NEW BOOKS AND LIBRARY COMING ALONG

Alpha and Omega gets a new look!

We are starting new projects and along with that giving this place a completely new look. We hope that we can get the front painted by Christmas. The painting is slow because getting the walls ready to be painted is taking a long time. There is lots of scraping to be done. But things are coming along.

We are really getting excited about the library. It takes so much time to type the information on the computer for each book. But things are coming along really well. We went to the book store this week and started buying the new books that so many people donated for. I just wish books were a little cheaper. Oh well, thank God we can buy more Christian books. We still are going to buy more. We are looking and checking the different publishing houses to get a variety of books that are good for all ages. The girls at the store had fun taking pictures of us while we were shopping. I took our 3 boys to the book store too. We had written to several publishing companies and asked if they would give a copy of some books or magazines for the library. We sent them a copy of our project so they could see what our plans are. We have already had some replies. One company has already sent 12 months of magazines. Another Christian book store wrote us and said they were interested also. Please continue to pray for us as we work hard to get things ready. I would really like to open the library before the end of the year.

A GREAT DAY AND SPECIAL THANKS!

Things are coming along with our new plans for the family development center. Last week Lizene and I (Kathy) went to the Education department to check on some information about the school. Since we want to help adults to learn to read and write we needed to know what our options were with government regulations. We came back really excited with what we found out. The supervisor told us that we could teach them along with the library project. Then if any of our students wanted to have a diploma that they could do the GRD test. The supervisor said she would get one of the schools in town to do the test. Then if we decide that we want to reopen our school we can do that next year. We have been talking to some adults that we have come in contact with and they have really like the idea of being able to study in the day time. There are several schools in town that offer adult education but only at night. For mothers that have small children, studying at night is almost impossible. We also want to have seminars that will teach these adults practical things, like manicure, nutrition, hand painting, personal care, imitation jewelry, masonry, basic electrical tips, and carpentry, cooking tips and other things that are useful for everyday living.

We want to think all those that helped Loran Brown from Georgetown College with the fundraiser she did for Alpha and Omega Family Development Center. We are going to the book store this week to buy the books for the library. Thank you so much and God bless each of you.

We had another holiday this week. We had another special day here at Alpha and Omega. We invited folks to come and eat with us and spend the day. We had around 50 new people that had not been at other dinners. We just had a great day and the day was absolutely beautiful. We praise God for all He has done and is doing. Thanks to all of you who stay in touch and that pray for us and that give to the ministry. God bless you.

Memorial Day – November 2nd

Here in Brasil memorial day is in November. Our church planned a big luncheon. The only prerequisite to come was you had to invite some one, starting with members of your family that were not saved. People got on the ball. It was really exciting to see every one going after the visitors. Many members invited whole families to come. The day was fantastic, and the weather was just perfect. We could not have asked for a better day. After lunch folks just set out in front and talked and those that we not to tired or full played volleyball and soccer. The children enjoyed the park and the trampling. It was a time of refreshing and fellowship. The last ones to leave, left at 8:00 pm.

One of our main goals is to reach out to families in our community. Unfortunately many homes are one parent homes. Thorough our church we want to bring these families close to our church family. With this we also want to introduce the family development center. We are working on our library and also putting together projects to help these families through encouragement and also with their needs. We will have studies done by our social worker, of each family to see where they need help. We also plan on teaching adults to read that have never had a chance to go to school. Since Garça was an area where coffee was cultivated many families grow up picking coffee therefore lived on farms and had no access to school. Now in days school buses pick the children up and bring them to school. That was not possible 20 to 40 years ago. So there are many people in there 40s and 50s that do not read or write. Please continue to pray for or new plans. We thanks all those who keep in touch and also thanks you for your prayers and support. God bless each of you. Enjoy the pictures.

Special Sunday

Well I guess there is 2 clowns!!!!

Here in Brasil there is a day dedicated for the children like there is for father and mother’s Day. It is on October the 12^th. We had a special day for the kids Sunday afternoon from noon to 6 pm. We had 150 kids under 13 yrs old. There were about 60 more people 14 yrs. and older. We put ribbons with their names on all the kids 13 and under. Also we wrote their names on labels that were later put on bags with treats for the scavenger hunt. At the end of the day the kids had to hunt for the bag with their own name on it and not take any one else’s. What a challenge!!!! Well actually that went pretty well. I believe there were only 3 or 4 that we did not find. We had many parents that came with their children. Had 2 mothers that came and asked me if the could come to church with there kids. I told them that not only could they come but that they actually should come with their children. That coming to church as a family was very important. We had all kinds of activities. Our church has lots of young adults. The games that we used were made by the youth. Every one put effort in their work and the results were great.

