Letting Somebody Know...So the World May Know

August 23, 2008

Pan American Christian Academy

Life got exciting when school started on August 6. PACA is influencing the lives of over 350 students this year, the highest enrollment ever. All but two of the classes are completely full with waiting lists. The PACA admissions committee had to turn down over 100 students because of space and language difficulties. On September 8 the teachers are being trained to use the new English Second Language software that will be used with the laptops that the Enid MB church mission group brought to us over the summer. We are so grateful for this gift!

Kindergarten Class

Denice is busy orienting 25 new kindergarteners to the concept of sitting quietly, not talking unless called on, and following directions….no easy task. She is really enjoying working with her classroom aid, Julie Cuthbertson. Julie is a certified teacher and is from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Her husband is a graduate of PACA and has returned to Sao Paulo on a business venture with four of their six kids. Two of their children attend PACA.

Tim, Ty, Timmy, Jr.

After spending his summer in Indiana working for his uncle, Tim Jr. returned to Sao Paulo for the last year of his high school career. He is involved in the PACA worship team, the all school play, soccer and basketball while taking seven tough courses. He is concerned about life after PACA and is sincerely seeking the Lord’s direction. Please pray that the Lord will make His plans clear.

Admin and More

Now that I have finished my rookie season as a PACA administrator they have handed me a few more responsibilities. I have 26 juniors that I meet with every school day morning to take them through the books of Acts, Romans and the Pauline Epistles. As the junior class sponsor I am responsible for numerous “big events” including the junior-senior banquet and a major fundraising dinner theatre. I am mentoring four high school boys who I meet with at least once per week to talk, study scripture and pray. I am also coaching the varsity girls’ basketball team. My thirteen girls lost our first game in overtime to last years conference and post-season tournament champions. We’ll get em next time!



Accreditation Visit to Managua, Nicaragua

The Association of Christian Schools International has asked me to be a part of an accreditation team to Nicaragua Christian School. I will be traveling to Managua the end of March to serve on this team of four Christian school professionals. This particular school is an English speaking Christian school, like PACA. But they also have a Spanish speaking school campus where they minister to local Nicaraguan students in Spanish. This is a direction that the Lord could be leading PACA.

Favella Children’s Ministry

As the Enid MB mission team discovered, there are numerous outreach ministries in our area of Sao Paulo. As time allows, Denice, Timmy and I are involved in a few of them. For the last few Sunday afternoons we have been going to help with a children’s ministry at the Villa Sao Jose MB church. This ministry started last spring as a few of the church members would dress up in costumes and go into the favella (ghetto) to attract kids and bring them back to the church for an Awana type program. There are now between 30-70 kids that meet every Sunday afternoon to hear the gospel through this program.

Christian Camp and Bible Training Center

MB missionaries, Jim and Mari Lou Nightengale, along with MBMSI and eleven Sao Paulo churches are teaming together to open a Christian camping ministry and Bible training center just 45 minutes south of PACA. A 30 acre piece of the coastal rain forest has been miraculously purchased with the final paperwork being legalized about one week ago. They hope to purchase an adjoining 70 acres before Christmas. After the existing buildings are renovated and more buildings built, the facility will be used by local churches, street children’s ministries, orphanages, PACA, and sports ministries and more. We have had the pleasure of working alongside Jim and Mari Lou in this venture.

English Sunday School

Denice and I are excited about teaching an adult Sunday School class at Calvary International church this semester. This English speaking church literally has people from all over the world in attendance. We are looking at our faith through the eyes of the New Testament Christians.

Trade School for Rain Forest Indians

Moises and Davy Kang are living with us this school year in order to attend PACA. Their parents are Korean missionaries to the Brazilian Indians in the rain forest. Just recently after planting a church in Northern Matto Grosso the local Brazilian government awarded the Kang’s a land grant of 24,000 square meters in order to open a trade school in Juina, Matto Grosso. These rain forest Indian students will learn local trades while living in campus housing in Juina. Missionaries are not allowed to spend the night in the various tribes in the rain forest for fear that the missionaries may destroy the Indians cultural heritage. Consequently, one of the ways to reach these people is to have them come out of the rain forest and into trade school. The Kang boys are both tri-lingual, knowing Korean, Portuguese and English. Even though their mom and dad don’t know English, we have had a great time meeting and visiting with them. Moises and Davy are a great help to us when we need to communicate in Portuguese. Groundwork began for the new school in June and Construction on the trade school is to begin in December.

