would like to know, don't hesitate to email me.  I love hearing from everyone and it encourages me so much to hear of interest in this work.I hope everyone is well and I am looking forward to seeing everyone in N.I in a few weeks,

Talk soon,

Adam

PS. Since writing the update, one of our oldest members,  has turned to Jesus and accepted Him as his saviour.  The news has been incredible, and my hope is now that the impact of this will resound amongst all the boys and the Spirit will be even more present amongst them and that he can help with talking to them and helping them see, through his life, how much they need Jesus in theirs!

Em Portugues (desculpe eu to usando so letras Ingles!)

Oi de novo para tudo mundo.  Acho que isso vai ser meu ultima vez falando com vcs antes de eu voltar pra Irlanda pra um mes.  Eu queria muito terminar antes de eu vou embora e ja terminar nossa salinha nova com biblioteca, jogos, quebra-cabeca, e principalment, livros do Cristo.
Infelizmente, livros e CD's e tao caro aqui, mas nos comencamos, e tambem ja comprei livrinhos pra cada crianca. Meu esperanca e que cada crianca vai comencar aulas serio da Biblia em esse salinha nova, em grupos do 4-5 pessoas. Eu espero que isso vai ser menos vergonha pra eles, e que eles vao comenca falar mais, e ler mais pra ganhar respostas que eles queremos.  Eu to muito feliz sobre toda nova possibilidade que so esse salinha vai dar pra nos.  Tudo mundo que ja tinha vista, amo ela, e eu quero falar obrigado pra tudo mundo que ja fez oracaos pra isso novo parte do Abrac!

Eu acho que isso vai terminar tudo antes do eu voltar, mas Deus ja ta trabalhando de novo! Ja decide que nos vamos comencar um time de foteball, e nos vamos receber um kit novo pra isso mesmo, sabado que vem.  Eu espero que isso vai ensinar os meninos coisas novas sobre foteball, e mas importante, deixa toda nos temos mais tempo juntos pra conversar.  Tambem espero que isso, e nossa jogos com igresias e campeonatos vai dar nos ainda mais chance pra conhecer mais pessoas e temos conversas de verdade sobre Deus.
Deus ta trabalhando, acha que vai ter nao so 20 meninos jogando em campeonato mais, mas pode ser mais que 60 agora!

Tudo isso progresso e muito novo em Abrac.  Tudo mundo ta mais aberto sobre Deus, tem igresias que querer ajudar de verdade, e Deus ta trabalhando em coracaos de MUITO agente aqui.  Deus ta provando de novo que Ele, com toda forca que Ele tem, pode trabalhar em qualquer lugar do mundo, em qualquer situacao.
Cada mundanca me fazer muito feliz. Ainda tem varios decepcionadas e problemas, mas Deus ta aqui, Ele ta vivendo, e eu posso ver Espirito trabalhando em toda lugar!  Por favor, ora que esse jovens vai aceitar Jesus em coracaos deles. E um oracao muito simples, mas tem nada com mais importancia em todo mundo!

Como sempre, Eu so tinha tempo pra falar sobre muito pouco dos projetos ta acontecendo aqui, e tambem nao falei nada sobre trabalho da cada dia em cuidar as criancas (tudo e tambem muito legal em isso!), mas QUALQUER mais perguntas sobre projetos, eao, qualquer um das criancas, e qualquer maneira voce pode ajudar em jeito financial, o oracaos, o QUALQUER outra coisa voce quer saber, sempre me manda um email.
Eu amo muito de ouvir do qualquer um, e me ajudar muito de ouvir sobre seu interesse em Abrac o meu trabalho aqui.

Eu espero que tudo mundo ta muito bem, e que, aind com minha palavras do sono, que tudo mundo entendem meu Portuguese!

Deus te abencoe,

Adam

Noticia, ainda depois eu escreve esse pra vcs, Deus tava trabalhando. Um menino aqui, que ja tava pensando em Deus pra muito tempo, aceitou Jesus em coracao dele!  E uma notica fantastica, e eu espero que ele vai ajudar agora em falar pra ainda mais em casa sobre Jesus! Por favor, so orar pra Deus, e falar obrigado pra tudo Ele ja fez pra nos aqui, e que Ele vai continuar no futuro!

The new year started off with everyone talking about changes and all the different things that could/should happen.  The boys have all made a new year's resolution to improve their lives, lots of them are getting serious about their future, growing out of rebellious stages and looking for God in their life...many questions are being asked, and many people are growing in maturity, and its been so encouraging to see how God is moving in all that is taking place here in Abrac.

