“We really loved being a part of the work God is doing in and through the lives of the Open Arms Ministry in Florestópolis,

Brazil. We are excited to be able to

return this October with a larger team from our church to serve.

--Cheri Windley

http://www.openarmsbrazil.blogspot.com/ August 2011

This October, Open Arms is eager to receive a returning team from The Bridge Community Church, North Carolina.

The children were blessed by the team’s hugs and affection as they lived out 1 John 3:18: “Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth.”

This October, the team will once again hold Bible clubs. In addition, they will help restock & staff the used clothing store which helps support the outreach project in Florestópolis.

In late July, Open Arms held a four day indoor soccer tournament which was open to the community. We were blessed to host 140 participants! In addition to competing, every day prior to the games, the participating teams heard from several speakers, on themes relating to soccer and faith. The speakers, which included a Christian sports psychologist and a retired soccer player, shared about the dangers of steroids, the importance of personal character, and how to cope with the victories & defeats we experience in life.

Using the arena of soccer, Open Arms was able to reach out to many young people in the community. We are thankful for the opportunity to continue furthering the name of Christ here in Assis and pray that the teens continue to recognize that true victory comes with knowing Christ Jesus as Lord.

Tournament participants watch their competitors

play.

Open Arms News August 2011 Edition

Return to Florestópolis “Since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another.”

In Their Own Words

“Why is Open Arms Important to you?”

Last October, the team from BCC held Bible clubs in the morning and did service projects in the afternoon.

“Because it keeps us kids off the

street.” -Alice, age 13

“Because we like to play.”

-Ludivan & Mailon, age 5

Soccer Tournament “Victory comes from you, O Lord.”

http://www.openarmsbrazil.blogspot.com/ August 2011

TEXT/Caption

Mission Benevides “Lord, I have heard of your fame; I stand in awe of your deeds.”

In July, Open Arms sent a team to partner with the Creative Hands Ministry in Belem, Brazil, running a camp for children living in a com-munity built around a landfill. Over the past five years, we have been blessed to see the Lord transform this community. In front of the landfill, is now loca-ted a recycling center, creating a safer work environment for the neighborhood. On what used to be an empty lot, now stands a community center, which provides

preschool, Bible clubs, educational aid, and a safe gathering place for children & adults alike. Instead of many lost, lonely, and hurting hearts, there now are hearts that are seeking and responsive to the Lord. We are thankful to see the teen-agers and children growing in their knowledge and faith in Jesus. Returning this year, we prayed that we may be used by the Lord as agents of further change. The camp’s theme was “a Life with Purpose.” Our prayer for the 200 children in attendance echoes the prayers we ask of the Lord on behalf of the children we work with in Open Arms: That each child will grasp that they are special, loved, & cherished by their Creator. We pray any child who realizes that the Lord is not in

control of their lives will surrender control to the Lord. We pray these children will understand that it is never too late to start serving the Lord and living with purpose.

We pray that bearing fruit, obeying the Word, and living for the Lord will be a daily habit in these young lives. We pray that the children and teens under-stand that even in difficult situ-ations, the Lord gives strength to say no to sinful living—God has given us all we need for life & godliness. Finally, we pray for our friends who minister daily to this com-munity that we love so dearly. “We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspi-red by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ”(1 Thess 1:3).

"Come, follow me," Jesus said, "and I will make you fishers of men."

On the last days of camp, Marcelo shared the account of Jesus using a child to feed a multitude of 5,000. Marcelo communicated that Jesus can use each and every child, no matter their circumstances, and asked them to reflect on the calling God has given us to share the gospel with others. He asked the children to consider becoming missionaries to their family & friends in their neighborhood.

That evening, Marcelo called the missionaries up on stage and, along with the children, expressed gratitude for reaching the neighborhood. Marcelo explained to the children that the missionaries were just normal people who became Christians and chose to follow Jesus’ call to be “Fishers’ of Men.” He encouraged them that, in the same way the ministry has been important and special in their lives, that they, the

children, can be important and special in someone else’s life. He explained that they are the most effective missionaries to their com-munity. Marcelo asked who had made the decision to return to the neighborhood as missionaries to their families and friends, and many indicated that they had. Praise the Lord!

In Their Own Words

“Why is Open Arms important to you?”

Swimming… “we went through fire and water, but you brought us to a place of abundance”

Psalm 66:12

http://www.openarmsbrazil.blogspot.com/ August 2011

“The volunteers care about me.”

-Mariana, age 13

“Because I can learn about God.”

Nyara (on left), age 5

“Because the volunteers talk about God and I get to play

soccer” -Rafael, age 13

Open Arms U “equip his people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be

built up” Ephesians 4:12

Our small but growing swim ministry continues to have good results. In partnership with the secretary of sports in Assis we have the opportunity minister through weekly bible studies to 20 youth swimmers who regularly compete for the city. Open Arms continues to directly sponsor three swimmers and we have big plans for expanding the ministry next year. The first half of our competition year ended with all of the kids making steady progress towards their individual goals in the pool and the classroom. Forming athletes of course is not our goal but rather forming young men and women of Christian character. We have dedicated the year to studying Coach John Woodens Pyramid of Success which is a great tool to connect biblical principles with athletes as we talk about building their lives on the “Rock.”

