Winding down

Our time here is coming to a quick end! We head back for the United States on Thursday morning! Our time has gone quick at times, slow at others, but we are about ready to be home! It has been such a learning, challenging, and growing time in our lives. We are so thankful for being down here. Wonderful to see God working. We have three more days of hard work and then get to go home. This week is English Camp which is basically a full day of VBS for the school children that we plan out. It should be lots of fun, games, singing, and learning! Pray for Paul as he gets to speak to the children about faith, grace, and obedience.

We successfully finished the school semester two weeks ago and were able to enjoy some down time this last week. They had an end of the year program all about the World Cup this last Wednesday! They introduced all the teams playing and had lots of choreographed songs. It was a neat production. They put a lot of effort into decorating the school and it looked great. Hopefully we will get some photos up once we get back to the States.

We have been watching all of the Brazil and US games. I have said that it is more fun to watch the United States play because Brazil has been winning so easily. The United States make the games exciting! :) You never know what's gonna happen, especially with that one goal in the last minutes of the Algeria game. Anyway, sad to see the United States are out, but we are still proud of them!

There are, I think, 14 Americans here now. Their reasons for coming range from putting on a conference on counseling, to planting a church in Recife, to helping with English Camp and Medical Missions, and to encourage the Brazilians in some other church planting opportunities. It is really nice having so many people to talk to and share with. Plus we now get three meals a day so Paul and I feel pampered after being used to only have lunch cooked for us. We have had some great discussions with our new friends!

Pray for us as we finish up our time here. Pray for English Camp that the students would hear and receive the gospel spoken at camp and that we can show them the love of Christ. Pray for our safe travels home and for God's provision as we look for employment. And if it be God's will, pray that we are allowed to bring Bencao (our puppy) home with us.

Thank you all so much for your prayers and financial support, it means so much to us. May God be praised as he works through you and us to reveal his grace and glory.

Two Things

First, the success of Glory Soccer. We are continuing to help with the soccer ministry that Jon Wright started here two months ago. We consistently have around 40 boys each Saturday come to play soccer and then also come in the evening for a youth group type event. The ministry is finally established and is really beginning to have an impact. Just this last weekend we started a curriculum about who Jesus Christ is and how to give your life to him. Plus some of the teens who have been coming to soccer came to church this last Sunday. It made me so excited to see them there and their desire to learn about who God is. I praise God for leading these teens to us and giving us the abilities to teach them about Christ. Novinho has been doing a great job leading up the program: organizing the soccer part and putting on the youth group activities. Continue to join us in prayer about this ministry. I feel like the harvest is plentiful and ripe in this field. Pray that we may be responsible and hard working harvesters to bring these teens to Christ.

Secondly, Paul and I did not meet our initial goals of support raising when we first came to Brazil. We feel as if God is providing us manna like he did to the Israelites wandering in the desert. He only gives us enough food for one day at a time and no more. Which makes us fully rely on him for our every day's need. Oh how the Lord grows us! We are coming upon a time when we have needs again and do not have the funds to meet them. Specifically we need help for when we will return to the United States. If you would like to support us, there is a new, very easy way to do so. You can go to http://tinyurl.com/28zen9e and give money online. Again, we are so thankful for all your prayers and support; you all mean so much to us!!!

Ahh, Freedom in Adventure!

That is exactly right. There is something about going on an adventure that is tiring for the body and yet revitalizing for your spirit. You may have seen a large hill (mountain for us in Indiana) in some of our past pictures. It is covered in trees and can be seen from our apartment window. Since we´ve been here, Ruth and I have wanted to walk to and climb to the top where you can see out all around the area; and also visit a fairly old church located on the very top. Since we had a holiday on Thursday Ruth, Novinho, and I all took that challenge. It was winding roads for about 30 minutes and then we hit the countryside. There are rolling hills of sugar cane fields absolutely everywhere. It looks like Northwest Indiana or Southern Illinois, but instead of corn it´s sugar cane. For the majority of the time we found ourselves walking down large dirt roads eyeing our destination. During this time we got to build upon our friendship with Novinho. It is always interesting playing charades, randomly looking up words in Portuguese, and spitting out what little Portuguese (English for Novinho) we know; it was also really fun.

One of the best parts was being away from people. For three months, there has been nothing but people, cars, trucks, motorcycles, kids, and animals everywhere. We are constantly at the Alcance, or in Carpina. Of course, there is nothing wrong with this, but there was such a sense of peace and freedom being out away from people in the glory of God´s creation. This was really felt when we made it to the bottom of the tree line or the top of the fields: if you will. Around the middle of the hill top there is a road and fence line that encircles the hill. After a quick rest, we took a walk around. It was so cool being able to see all the surrounding hill country, the local towns, and different plants and insects that inhabit the countryside. The view was definitely picturesque. Plus it was quiet! No honking cars or blaring music, but only peace and quiet.

Then, we decided to be dangerous. (Not really) Novinho seemed to be a bit dramatic in thinking there was going to be men with guns guarding the church and cell phone tower beyond the locked gate.(ugly) Despite the possibly unwarranted fears, we jumped the fence and up we went. This walk wasn´t bad but the foliage was gorgeous. We saw a giant bamboo tree, of which neither one of us had ever seen before. There were large fruit trees and bushes and plants everywhere. It was so overgrown that we actually couldn´t see out to the surrounding area. What we could see was the church. It seemed to be a classic old church, but nothing too awe inspiring. What really caught our attention was the ENORMOUS birds staring down at us. Big giant black birds watching always reminds me of Alfred Hitchcock´s ``Birds``. (Thanks Hitchcock) They may have been watching because we were taking some of their food. Beside the church was a fruit tree. It was so ripe that fruit was dropping from the sky. They looked like little apricots and are called caja. We gathered a large bag of it in order to make juice later. Like most fruit here, it was so sweet that it was almost too tart. (if that makes sense?) None-the-less, it was delicious.

