Keep Praying For Us

It has been a while since we've been able to update the blog.  We have had quite a bit going on.  One of Rachel's students has been recording her new demo which required a lot of preparation on Rachel's part.

Also, we had a bit of a scare a while back that even took us to the ER.  Rachel suffered a "threatened miscarriage."  The doctor said there is no explanation as to why it happened, or why it stopped, but we know everything is in the LORD's hands and we desire His will.  Rachel has been and is still on bed rest until the degree of danger lowers sufficiently to return to daily activity.

One of our Brazilian friends who you have prayed for in past is also suffering the risk of a divorce.  She has been studying scripture with us over the past year and needs believing friends nearby to support her in this trying time.  She also has a 4-year-old son.

We know that many times we pray and yet have no idea of the outcome.  We just wanted to confirm that your prayers for us and our ministries do have power.  We are thankful to be moving into a new year with the hope of having another baby to come into the family.  We are hopeful for a great success for Rachel's student who is looking to get signed by a record label.  We are prayerful that our friends and family, no matter how far, will feel the movement of the Holy Spirit in their lives through internet scripture study and encouragement.  Please continue to pray with us in these specific areas - your prayers are powerful and effective. (James 5:16)

Just in case you hadn't heard:

We're expecting Leite baby #2!  Should be here around August - maybe even on Rachel's birthday.

Fall+Cold=Cute Hava

So, it finally got cold in Texas.  It was 30-something today and Hava went out to play in the leaves.  We all had a good time!

Everyday Hava- 

She decided that the best place to keep her fork during dinner was in her straw.

This is the VERY FIRST TIME any braids have stayed in her hair...we were all very excited.  :o)

Part of our thanksgiving - stuffed apples!  There's a mirror on the other side of the room, so that is where Hava sees herself at the end of the video.

Portuguese Translations:

"Da um sorriso" - Smile!

"Ajuda Mamãe" - Help Mommy

Extras: Cookie, Happy :o)

A Leite Thanksgiving

*I think I might need a disclaimer here - these pictures are out of order, so we did NOT have dog hair in our food.  :o)

Evidently, we got a single shot of Hava eating on Thanksgiving last year, and oddly enough, we got one this year too.

Hava and Papai stuffing the apples
Hava and Fumaça
Hava and Mamãe making the stuffing for the apples

Working on GG's famous pumpkin roll
Basting the bird
Watching the thanksgiving day parade

We had a wonderful day of just spending time with family and friends and recognizing that in all things, at all times, we are His. We have every reason to fill every day giving thanks for all that He has done for us!!!

Hava got very relaxed watching tv.


Praying and reading the bible before bed.

Stars and Puppies - Day 3!

*This might be TMI (too much information) for some of you, but a lot of our readers are parents who appreciate the milestones.*  :o)

She eats like a big girl, sleeps like a big girl and is now using the big potty!  We are on day 3 of potty training week.  We started a while back, but Hava wasn't quite ready and got bored with it, so we left it alone and came back to it about a month later.  This week has just been great.  Day 1 was kind of slow and just getting her re-acquainted with potty.  Yesterday got Hava 9 star stickers and 1 puppy sticker on her potty chart (yeah, that means a lot of #1 and even a #2!).  Today, she hasn't had to change underpants once and we're an hour away from bedtime!

So, hopefully by the end of the week, we'll have a diaper-free (except for bedtime) little lady!

We might be biased, but......G-D MADE HER SO CUTE!!!!

Well, unfortunately one of our cute videos of Hava vanished off into the technology black hole and it is nowhere to be found.  She had just watched a video of her friend Natalie drawing happy faces and saying "happy, happy, happy!!!"  Right after watching she went in our room, climbed up on the bed and started jumping up and downs saying "happy, Happy, HAPPY!"  She loves the phrase and says it all the time now.  In fact, she even "reads" us a story out of her bible - the story of Yeshua (Jesus) curing the sick girl.

She points at Yeshua and says: "Shua!"

Then she points at the girl's parents nearby and says: "Papai, Mamãe" (Daddy, Mommy)

Then she points at the little girl and says: "Dodoi" (Boo-boo)

Then points at Yeshua and then towards the little girl and says: "HAPPY!"

