HIGH ON BRAZIL

SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2011 TSUKAYAMAS NEWSLETTER

Who touched me? asked Jesus.

Ask. Seek. Knock.
We, in the last few months, have been put to test to believe. As we have been involved in ministry and have other personal needs and wishes, as any normal family, we continually seek the Lord concerning our personal family matters. One thing is when believing is an option. Another is when it is a requirement. T he latter is by no means comfortable or always our rst choice but we dare not reject it as it for ms and produces in us the fruit of righteousness and causes us to experience God at a whole new level. We all have those moments and we all have trials that simply require us to cling to Jesus. The rain is gets harder, the night gets darker and the waves gete stronger. But when Jesus decides to put an end to it, we can only exclaim in awe: Who is this man? We all need a Who is this man? moment in our lives, and that strengthens our faith in Him. We write these words not as positive words of encouragement, but as words of amazement at a God who is more than enough for us. We have been experiencing breakthroughs in every area, and that woman in Matthew 9 keeps speaking loud in our hearts, If I only touch his garment I will be made well... Too many times we lack endurance and perseverance simply because things didnt go as smoothly as we thought they were supposed to, if it was really of God... But the Bible is full of stories of people who had a need and would keep on knocking and knocking until they had an answer - and that was an attitude that Jesus praised. We see in the churches here, and we know its everywhere, that when people go through hard times, one of the rst things they do is quit going to church and then say, I dont feel close to God and Im really discouraged, when the opposite should be our posture! Remember: There is no victory without

Ask and you will receive. Seek and you will nd. Knock and it will be opened to you.
battle. Let us learn with that woman with the issue of blood to have that same determination to touch Jesus and hear from our beloved Lord, Who touched me? ..Someone touched me, for I perceive that power has gone out from me... Daughter, go in peace, your faith has made you well.

HIGHLIGHTS
School Outreach In October ... at a School We were invited by a pastor friend to help him at a school in his area. He is starting a ministry to reach out into the public schools. Bill is the pastor who leads this ministry. He used to be a drug addict and spoke to the students and teachers about his struggles and how he was looking for a hero and all his heroes had died of overdose. He later came to that same place, nearly dying, and recognized he needed a different hero. Then he met Jesus! We were able to share with the children, sing songs and preach the gospel. We showed an evangelistic movie with a projector and presented the gospel at the end. Many hands went up accepting the Lord. Please pray for that ministry and for follow-up people to join him in this important work. Luciana and Dons Wedding We ar happy to announce that Fabios sister, who many of you know, was engaged to Don Harms, a friend of ours from Chicagoland, in August. They are to be married in January and then Luciana will be living up t h e r e ! We switched places! We are very excited for them and the things the Lord has for their future. Were Coming HOME!! Yes, we are! We are planning to be back about the end of February and have our new baby in the States. We will not be able to return to Brazil until we get both passports for the baby, so likely around June or so. Please pray as we plan this trip.

If the Lord doesnt build the house, in vain worketh those who build it.. Ps 127

Paulo and his fam

...wont he leave the 99 sheep to go after the one that was lost? Believing that the Word would not come back void. You know the story of our neighbors whom God was actively pursuing and we could just not give up on what God had not given up on. Well, as we ministered to them, we saw God healing the husband, and doors opening for them, and yet things just kept getting worse in many aspects of their lives. One thing is recognizing you need God, another one is actually stepping out to seek God. One day, the wife simply decided to go see her mother who was sick in a n o t h e r s t a t e, a n d n e v e r c a m e back...leaving three kids at home with her husband who is now in his mid-60s. He is a hot-tempered man that easily explodes and things were denitely very difcult at their home. How do we approach someone like that?

Fa b i o s o u g h t t h e L o r d a n d continued to visit him, and nally said to him one day, Youre a little too macho for my taste. All that pride is destroying your family now just as it did with your prior family...Sorry, but I just needed to tell you this. The guy recognized he was wrong and decided to come to church with his kids. Now hes been to church for the 5th time and has joined a home group that hes been excited about. When he talked to the wife on the phone she said in amazement, Where are you getting these words from? The changes are evident, his children are loving it and his wife is expressing a desire to come back home (she has been gone more than two months). He was blind but now he sees that having God in the family is the best thing he can do for himself and his fmaily. Like we once read on a billboard: Wise men still seek Him Please pray for this family.

