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!
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!
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