With all the questions, and the orphanage being so busy, it sometimes leaves you no time to be quiet, no time to relax, and it also leads to being embarrassed about things like reading for education, especially for religious reasons.  After discussions with everyone, I have decided that my first big project for this year was to try and rectify this problem.  So we came up with the idea of expending the library idea and incorporating it into a room, with sofas, desk and chairs,, DVD player, TV, fans for ventilation, DVD library, CD library and of course are evangelical literature section, which we have already made progress on...

It is just a small room, but it will allow for individuals, or small groups to get a bit of time for research for homework, to watch a film in peace, to have small gatherings of different ages groups, to allow boardgames and discussions to take place, and to just rest and relax.  Most importantly it will allow those young people who have a new desire to read up on God and His kingdom, or look for answers to questions they are embarrassed to ask to have the space and privacy to read, and to have our open library in which to get appropriate literature.

God has given me a real desire to see this project through, and I am very excited about it and all the opportunities just a small room like this can bring.  After research and calculations, I think I can get the whole room re-done and completed for use, including literature, TV, sofas, stand for DVD library, bookcase for Christian literature and TV ventilation and everything for less than £1000.  I would ask for your prayers once again, as we have already started to bring in things for this project and I am so excited about what it could do for so many young people here.  Please pray that God will guide us in what I bring in, especially in regards to literature.  I always feel that prayers are with me and that God is guiding me and looking after me in decisions I make.  Already he has led me to perfect arrangements and items for our new room and so much more before that!

As for other projects, our DVD collection has allowed us to do various cinema nights with popcorn, films, hotdogs and sweets for the kids.  They have provided some great times and good laughs!  We also just returned from 3 days at a "sitio" with a swimming pool for the kids to use, and again had a great time and many useful discussions.  The holidays have been great for everyone to spend time together again, especially those that work, or have school and courses all day.

It has been a while since my last update and I apologise that all the discussions and planning have kept me busy.  Everyone has been free all day, and will continue to be so until they go back to school on the 10th of February.  It has been tiring, but I have been looked after well, as always, and I can't thank God enough for that.

One last piece of news is that I will arrive home to Northern Ireland for a break on the 22nd of February, and be there for a full 30 days.  Will provide me with a great opportunity to see everyone and fill everyone in on all the happenings here and future work that will take place.  Will be looking forward to seeing you all, and hope you will continue to support Abrac and keep them in your prayers.  We are really making serious progress and God is moving here!

Talk soon!

Adam

The long wait, time, effort and plans finally accumulated in our Christmas celebrations that took place over the last couple of days here at Abrac.

I had to trail 6 sacks of presents up a steep hill before midnight on the night of the 23rd, then go up the hill once again on  the morning of the 24th to prepare our tree and all the presents round it for when the children woke up. We were able to have the place looking great for them getting up, which then happened at around 8 o'clock that morning.  As Marli, the President and several other workers prepared our excellent breakfast, it was my job to recount the story of Christmas.  I choose to give a brief history of the man who's birthday we were celebrating and concentrated on just why we celebrated the birth of a baby at Christmas.  I think we were able to give a lot of the young people something to really think about and I was so happy that God gave me the strength and guidance to perform such a task for Him in Portuguese.  The last month has really been a trying and tiring time, and I was unaware that when I choose to take on the idea of creating a Christmas, that it would be such an enormous task, with new kids coming in and plans to carry out, growing all the time.  Fortunately for me, God gave me the strength and the energy to get it done, and after our talk we had a great breakfast and opened all the presents.  It really turned out to be a really special time for everyone, and brought us all closer together.

At night we had a party, which, as if I and the oldert girls needed it, would go on until about 3 o'clock in the morning.  You can now see PHOTOS of the night time partymon the taskbar on your left by clicking on 'CHRISTMAS', one of the options at the bottom.

As I said before, after the Talent Night, this project took up all our time and energy, and on that note, I just want to thank everyone who sent me something to keep me going, be it a small present or a card, all those gestures were appreciated more than you could possibly know, and let me see that I am still in everyone's thoughts and prayers, and that was Christmas present enought for me!

I would also like to thank those people who stepped forward and offered more donations to my work here.  I can only thank God that people at home, who have seen and heard very little about Abrac, or my work here, have believed in it enough to give their own money to the work. Anyone who gave, I would like to give a sincere thank you to, because although money can go a long way in Brasil, we have reached our capacity in 30 young people, and every activity or project is more and more expensive, so again, thank you.  You made a great Christmas possible here at Abrac, and without your donations and prayers, nothing would have, or could have happened.  Marli and everyone here sends their utmost thanks.

