We are in the midst of busy days at home and in ministry here in South Africa, as you will see from the pictures below.  In this section, I will share Alberto’s thoughts on his work with the kids in the community:

Working in the poor racially-segregated communities of South Africa is very difficult. Most of the young men I work with live with one parent or a relative.  Usually they are hungry, and often they are abused by someone who was supposed to protect them.  

The Lord has brought me here to encourage these boys, so they can find hope in Him. He is the only Way they will find refuge.  Jesus has paid a big price for our rescue and for our freedom.  He understands betrayal.  It is not easy for these boys to learn to trust again.  It is not easy for them to speak about love, as they are used to a culture of lying and hurting in order to survive.  For them, respect comes through being tough and hurting others.

Yet these boys are good at working with their hands.  They are good artists, dancers, and musicians.  When jobs come their way, in enables them to buy food.  It is not enough for clothes and shoes, though.  Work is therefore not a way of life for them.  Crime is.  I am trying to teach these guys about the consequences of following good verses evil.  

Prisons here in South Africa are full of Coloured and Black people.  Society, especially in the wake of such strong color divides and prejudice, is failing them as well.  Please help me pray for these guys to come to true freedom through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  He paid the price for all to be saved and know freedom.

Pictures

When a donation (from one of our donors) came in for the preschool, the teacher decided to build a playground! Alberto helped with the building and participated in the inauguration ceremony!  Kids here have few safe places to be, let alone a place to play!

I donated some of our old children’s books to the preschool, since they had none.

Winter is approaching, which means we have very cold nights!  There is a big push to provide warm blankets and hats to kids in the community. (My mom knit this one!) 

Last month we dropped Ana at the airport.  She is currently a live-in nanny at our friends’ house!

Ana got her driver’s license last week! This was one of her goals while being in the U.S.

Alberto’s new car…finally!  Thank you to all of you who made this possible.  This car will make our lives much easier!

Sweet Phoebe at speech therapy. 

This will be our new family size for most of the upcoming year!  Releasing Isaac has been the single most difficult thing I have had to do.  Neither the best schools in Cape Town nor his precious family could tempt him to stay!  I am not sure when we will see him again, as he is traveling on a one-way plane ticket. At least Ana has a return ticket!  

Rebecca came to visit us last week! Rebecca was Phoebe’s volunteer during Park Street Church’s Christian Formation Hour, made possible through the Enable Boston ministry.

Kid Update

Ana is enjoying being a nanny and catching up with friends in the U.S. She recently completed her college applications for schools in Cape Town. She returns to South Africa Sept 6 and will start university here in Jan 2017.

Isaac finishes homeschooling next week. He leaves South Africa June 11, at which time he will stay with my parents in Weymouth and work for the summer. He starts Boston Trinity Academy in August.

Margaret is still homeschooling.  She is excited to leave South Africa late June, with her friend Jordyn, who will be here on a short-term missions trip. Margaret will attend camp at Deer Run, NH before returning to South Africa with Ana on Sept 5. 

Phoebe turns 9 next week.  Her latest sentence is “More food please.”  This is now her favorite sentence, replacing the former favorite “I want meat.”  We are now working on “I see meat.”  (Clearly food, and specifically meat, is a big motivator for Phoebe!) She is fortunate to have many dedicated therapists here.

Prayer Requests

• Pray for the boys that Alberto is working with, that they will know there is Hope.
• Continue to pray for rain for South Africa. 
• Pray for our safety and protection.
• Praise that Isaac’s id arrived.
• Pray for Isaac’s departure from South Africa to Boston on June 11. 
• Pray for me when Isaac leaves! 
• Praise that Phoebe’s birth document arrived.  We now have all the necessary documents for the whole family!
• Praise that Ana has finished her college applications for Cape Town schools.  Pray that she will get into the right school!

Merry Christmas to all of you!  It is still hard to celebrate Christmas in the summer, but I am getting used to it.  In true South African spirit, we are heading to the beach for a few days.  It will be our first family vacation since arriving last year, and we have a lot to celebrate!

Thank you to all of you for your support.  We are keenly aware of the fact that we are here because of God and because of your support.  We are so grateful!  We actually just mailed postcards to many of you, so please look out for them.  They say “Thank you from South Africa.”  (I’m telling you in case they never arrive!)

