Mark and Ali

Some of our most favorite people in the world are Mark and Ali. You can type in their names at the top left part of this page if you want to read our past posts about them.

They live in the state of São Paulo in a city called Itu.

We met them about three years ago and immediately fell in love with them.

They've come to our house a couple of times. Bronwyn and Ansley stayed with them earlier this year when they took the ACT. We've talked about taking vacations together.

We love them because they are fun, really fun, to be around. We love them because they understand being the church instead of playing the church. We love them because they go about God's business in a humble, loving way. We love the way they treat everyone. No judgments or skepticism. We love them because they do exactly what the Spirit tells them to do. We love them because they love those that no one else loves.

It's one thing to say you are a Christ follower. It's another to be Christ to everyone.

Mark and Ali show and are Christ to everyone they meet, especially in their city.

Ali recently wrote a paper for a class she is taking and Mark decided to share it on their blog.

You need to click here to read it.

You will be blessed and, hopefully, moved in your heart to be radical for Jesus.

Being Christ

This is Mark and Ali.

I stole this picture off their blog.

They are some of our best buddies in Brasil.  They are also missionaries and they live in the state of São Paulo in a city called Itu.

They've come down here 2-3 times to hang out with us.  They (along with Big Garrett) met us in the airport and hung out with us for a few hours last year on our trip back to the states.  Bronwyn and Ansley stayed with them in February when they had to go to a city up there to take the ACT.

Honestly, we look for any excuse to hang out with them.  We love them.

One thing we love about them is the way they live their faith.  They don't just talk about their faith, they live it and they live it to the fullest.  They have hearts for the poor and beaten up.

They are Christ to their city and we know the kingdom is growing in amazing ways because of this couple.

You need to go to their website and check out how God is using them.  They are reaching those that, honestly, not many Christians want to get their hands dirty being with.  The homeless.

I just looked at their picture again and was reminded of why they are making a difference to the "unloved" of Itu.  The picture is not just some cheese-ball family photo as is, let's be honest, the case with many family photos. Their smiles and happiness are who they are. This is really who they are.  Happy in the Lord.

We love to be around them and we love for them to be around our kids because they are an incredible example of what a Christian couple looks like.  We want and look for ways for our kids to be around Godly Christian adults.

If we can so strongly see Christ working in them and through them then imagine how much more the homeless in Itu see that.  Imagine how their lives are being changed by a couple that greets them with the smiles above and with a hug.  They have value to Mark and Ali.  That's exactly what Jesus did. That's how he lived. He went looking for the beaten up, the looked down upon, the unwanted.

I want to strongly encourage you to click here to read their latest blog from last Wednesday (the 12th) and then feel free to keep scrolling down and reading their earlier blogs as well. You will be touched and possibly moved to be more intentional in sharing the love of Jesus to the "unwanted" where you are.

Prayers for the girls

We just put these two goobers on a plane......

......to hang out with these two goobers for the next six days.

They are going to a city called Campinas to take the ACT on Saturday. Our buddies, Mark and Ali, are missionaries in a city near Campinas called Itu. They have graciously agreed to pick up/drop off our kids from the airport and to take them to their test.

It's safe to say this goofy couple are some of our most favorite people to hang around with.

The girls will have a ball with them this week. They won't just be hanging out with Mark and Ali. They told the girls what they will be involved with this week. Some of the things include being Christ to the homeless on Friday, hanging out with the youth group on Thursday and going to a birthday party together on Saturday.

We haven't met many people who just come right in and roll with our schedule and who aren't intimidated by the size of our family. Mark and Ali have always been a natural fit with our family. We love those guys and are thrilled that Bronwyn and Ansley get to be with them this week.

They also have a blog. Go here if you want to check it out.

Please pray for our girls to be safe this week, to have fun and to not worry about the test they will take on Friday. They've studied enough and they don't need to study anymore. Our prayer is that they relax and just do the best they can.

More important than this test and any scholarship is the fact that they get to be a part of Mark and Ali's ministry this week.

The other kids are already missing them.

Well, sort of. 

We know they will have a great week.