So, I guess when we're sick, Yeshua can make us Happy! :o) (Especially if mom and dad are around!)

She is such a joy to us.  We understand when scripture says it is a blessing to have children!  Even though she is almost 2, there are moments where she is calm, collected, patient and just plain sweet!!!

And there are moments where she is very active, very vocal and all her batteries are charged....like playing soccer with Papai (daddy).

There are also so some "not-so-photogenic" moments, like time-outs and burning her fingers on a lamp bulb!  We hate to see her cry or in pain, but we also know that shapes her into being who the LORD is preparing her to be.  And even after such "horrific" moments, she shakes it off and comes back to us with loving embraces and precious kisses!

We know each life the LORD allows to come into this world, comes in with a purpose.  We don't know for how long, or for what reasons, but we are confident that each person is made in the image of G-D and has the capacity of allowing His love and life to live purely through them.  We know we are not perfect, but we hope our lives show the same affection for our Creator, when we return to Him with praise and service.  

Within the last couple of weeks, we have had friends who have just had their first child, just lost children, are waiting to have their own children or waiting for adoptive children to finally be in their arms.  Whatever the circumstance, we praise HIM for fearfully and wonderfully knitting us in our mother's wombs.  We commit ourselves to Him so that HIS will may be completed through our obedience.  

May He forever be praised for being the One and Only 

Creator, Sustainer, Redeemer and Comforter of the Universe 

and everything and everyone therein!

TE AMO!

Hava just learned to say "Te Amo" -"I love you" in portuguese.  We couldn't be more proud!!!

and by the way....WE LOVE YOU!!!

Right now, there is not a lot we can blog about.  But, we do ask for your prayers at this particular time in our lives.

Kissing the "boo-boo"

Beginning tonight, we remember the extreme sacrifice that was made for us through a price of blood long ago.  Tonight starts the appointed time of Yom Kippur - or the Day of Atonement.

Earlier today, Hava said for the first time (and repeatedly) "Yeshua!"  (The hebrew name of Jesus - Salvation!)  I have to tell the whole story for you to feel where we're coming from.

Every night, we read to Hava from a children's bible in portuguese.  We always pray in Yeshua's name.  This afternoon, I was in her room with her, when I saw she went over to the dresser and picked up her bible.  She sat down beside me and started to flip through the pages.  The next thing I know, she is in the back of the bible, pointing at pictures of Yeshua and saying: "Shu-a...SHU-AH...YESHUA!!!"  It was a good thing I was sitting down, because otherwise, I think I might have fallen over backwards.  I called Al on the phone and she kept saying it repeatedly to him.  Then I called a close family friend and she continued to repeat His name.  As I was on the phone, she picked up her Minnie Mouse doll that her uncle and aunt gave her and sat the doll down beside her.  Hava picked up the bible again and showed it to Minnie, pointed at the bible and looked at Minnie and said: "YESHUA!"  (I guess she's already evangelizing!!!)

Immediately after that, she turned back to other pages in the bible.  When she saw the picture of Jonah and the great fish, she said: "Peixe!" ("Fish!") and made the sign for fish.  I was still on the phone and she turned back further.  There was a picture of Noah and his family kneeling and praying at an altar.  Hava immediately put the bible down and imitated what she saw - bowing and clasping her hands together!

So, tonight we read with her again - and decided to read the story of Yeshua's sacrifice.  As Al flipped the page, there was a picture of people kneeling at the foot of the execution stake and you could only see His feet with a nail through the ankles.  As soon as she saw it, Hava said: "Do-doi!" ("Boo-boo!")  Al said: "Yes, Yeshua had a boo-boo."  He flipped the page again and there was a depiction of Yeshua with the crown on His head and the nails through His wrists.  Hava again saw the nails and said: "Do-doi!"  She then leaned over the book and kissed Yeshua's boo-boo.  Again, good thing we were sitting!!!