Our Barnabas (prayer) group is also helping us mail out 150 fundraising letters, as we have some financial needs.  We are raising money for Alberto to buy a ministry vehicle. We are also trying to increase our number of monthly donors, as we have lost some donors. (Please use this link www.parkstreet.org/giving if you are interested in donating.)  

We are famous!  No, not really.  But here is a link to a 5 minute video which may be shown in different African countries as part of a campaign to offer hope to the hopeless.  This particular video tells how Christ helped a young man overcome a gaming and porn addiction.  Alberto and Ana are actors in the video, which takes place in our house!

Here is the link to more YWAM Worcester videos, which tell other stories of redeemed struggles.  (There are also some short videos about classes YWAM offers.)

Photos entitled:

• “Healing Jesus” Campaign came to Worcester!
• Alberto and the ushers.
• Possibly the biggest evangelistic campaign since Andrew Murray’s ministry in the 1800’s!
• Some of the boys Alberto is working with. There is a strong gang and drug presence in the community, which tries to lure young boys into a life of crime.
• Setting up tables with donated goods. The kids earn tokens that they can use to buy items.
• New shoes!
• The construction team.
• Building a swing set for a preschool in the community.
• Testing the swing!
• Phoebe has a variety of therapies each week, but horse-back riding is her favorite (and actually the cheapest!)
• Margaret played the role of the wicked fairy step-mother and cat in the play “A Mixed Up Fairy Tale.”   (Ana did the make-up for the cast.)

Good news…we have a house to rent!  Finally!  We praise God that after months and months of looking (and being rejected) we finally found a lovely home whose owners are excited to rent to us.  Our days in our 20×15 room are coming to an end.  July 1 we move to our new home.  Now you can all plan a trip to visit us!  (Not at the same time though, please!)

Living in such tight quarters has certainly had its logistical challenges, but it has taught us to live extremely simply, to be patient with each other, and to include each other in every conversation (like it or not)!

We have been learning about God’s incredible love for us, and how precious we are in His sight.  He is actively pursuing each and every one of us, His beloved.  He longs for relationship with us and to restore what has been broken.  Every Thursday night we have community meetings on the YWAM base which are open to the public.  This past Thursday our speaker did a dramatic presentation on God’s unceasing love and pursuit of us.  When people realize the depth of God’s love for them, they often break down in tears, or conversely, are filled with joy!  It’s a  beautiful thing when the Holy Spirit ministers to us.

Cockroaches we can adjust to.  Thieves we cannot. Thieves have broken into the YWAM base the past four nights, and robbed our friends a couple of times. The security guard and barbed wire fences are not enough to deter the crime, so some of our guys have taken to night watching!  Please pray that they catch the perpetrator, and that we stay safe.

The thief left his drug paraphernalia in our friends’ house when he was startled. Unfortunately, many young men are addicted to the drug Tik (Crystal meth).  With little to no employment, young men turn to drugs for fulfillment.

Interestingly enough, Alberto just wrote his last paper for his Counseling class on just this thing.  “Father to the Fatherless”  describes God’s heart for the young generation of men who have grown up without fathers in the surrounding communities.

Alberto’s class actually ends next week, so we are looking forward to a break.  We are feeling pretty tired at this point.  It has been a challenging term in many ways: academically, safety-wise, and physically as we search for a house to rent.

Academically, the kids are in the throws of their first semester.  Margaret was unfortunately not happy at the sweet Christian school on base, so she moved to Worcester Primary School, the public school in town. She seems much happier now. Academically though, the South African system is extremely different in content and structure.  All three kids have been having a tough adjustment in this area.

Safety, as I explained above, is a current threat, which has made people on the YWAM base a bit edgy.  Isaac also had his own incident.  Coming home from a school retreat, the luggage door to the bus opened and three bags fell out.  His bag was one of them. The school and bus company are not taking any responsibility, but rather said, “Welcome to South Africa!”  Isaac lost all his camping gear, sneakers, Bible, and everything else needed for a camping weekend (and his retainer!).  Isaac has been taking this loss with extreme grace.

Lastly, our housing search continues. We have applied to rent a number of different houses, but have been rejected from all of them, with no reason provided.  I know God has a plan for us.