Fifteen Prayer Items

350 Students at Pan American Christian Academy
Denice, Julie and their 26 kindergarteners
Timmy’s future plans
Administrative Wisdom at PACA
Junior Bible Class
Junior Class Events
Varsity Women’s Basketball Team
Accreditation Visit to Managua, Nicaragua
Villa Soa Jose Favella Children’s Ministry
Christian Camp and Bible Training Center
English Sunday School Class
Trade School for Rain Forest Indians
Moises and Davy Kang and their parents
That Denice and I would continue to learn Portuguese
Financial Support for Continued Work in Brazil

Support Situation

Well, that should update you on our adventure here in Brazil. I am sure there is a lot more we could tell you, but you may want a life of your own. We currently have enough money in our account at MBMSI to stay in Brazil another 3 months and one week. Because PACA provides our house, a car, insurance and a small salary we are able to live in Brazil for $1,300 in donations per month. This is a great deal compared to many missionary families around the world. We have always believed that our calling to Brazil is a team effort. The people at Oklahoma Bible Academy, at the Enid Mennonite Brethren Church, at Corn Bible Academy and other friends and family members are all part of this team. Thank you so much for your part! I have just finished reading Jim Cymbala’s book “Fresh Power – What happens when God leads and you follow.” It reminded me that the Holy Spirit is the one that makes things happen. It is not me, not you, not programs, not schools, not even churches…….UNLESS…… we are following the Holy Spirits lead. Pray that God will give us Holy Spirit Power like many in the early church experienced.

We would love to hear from you. Just a short email from you brightens our day. We would love to hear what the Lord is doing in your life.

If the Lord leads you to give financially you can do so by sending your check to:

Mennonite Brethren Missions and Services
4867 E. Townsend Ave.
Fresno, CA 93727

Make your check payable to MBMSI and designate project # CO 561 with your check.

You can also donate online by going to http://www.mbmsi.org/ MBMSI will allow you to use a credit card or establish an automatic withdrawal account.

Thanks for being a part of our team!

Grateful to Him,

Tim Kuhns

Kuhns July Newsletter

We finished our first year at Pan American Christian Academy (PACA) with 360 students in grades pre-K-12. PACA services children from 26 different mission agencies and the pastors at 16 different churches around Sao Paulo. The students, staff and faculty proved to be fantastic to work with, we have been blessed.

We were honored this week to have a missions team from Enid MB visit us. They were such an encouragement. It was an honor to think that the church cared enough to send this team of nine. We spent nine full days working with different ministries, showing them the vast needs in this city of 21 million, and encouraging our Christian brothers and sisters. We worked at an orphanage, an emerging leadership training center, a home for street kids, a favella (gh etto with a mafia type boss), and at two churches that are within walking distance from our home. We saw God work in a number of ways during this nine day visit. We want to thank all of those who were responsible for helping this team come to see us. We love you all. On Sunday, July 20 at 6:00 pm they plan to have a special meeting at the Enid MB church to report on the trip. (Consequently, I am not going to share the “God Moments” in this letter.) If you are in the area we encourage you to attend.

In August Moises and David Kang will be moving into our house and enrolling at PACA. They are Korean missionary kids. Their parents were sent by their church in Korea to evangelize the Indians in the interior of Brazil. Moises joined Timmy’s junior class last February and has been living with us since April. He speaks fluent English, Portuguese, and Korean. David will be enrolling at PACA in August and is also trilingual. The Kang family is so grateful to have a place for their children to study while they minister to the people who have not had the opportunity to hear the gospel.

When the new school year starts I will be teaching the junior Bible class and coaching the varsity girls’ basketball team along with my principalship responsibilities at PACA. This is a great opportunity for me to get more involved in the students lives. About one-fourth of the students at PACA have not accepted the Lord at the time they enroll. Our prayer is that, they all accept the Lord by the time they graduate.

Denice will have a class of 26 little Kindergarteners next school year, up from 21 this year. Even with this large class she is thankful for at least two things. 1) She will have a certified teacher as her classroom aide and 2) most of her students are English first language (unlike last year). Pray that she will be able to adjust to such a large class and to utilizing a certified teacher. (The computers that the Enid MB church brought will be used for instructing elementary students who are non-English first language students.)

Timmy is a senior, yes he will start his last year of high school in August. We are beginning to discern, with him, what the Lord has for his future. Please pray that God will make his decision obvious. Timmy is working long hours for my brother in Indiana during his break from school. He is hoping to pay his airfare and put a little money in his pocket before he returns for school the first of August.

Nicole graduated from Oklahoma Baptist University in May and is now working at Hillcrest Hospital in Tulsa. She will be taking the Oklahoma state exam to become a registered nurse on July 25. Please pray that she will pass the test and adjust to the work a day world of a nurse.