We had hot dogs, pop corn, cotton candy and fresh juice for every one. Of course that always goes over well. Eating is every ones favorite hobby. Before the hunt we gathered every one to give the instructions on how the hunt was going to be. But before we did that we sang some songs and them the youth did a drama of the prodigal son and then Odali shared the gospel with all those there.

After the all was finished those from church and those who live here with us at Alpha and omega play some ball and just had a great time of fellowship. It was a great day and God gave us an absolutely gorgeous day. The weather could have not been better. Enjoy the pictures. We even dress Odali and a clown.

One more Blessing From God!!!!!

Last week we were blessed with the birth of one more granddaughter. Josue Odali (Joshua or ZINHO) and Carrie were blessed with the birth of Maiara Esther Barros. Maiara was born on Oct 7. she weighed 7lbs 7oz and she was 21in long. She has dark hair, well; I'll just let you see for yourselves :)

I think Maiara will survive!

God has blessed us with six children and and eight grandchildren. We are thankful for his faithfulness.

Finally some News!!!!!

Good fishing!!!!!

Amazon and Negro river come together.

Ready for the trip! Tito, Jonas, Gabriel and Katia



The church in Manaus, Nova Chapada Baptist.

Yes we are alive and well. Just some computer problems. Here is an update on what is going on. Love you all and thank you for your prayers and support.

Dear Brother and Sisters,


This month has been very unusual and very full of many activities. We have done more travelling in on month than we have done in the whole year. I went to Caraguatatuba were my brother Epitacio has been a Pastor for over 15 years. I went with my 2 older sons and Pastor Gilberto. Pastor Gilberto is from Marilia. We went to visit a pastor near there that was going through some hard times. We had a great trip. My wife Kathy was invited to speak at the ladies retreat that their church has every year. They, both Kathy and the ladies seemed to have enjoyed every minute of the retreat. Kathy was able to take 2 ladies from our church with her. They drove there and back. It is an eight hour trip one way. But they had a great and safe trip there and back.
Our whole family had the opportunity to go to Manaus to a ministry and missions conference at the Chapada church. Also from our church we had the opportunity to take 2 from our church, Katia Soares and Luiz Brito. They had never been to a church with so many things going on. They were totally in awe of the servants heart that each member had there. This is the church were my wife Kathy was saved. David Hatcher has been pastor there for several years Pastor. There were people from all over Brasil there. There were seminars of all kinds. Even our son Titus, of age 12 did the Sunday school seminar. We got to see many of our family members there. Also we had to blessing to see many old friends from the beginning of our ministry when we lived in Manaus. Well, there is one highlight for all of them. I went to where the Home is in Manaus and caught one of those fish that every fisherman would love to catch. The famous PIRARUCU. They can weigh the average of 100 to 200 pounds. It was good eating too!!!!!!
Here in Garca we are working with reaching children on Sunday morning. Very different from the U.S, adults are not big on getting out in the morning. So we work to bring the Sunday night. We have had get friendship time in different homes and suppers for couples. The idea is to bring couples that are not from church. This has work really well. This last Friday Kathy fixed a special supper with a fish that we brought from Manaus. We had 3 couple that we invited that came that are not church goers.
We are planning on having classes to pass on what we heard. So those who could not go to the conference can learn the new ideas and also to have a time of encouragement for every one. We have many that are new Christians and that need to learn more about the church and what and why we believe. There are so many Pentecost churches here. Actually in Garca there is a church that is called Baptist and is far as they can get from being Baptist.
Also we will be teaching classes on how to teach lessons for children up to adults. The people from our church are not people who grow up in church. So they have know idea of how Sunday school and church work.


In Christ,
Odali and Kathy Barros

Our Family

Just a little note about our family. We are doing great. God has done some fantastic things in our life. Here are a few pictures for you to see what we all look like now. Well odali and I have just matured of course. Boys are really growing.

Jonas almost 12 yrs old


Gabriel 10 yrs old.

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Tito is 12 yrs old.