After we gathered the fruit the descent began. Like most long walks, the way back was much more silent. We were pretty tired by the end but refreshed at the same time. All in all, we were gone for only 4 1/2 hours. Again, it was just so nice to be outside in the country and enjoying nature. It makes us look forward to the next time we get to go climb a mountain in Colorado!! Who wants to join? :-)

The Reason for all of this

It is nearing our time here in Brazil and though it has not quit ended we are still beginning to really reflect a little more. For me (Paul) I finally had a few moments last week that reminded me why I teach. One of my main goals as a teacher is to equip kids with the skills sets they need for the future. One way I try and accomplish this is to make them self-learners. So often, all semester in fact, we here the constant whine of students saying 'oh, teacher I don't know' or 'oh, teacher, I can't'. I feel as teachers we sometimes don't want to here the whine anymore so we simply give the answers. Or we can say 'yes you can' until we are blue in the face, but when that moment comes when the student realizes that they can do it on their own, it is an awesome look on their faces. We had those moments last week. I was trying to help kids learn context clues to figure out words they don't understand either verbally or written. Most often they rely upon the dictionary, which is a momentary fix but not a long term help, or they ask a classmate who knows. (another form of a dictionary) At the beginning of the week, we went through a book and all I heard was 'oh, teacher I don't know or oh, teacher I can't.' Through some stress, and thinking through a little bit we finally got it!! It was great. The reason why I love teaching. I could almost see the light bulb go on above their heads and the flash of smiles that comes over their faces. They are so proud when they get it on their own. Since English is such a pivotal attribute for the future success of these children, it is really cool to be able to help them better their futures.

Ruth and I decided that we won't really see the fruits of our labor (per say) but we have been confirmed over and over that this is where God needed us to serve; whether it was to serve the kids or serve the need of the Alcance. All in all, what joy it is to be where God wants you to be and to also be in the will of God. (The safest place to be) Or at least, when you feel like you are. :-)

Happy Birthday Paul!

First thing...Happy Birthday to Paul! Today is his 25th birthday! We went to Recife last night to celebrate. We looked for a dog cage with no luck, watched Robin Hood in English in a huge theater, and had some amazing pizza! The pizza restaurant had all kinds of decorations and a floor of sand. It was a great time out. Special thanks to Jeff, Lindsay, and Emily for taking us to Recife, paying for dinner and a movie, and helping us on the adventure of finding a dog cage. So cheers to Paul and another great year of life.

This last Wednesday we were able to go play soccer at the church in Guadalajara where we teach English classes. They have a concrete gymnasium and it is perfect for indoor 3v3 futsol. Paul and I didn't know what to expect but were excited to play. Duda, the Mr. Fix-it of Alcance, lives in Gaudalajara. So Paul and I gave him and his 8 year old son a ride home (we borrowed Jeff & Lindsay's car) after school because soccer started at 5:30. They invited us into their home, showed us around, offered us snacks, and even let Paul use his indoor soccer shoes, since Paul only has thick soled tennis shoes. Then we went over to the church and got to play. There is a man who we call Stan that also goes to that church that speaks English very well. He was probably the best player there, and luckily Paul and I got to play on his team. We actually did alright. The Brazilians usually play until someone scores and then the team that got scored on leaves the field and the next team comes on. So if you win, you get to play lots of games! Paul and I played a total of maybe 8 games! So we held our own! It was very exhausting but really fun too. It is neat because most of the players are non-Christians and halfway through the evening, Duda gave a devotional. There are so many opportunities for soccer ministry here in Brazil!!! It's cool because we can take something that they love and many times make their god and use that to lead them to the True, Living God. I am thankful for my many years of soccer playing and being able to use them here in Brazil. Glory Socccer is also going well. We had around 35 younger players here this morning and maybe 15 older ones this evening. We have started doing youth group type activities for the boys on Saturday nights, including a devotion, which has been very successful. Novinho has been doing a great job helping to start and lead the Glory Soccer ministries. I can see his love, hard work, and passion for these boys.

Paul and I are in a great community here. I am so thankful for all the positive relationships we have been able to make. The people are so open, friendly, generous, and welcoming. It is so nice to be able to eat breakfast with your neighbor while discussing cultural differences, or trying to talk to a Brazilian who has never left Carpina while we are giving the dogs a bath, or being welcomed into a home on short notice, or being given a trip to Recife time and time again, or being given bread from a man whose father owns a bakery, or being graced with an uplifting conversation with great patience from the Portuguese speakers. We are so thankful for the community we have been welcomed to here. Back in the States it is so easy to be secluded and hardly interact with others outside of work. We have been graced with many great friends and we love all the interactions. After passing our half way mark last week, this is one of the things we will miss most about Brazil. I encourage you, if there is a foreigner near you, please, invite them into your home with hospitality and friendship. It means so much to be invited into someone's home and can be a very positive and eye-opening experience. Don't miss the opportunity!

Blessing and Becoming Brazilian

We praise God for his wonderful gift of bringing us here to Brazil. We are really enjoying our time here and feel filled with the joy of the Lord.

First off, Paul and I are going to try to take a yellow Labrador puppy home with us!
They breed them here at the school to raise money for the ministry. Paul and I have wanted a dog for awhile especially since we are going to wait to have kids. When a litter of puppies was born I thought it would be so cool to have a dog from Brazil. That way we could always remember this trip and how the Lord provides for us in so many ways. We wanted to give him a Brazilian name and we finally found a perfect one: Bênção. It means blessing in Portuguese. The only thing is that it is really hard to pronounce! Paul and I have been asking how to say it but we have to practice it a lot to get it right. It kind of sounds like Benson but a little different. He will be seven months old tomorrow. We praise God for our new blessing!

Paul and I feel more and more Brazilian every day. Carpina is about 3 miles away and we only get to go there about once a week for groceries and such. We have to either get a ride from Jeff and Lindsay, take the bus, or walk. This week we found out that there is a bike here that we can use to ride into town. But yes, only one. We needed to get some things in town so we decided to try something we see many other Brazilians doing.....the man pedals and the woman rides on the back. It was great! I had such a lovely time. Paul was all sweaty and tired, but it was great for me! Plus we really enjoyed the freedom of being able to go to town by ourselves and buy groceries! It was a great time!

Secondly we are getting a bit more comfortable with the language and are able to communicate a least a little bit with almost anyone. It is still frustrating at times, but we have improved in leaps and bounds since we got here. We have been talking to lots of Brazilians and making new friends too. We went to two different Brazilian homes this week which were both great experiences. We had dinner at a good friends house last night. The night before all the Glory Soccer coaches went to the home of one of the boys who plays soccer here. His mom has terminal cancer so we shared some scriptures and prayed together which was hard but good.

We appreciate and value the culture here. I especially like the way things are laid back and relaxed. They aren't so worried and uptight about having good manners like we are. They seem so friendly and comfortable with us from the very beginning.