Stacy is preparing to go to Guadalajara, Mexico in a two year mentorship program with Mennonite Brethren Missions and Services International. Her team will be coordinating and training short term missions teams, church planting, and evangelizing some of the six million people in Mexico’s second largest city. Pray that she will be able to learn Spanish and form solid relationships with the people she comes in contact with.

Finally, we want to thank all of you who have supported us financially over the past year. We have found that we need donations of $1,300 each month in order to live and work in Sao Paulo (on top of the salary and benefits that PACA is able to provide). We currently have funds that will last another three months in our account with MBMSI. If the Lord leads you to give to our little ministry here in Sao Paulo we ask you to send your donation to:

MBMSI Project CO561
4867 E. Townsend
Fresno, CA 93727

Most importantly, we ask that you will pray for the concerns listed above along with our continued protection and provision here in Sao Paulo.

Grateful to Him,
Tim & Denice Kuhns

Pictures on Mother's Day, 2008

Here is the family with Moises Kang on Mother's day, 2008. Moises moved in with the Kuhns family on April 1, 2008. He came to Pan American Christian Academy (PACA) second semester after his Christian school in Cuiaba, Mato Grosso, Brazil announced that they would close at the end of the school year. The Wycliffe Bible Translator ministry was completed in Cuiaba because they were finished doing all of the translation work in the area. Without the Wycliffe missionaries the school did not have enough students to survive.

Moises is a junior and is a missionary kid from Korea. His father and mother are working to evangelize the Native Brazilian Indians in Mato Grosso. Mato Grosso is the same state that Jay and Kirsten Edwards lived in before they moved North to Boa Vista, Roraima, Brazil. Jay and Kirsten still work part of each year in Querencia, Mato Grosso. Moises was living with one of his father's friends in downtown Sao Paulo at the beginning of the semester. Because Moises was forced to get up at 4:30 each morning to ride the city bus to PACA and then, after school, ride the bus back downtown arriving at around 7:00 each evening his father became concerned and asked the school to find another home for Moises. Moises has been a big help to us as he is fluent in Portugese, English and Korean. He makes it a lot easier to order pizza over the phone and read our mail.

The Bolivianita Jewel

The Bolivianita jewel is a natural combination of Citrine and amethyst, giving a diversity of color starting with a delicate yellow, through shades of lillac to reach a deep violet. These special characteristics make it one of the most unique gems in the world. The legend is told about a beautiful Ayorea Indian Princess called Anahi. She fell in love with a Spanish Conquistador and was killed by her own tribe because of jealousy and intrigue. At the moment of her death she gave a Bolivianite to her Spanish lover.


This special indivisible union between

the citrine and the amethyst makes the Bolivianita the stone of eternal love.

Tim's Trip to Bolivia

Over Christmas break Gary and Diane Kuhns came to visit us in Sao Paulo on their way home from visiting their son and daughter in law, Grant and Heather in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Grant and Heather had made a one year committment to teach at Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center. Grant and Heather decided to accompany their mom and dad to Sao Paulo over the break. When we were saying good-bye to Grant and Heather we talked about going to see them in Bolivia before they left in June. When we arrived home from the airport Tim opened his email and found an invitation from the Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI) to serve on an accreditation team to Santa Cruz, Bolivia...the same school that Grant and Heather work at. Isn't God good?

Tim took off on the last Saturday of April for the accreditation visit. The objective was to go to Santa Cruz Christian Learning Center (SCCLC) with three other administrators to verify that SCCLC met all of ACSI's accreditation standards and observe their school in action. The leader of the team was the administrator at Alliance Academy in Quito, Ecuador. Other members included an administrator from Bogata, Columbia and another from Lima, Peru. We worked from 6:00 a.m. to after 10:00 each of the three nights of the official visit, Sunday - Wednesday.

Tim arrived on Saturday where Grant and Heather Kuhns met him at the Santa Cruz airport and then took him to a Bolivian Churraschuria where we were served all kinds of meats. They tried to get Tim to eat cow utter, cow intestines, and chicken hearts to no avail. The traditional meats of filet mignon, sausage, pork tenderloin, and pork ribs were also served. After supper they dropped Tim off at the South American Ministries guest house where Tim would stay until Thursday morning working on the accreditation team.

SCCLC is a school that was started for missionary kids. Currently they have about 68% missionary kids in a student body of 251 students in grades Pre-K thru 12. All of their teachers had to raise all of their own support from the states. A group of very dedicated professionals were found at the school.

Because a land developer moved some dirt next door to the school about two years ago the school was experiencing a very serious flooding problem. They had not mowed their soccer field since last fall, the water had come into various classrooms damaging some computers, and the walk ways were covered with water whenever it rained. In fact, they told us that they were able to catch fish in the middle section of the school. The workers caught an eel and ate it one day, according to a story they told us.