Now, as we approach a new calander year, we are all thinking about new ideas and projects for the year ahead. I want to start expanding the library idea to include more and mor Christian literature and CD's.  I also want to begin behaviour cards for all our kids under 15, so that those who strive to do well and be polite, can be rewarded for that, and so that an incentive can be provided for those who see no reason to persevere with good behaviour.

I will also be continuing my special night every month, starting with one late on in January, and will be continuing to look for property here in Brasil for older children, which I am hoping can be obtained for as little as £100 per month.  Please pray for God's guidance in that, and that he will watch over any decisions in relation to large projects, as well as smaller ones, so that His hand and blessing can be on each one, and that he can help us to commence and sustain as much as possible in the New Year.

Also pray for our situation with a church, as I have been talking to Marli about becoming mor involved with one church rather than loosely visiting several, and it is something that she really wants for the community here at Abrac.  So please pray that we will find a meeting house we can become regulars in, so that the young people can become involved in a church based community and that Abrac as a whole will be in the thoughts and prayers
of a regular congregation.

I want to take the opportunity also to say a massive thank you to our Norwegian friends, one family and three younger girls, who have returned home.  Pray that they will be safe and that God will bless them in anything they are involved with at home and bless their contiuned involvement and support of Abrac.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and will have a very Happy New Year, and I will update on definate projects and works as they happen, please, any questions or messages, don't hesitate to email, I have loved hearing from people at home and am only too happy to respond to any questions about Abrac, as well as any general interest you might have...thank you so much for all your support so far...

Email...   mail@abracmogi.com

or  adamcraig1@gmail.com

Talk again very soon,

Adam

Christmas Day will be here in 13 days and are long preparations and spending to make it extra special are nearing to a close, or at least, I thought they were...

...we have bought some really nice presents for every child, including clothes that will last them instead of cheap clothes that may only last a few washes.  We have also bought a few toys and even bicycles, trying to make the modest requests of every child come true, for what could be the first time in their lives present wise.  For many children, it will be their first experience of any Christmas, nevermind the one we have planned!

As well as the presents I have bought a modest amount of lights and a really nice tree.  I really have aspirations of bringing everyone together for Christmas, enjoying ourselves and talking about Jesus.  Having everyone together, strengthening old friendships and building bridges that were badly damaged, is already beginning in the spirit of things.  My real hope, and I hope that you will all be praying for this...is that bringing everyone together in a truly memorable experience, in a really happy time, will help create opportunities.  This has long been my plan, and folr this reason, I was willing to use my funds in creating something truly memorable.  I was especially encouraged after the Talent Night, and how special it was having everyone together, rooting for each other to succeed.

As I said, I thought I had completed the spending, but 4 new children arrived yesterday to bring us to our capacity.  I did not even ask them what they wanted for Christmas, they NEEDED clothes. So I will be needing to use £30-40 on each one to buy them new outfits as their present, to use for our Christmas Day party.

As I have already stated in the past, I have needed to use a lot for Christmas, far more than  I wil ever use again, so I am in need of money to plan less major activities for the rest of the year.  ANYTHING you are willing to give is such a big help. On that note, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to the Badminton Club of Sloan Street Presbyterian, who gave £100, which I hope will go to a project for January.  I would also like to thank Sloan Street P.W.A for sending me a present for Christmas.  It was so thoughtful and reminded me of your thoughts and prayers at home, whcih I am in constant need of, in good times and bad.  Your support is very much appreciated.

Will talk again soon, thank you so much for your continued support and prayers, and any donations to my work or the orphanage as a whole can be done through my father, Brian Craig, or given to Sloan Street Presbyterian in Lisburn.

Talk soon!

Apologies about the infrequency of these updates, I am still waiting for my own internet line, without it, I have very little windows of opportunity for updating.

It is nice to hear from those of you emailing, I can assure you that I read every one and it makes me feel a lot better to know that people are still thinking about me at home.  Also helps me to believe that people are not too far away.

As for me, I have had a few bad stomachs, but have overcome them and have been kept very busy.  Two girls from Norway have arrived and so after the Talent Night, I have opted out of doing any special events in November.  They are free to do as they wished for November.  I will always be doing my job at night and looking after the kids everyday as well as plan my future projects and ideas, but their arrival has left me a lot more free to plan Christmas and buy in presents of between 30-40 pounds for everyone, and now we are in the process of planning decorations and food, and how we will use it all as a platform to talk about Jesus and make Him the focus.