Lastly, the Preschool class dressed up for a birthday party this last week and I thought they were all so cute so I had to share the picture.

Olinda!

Olinda is right. This is the oldest town in Brazil. It means, Oh Beautiful City. For when the man who came to this spot, he said 'oh, what a beautiful place for a city.' One of the reasons we went is bitter sweet.
Jon Wright and Betsy Galbraith are leaving this Friday. We are all very sad for them to go. Not only has it been nice having them around, but they have also done a lot of great work since they have been here. Since they are leaving, we were all blessed with a trip to Recife and Olinda Saturday. This was a great 9 1/2 hour day. First, we went to one of the original streets of Olinda, which is basically a northern suburb of Recife. Like I said, it is the oldest city in Brazil. It was originally settled by the Dutch. It had a mix of Jewish people and Christian Dutch. You can tell the Dutch influence, because apparantly they are big into the bright pastel colored buildings. It was very cool to see all the colors and old, old architecture. When the Portuguese came, their forceful Catholic dominance and persecuting looting drove the Dutch out. When they left, they went straight to what is now called New York. (Kinda interesting)

The second picture you see is from on top of the highest point in the town. It was an awe inspiring view. You can see almost all of Recife with its ridiculous amount of skyscrapers. The old architecture and colorful paint filled the streets: as did all the tourist street vendors.
Afterward, we went to the mall and hung out to cool off in the A/C. It was nice to hang and talk for awhile. Then, we were treated to one of the best restaurants that I have ever eaten at. It was a Brazilian steakhouse you only hear about! Of course, we had the green sign for go on the meat, or the red sign that says, ENOUGH, I can't take anymore! The food was so good that I couldn't hardly stand it. It was also very nice to speak with Tele and Heather more. It was so kind of them to make us feel very welcomed and spend time with us all. We talked, laughed, and just hung out: it was cool. There are good people here and God is really with this place.

Jubilation

I am also so grateful to be able to speak more freely about faith in Jesus during class. In partiuclar, the 8th grade Bible course has been fantastic this week and last week. We were talking about the character trait of this week which is Be Considerate. I began by asking the students why it was so important to be considerate of and towards others. They had good answers but I decided to go deeper. I then asked a tough question; a tough question that I've had to work through before as well. "What gives you self-worth?" In other words, what gives you your worth as a human being? Not expexpectedly, they were giving me pretty surface answers like 'because Jesus died for us or my mothers love or something of the sort.' (all legitamate) After and during I was worried about what to say next and how to proceed in order to go deeper still. So, then and there in my mind I was praying for God to intervene in my words and help me portray His mesage. I can't remember the last time that I read or heard about God being a clay maker, but he Lord answered and that is what came to mind.

First, we sat in silence (for they were extra rowdy this day) for two minutes. I believe this calmed them down enough for me to really talk with them. I spoke about how a clay pot maker loves each one of his pots equally and each are valued the same because he made them. I then spoke about our worth coming by the fact that God made us. I spoke for nearly ten minutes while sitting in my chair looking out at al the staring faces. It was amazing. Their hands stopped fidgeting, their eyes were fixed on mine, and their ears were open wide to let the truths of God's love come in. Afterwards, Julia, and 8th grader that we have been particularly praying for spoke first. She calmly said, "That story makes me believe in God." (Although shis is one who's family believes so strongly in evolution that they feel they can't believe in God. Possibly other reasons, of course, but that is the short of what I've been told) Not only that, another 8th grader who is really a good kid, though closed off a lot, came to me as well. We talked for 20 minutes after class about all the kinds of questions involving God. Like I said, fantastic class periods. I can't wait for more to come.

Praise the Opportunity

This was a very encouraging week. Monday night at Guadalajara (no idea if that is spelled correctly) we had great classes with the local community. Here in the northeast Brazil, when it rains people don't go anywhere. Many times it is because they have to walk or ride a motorcycle. So ingrained in the culture, it actually happens to the students here at the Alcance despite everyone having a car. This particular Monday evening it was pouring. However, during a small window of dryness a good number of people showed up. This was very encouraging because it showed their dedication to learning. Ruth and I were wondering earlier that day why people here wanted to learn English; so I asked. A lot of people said that employers ask if they know English. Others said that they wanted to travel one day. And others said that it was simply a cool language. The ones that spoke about English enabling them to get a better job or those who mentioned that they wanted to travel have been the most devout learners. I've notice such a drive in them during class. It is very cool to see people take initiative and be proactive for their own futures. This is very encouraging.By simply teaching them English (though it is not as simple sometimes as it sounds) we are helping them improve their circumstances. By providing an opportunity to learn English and answering the call to teach, it now feels like we are truly showing love to our neighbors by being beside them while they are bettering their future circumstances. It is very cool to think about how we are being used to serve other people in a way that can really be beneficial for their future. I'm so happy to see the Alcance taking on this responsibility and the Lord blessing them for their obedience.

Duties of a Teacher

Today was parent teacher conferences. It was strange giving the students grades as I have never had that responsibility before. However, meeting with the parents was a great experience. I have learned much more about each child as I interact with their parents. There are so many different kinds of people, different development levels, different parent philosophies, different problems with the children in class, etc. When I met the parents it helps me understand who the child is and a little bit of why they may be that way. Always a challenge working with a classroom of children that each need their own special way of being taught. The teacher's job is a tricky one, but once you begin to figure out how to work with the students and see their progress it is very rewarding. Many of the students who first started school here in January have made such great improvements in their English. It's really neat to see them go from not understanding a thing, to being able to speak a phrase here and there. I am glad that we get to see a glimpse of their development.

Wednesday was a national holiday and everyone from Sunday wanted to play soccer. It ended up that 50 people came to play! The field is small and only 12 can play at a time so many of us just watched the whole time. But we were very encouraged by all who showed up. We are going to wait one more week before we create teams for the Glory Soccer ministry in hopes that even more young boys will join. Paul and I are excited to see this ministry begin.

As a side note: Paul and I had the privilege of trying two new strictly Brazilian foods yesterday. We had what I would call tapioca omelets. It is made with tapioca (a little different than the kind sold in the U.S. to make the dessert), coconut, cheese, and sweetened condensed milk (a popular product down here). The tapioca is heated in a pan while the coconut, cheese, and milk is put on top and then folded over to create the omelet part. Hard to describe, but the tapioca makes a firm jello-wy type consistency. The tastes go amazingly well together and it fills you up quite a bit as well. Yummy. Second was acai. I think it is a fruit that only grows in the Amazon and spoils quickly so they freeze it to be transported. They served it slightly frozen with granola, bananas, and honey on top. It was really good too and makes your teeth purple! And supposedly it is very healthy for you as well. Ok, side note over, hope you enjoyed it!

