Chain of Love

July/August 2010 Newsletter

July 30, 2010

Eight COL Kids Baptized! After attending baptism classes, eight of our precious kids declared their faith in God by getting baptized. (L-R) Bruna (House 5), Wesley (Telmo’s son) Pablo, Taciane, Guilherme, Solaina, Gabriel Natan, Erivelton and Everton made us proud as they took this important step. ...Click here to view/download in PDF

May/June 2010 Newsletter

May 24, 2010

He’s off to the army… A few weeks ago, Leandro joined the Brazilian army, a position desired by many but achieved by few. .... ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Mar/Apr 2010 Newsletter

March 19, 2010

Congratulations to Davi who is marrying Deborah on April 10. Since arriving at Chain of Love 8 years ago, Davi has taken every possible opportunity we have offered to excel…. .... ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Jan/Feb 2010 Newsletter

February 1, 2010

Cristiano left Chain of Love five years ago. He studied well, worked hard, did his army stint, got engaged, and a week ago, married a fine Christian girl named Cristiane… .... ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Nov/Dec 2009 Newsletter

November 23, 2009

It was Robson’s first Sunday in Church and he was in tears; no, he wasn’t hurt and no, he wasn’t sad. He was just overflowing with gratitude for the life that he has at Chain of Love. This is a life you all make possible for him and for the many other children under our care.. .... ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Missionary Ken Bayer Tells His Story

November 16, 2009

I came home from the pizza parlour where I had spent time with the Leduc Gateway team and their sponsored children. I pulled in at about 10 pm. Jeri had not gone because she had been at a bridal shower all afternoon in 38 C. heat. After I had parked the truck I noticed that the garage was empty so suggested to Jeri to have her put her car in and then I would pull my truck over on the outside patio between the garage and the outer gate to give room for Jessica our daughter, to park her car.

When I was completing this operation and lowering the gate a car pulled in and the passenger got out with a gun announcing the hold up. They made me sit on the step of the front door. At that point Jeri stuck her head out of the living room window because she heard me speaking to someone. They announced the holdup and the taller one who did not have a gun jumped through the window and starting demanding that she open the non existent safe. He also demanded that Jeri open the front door. She has keys for two of the three locks while I have keys for all the locks on my keychain. My keychain was on the dining room table but Jeri did not know this. The thief that was hovering over me with his 9 mm semi automatic pistol tried forcing the door knob from the outside.

I knew they were getting more and more nervous and I was getting angrier as well. At one point I quickly jumped the fellow when he was not looking pinning his arms to his side. I thought that the pistol could also be a perfect imitation. With his wrists pinned and with me below him rising to a standing position he managed to squeeze off a shot with his finger trigger. The shot was wild and could have gotten him as much as me. With this shot they panicked to took off with their stolen car. They saw the spreading blood stain on my shirt and high tailed out.

I had thrown my truck keys in the flower bed when they were not paying attention but was able to find them quickly. Jeri dialled what is equivalent to 911 and then closed up the house while I backed the truck out onto the road. Then she drove me to emergency where she also filled in the police report while I was under going close observation and testing.

After running several tests it was determined that the bullet had been shot from above. It had entered the belly structure but did not enter the belly cavity. It went in and exited this portion and then entered the right upper (inner side) thigh area, only to exit the right lower side of the rear end. No veins, nerves or bone nor organs were affected. The doctor said I won the lottery but we know that God´s hand was at work. All that needed to be done was to clean up the wound and suture the entre and exit areas.

We recognized one of the assailants as a son of a couple that we had evangelized several years before. He seemed very uncomfortable and most likely recognized us once he was in the house.

It was a chance hold up which happens often. While people are entering their front gates the thieves take advantage of the open gate and invade their residence. We knew this to be by chance as they repeatedly asked if there was anybody else in the house.

I spent most of the night and the next day under observation and was release from the hospital at 3 pm on Tuesday with orders not to walk till Friday and then to progressively increase my activity level as well as walking. During the whole episode I felt only a stinging sensation but no pain. I want to thank you for your prayers. This could have ended up in tragedy. In the end this event caused many people to come together for prayer as well as to recognize that we only continue to exist because of God´s mercy.