In regards to Christmas, your prayers are very much appreciated, and normally I am not one to make appeals for money, but any contribution would help buy presents, run a party, and hopefully really engage the kids and young people in a lesson on what Christmas is really about, as well as giving them something they have never experienced in their lives before.  So please, your thoughts, prayers, and any new contributions will prove so valuable, particularly when you take into account all the projects and ideas that will start to run in the new year.  They really are taechging everyone how to be a family and opening discussion, and getting more minds thinking about their future, whats important, and what they believe.

We have had two new arrivals this week too.  Please pray that they too wil fit in as well as our previous new recipients.

As we hit the new year, we are still looking at a housing project.  A good house for as many as 4 of the older young people can cost 10,000 pounds.  I want to believe that it is attainable through God, but I will have to wait and see if that is His wish for us.  Nothing gets done if you don´t believe that anything is possible through God, so please, keep it in your prayers.

We also have outings to a play park, the zoo and many other things coming up soon, and as always, my role will continue in leaving the kids and young people to bed at night and being with them in the evening time. Thank you for your continued thoughts and prayers as regards to my daily role here which seems to grow all the time.

Paul and Rebecca will also come to visit soon, arriving on the 3^rd of December.  From there, we will leave for Rio on the 6^th for a break, before we return to our respective work on the 11^th.  Pray that it will be a pleasant break for us and we will return refreshed to all the activities and work we are involved in. 

As many of you knew and were praying for, I was able to run the Noite dos Talentos, or Talent Night this Saturday past, and thanks to the thoughts and prayers of everyone, it went so well and really brought everyone connected to the orphanage and all the children much closer together.  Everyone got behind each other and cheered each other on.  I have had to come to the city, and the fact that I have been kept busy at the orphanage has meant that I have not been able to update as much as I would have liked.  However, hopefully I will get an internet line in the orphanage soon, and I can share with you prayers and emails much more often and update the site with photos and messages very soon.

Keep praying for the different projects here.  We will be having a fancy dress party soon in November and are planning to start Bible tecahing in conjunction with our activities and outtings.  We have Christmas coming up and that wil take a lot of man power and money to get presents, food, and help everyone here have a Christmas they have never had before.  Keep praying that activities like that will open up the children and young person´s eyes to the love of Jesus and that we can spread the message of Jesus birth in a happy, family surrounding that many of the kids have missed out on before Abrac.

We also have 3 new faces in our family here. They arrived at the orphanage last Friday and have been a lot of work, and already a blessing in so many ways.  Pray that they will settle quickly and be comfortable and happy in their new home.  When I get intermet access, I will add photos of the new faces and all of the above.

Finally, in what will become rather a large project, we are looking at housing for the older people in the orphanage and investments in that for the future.  Please pray that the correct decisions and plans will be made in relation to that and that God will guide us in all of our plans.

Talk soon,

Adam

Have made it to an internet cafe in the city in order to give a little update on my first week, and let all of you know any points for prayer.  It was really nice coming back, everyone was very welcoming and it is already as if I had never left.  I am still helping to look after everyone at different parts of the day, and getting activities foe everyone to do, as well as planning projects that are coming up.

Today, I am in the city to buy trophies for the football championship I am organising for the older boys of the community.  Am really hoping that it will be a chance to not only have a good time playing football, but, that it will also provide a chamce to evangelise and talk with the boys more about theirs lives and God´s plan.  I am also here to buy board games and activities for night time at the orphanage.  Although it seems a trivial thing right now, it really helps in getting them involved with one another and helping keep the house calm at night.

Our talent night is also coming up so please keep that in your prayers, and I wil be updating the site with new photos from that night and also from any other of the events happening in the near future.  We are also already talking abouyt a big project for Christmas, involving presents, a large meal and a chance to retell the story of Jesus in a special Christmas setting.  Your prayers´and support are very much appreciated for projects such as these.  Please don´t hesitate to email me for any more details (mail@abracmogi.com).

Sorry for the rushed nature of the update, but thank you so mcuh for your ongoing prayer support, will be keeping in constant touch whenever I can to give your prayers the direction they need to bring about the best possible results in the work here. Will update again soon...

Entry #1, currently building webpage to update you all on my own work and Abrac....only two weeks until I leave ;)