God bless you all!

Opportunities Galor

If Paul and I were here long term we could find something to do every second of the day! There are so many opportunities of ministry here. Just last week we started a new English class on Monday nights. It takes place at a church about 20 minutes away. They have been wanting an English class for awhile and now that there are enough English speakers here, we can finally provide it for them. Fifty people showed up on the first day and more on the second day. We have to tell anyone else who wants to come that we are full. Paul is teaching a level one class and I am teaching the level two class. They both consist of teens and adults. It is different teaching adults but very pleasurable. For my first class we went through the alphabet and I had the students say words they knew in English that started with each letter. It was interesting trying to understand them with their accents. That is something I want to help them with! Many of them have only had Brazilian English teachers and their strong point is not pronunciation! On the other hand, the students giggle and laugh whenever I try to speak in Portuguese so it is a give and take. We go over a Bible verse at the beginning of each class and try to have our students memorize it. It is a great way to offer something that people want while also introducing them to the Gospel. In the States we take our English for granted but here they treat it like a jewel. Something that is so common to me, can be so valuable to someone else. I am glad to be of service!

Something else that I am very excited about is Glory Soccer.
This is the program that Jon Wright came down to start. It is a soccer league that integrates faith with play. Teens and children will be split onto teams and will have weekly games and practices. However, the coaches each week will have a devotion and Bible verse for their team. This is a great way to bring in new people to the Gospel who would never hear it otherwise. We have been planning, praying, and preparing for this for a few weeks now. It is exciting because there are many Brazilian men here who are also very passionate about ministering through soccer. One man came to know Jesus through a similar soccer program when he was a teen, so there is a lot of enthusiasm and energy behind it. We were supposed to have try-outs on Saturday, but it rained all day and most Brazilians don't like rain. So we started on Sunday instead and had a great turn out. A little over thirty players showed up. We did the tests and then had a great time scrimmaging (we coaches had the privilege of playing as well). They came out with lots of energy and fervor. We were planning on playing again next Saturday but this Wednesday is a national holiday so they all wanted to play then. So we will see them again on Wednesday hopefully! We are very excited to see this ministry grow and hopefully bloom. Please remember this program in your prayers and especially it's longevity after we Americans leave.
This is Vinicius. A bright little boy who attends the school and church. We have been blessed to get to know his family. His mom helps out in my classes with the children at the school. She helps me work on my Portuguese while I help her with her English. They are great friends here!

Ponderings and Prayers

The other evening Ruth and I finally decided to climb to the top of the building to watch the sunset. What a beautiful view it was. Amongst all the noise of the day, it was nice that we could get away for a few hours on our day off to look at the creation, talk to each other, and enjoy where we were. A part of the conversation, however, revolved around the building you see in the picture: just behind the soccer field. Apparently no matter where one goes, sin is sin and human nature always has a strong tendency to adhere to the flesh. This building is being built so that men have a place to take their mistresses where people won't see them. It is behind our building on a side road and just far enough out of town that there's not too many people. There is another one down the road call "Afrodite." It is not a bordello, but rather a true hideaway.

At first we were all upset because it spoiled a gorgeous view. (unfortunatley) But, soon one felt a saddened heart for those involved and in need of such a place. I would believe that the women need a prayer that God would show them the true love that they deserve. A prayer that the Lord would put someone in their life that could show them the love of Jesus. For the men, we need help praying that they, too, might realize what true love is. That they might be shown the unconditional love of Jesus and not a surface love shown them on a physical level or because of their material wealth. I believe adultery is one of the most destructive, hurtful, and un-loving acts that plagues our society. Not only did this remind us of how much we all need Christ, but it also reminded us of how blessed we felt to be called sons and daughters of God almighty. We feel saddened that others don't have the unconditional love of Christ and the unity found in His believers. By His grace, may His light be shown through.

A Month in Review

So it has been a month; and what a month it has been. Until this week, I believe Ruth and I have had a hard time fully putting ourselves where we are. It is a strange feeling to be doing something so far away and yet in the back of your mind you know you will be gone in only a few months. However, I believe we have now truly taken hold of the circumstances the Lord has put us in. We have been able to enjoy getting into the rhythm of teaching, visiting delicious restaurants, going to a gorgeous beach (all day for only 6 dollars!), getting to know the church family, understanding more the culture and people, seeing God at work here and in our own lives, and trying to praise God each day for it all. Oh, and Ruth is convinced we should take home one of the dogs.

Ruth and I are still teaching/tutoring in the mornings and doing our workshops in the afternoon. Since it has been a month, I believe we are actually starting to see progress in some students: though it may be small, but progress none-the-less!! I believe God is truly teaching us patience and servitude through this. We go through the seemingly typical teacher emotions. Some days the kids are crazy, some days half are amazing enough that you want to just hug them all day, and yet other days you don't even want to show up due to stress. (Especially when a 5th grader sneezes on your arm, shirt, and Face!) I believe I am beginning to learn that a teacher is not one who sees the fruits of their labor for a long time, if at all. Instead, teachers are really ones who plant seeds. That is a cool and yet sobering thought to ponder on.

I am still teaching one of the Sunday morning adult classes, which has been extremely fun. Though I like children, I believe I really find joy in teaching adults. Most weeks, the students are the same; which is encouraging. It is still difficult to invite them to church, but again I believe over time God allows hearts to be softened by His love shining through you. I try my best to remember that in everything I do, though I fall short and it is difficult. Tonight, (Friday) Ruth, Betsy, Jon, and myself are going to another town to begin an English class. I believe it is at one of the church plants of the Alcance and there is apparently a demand for teaching English. What another great opportunity! We will test them tonight to see their skill levels, put them in groups according to their recorded level, and then begin class every Monday night. Since Betsy and Jon are leaving the first week of May, I believe Ruth and I will each take a class so that we can continue through June. Then, the other two will be of greatly needed help for as long as they are here. Speaking of which, it has been great having so many people here from the States. There are seven of us now and it is so comforting. Having an old friend here is especially nice.