Through these challenges, I am reminded again and again of God’s faithfulness to us. We have been tested, and will declare the glory of the Lord.  During Holy Week, we are reminded of God’s ultimate sacrifice to us through the shedding of His Son’s blood. As we kneel before the cross, we focus on Jesus and count everything else as loss. “Lead me to the Cross” by Hillsong is a timely song:

“Lead Me To The Cross”

Savior I come

Quiet my soul remember

Redemption’s hill

Where Your blood was spilled

For my ransom

Everything I once held dear

I count it all as lost

[Chorus:]

Lead me to the cross

Where Your love poured out

Bring me to my knees

Lord I lay me down

Rid me of myself

I belong to You

Lead me, lead me to the cross

You were as I

Tempted and trialed

Human

The word became flesh

Bore my sin and death

Now you’re risen

Everything I once held dear

I count it all as lost

Merry Christmas!

Greetings from hot and sunny South Africa!  Local people are heading to the beach and preparing to braai (cook-out) to kick off the start of summer vacation!  Popular Christmas songs echo through the grocery stores, although it doesn’t seem like Christmas at all!

I have been reading from the book of Isaiah, meditating on God’s absolute love for His people and the mercy He shows, despite unfaithfulness.  Isaiah 43: 11-13 reads:

I, even I, am the Lord, and apart from me there is no savior.
I have revealed and saved and proclaimed.
I, and not some foreign god among you.
You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, that I am God.
Yes, and from ancient days I am he.
No one can deliver out of my hand.  When I act, who can reverse it?

Amen!  We are His witnesses.  Witnesses of His love and mercy, and His unfailing faithfulness from the beginning of time.  At Christmas we celebrate God’s love for us through the birth of our savior Jesus Christ.

On the home front, we have survived Alberto’s Bible Core Class!  With an A- on the final, he had a strong finish.  For now, we have some time to relax and braai.  Our good news is that we have just bought a car!  Now we are looking for a house to rent.  Counseling class starts for Alberto Jan 10, and the new school year starts for the kids late Jan.

Photo

Alberto finished his first of three classes! Bible Core Course offered a rigorous overview of the Bible which included reading the entire Bible out-loud, preparing many outlines and reports, sharing in front of an audience, acting King Xerxes in a play about Esther, and working with children in the poor community of Avian Park.  Needless to say, it was a lot of work, and we are all so proud of him for finishing strong!

We have arrived!  Safe and sound with all our luggage! Phoebe was a great traveler!  It was surreal descending into Cape Town.  It was the moment I had pictured over and over in my head.  All these years of preparation…for this!  Thank you to all of you who have made this possible!

Our YWAM contact met us at the airport and whisked us back to the base, which is the campus where we will be for the next year.  Descending from the van, we were immediately greeted by the people with whom I have been communicating for years. Also surreal!  Praise God!

We are settling into our two rooms, despite it being a bit cramped.  The Christian community and international flavor more than make up for it!  There are people from all over the world, with the majority coming from surrounding African countries, Brazil and Korea.  Some are missionaries taking refresher courses, and some are people just beginning their missionary journeys.  A very exciting place!  Put that mix into a worship service, and you have a piece of heaven!

Alberto’s first class starts next week: Bible Core Course. The three older kids also plan to jump into school next week (end of quarter three for South African schools). Not much down time, but I guess we are used to that by now! Our last few weeks have been crazy! (And thanks for your prayers!  We rented our house out for Sept 15!)

We have tickets!!!!  Sept 7 is our departure date.  We reached our 80% goal earlier this month!  Thank you God and thank you faithful partners!

We are counting down to the day we leave.  Our house needs to be rented, vehicles and furniture sold, stuff donated, and bags packed.  Busy days at the Parada household!  Let us know if you need anything!

Alberto’s Bible classes at YWAM start on Sept 19, so we will have just under two weeks to get settled once we arrive in South Africa.  We have two rooms and a fridge waiting for us…not to mention a whole community!  It seems surreal that something we have been praying about, talking about, and planning for so long is just around the corner!

“He is the image of the invisible God” (Col 1:15)  The incarnation is Jesus Christ taking on flesh to dwell among us.  He is with us, in our joys and struggles.  He is our help and our salvation.  This is the message of hope that we preach.