Please keep the kids in your prayers as we head into a busy fall competition schedule starting with our annual river crossing event September 9-11 and ending in November with the São Paulo Cup where we are planning to take them by surprise with some newly developed talents. The “Swimmers in Action” send you a big thank you.

We were blessed with the participation of various speakers, all specialists in their fields, teaching on everything from biblical counseling and conducting field research to developing sermons for children and using music as a teaching tool. A local college partnered with Open Arms to host the course and film all of the speakers. From this footage we plan to develop a DVD training tool that our regional missionaries can carry to all corners of Brazil and the rest of the Portuguese speaking world. Through your prayers and support we will be able to mobilize and prepare the Church to be the Open Arms of Jesus to children at risk in their backyard.

In late July an enormous step was taken in the history of the ministry of Open Arms Worldwide with the completion of the first comprehensive leader preparation course in Assis. People from various churches and cities convened in Assis for 32 hours of intensive basic training intended to prepare them to take the first steps toward planting an Open Arms project to reach at risk children in their community…

Win an Open Arms T-Shirt!

The first reader who emails the correct

answers to the following questions, will win an Open Arms T-shirt!

1) What Brazilian city was founded by American southerners following the US Civil war? 2) How many times has Brazil has won the World Cup? 3) Brazil shares a common border with all South American countries, but which two? 4) What Italian hero & patriot also fought in Brazils civil war? 5) From an aerial view, Brazil’s capital appears to be in the shape of a _______.

Email your 5 answers to info@openarmsbrazil.org

http://www.openarmsbrazil.blogspot.com/ August 2011

Happy 5th Birthday, Open Arms

Aquidauana Update Oyokopi ituko'oviti (“Jesus loves you” in the Terena language)

Five years seems to have flown by. From our humble beginnings with just 30 children and a handful of faithful volunteers, the Lord has grown the work and vision of Open Arms in Brazil to encompass projects in 4 southern Brazilian states, a training school, a ministry in the youth detention system, a soccer school and so much more. Every day the number of children having access to quality discipleship opportunities is increasing. On August 7th we celebrated five years with a special thanks giving service at our very first partner church, the Independent Presbyterian Church in Assis. With more than 700 in attendance the children from several of our projects helped lead worship. It was truly a time of rejoicing as the story of Open Arms was told and those involved from its founding rose to be recognized and give thanks. May our ten year birthday party require a stadium!! In Christ we can do all things!!

Missionary Sarita Romeiro is only 8 months into her first project plant among the children of Aquidauna and she already has much to be thankful for. There are more than 50 children regularly attending and 30 of these have already prayed to receive Jesus as their savior. Please continue to pray for Sarita and her team of 19 volunteers who are blazing the trail for Jesus among the children in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul. They are especially excited to be scheduled to receive a short term team from Global Impact early in 2012.

Out of Tragedy Springs Hope

“Your people will rebuild the cities that were destroyed long ago. And you will build again on the old foundations. You will be called The One Who Repairs Broken Walls. You

will be called The One Who Makes City Streets Like New Again.” Isaiah 58:12

On January 12th of this year the district of Vieira, located in the mountainous region north of the city of Rio de Janeiro, was hit with such heavy rains that the mountainsides gave way letting loose mud and rock slides that literally swept away most of the town (click on this link to see a slide show of the devastation video -

Vieira, RJ). Open Arms sent missionary Eduardo de Mello into the immediate aftermath of that tragedy with SOS Global, a Christian relief agency, to work with the children who survived and were living in a school

turned shelter. During his assignment there Eduardo connected with the pastor of a local Baptist congregation and a friendship blossomed.

On August 9th Eduardo and I returned to the town of Vieira to help them start an Open Arms outreach project there. I was amazed by what I saw. Besides the striking beauty of the place, I was impressed by

the fact that a mere 8 months after the town was basically destroyed, killing more than 80 in one neighborhood alone, there was little sign that it had ever happened (aside from the fields strewn with

Volkswagen size boulders). I asked how so many new houses had been built so quickly and so much trash and mud removed (I had heard that the government had done little to nothing to help this community). What I was told caused me to give praise to our God who is the One who “repairs broken walls.” The

entire city was rebuilt by the Church, God’s people, from all around Brazil and the world who descended on this little town with resources, sweat and hope. People whose land wasn’t destroyed donated parts of their property for their neighbors to rebuild on and the local churches stepped in to console and help the

people recover.

So against this backdrop, for 4 days we taught the scriptures to the children in the local school and trained a team of volunteers from the Baptist church who, on August 13th kicked-off Open Arms – Vieira the

newest project in the Open Arms family.

Thank you for the part you have played in helping “rebuild the cities that were destroyed.”

In Him,

Michael J. Meyers Open Arms Worldwide

http://www.openarmsbrazil.blogspot.com/ August 2011