To continue the somewhat randomness of this month in review, I cannot leave out how wonderful the Lord has been. It has been a huge blessing to be provided with a large meal at lunch everyday day of the week. Sometimes, there are even leftovers that we are able to eat at night. That, and our beautiful room (with an a/c), is what the monthly 'rent' has been paying for: many thanks to the gracious hearts who supported us. The Lord has also seen fit for our hearts and minds to be worked on while we are here. Many days, we are able to learn more about how God works through this ministry, a bible study that Jeff and Lindsey provide on Thursday nights, and daily devotional readings and scripture reflections. In America, it seemed that I had a lot of distractions and too many choices. Here, my mind has been much more focused to study the word, share love in fellowship, and see His hand at work all around me!

Praise God for the provision as well. Unfortunately, finances are such an intricate part of life, but He understands. In this month and two weeks, $4,660 our of our need of $5,300 has been raised! This, in only 6 weeks out of a 4 month stay.
Will you thank God with us for that provision and the provision to come? If you so desire, could you pray with us for that to come in His timing. Would you also pray with us for God to continue to do great things with this school and the people of Brazil. May we also ask that you pray with us for God to continue to work in our own hearts and the hearts of those around here: may we humbly accept that sanctification.

Thank you so much for your love, care, and your prayers. We, too, love you all and appreciate you so much in our lives. May God Bless you.

Third Time's a Charm

The first week was overwhelming and confusing, the second week was frustrating, but the third week of teaching has been a charm! I guess it has taken me about three weeks to finally begin to get the hang of the classroom. I am loving the kids more than ever and have finally started some relationships with them, the teachers, and others around the school, which makes all the difference.

This is me with some of the Kinder 1 students in my classroom. We were playing dress up and learning the names of items of clothing. They are the cutest! Only three years old.


Paul and I have been doing our Bible workshops in the afternoon. Since Easter is coming up, this week we have been focusing on the death and resurrection of Christ and what that means for us. I focused on the verse, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord" Romans 6:23. When I was with the third graders I was trying to explain to them that because of our sin we deserve death and hell. But because of God's grace and forgiveness he allows us into heaven because of Christ's sacrifice. They only halfway understood it. But then I had one of the children read this verse out of the Portuguese Bible and when she finished the whole class resounded with an, "Amen!" What an encouragement it was when I knew that they understood God's gift! I am so thankful that they teach Bible in this school; that we are free to talk of Christ our Lord. I can tell that many of the children understand what they have been taught and strive to live in a worthy manner.

Paul also had a great workshop with the 8th graders. He finished the lesson and afterward said that anyone who wanted to leave could, but anyone who wanted to talk more about the lesson could stay. The two boys left but all the girls stayed and started asking great questions about why Jesus died, the significance of Passover, and the forgiveness of sins. It lead to a great discussion where many of the girls really starting thinking about their faith. He was very encouraged by the whole conversation and prays that this will only be the beginning of their questioning and finding answers.

I am very excited for Easter coming up. We have a whole day celebration tomorrow for school and then no school for Good Friday. I'm not sure what we will do with our long weekend but I hope to have some great time with God somewhere in there. That might even include waking up to see the sunrise one day!

We hope all of you have a great celebration this Easter!

Stress comes and stress goes ... And so the story's told

When we were in marriage counseling we heard that the top 5 things that cause the most stress in peoples lives are getting married, moving, changing careers, kids, and money. Apparently Ruth and I decided we would test that theory. To begin with, we got married. Within 8 months of being married we moved to Indy, then almost immediately, moved to Brazil for awhile. Of course, we did not have money and it was definitely a career change; considering we were full time college students. Oh, and though we do not have kids, we are teaching, living, and spending 85% of our time at a 2 acre complex: of which is full of roaring and screaming kids all under the age of 14. I say these things not to complain, but to simply give you a fuller picture of what is going on in our lives. You, readers, have been caring enough to read what it is going on in our lives; therefore, we felt it appropriate to also give you what is going on in our hearts.

I must begin by praising God for His existence and choosing to revealing Himself to us. Though, we are feeling like we are experiencing the top 5 things that cause the most stress in life, we can't help but see the Lord's work in His provision, taking the yoke from our necks, and continually given us opportunity to rely upon Him. We have come into our own little routine for the days, but for me the weight of change has taken its place in my heart. Are you one who reacts to something big immediately or one who has delayed reactions? For me, I am a delayed reaction person. My initial reactions for coming down here were prayer, rationale, discussion, and a game plan. I did not have time for anything emotional. We prayerfully discerned and discussed and here we are. But now, I'm taking it in. I believe the stress of the kids this week has brought all to surface.

Each day is a battle for the attention of children. It is not exactly what I imagined. At this age, a teacher is not necessarily teaching content. We are really teaching kids how to be students, and how to be human beings in the battle that is life. Everyday is dealing with kids picking on each other, trying to get them to be diligent in their studies, helping them learn how to control their emotions, helping them deal with fellow peers, direct their focus on studies more than the concerns piled upon them at home, and walking beside them as they struggle through the stress of academics. I did not necessarily think it was anything different, I am just simply seeing it play out more fully day after day. Though difficult, I'm reminded that anything that comes easy is not worth achieving. Though it takes time, the greatest satisfaction is when you see a positive change: when you Are able to help students through all those things. You can't help but feel like you have begun planting seeds. I've been learning that a teacher doesn't necessarily produce fruit, in regards to others, but plants the seeds. I am very curious to see the progression that will occur in a four month period; beyond the progression that has occurred in only the last three weeks. I believe God has us where He needs us. We are trying to continually serve Him, but at the same time we are growing tremendously through Him. Thank you for reading and your continual prayers.

Deus te abencoe e Deus ama voce.

A Brazilian Soccer Game . . . Enough Said!

We have been told that Brazilians were big into soccer: or futbol as it is called anywhere outside of the United States. We have also been told that if you are going to experience a professional soccer game that you should go to a Brazilian soccer game. Well, who said we don't follow the advice of others who have come before us. The game was crazy!

It was like any other afternoon after school. As usual on Wednesday afternoons the English teachers were having a meeting when Novenio (No - veen - yo), a Brazilian who lives at the Alcance and helps with the youth, asked us if we were going to the soccer game that night. It was 4 and they were leaving at 5:30. It reminded me so much of when we were in high school and a group was bored on a Friday night. Sitting around, getting anxious, when of course someone pulls out something wild to do. Something that normally takes at least a few days to plan for and anticipate, but no, it was to happen now!