Ken Bayer

Sep/Oct 2009 Newsletter

September 18, 2009

What is that horrible noise? All the dogs in our growing neighbourhood around Chain of Love—and there are not a few—were suddenly going crazy. Turns out that Jonas from House 1 was the culprit. .... ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Jul/Aug 2009 Newsletter

July 16, 2009

Being a housemother at Chain of Love and caring for 10 children day in and day out is not an easy job. It is very tiring and demanding and requires the love and dedication that only God can give. .... ...Click here to view/download in PDF

May/Jun 2009 Newsletter

May 18, 2009

We owe a huge thanks to God and to you. For the past fifteen years, Chain of Love has provided loving Christian family homes to over 150 children who had no home and no loving family. God has been good…. ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Mar/Apr 2009 Newsletter

March 16, 2009

Suitcase please! This request was made often in the last month, as over 40 of our teens headed to a Christian summer camp. This year’s theme was “Without Jesus It Is Game Over.”.... ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Jan/Feb 2009 Newsletter

February 2, 2009

Everyone was celebrating New Year’s at the church and we were set to have a midnight meal of chicken and watermelon. Enaldir, the father from House 8, left to get some chicken but the meal was long finished. Strange: he was nowhere to be found…. ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Nov/Dec 2008 Newsletter

November 19, 2008

A time of change —Ahhhh! Summer in southern Brazil and the temperature is already over 30 °C (86 °F). With this change in seasons comes another change at Chain of Love for which we covet your prayers. It’s a little complex, but here’s what happened… ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Sep/Oct 2008 Newsletter

September 15, 2008

A family for those with no family Over the past couple of months, we
have welcomed so many new children to Chain of Love, we are close to
capacity. What a pleasure to introduce them to their house parents: some
had no parents. Some had incapable parents;
others had no family to take them.. ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Jul/Aug 2008 Newsletter

July 9, 2008

We are pleased to have Julio and Isabel along with their
daughter Pamela (17) and son Josué (10) as the new houseparents of
house 1. They are taking the place of Ademar and Marlene who faithfully
served at COL for the past 7 years.. ...Click here to view/download in PDF

May/Jun 2008 Newsletter

May 5, 2008

Now that’s teamwork—In April we had the privilege of hosting two dentists from Spruce Grove and Camrose Alberta along with their office staff and others who enabled the dental team to do their work. ...Click here to view/download in PDF

Mar/Apr 2008 Newsletter

March 5, 2008

Look Ma! No Brakes!...At Chain of Love most children have bikes but in the
hands of adolescents, they are often abused and constantly modified…Click here to view/download in PDF

Jan/Feb 2008 Newsletter

January 31, 2008

Happy New Year from Chain of Love! This newsletter looks at the many changes at COL…Click here to view/download in PDF

December 2007 Newsletter

December 11, 2007

“Some of you were nameless, and people didn’t know
or want to know anything about you.

Now that you are in God’s family,
this has all changed and you have worth.”

These were Pastor Ken Bayer’s words as he baptized 11 Chain of Love children in November…Click here to view/download in PDF

November 2007 Newsletter

November 7, 2007

When are the Americans coming?...It’s something we’ve heard over and over for months in anticipatio of the arrival of the “Called to Brazil“team made up of 4 churches from Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota…Click here to view/download in PDF

October 2007 Newsletter

October 22, 2007

We are still spinning from the past two weeks—we have seen birth, death, and marriage… Click here to view/download in PDF

September 2007 Newsletter

September 1, 2007

In late July, Chain of Love welcomed Miquela, 11, and her 12 year old sister, Kateana. They’ve only been here a month and have already joined the family of God… Click here to view/download in PDF

August 2007 Newsletter

August 1, 2007

Brrrr. Cold here! We’re in the middle of our winter, which sees temperatures as low as 5°C (about 40°F). With the colder weather comes sickness… Click here to view/download in PDF

July 2007 Newsletter

July 1, 2007

It’s moving day today! The construction workers have almost completed the ninth house, and now it is ready to welcome the family that lives off campus… Click here to view/download in PDF

June 2007 Newsletter

June 1, 2007

“I have Jesus in my heart now so I don’t need to be afraid of the dark.” This is the testimony of Marlon, who had powerful reasons to fear the dark… Click here to view/download in PDF

May 2007 Newsletter

May 1, 2007

Ardath Effa is no longer looking after Chain of Love’s sponsor communications. We are extremely grateful for the excellent service she gave. Now. the responsibility is on us, the Kidd family… Click here to view or download in PDF