Fundraising Update

We have raised 84% of our ongoing expenses.  Our next fundraising goal is 90% by August 1!  We’ll need about 5 more monthly donors to reach that goal.

Our one-time budget for moving us to South Africa is an impressive 95%.

Parada Kids

All the Parada kids participated in the fabulous Kidsweek last week at Park Street Church!

Ana is currently at a retreat in Pennsylvania.  She is with the youth group of the Spanish congregation in Maryland that we visited in April.

Isaac had a great time at Camp Brookwoods.  He left for Colombia this morning on the Park Street Church’s youth mission project.  He raised nearly all his money from the sale of water outside the church, which he is very happy about!

Margaret also had a great time at camp.  She is having as many play dates as she can squeeze in before we leave!

Phoebe continues insulin-free!  She is my little companion at home!

Words from Alberto

Jesus said to the Samaritan woman, “But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” (Jn 4:14)  From this we learn that we should long to bring more souls to God’s kingdom, for He is the liberating water.

Cleaning!

Our Barnabas group continues to amaze us with their diligence in helping us each month. Latest projects included replacing the back fence and preparing the walls in the house for next month’s painting.

Prayer Requests

Pray for the Holy Spirit to go ahead of us and prepare the way and prepare us!  Please thank God for His faithful provision up to this point, and pray that we would reach our financial goals.  Pray for renters for our house and buyers for our vehicles (Honda Odyssey, in case you are interested!).  Pray especially for the kids as they start to say goodbye to friends and transition emotionally to a new setting.

Our piano left our house!  Saying goodbye to the piano marked the first of many goodbyes. Now that school is over, we are in the throws of cleaning out the house and getting it ready to rent.  August is quickly approaching, and within the next week or so, we should have our plane tickets.  (We have to reach 80% ongoing support before getting tickets, and we hope to reach that goal by tomorrow!)

I am getting ahead of myself though.  We are the Parada family, preparing to go to South Africa this August as missionaries with YWAM where we will work with troubled youth.

Do you know that South Africa recently came in first place for most unequal country in the world in terms of economic divide between rich and poor? (source)

The poor of South Africa have endured much, and have long waited for change that has not materialized.  God speaks to this by declaring Himself the God of justice.  All who wait for Him will weep no more. Only He can turn mourning into dancing, and exchange sackcloth for joy!  Because of that, hearts will sing and not be silent!  (Ps 30:10-12)

“For the Lord is a God of justice; blessed are all those who wait for Him…you shall weep no more.”  Isaiah 30:18-19

We are about to reach our goal of 80% for ongoing expenses by July 1!  Praise God! We have 61 faithful monthly supporters!  Thank you to all of you for partnering with us in this area!

Fundraising Update

Our next goal is 90% by August 1.  We’ll need about 7 more monthly donors.  

Our one-time budget for moving us to South Africa is an amazing 90%

Family Update

Ana is driving and enjoying spending time with her friends.  They recently had a camp-out in the backyard!  She is a big help to me with Phoebe, and in getting the house ready for renters!

Isaac is presently at his beloved Camp Brookwoods!  He recently participated in the Micah conference at church, which focused on the Christian call to justice. He is excited to join the Colombia youth mission trip one last time!  You may see him fundraising through selling water outside Park Street Church.

Margaret is also at camp with Isaac, at Camp DeerRun.  She loves the girls in her cabin, and her counselor.

Phoebe is now 7!  She is currently off all insulin!  Praise God for this miracle!

Words from Alberto

I hope you are all enjoying watching the World Cup soccer games! I am inspired by all the different nations and religions represented through the games. Everyone is competing for the same goal, the World Cup!

We as Christians are also in competition, but not against flesh and blood, but against the evil principalities of this world (Eph 6:12).  We have the assurance of victory though.  And like the celebrations of the World Cup, we too will celebrate, forever with our Lord Jesus Christ.

Giving Info

Please visit our website at paradas.org/giving for giving instructions through our church.

Isaac set up a GoFundMe account for people who prefer to not contribute through our church.  The link is here.

Rebecca Heidgerd is hosting a Stella & Dot fundraising event on July 10 in her home to benefit our South Africa fund. Check out the accessories and details on her invitation.

We are very grateful to Margaret and Esther and all the other Barnabas group members who helped us with our clean-out kick-off!