About 19 people crammed into a van made to hold 12 for a 2 1/2 hour ride to the game in Recife. Though we finally arrived at the stadium, we still didn't have our tickets. Counter-intuitively, it is apparently cheaper to buy them at the stadium than prior to the game. So, we gave our money to a Brazilian who frantically bought our tickets from a scalper outside the stadium walls. People were running everywhere, and per Brazilian custom, cars and people were competing for spots in the road all trying to get to our final destination: THE GAME! There were around 10 in our group all following each other periodically raising our hands to indicate where each other were in the mad scramble. Finally we found ourselves in what looked like a riot crowd trying to get up a parking garage car ramp. There weren't gates, fences, or stairs: only a line of a half dozen police officers on horseback looking menacingly down at the crowd and about eight officers holding back the crowd. As we were pushing and bumping each other around, we had to lift our shirts to show we weren't carrying a weapon while waving our ticket in the other hand. At the release of the police officers a mad rush of the crowd poored forth through their make shift barrier of bodies, stopping the next crowd when they felt enough had come through for the time being. Finally, after running our way up the ramp (looking like the mass crowd in the streets of Spain running from the bulls ) we made it to a ticket gate. We gave the men our tickets, pushed through the revolving gate that you push with your hips, and off to the races once more.

The bottom section was of course full; therefore, the mass of bodies had to be corralled like starving cattle up yet another ramp to the upper level. This was an experience like we've never seen. We grabbed each others shirts and shoulders to keep our group together. I (Paul) held to Ruth's shoulders so hard I was fearful that I was honestly hurting her. For five minutes up the ramp we constantly felt the pressure and push of fifteen bodies on either side all jockeying for position. This does not even count the countless sweaty men pushing from behind as if they were going to use YOU as their battering ram through the mass of bodies. We went through puddles, for it had rained a bit, filled with dozens of lost sandles not dared to be retrieved for fear of being trampled to death.

Once we made it to the top, it was quickly realized that no one had assigned seats. It was mass ticketing and we ran from opening to opening searching for openings to seat our group. The 'seats' were simply gaps in the crowd because the stadium had large stone steps for seating. Finally, we had made it. And what a game it was. Though 'our' team was in the 4th division out of four and the other was in the first division, they played very well. The proffessionals were so impressive to watch. The ball skills, feet skills, and tenacity with which they played was very exciting. We could not help but catch the fever and really get into the game. Chants? you might ask. Oh yes, we chanted! It was great. Everytime the crowd would scream vai ! ( Go) we would join in the urge. We screamed our approval when the other team got a red card, and we screamed our dissapproval when we felt the ref had unjustly denied our team a foul call. It was great to have passion fed off the passion of others around you despite having no investment in the team or players. Plus, we had worked so hard to even get to the game, you couldn't help but enjoy the very fact that you were there.

It was very cool to go to the game. But I must say, I think this was the experience that Ruth and I were hoping for that would open up doors to relationships with the church family. Since then, we have been able to join in the forever long debate about who's team is better, or recieve invites to a game of another persons favorite team, and so on and so forth. We have talked more in general with some of the people who had gone to the game, as well as relish in our shared experience. I become more and more convinced all the time that it truly takes shared experiences to bring people together. It allows an opportunity for the Lord's Spirit to work at connecting people. And it was truly accomplished. May we praise the Lord together for how He works through all experiences and blesses us at the same time.

P.S. Notice in the picture the moat around the field and the guards with guard dogs! Intense eh!

School Days

We made it! We successfully (I think) completed our first week of teaching! Considering that it's all pretty new to me, I think it went pretty well. I have learned a lot of things about teaching kids and classroom management and still have a long way to go. It is neat to really get into the teaching and begin to feel responsible for the children's education. Today in the Foundation class, which is the equivalent of Preschool, we had a unit review where we tested the kids on the letters m, p, and t, the shapes circle, square, rectange, and triangle, and the numbers 1-5. Only about 3 of the 10 children could actually pass the test. So now it's time to regroup, go back and figure out how we can get the other students up to par. I like the challenge and plan on spending an afternoon this weekend pondering how to engage them. I am very thankful because we have no school tomorrow! It is St. Joseph holiday tomorrow. It will be nice to have a three day weekend and hopefully I can look over the whole next week's curriculum instead of going day by day which is what I did this last week.

I have been getting to know the kids better. My favorite part of the day is either teaching the three year olds (which is basically play time in English) or hanging out with the kids after school until their parents come to pick them up. Some of the kids are there until 5:30 and school ends at 4. We play soccer sometimes, or hopscotch, or play with the sweet train set (the really nice wooden ones). It is fun to be able to play around and not have to remind them every five minutes to sit still, or be quiet, or write their name on their paper. Plus it's a great time to get to know them better.

There are a few students on my heart that stick out to me. They are not well behaved and very hard to handle at times but I really want to get through to them, showing them both love and discipline. Please pray for me in this.

One other very exciting thing this week....Paul and I got to go to a soccer game! It was.....well, I will have to leave that for the next post and keep you all wondering! But it was definitely an experience!

P.S. Please feel free to comment on our posts, we love to hear your thoughts!

A Taste of Culture

When someone begins to talk about culture, several things can be brought up. First, you can talk about the differences in dress or music/dance. You can talk about if the people are extremely generous, or hospitable, or secluded. However, it almost always begins with food! As you can see by the picture, that is where I would like to begin: with food. The dish you see in the picture is a typical lunch. Lunch is by far the most important meal in the day and sometimes the only meal. Not that someone can't eat breakfast or dinner, but that they just eat lunch: and boy do they eat lunch! If you don't have beans and rice there is something wrong. Also, there is always some sort of meat and vegetable. (chicken, corn, cooked carrots, and pasta in this picture) Also, there is a wonderfully sweet juice everyday. The proportion of the cups and bowls, as you might see with this cup, is about 1/2 to 1/3 the size of a typical American proportion. All the cups and bowls are smaller. The drink is so sweet I'm not sure if we could handle anymore than what can fit in the cup. Secondly, you will notice the fork and knife. Yea, seems normal right? Well, you eat the whole meal with both forearms on the table using the knife to scoop the food onto the fork. Not how mama taught us when we were kids! But, it's proper to do so. It was funny when Ruth and I were first here (only a week and a half ago!) we started trying to notice the norms. The first thing we saw at lunch was all the kids grab their fork and knife and start scooping away. We've actually grown quit fond of the knife and fork routine. It is so much easier and quicker. Plus, it's nice to relax with both forearms on the table and it be proper. :-)

The next picture you see is, of course, some of the kids eating. But, what stands out the most is what is on the table with them. It is a bottle of touthpaste and a toothbrush. Sure, when I was a kid I was supposed to brush my teeth after every meal because I had braces. Here, almost every kid pulls out their toothbrush and toothpaste to use after the meal. That is one of the biggest cultural differences that we have witnessed. The Brazilians are extremely big on hygene. I feel like a bit too much, but I guess that is certainly better than not at all. Also, after lunch Ruth and I started noticing all the kids with wet hair all the time. Kids are encouraged by the family and allowed by the school to take a shower at the beginning of the afternoon. You sweat so much around here I can see why. But can you imagine in American schools, every student allowed to 'hit the showers' after lunch everyday!