Wednesday after the conclusion of the accreditation visit Grant and Heather were able to go with the rest of the administrators to a few soviegner shops and then to a restaraunt.

On Thursday morning Grant and Heather took Tim to some very unique Bolivian shops, visited the orphanage that Grant worked at and tasted more uniquely Bolivain food. Then they went to the Santa Cruz Zoo. While at the zoo they fed tic-tacs to the monkeys, were able to pet most of the animals, and were able to pick up a Sloth for a photo opp. Safety at the zoo was not of utmost concern. In fact Grant told a story of how a small boy was accidently dropped into the tiger's pen recently and was mauled to death by the tiger. The Sloth in these pictures was "running" wild moving between the trees in the background. (Sloth's really don't run, they move very slothfully.)

In the evening we went back to Grant and Heather's duplex before going out to eat at the only mall in this city of 1 million people. The mexican food was great and the little tour of the mall reminded Tim of the little mall in Enid. It was obvious that Bolivia is the poorest country in South America when looking at their roads, their buildings, and their people.

Candle Light - The Oscars

Timmy's class put on a dinner while they entertained about 250 people last Saturday night. The theme of the entertainment was "The Oscars." In this picture Timmy is shown recieving an Oscar for Best Film Crew Director. The drama about a Hollywood director who decided to make the best movie ever by combining all of the greatest movies of all time into one was hilarious in parts. Batman, Gone With the Wind, Veggie Tales, Star Wars, and probably 20 other movies were highlighted in the comedy. Proceeds from the dinner went to finance their senior trip and to take the 2008 seniors out to dinner one night this spring.

Denice worked in the kitchen on Friday evening and all day Saturday preparing the food. After the event Denice Timmy and I got home at about 1:00 am after washing the dishes and cleaning up. Even though it was a lot of work, we had a good time getting to know the rest of the mom's and dad's from Timmy's class.

Kingston is growing up

We took Kingston from his mom about February 1 along with his brother that we called Princeton. Princeton went back to his mom about 10 days later. The next few nights Kingston was pretty whinny and lonely. Today he is a feisty pup at about 10-15 pounds. Sometimes he reminds us of a fox other times a bear cub.

We are trying to train him to go in the grass, to quit nipping at us when we are minding our own business, and guard the house when we are gone. So far we have failed at all three. Maybe some day.

Timmy's Birthday Puppy - Kingston

Yes, Timmy is 18 today and we have given him a four week old Japanese Akita puppy. A fellow teacher at PACA bred the dogs and they had puppies the day after Christmas. Kingston should be weaned and at our house on about February 6, 2008. The acclaimed Dr. Dwight Olso says that Japanese Akita's are known to be very loyal and very good guard dogs. They have large jaws, tough skin and are all business. The dogs mom and dad are real good dogs.

Life in Brazil

What a country!

At times you realize that you are in an underdeveloped country, at other times you see affluence that rivals some of the best neighborhoods in the United States. Sao Paulo is a city of contrasts, beautiful landscapes in the middle of the ghetto (favella). Amazing wildlife, trees, flowers, and plentiful fruit trees remind you of the Garden of Eden - as you glance away, however, you will likely encounter trash piles and homeless vagrants - reminding you of the fall of man. In Sao Paulo you have the well educated and the illiterate, the well stocked super market and the outdoor market complete with dogs and other varmints. Only half of the homes in this city of 22 million are plumbed with running water and toilets. The other half finds shelter in clay bricks or cardboard. Brazil is a country of the haves and the have-nots, the very rich and the very poor, with few in between.

Driving in Brazil

NASCAR drivers would find the streets of Sao Paulo a challenge. Aggressive/defensive driving may be the best way to describe the survival skill required. Para means “stop” in Portuguese. However, red octagonal signs with PARA on them mean nothing to a Paulista. Streets signs are full with first, middle, last and maiden names and the street names change for no apparent reason, there is no warning before four lanes become two, and streets run at all angles…except North, South, East and West. Red lights are obeyed only when a crash is inevitable. Right-of-way is determined by the one who honks and gets their bumper into the intersection first. Motorcyclists are the UPS delivery system of Sao Paulo. They whiz by between the cars using white lines as their lane. (Please be warned that you may interfere with the flow of traffic if you rest your elbow out your car window – obstructing a passing motorcyclist.) Overfilled busses are the king of the road - merging and stopping at their whim. Speed bumps calm your car’s speedometer as radar guns calm them in Enid, fourteen speed bumps in the twelve blocks on our way to school. Pedestrians have no rights and the flashing lights on emergency vehicles are always on. Maybe the most impressive stat on the streets of Sao Paulo is the number of cars unscathed after a trip to the market.