ENORMOUS BLESSING TO REPORT!!!!!!!!!! Last week I got my socks blessed off ! All of you wonderful and thoughtful folks back home so generously gave toward a DRYER for our family! We were able to have it delivered a few days ago and I feel such incredible BLISS every time I get to dry the clothes. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH! This has just majorly simplied my life in more ways than you can imagine. (Picture of the new dryer on last page of newsletter. :)

Translation work
More and more there have been foreign speakers coming to minister at churches in this area. Unfortunately, it seems that there are NO other translators available in this entire city!! When we say that we are not available, they often have to cancel the meetings. So, we translate. When we can.

Luiz and Sandra

*these names are not the real names.

One night Fabio had a dream about Luiz and Sandra. So he went to speak to them and said, I believe God is saying you both need to be close to Him. Luiz then opened up and confessed that they were thinking about divorce and that they needed help. Weeks passed by and we just couldnt get together consistently it was hard to nd them at home since they both work until late. They have two little ones. The Lord kept bothering us concerning them. So Elizabeth kept trying to get together with her and Fabio once went to nd out where his job was and took him out for lunch (In Brazil, lunch break is 2 hours). There Fabio asked how they were doing and he said he couldnt stand it anymore and was going to walk away from that relationship. Fabio talked about their priorities, about being fullled only in God, about the Lord building the house, and nally, What is important for your family to be well? What is your priority? What are you working for? That big TV, the addition you added, the extra car youre thinking of getting? That is all nice and I wish I had them but...Ive come to understand that what is important in our family is .... our family! And I wouldnt trade it for anything else I wish to have.... Right there at the restaurant the man broke down into tears and they talked some more. In the car he said, Man, this that youre doing is something my father should be doing for me but he is not. And I have no other friend that would have anything good to say. Thank you. Elizabeth has also gone several nights to talk to Sandra, and she has also been very open, although there is still the need for the Holy Spirit to really bring a breakthrough - for her to really realize how desperately she needs HIM! She has , however, listened attentively to the Word, regarding her heart and her marriage. Things seem to be a lot better for them at home, but there is a lot of work to be done yet. Please pray for this young couple and their children.

Business venture
Fabio has also been working on a website business for a number of reasons including following the Lords lead to do so. In a culture where Christians still see work as a curse and would prefer to be like the missionaries who get supported, we want to change that mentality not only by words, but by example. Work is a blessing! Ask anyone in a hospital bed if they wouldnt love to be able to be on their feet - working. Never blame work for your family being in bad shape. Make adjustments, sacrice your entertainment, go out to the park with your fam! Hes almost done and in a few weeks it should be going! Soon, well post a link to it. Please pray for this venture.

Elizabeth and doula work

A little over a month ago, Elizabeth was called on for another birth, but this time it was to accompany the mother as a doula for her hospital c-section. The dad said he did not have the stomach to go into the operating room! So, Elizabeth went and stayed with her and the baby for the rst couple of hours, bringing the mom news of the baby who she couldnt see. And taking pictures. :) And... there are two more births coming up that Elizabeth has been asked to be at. She is a birth junkie, so this is right up her alley, but really, it is also an important ministry. She has ideas of providing childbirth education in the future, especially for teenage moms in crisis, and also for encouraging hospital reform in some areas where they even ingnore Brazilian law regarding some things - like not allowing the father to come into the labor room. There is no lack of things to be done!

Find out more about what is happening in Brazil by visiting our blog at www.tsukayama.blogspot.com

NewsPics
Translating for Gustavo Lara Fabio walking with Bill, the pastor we helped at the public school, and veteran missionary Bob Moft Johann turned three in September

Johann and Israel

Playing chess in the middle of the street!

Dominique turned seven last week!

Name tag for the new business!

Public School Ministry