I can't help but draw a divine connect-the-dots conclusion in my precious daughter's actions today.  So many times, we plead for His forgiveness.  We ask for His blessing.  We long for the answers.  But I'm not sure we actually "kiss the boo-boos."  When Hava is hurt, I know she knows my kissing her boo-boo doesn't make it go away.  But she wants my affection - to know I see her pain and the ugliness of the mark and still care for her.  It reminds me of when she was covered in mosquito bites on the amazon.  She looked terrible, but I think I might have even loved her more as I noticed people were not as drawn to her as they usually are by her natural beauty.

Just because she kissed Yeshua's boo-boo doesn't make it go away.  And I'm glad it doesn't. We need that sacrifice.  Now, I realize, as much as I need forgiveness for my sin - I need to love the scars.  I need to show my Savior that I not only need His sacrifice, but I love Him for it- through my actions, not just my words.  I need to be more concerned with loving what He has already done for me, than pinning it on some miraculous blessings He might throw my way.  Even if the sacrifice was all He did for me - THAT would be enough!  (Dayenu!)

To end on a lighter note, but just as important.  Here is Hava right after learning to say "Yeshua" today - dancing and singing about how He loves us.  Oh, how I love Him!

Waterboarding

1 Peter 1 has a lot to say, and is worth reading in it's entirety.  But there is a specific part that comes to mind tonight....verses 6-7:

In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials.  These have come so that your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Yeshua (Jesus), the Messiah is revealed. 

We just completed the celebration of Rosh Hashana, or Yom Teruah - the feast of trumpets.  It is exciting to think about all that will happen at the sound of the trumpets.  But in the meantime, we are here, and here is not always a fun place to be.

Al and I have a petty addiction - it's a show called "Heroes."  Since we were not home yesterday when it came on, we recorded it to watch tonight.  There is one particular part that stood out to me.  One character who has the power to create fire from their own hands was teaching another indestructible character a lesson about a form of torture called waterboarding.  Even though the character could not die by burning, the more she sweat and lost oxygen, the more she felt as though she were suffocating - similar to drowning - losing control and feeling trapped, panicked and helpless.

To be quite honest, Al and I have been through a little struggling lately with this and that.  We definitely feel as though we are being "refined by fire."  I always thought about going through "the fire" as an awesome test of what type of warriors we are.  But now, I see it is much more intense than that.  I can see how the trials we go through can bring us to the point of wanting to give up - they make us feel trapped, panicked and helpless.  It's like our oxygen is being taken away.  It is almost an opposite idea than that of the courageous warrior.

But scripture gives us a hope...there is a reason for this suffering.  And that reason is not necessarily to have our needs and wants provided miraculously (although, that many times is the case), but ultimately to glorify our LORD and Savior.  The more our trials seem to trap and control us, we remember the the end:

verses 8-9: 

Though you have not seen Him, you love Him; and even though you do not see Him now, you believe in Him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

This isn't the first time (nor, am I sure, will it be the last) that we will be bombarded with difficulties.  In fact, as I write these words, many of my dear friends are urgently dependent on prayer to heal a loved one, bring a baby into the world or save a dying marriage.  We are thankful to not be going through those kinds of "torture."  But ours is one that the LORD has allowed and we must endure for His Name's sake.

The prophets spoke of the grace to come through Yeshua (although it existed long before He became flesh), and the sufferings He would endure and the "glories that would follow."  The idea that "even the angels long to look into these things" is just refreshing to me.  That we should participate in suffering, to become more like Him and to experience glory - well, that is glory to me.

At this very moment, we do feel somewhat trapped and as if we are suffocating, but in the midst of it all, there is an overwhelming peace that assures our hearts that this moment is not in vain.  My hope is that we have learned or are learning our lesson(s).

We would appreciate your prayers - not that we would just "get what we want," but that the "peace that passes all understanding" would prevail and reign in our lives, our households and our communities of faith.  May we be indestructible in the midst of our refining.

verse 23:

For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of G-D.

Please pray for us...

As you know, we raise our own support to be able to do what we do as well as take care of our daily needs.  Our Heavenly Father has been so gracious to us since we returned from Brazil.  Although we had nothing we when returned, all of our needs have been met this past month, but once again, we are presenting our requests to Him for our daily needs.  Please help us lift up these requests to Him:

- to be able to pay our bills and buy food

- to be able to invest in Al's English learning and seminary

- for Rachel to be able to get more voice students

- to be able to raise funds for our next mission trip

thank you and may HE be forever praised!