Tell us about PACA

Pan American Christian Academy, commonly known as PACA, is a nondenominational, college-preparatory, Christian, American School located in Sao Paulo, the fourth largest city in the world. Sao Paulo is the business, industrial, and cultural center of South America. The school services children of missionaries, diplomats, business and professional families with a dual curriculum program - American and Brazilian. The walled 7 ½ acre campus and facilities, place PACA in a class with the best international schools in South America. The well staffed maintenance crew provides excellent care of 22 classrooms, science laboratory, library, media center, computer center, learning lab, gymnasium, regulation-size athletic field, outside courts, cafeteria, playgrounds and a 25 meter swimming pool. The student – faculty ratio is approximately 10:1.

How does PACA make a difference in the community?

The PACA community is dedicated to making a difference in this country of contrasts and streets of challenge. Last Saturday the ABA House hosted a futsol (indoor soccer) tournament at PACA as a fundraiser for their ministry to street children. A couple weeks ago about 65 PACA students and teachers worked in four orphanages and one favella sharing the love of the Lord with the children and people. Timmy and I enjoyed the day playing and working with 15 disabled children at an orphanage down the street from PACA. We painted shirts, kicked a flattened soccer ball, and got wet laughing at a water balloon fight. About one month ago PACA hosted 500 Christian school teachers and administrators from ten different states across Brazil for a two day ACSI teacher conference (Association of Christian Schools International).

What is the make up of the student body at PACA?

PACA services 331 students in grades pre-K thru 12. 83 of these students, or 25%, are children of Christian workers in Sao Paulo. 35 of these 83 students are from North America. Within our student body we have 103 North Americans, 88 Brazilians, 89 Koreans, 15 Chinese, 10 Japanese and the remainder from other points around the globe. PACA is truly an international school with all but a few students fluent in two or more languages.

What kind of students do you have at PACA?

The students at PACA see their education as a way to better themselves and the world. The students challenge each other to excel and are dedicated to learning. PACA students score well above average on their SAT, ACT and AP tests. Out of 35 AP tests taken last spring 60% were fours and fives (a 5 is the highest score possible). 98% of PACA graduates enroll in colleges and universities in the U.S. and around the world. After substituting in a Bible class yesterday two junior girls made it a point to thank me for challenging their minds and teaching them some truths of Scripture.

Are PACA students perfect?

But, the PACA students are not perfect. The lure of sex, alcohol, drugs, pornography can be overwhelming in any culture. The need to fit in and be accepted is as strong here as it is in any other school I have experienced. In my short tenure as middle school and high school principal I have already had to flex my authority and discipline a number of students. But even this is an opportunity to show love for these students and their families. Just last week I had to discipline a group of 14-15 year old students for purchasing Schmirnoff Ice from down at the local bakery. 25% of the PACA student body is composed of students from non-Christian homes - intentionally. These students come to us from the international scene, they may be Brazilian, American, or Korean but they all have the same selfish desires that we all inherited from the Deceiver. The PACA prayer and challenge is to direct each student to Christ and then pray that whole families will follow. This may be PACA’s most critical and effective impact.

Tell us about the PACA faculty and staff

The dedication and professionalism of the PACA faculty and staff is inspiring. There is a genuine concern for each member of the PACA community from student to staff member. Upon arrival I was invited to a Wednesday night Bible study that many of the male faculty members not only attend but cherish. Faculty members challenge each other with accountability groups, prayer partners and encourage each other with inspiring devotionals each Tuesday morning. Friday mornings the faculty looks forward to convening in the music room to sing praise and worship to our Lord. We all realize that we are on the battle front, desperately needing the wisdom of God and the power of the Holy Spirit. It is not hard to remember to pray.

What have been some of the challenges and thrills?

Our move to Brazil has been full of challenges and thrills. We have been embarrassed with our lack of language while purchasing clean water, lost for four hours downtown while trying to find the gym where Timmy’s team was playing basketball, frustrated when our debit card would not be accepted at a local merchant, been the victim of cold showers, ate a candle light dinner with Jason and Andrea when our electricity was turned off by the local power company, frightened by incidents of robberies and kidnappings, and many other episodes too numerous to mention. During this same time however, we have been ministered to by the PACA community, and thrilled with the opportunities to help change a little portion of the world.

Timmy, Denice and I would like to thank you for all your generous support. We thank those who are helping to take care of our girls back in the states, those who are praying for us, and those who have given financially. You are very special to us.