David E. Davis

Please continue to pray for the boys' project in Ouro Fino as we exchange foster parents.

We welcome on board Joao Melo and Simone, who moved to the project this week. They originally grew up in the Brazilian state of Bahia, but have lived as adults in Jacutinga, Minas Gerais, just 15 miles from the project. They just finished four years of Bible and missionary training and wanted to help in a ministry while praying about long-term ministry prospects. They have a son and a daughter, both in elementary school.

One big part of missionary life is being flexible, and Joao Mello and Simone have already demonstrated that by agreeing to be primary foster parents instead of substitute foster parents as originally planned. As substitutes they would have allowed the primary foster parents a weekly day off, annual vacation, and time to improve education and training to remain in this line of work. When not subbing, substitute foster parents will also help with maintenance, office work, errands, evangelism and outreach to the biological families of our boys and neighbors, and teaching the older boys trades.

However, Miguel and Ana Patucci, our foster parents for the last 6 1/2 years, have decided to leave the ministry instead of improving their education and training. They will work along side of Joao Mello and Simone the rest of this month as they "show them the ropes" and gain the kids' confidence. Miguel and Ana hope to move near their church in Crisolia, just 2 1/2 miles down the road, but everything else is still up in the air till they find employment. They do hope the courts allow the three smaller kids waiting on adoption to move with them.

So please keep praying for more workers:

• more primary foster parents so we can reopen foster home #2 and plan home #3
• more substitute foster parents
• more interns to help fill gaps as their abilities allow

Also pray:

• for the foster boys during this transition
• that Miguel and Ana will accept an offering as a reasonable token of appreciation of their missionary service and not tarnish their departure as others have done
• that Mr. Antonio and Helena will drop the outrageous "workers' rights" suit they left us with during their departure.

The Brazilian board continues to work well together and we look forward to the project soon entering a phase of sustainable growth with all of the personnel issues finally settled.

I also ask for prayers of comfort for the family, teammates, and friends of Austin Whetsell, a 15 year-old from my home town and one of my supporting churches (Lexington Presbyterian). Austin was on a teen missions trip on the coast of Mexico when he drowned in a swimming accident. Pray for the church (Iglesia Vida Nueva), missionaries (Guillermo & Jeannie Salinas), and the people of the city where this happened (Zihuatanejo). Lexington Pres. youth have been here to Ouro Fino on previous mission trips, so I know this is a hard time for all involved.

In Christ's Service,