Typically, a school day in public schoools are either in the morning or afternoon, but not both. Here, one of the big draws is that the kids have school all day. So, I guess everyone needs to freshin' up to finish the day. I'm not going to lie though. I've taken the shower and brushed the teeth after lunch once or twice and I felt like a champ the rest of the afternoon: And I usually despise afternoons. I think in my first school board experience back in the States I am going to push for early afternoon break time so everyone can shower and relax for a few moments. We'll see how it goes! hahaha

The Weekend and the Week Begins

We've had a great weekend and were able to relax just enough. We went out to a pizza buffet on Friday night and it was delicious. We enjoyed all the various kinds and had Guarana to go along with the meal. That is the best soda from Brazil. It is made from gaurana seeds that have lots of caffeine in them. It has a good taste to it as well so we are enjoying it. We got to go swimming in the school's pool (seen above) on Saturday afternoon and tried to get our skin a little more Brazilian-looking. When we arrived we were as pale as could be! But we have to be careful because the sun is so hot here.
We had some good conversations with Brazilians today. A young man came and talked to us for about 15min. after church. He had a lot of practice with English so it was fun talking. We also played soccer again this afternoon and really enjoyed it. We talked soccer with one of the guys who lives at the school as well. He was giving us tips on how to play better. He spoke to us in Portuguese mostly but he spoke very slowly so we could understand it. Plus Emily was there to translate the words we didn't know. We tried to tell him the United States might win the World Cup coming up this summer. He just laughed at us and reminded us how many times Brazil has won it versus how many times the United States has won. Our argument wasn't very strong. I hear that when the World Cup starts they cancel school whenever Brazil plays. That should be very exciting! I am glad we are here when the tournament is. I think it starts in June.

I have spent a lot of time looking at, organizing, and adapting the curriculum for my classes this week. I am excited and nervous to teach on my own. Mostly I am just excited to get to know the kids better. Wish me luck!

What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other name would smell as sweet.

I, Paul, have also begun to teach. Though I was down a bit, my belly yet transitioning to another culture, I have begun. My title indicates how much I have recognized that kids are kids wherever they are: or by whatever named nationality they are called by. So far I have seen the whiny kid, the teacher's pet kid, the bully in class kid, the lash out because I don't know what I'm doing kid, the devoted to learning kid, the gregarious kid, and oh yes the middle school girls who giggle and talk about boys. "What's in a name?" Whether an United States kid or a Brazilian kid it's funny to see that the age is what makes the similarities.

What I am doing in the mornings is tutoring the level one kids. That is to say, those kids who have just arrived to the school and do not speak English. Emily, who I have been working with, has three classes each morning, 3+4th grade, 5th + 6th grade, and then 7th + 8th grade. We divided the kids in each class into two or three groups. During class, I pull one group at a time for a portion of the class to receive extra assistance on learning English. Again, they hardly know any English at all. It is very interesting and challenging to find ways to communicate, let alone teach when there is such a large language barrier. What I have begun to do is teach basic classroom commands. I figured if they can feel a little more comfortable in class by understanding when the teacher asks them to open their book, or sit down, or raise their hand then they might have a better or more relaxed environment to tackle the difficult task of learning a new language. Starting next week, Ruth and I will begin our workshops in the afternoon. I, again, will teach the older kids Bible and Ruth will teach the younger kids Bible. It's going to be a great way to practice English; more importantly it's going to be a great way teach God's words and His principles. I love that the school has, each week, a character trait based upon a Bible verse. I believe I am going to piggy-back that model and teach off of the character trait and Bible verse during my 'workshops'. Above in the picture, you will see the classroom where I will be mostly. Though, during tutoring I move around a lot. The other seen to the right, is where Ruth is mostly.
We both have started the ever glorious process of lesson planning. How in the world, we ask ourselves, are we going to teach kids a new language in a way that is productive, effective, and yet fun/interesting. I think back on basic biblical lessons learned from saints long ago and remember that we all need to pray for guidance, perspective, and HELP. If you are reading this now, may we ask that you help us pray for the Lord's guidance, perspective, and help in what to do? "This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us - whatever we ask - we know that we have what we asked of Him." 1 John 5: 14-15

Ready...Set....Almost Go!

Paul and I are transitioning into our new life in Brazil! It is a strange thing to wake up every morning and realize that everyone still speaks a different language than you. It is very frustrating at times and completely changes your perspective. It is sad how a language barrier can completely stop you from knowing someone. So many of the Brazilian teachers here seem like such amazing women, I would love to be able to have a conversation with them, but I can't!!! On the other hand, right now I am teaching children who will eventually be able to bridge that large gap and that is something worthy of working towards.

I am really liking it at this school and have been very busy this week, mostly because I am having to learn so much: the class schedule, how the school operates, about 75 or more Brazilian kids' names (my favorites so far are Adrielly, Simielly, Thiago, and Thierry-pronounced Tee-eh-he), how to keep the attention of five 3 year olds, and how to lesson plan! I am so thankful to be training under my great Teacher Lindsey. She has given me a wonderful example of being a teacher to young children. It is a busy job and takes lots of patience, creativity, preparation, and last minute decisions! I love the kids. Even in just four days the kids are warming up to me and getting to know me better as we spend more time together in class. I am really looking forward to being with them for the next four months (hard to fathom) and seeing all their learning and development.

