December 3, 2003

Dear Brothers and Sisters, 

DECEMBER! This year has gone by so fast. It is a month of reflection. This year has been a tough year. At times it was hard to keep moving on. We know that through the prayers and support of many of you God has given us one more wonderful and fruitful year. It is with tears of joy that we share with you the wonders of God's grace. We are going to share with you some of the things that have happened throughout the year here at the home and in the lives of our children.

Last year about this time of the year God sent to us, through the judge, a young girl named Rosely. She was 7 months pregnant. She was a victim of incest. She had some strange attitudes and even tried to kill herself. God in His wonderful grace had chosen her to be one of His. Today she is a different person. The daughter she didn't want she now loves. She has no more desire to be dead but a great desire to serve God. She is involved in three different ministries in church. She is fifteen years old.

About three months ago a young man was brought to us. When he arrived it was very obvious that he was gay. His name is Allan and he is fifteen years old. Kathy was out of town that afternoon. So I called her and told her about the situation. I asked her if she would rather not accept him. She thought for a little while and said, "He also needs Jesus." We let him stay. He hated church and tried every way possible to not go to church. After about a month he started having nightmares. We didn't put him in a regular room with the other guys. We put him in a room with two of our single guys that are leaders. One of them told us that he was having a rough time sleeping. A few days later, very early in the morning he was waiting to talk to Kathy. After breakfast and devotions with the kids, Kathy went to talk with him. When she walked in the room, he had a funny stare on his face. She asked him what was wrong. He said, "They told me not to talk to the one with lots of hair." That day Kathy had her hair down. But then he said, "But I have already decided to talk to you anyway, no matter what." Kathy started talking to him and hearing about his nightmares. Kathy told him that Satan always tries to get people to get people to do things by fear. God, on the other hand, loves us and wants to give us salvation through faith in Him. He then told her he had never really believed that God existed, but was starting to wonder because Satan was trying hard to convince him not to accept what we were teaching him. Also, in one of his nightmares, the demons told him not to let us pray for him. Kathy had mentioned to me a few days before that she had a desire to pray for him and turn him over to God. Well, Kathy asked to pray with him and asked God to make His love clear to him and to realize that God was real. Well, she didn't get too far in her prayer. All of a sudden he became possessed. The demon said his name and said that we couldn't have him because he had been given to him by his mother in a blood sacrifice at birth. Kathy continued praying and in her prayer she quoted the following verse: "for we were chosen before the foundation of the earth." Needless to say, the devil didn't like that verse. Praise God that after some struggle we lead him to know God as his personal savior. The change in his life can be seen on his face.

Many people ask us about those who have left the home. There are three young men who left with their hearts and minds ready to start a new life on their own.

Luiz Brito is one of the boys who had lived with us for almost eight years. Luiz was on all kinds of drugs and to get them he had to steal. At the age of 13 he was still in second grade. Well, eight years later he just enrolled in law school. To get into college here you have to do a test because there are too many students and not enough colleges. So you take the test and hope you scored enough to get in. In many colleges, the enrollment statistic is one vacancy to forty candidates. He works in a business here in town. He still goes to our church and is in the music ministry.

Edi Ribeiro also lived with us for about seven years. He hated school. I think it was worse than pulling teeth. He was always messing with electronic things around the house. Sometimes making a mess. I guess it was worth it. He left and went to work for his brother in an electronic door factory. He is a manager for one of the stores. He is also getting ready for college. He comes to see us almost every weekend. He lives five hours from here. When he can't come he sends us an e-mail. He loves to play guitar in church.

Josinei lived with us here at the Alpha and Omega Home for over two years. He had many problems with evil spirits. One time he knocked down five big men. His family all died tragic deaths. Praise God he has God in his heart and life. He has been married for a year. His wife is a young lady from our church. God has given him a great job in a grocery store and he has a great testimony.

Gabriela is a fifteen-year-old who has lived with us for about 2 years. She comes from a family of drug addicts and alcoholics. She roamed the streets and did pretty much what she felt like doing. Her mother is an alcoholic. Her teeth were rotten and she wouldn't smile. We had them pulled and now she has nice looking front teeth, and she has a beautiful smile. She had already made a profession of faith but had a hard time forgetting the life of the past. She constantly sang music of the world and she had a very pessimistic attitude about her ability to learn. A few weeks ago we had a seminar for youth for drama, sign language, and singing. Gabriella loves to sing. She asked Kathy if she could do the seminar. Kathy was really happy that she finally had an interest in something. Well, she is doing great. Best of all is that she had a collection of worldly singers. She came to Kathy and gave them to her and said, "do with them what you want. I don't need them any more. Also, I have decided to get baptized." She is baptized and singing in church and is in the drama team.

The church is doing great. We are working really hard on getting everyone involved in church. All parts of the body must function. Our body can't have dead members attached to it. It makes the rest get sick and die also. But praise God, it seems like many members got injected with a vitamin of God's love and a desire to share God's love with others. Worship is not something we just do at church, it is a life style! We must never forget that we were created for God's pleasure, and God still gives us the privilege to be blessed by serving Him. WOW!

Thanks for all your love and support throughout the year. May God's richest blessing be with you and your family and your church. We love each of you and are very grateful; more than words can express.

This is where your investment has been used. Please pray and ask God where He would have you to help us. Things are really tight and we want to keep moving on.

Love,

Odali, Kathy, Tito, Jonas and Gabriel Barros

Happy Faces at Alpha and Omega Home.