OH YEAH!

Thank you to those of us who remembered us on our anniversary.  It was a very sweet, peaceful day and we thank the LORD for helping us complete our 6th year together!

Everything is big in Texas.  This is a SINGLE "tooth" of garlic out of a head of about 4!  I couldn't believe my eyes when I opened it.  (And my hand is pretty huge for a girl's hand.)  Our needs are great here, but our blessings seem to be the same size.  I guess this piece of garlic is really what I needed to see.  Sometimes we assume our need is not going to be met because logically, there is "no way."  But somehow, G-D creates a G-D-sized miracle to sustain us.  And even then, it is nothing compared to His hand.  We literally had no way to even buy groceries when we came back from our trip to Brazil, but we have been here now for 3 weeks and have not lacked one single thing.  Right when we got back, our AC went bye-bye (can you tell I've been spending too much time with a toddler?).  But even so, our heavenly Father has blessed north Texas with a VERY MILD September.  We have been able to open the windows, and sleep with fans.  We are thankful for our Father's provision.  Not to say that tomorrow is already taken care of, but we are learning to take it day by day and see how G-D is going to bless.  Tomorrow, I guess I'll peel back another piece of garlic and see what's inside.  :o)
I know the picture is dark, but here is Hava in her "big girl" bed.  (We just took one of the sides off the crib and put pillows on the floor.  She's been sleeping like this for a couple of weeks now and only fell out once (that we know of).  And even then, she didn't cry - she actually laughed.  :o)

The potty-training is at a halt now, since she has gotten un-excited about the whole thing.  So, in order not to burn her out on it, we are laying low for a while.  She has been very busy learning lots of new words.  Usually, it take one time of us saying it, and she'll repeat it.  No real phrases yet, but we'll get there.  She does seem a bit out of place when we go different place...I think she's still not sure where she is and what language is actually spoken here.

Today, she danced around the living room with me as we praised the LORD and sang:

"Bless the LORD, oh my soul

And all that is within me,

Bless His holy name.

Bless the LORD, oh my soul

Forget not all His goodness,

Bless His holy name...

...He crowns me with compassion,

He fills me with his love,

He blesses me with good things

From His storehouse up above!"

Derived from Psalm 103

PTL - Our nephew and his fiancee were not hurt when the car was stolen at gunpoint.  The police were able to retrieve the car in a city about 30 miles away.  It is quite damaged and all of the documents and paperwork (it's a brazilian thing) are gone, which means there will be a lot of work to be done in order for the car to be legalized and in good condition again.  But, thankfully, the car is still driveable and no lives were lost.

C0ntinue to pray with us for our family - as we know, the LORD allows things to happen so that He might be glorified and people might come to the knowledge and acceptance of the Salvation He offers.  When all of this happened tonight, our family called us asking US to pray for them.  It was a "once-in-a-blue-moon" opportunity and we THANK THE LORD for it!

Please pray for our nephew and all of Al's family.  His nephew's car was stolen at gunpoint today while he and his fiancée were in it.  The entire family is quite upset.  We have already prayed over the internet/phone with some of them.  If and when we receive more information, we will post it here. 

Our presentation has been rescheduled because of this weekend's weather.  We'll keep you posted to when it is.

Tomorrow (Saturday) at about 2:30, we will be making a presentation about our trip to Brazil this summer.  If you can, come join us at Eitz Chaim Congregation - 650 West Campbell - Richardson, TX (just east of UTD on Campbell).  If you are unable to join us, please pray for us at that time.  Thanks!!!

This might be a little too much information, but we are kinda excited:

Hava used the potty on her first day of potty training!!!

Big Girl

So, after finding out about Hava's buddy Josef (who is a month older than she) is sleeping in a big boy bed, we decided to take off one of the railings of Hava's crib/bed starting yesterday.  She took to it SPENDIDLY!  This is the second night she is sleeping soundly in her bed.  We took it off during the day yesterday to give her time to play getting in and out of it on her own and just getting used to it.  She was SO EXCITED when we took off the side.  