I have been observing and just helping in the classes this week and today got to teach my first two lessons! They went pretty well. It is still hard to figure out where the kids are at: whether or not they understand you and whether or not they will be able to do what you have planned for class! I was teaching about the letter T today to one class and the numbers 10-30 to another class. At first I was a bit disappointed because I hoped I would be able to teach more important things, but as the week went on and I got used to what it is like to be in a preschool class I realized how important it is to teach the basics like that. Now I am finding it quite fun! Next week I will start full time and will have three classes in the mornings. First is the preschoolers/Kindergartners, then the three year olds, then Level II English with 1st & 2nd graders. I have them each for 50 minutes. The three years olds are so cute! Today we played dress up and learned the names of clothing like 'shirt', 'shoes', 'pants', etc. Then we put on music and danced around. One of the kids is definitely going to be a performing artist; he was pulling some Elvis moves and strumming his guitar the whole time. Haha, it is going to be a fun semester!

I also will teach a Bible Workshop in the afternoons to the 1st-4th graders. Not sure how that is going to go, I fear it will be very difficult getting the message across to students who don't know very much English. But perhaps if I can stick to the simple things like God loves you, then perhaps it is possible.

One other thing: my name! It is practically impossible for Brazilians to say! First off they pronounce R's like an H and secondly "th" doesn't exist in their language. So my name turns into things like hoof, hooty, and hooch. But the other American teachers here are adamant that everyone say my name the American way so that they can practice their English. Every class that I am introduced to has to practice how to say their R's and th's.

It is hard to think that we will be here for so long, but on the other hand very exciting to see all that will unfold in that time. Please pray for us that we might show God's love to the children, parents, teachers, and co-workers here. There is so much ministry going on here and we are only a small part of it, but God is doing great things.

The Calm Before the Storm

The real work begins tomorrow morning at 7 a.m. with a teachers meeting, but before that Ruth and I had a great weekend! Since being here a few days we have been able to see a little bit of the surrounding area. There is flush greenery all around us with large rolling hills in the countryside. Parts of town are formed in the valleys next to the river as well as along the main road. It is an interesting contrast to see that houses are made of dirty brick with clay roofs along side a Ford dealership with brand new cars and trucks. From what we have heard and even seen, there is a much larger gap between rich and poor all around Brazil, especially compared to America. Poverty is much more in your face here than in America. It reminds me so much of the Lord's words speaking of how we must take care of the poor and that we are saved by the grace of Jesus' sacrifice and not by silver or gold. What wonderful news. I hope in future conversations with the students and parents at the Alcance school this message could really be known. One of the school's three main purposes is to train the future leaders of Brazil. Therefore, I hope in our humble efforts we could help train Brazilian's 'upper class' to close that gap between wealthy and poor so that we might all be reminded that we are All God's children connected by the Holy Spirit.

That reminds me of service this morning. We were welcomed very graciously by the small, but fervent congregation today. The service was in Portuguese, which was difficult of course, but great practice. I also believe it was good to see and be seen in church with those we are trying to connect with especially since there were some who God has yet revealed Himself to. Though it was in another language, the gospel totally showed itself to be good news for all in the world. What stood out the most was that the singing seemed just as genuine; the tears seemed especially genuine; and God seemed to be present when Pastor Tele was speaking. The preaching was mainly from 1 Peter 1 and 2 with the words that will stand for all time.

After church I didn't feel very well; adapting I guess. Therefore, I stayed back while Ruth went with the other native English speaking teachers for an English class. It was made up of mostly teenagers being taught and there to learn/practice English. I must say it was kind of nice, though, to relax on my own and let everything sink in a little bit. After a few hours I felt better and decided to go for a walk. Little did I know that the Brazilians were going to play soccer in the field behind the Alcance School. What an experience! I tried to tell them that I was not good nor was I Brazilian. After a chuckle from the crowd they gave me a jersey and off we went. Being a male athlete and all I was forced to oblige. haha. It was nice of them to show love by allowing me to play. Later, Ruth, Betsy, and Emily came and the Brazilians again showed their love by allowing them to play as well. We all played for a couple of games. Ruth, of course, showed off her college soccer skills impressing the Brazilians. From their perspective I'm not sure if it was just the skills that impressed them or that it was a women with skills in soccer that impressed them: you see women don't play soccer very much at all here. Anyway, it was great to fellowship and play with Brazilians. The church family is very gracious around here. We are both excited that God has allowed us to be a part of the work He is doing down here.

The Brazilian Journey has begun

As the title says, the Brazilian journey has begun. We have made it through our first day of a foreign country. The plane ride of course was very long, but we were able to "sleep" a few hours on the overnight flight. The initial thoughts of Brazil is... you guessed it, hot! However, we are coming from an Indiana winter. We are extremely thankful for the support that we have gotten already in terms of prayer and finances. In only one month we have raised 3/5 of our fund raising goal. It is amazing what God puts on people's hearts and how tremendously gracious He is. We totally feel confirmed by God that this is where He needed us to be in order to best serve Him right now. Like all things, I believe God is really going to work in us and shape us for the future.

People have been very kind to us. Last night we had dinner at Jeff and Lindsey Turners house, took a nap, and was a part of their bible study. Afterward, we were shown our room. We were extremely blessed to have a room that was once Tele's (the Alcanca founder and Pastor) daughters and her husband's room before they went off to additional schooling. We do not have a balcony, however, we actually have a couch and AC!! Here is a picture of our room and the view from the window. Apparently we lucked out in getting the nicest room since the husband and wife had just left. It's interesting to think that someone is using our apartment in Indiana while we are gone and we are using someone else's apartment while they are gone.

So, that brings us to today. We were able to sleep in a bit and then start the day unpacking everything. It was great to begin meeting everyone and having lunch with the students, as well. It is interesting to feel totally vulnerable being that we are the minority in every way. Not everyone speaks English, but since we are native speakers is very welcomed being the fact that the school is big on teaching the language. For those students and parents who want to communicate with us, they must attempt and practice English: difficult I'm sure but great practice. In the afternoon we were able to go to Pastor Tele and his wife's house for coffee and conversation. It was wonderful hearing the history of the hotel building they had bought and is now home to the Alcanca seminary, World Renewal Brazilian Headquarters, the church service, living quarters, and of course the K-8th grade school. Just in the short time that we met with that family it has been confirmed, ten-fold, of their dedication to the Lord's work! God is really working down here and we are amazed of the provision that He is providing: Not to mention the abounding success stories of people coming to Christ. We are excited and feel very blessed to be a part of this. Of course it will be challenging, but when has anything great ever come out of something that was easy!