Last night, we put her down as normal and turned the monitor on.  All was well and quiet, until we heard the monitor go fuzzy (which usually means it was turned off on the other end).  So, I went into her room, and Hava had:

-played with her dirty clothes in the dirty clothes hamper

-played with some toys from the toy box

-played with a book on her dresser

and I found her in the floor playing with the monitor.  It was pretty funny.  So, she went back to bed, cried a bit and then quickly went to sleep.  The past few times she has woken up there, she has not gotten out of the bed, but just waits for us to come get her as usual.  We have pillows on the floor in case she falls out, but we're praying it won't happen.  She has also started wanting to sleep with a pillow and blanket, and although she usually moves around a lot, she now seems to stay in place with her head on the pillow and blanket nearby.  I have a picture of her first night, but haven't been able to upload it yet.  As soon as I get it, you can take a look at our BIG GIRL!

Can't really give details, but pray this week for a friend coming by.  This will most definitely be a spiritual encounter, so pray as the LORD opens hearts and minds.

Sleep is such a wonderful thing!

So, good news, Hava has slept soundly the past 2 nights in a row - 13 hours each night!!! Which means we too have been able to get some much needed rest.  Al is still a little sick, so please pray for his quick recovery since this has gone on for well over a week now.

Some of Hava's various sleeping environments over the past 3 monthsin the car...
in a hammock with someone else...
in a different hammock...
yet another hammock during the day (notice her sweaty head)...
under a mosquito net...
in someone else's bed...yes, more mosquito bites...
on the bus...
another hammock...
on the boat...
in a different crib...
in the car...
on the plane...

among many, MANY others.

SCHEDULES

As any of you who have or have had young children know, the schedule is everything.  Hava has always been our "little clock" since she was born. And I knew that no matter how I tried to keep her on schedule, this trip was gonna be a little wacky for her.  The first half was not so bad, but the second half really took a toll on her.  Besides having to sleep with a mosquito net every night, the heat was unbearable as much for us as it was for her.  I also had to lay down beside her crib EVERY NIGHT during the second half of the trip to get her to fall asleep.  I'm not sure if it was just the different environment or if it really was spiritual, but she screamed bloody murder if I left her side before she was sleeping.  Then she would only sleep about 9-10 hrs a night versus her 11-12 hrs here.  Her naps dropped down from 2 1.5-2 hr naps, to only one 1.5-2 hrs.  It was completely understandable as the heat during the day was worse than at night.  In fact, she slept in a hammock during naptimes just in order to be able to sleep.

Of course the sleeping affects the eating, which affects the moods and so on.  Considering everything, Hava was a trooper and really held up pretty well.  That is until we flew back.  The 6 hours of sleep she got in my arms in the airport on the 25th barely held her over till we finally got in the plane the next afternoon.  She didn't sleep at all on the plane.  When we arrived in Miami at 7 pm the next day, she had to get back in her carseat (which she had gotten unaccustomed to while in Brazil, since it is not mandatory there).  That was a fight...she screamed for about an hour until she conked out.  Then we arrived at our friends house where she went to sleep pretty quickly that night (26th).  

For the week we were in Florida and traveling home, she did better in the car seat and took plenty of naps.  I think the lack of sleep was catching up with her.  There were still tough times though as none of our stomachs were back to normal.  But we really wanted to get home and try our best to get her in her own bed and sleeping and eating on a schedule again.  The first couple of naps and night, there was a bit of screaming and during the first night, she woke up in a terror - I think because she still wasn't sure where she was and we were in the other room.  But last night was a blessing - she went down at 8:30 (regular time) without a fight, went right to sleep and didn't wake up till 9 am this morning!!!  (At 7:30, I went in to check on her since it was so strange that we hadn't heard a thing and she was completely out.)  

Anyway, she is eating well and although we have been dealing with some behavioral issues since we got back (and we're not far from the 2s), she seems to be calming down and obeying more consistently.  We just wanted to really thank all of you who specifically pray for Hava.   She is and has been such a special blessing to us and especially on this trip.  There were people she would go up to and just hug for no reason - people seemed to be moved by her presence.  Her family just fell in love with her and she with them.  Neighborhood kids would come up to the house where we stayed asking for Hava.  And now, she is a blessing to us.  While we could be frustrated and stressed with our current unpredictable situation, she keeps us laughing and happy.  Pray that Hava continues to be this blessed part of this ministry as long as the LORD allows her to be with us.

(click picture to enlarge and see Hava's expression)
Home, Sweet, Home

Almost exactly 3 months later, and we are finally back at the house.  We're trying to unpack and get back to normal after our mission trip to the Amazon basin of Brazil.  Al is still a bit sick, but at least now we can rest in our own bed.

At the same time that it is so good to be back, it is sad at the same time.  For those of us who have lives in more than one place, it is always hard to leave one place for the other.  Our hearts are constantly aching.  Technology, though, has made it so much easier.  I remember the days when there was no internet on the Amazon and calling home was $2 a minute.  I used to write letters to my friends and hope and pray they would get them.  I would anxiously await the arrival of their response which usually took anywhere from 3 weeks to 3 months.

Now that we can maintain contact in both places, we feel much more connected to each other.  We long for the salvation of our family and friends and do not intend to rest until each and every one has surrendered their lives to the One True and Living G-d through His Son, the Messiah.  We know that we have clearly presented the gospel to them all, and now we wait anxiously, as a mother in labor, for their rebirths.  In the meantime, we are continuing bible studies via the internet with friends and family who have asked us in Brazil and we maintain our family, friends and supporters updated with our lives and ministry progress through this blog.  We are also more than happy to report that at least 3 people professed their acceptance of the Savior in our presence while we were in Brazil.  We were also blessed to make and maintain contact with some Jewish families in the region.

We would like to ask a very special prayer request.  Please pray for us as we try to raise funds to continue our family ministry.  We have dedicated ourselves to full-time ministry which requires us to raise support for our everyday needs as well as ministry needs.  The LORD has once again proven Himself faithful as He laid this burden on the hearts of those who supported us to go to Brazil for these past two months as well as the support that maintained our bills here paid.  However, we are once more at the point where we need to ask for support in order to continue.  Our plans now include Al's continued studies (both in English and in theology) here, continued support to the Amazon as well as trips in the making for Kenya, Egypt and Italy.  If you feel led to give to our ministry, email us at leitefam@yahoo.com.

Last, but MOST DEFINITELY NOT LEAST, we would like to thank all of those who supported us on this trip both financially, through prayer and through special needs.  We would like to especially thank those who so kindly housed us on our way to and from Florida as we made our way in and out of Brazil: Chip & Alicia, Michael & Karrie, Bobby & Joanna, Marcos & Viviane, Julio & Ana, and Ben & Bonnie.  Our time with all of you and your families was so special to us and we hold you in our hearts.  May you be doubly blessed for blessing us!!!

We will continue to update this blog, but you are also invited to send your email address to leitefam@yahoo.com for email updates on our ministry.

We're Back!

We arrived in Miami last night around 7pm.  We are staying with some friends today to catch up on sleep.  Al is a bit sick with a cold, but mostly lack of sleep.  So, we'll catch up with you soon.  Thanks for your prayers.

For whatever reason, I couldn´t get any more than these pictures to load here, but here is a bit of what is going on....
These are the 3 family members most heavily dedicated to the cult Seicho-no-Ie. This is a Seicho-no-Ie speaker praying towards their altar - "The Perfect Image"
Members praying to "god" and to ancestors.
These are 2 of Al´s nephews who attend - the older, Arlan (left) is heavily involved, the youngest, André (right) goes to be obedient and has been a bit brainwashed. The good news is, he knows that it doesn´t makes sense and last night (friday), he sat and talked with me (Rachel) for over 3 hours about salvation, the bible and G-d´s calling on his heart...he heard and understood the message and is currently trying to decide if he needs to make a decision to follow Jesus. He said he thinks he should accept it, but he has to decide if that is really what he desires. The family, of course, does not know.
Hava´s most recent mosqito attack.

We leave tonight to visit the last family members we have not yet seen and will be back in town tomorrow night. We fly out on Monday night and should arrive in Miami Tuesday night. Please pray for our last couple of days here.