Life in Brazil

buying opportunities........

It was just a typical trip down town to Mano's salon to get my hair cut and pay a couple of bills.......and at the same time some thing not so typical took place.

My stylist, Dalton Mano, owner of Mano's and I had a long conversation.

You see usually when I go to get my hair done the salon is full of people and Dalton is attending to two or three clients at the same time.......or there are those times I'm just not in the mood to talk.  Well today was different.  It was my first time back in after arriving from my vacation to the States for Christmas and New Years.  So of course he asked how my vacation was and just exactly how cold it had been.

From there the conversation launched into what Americans think about Brazil, airport security, how I liked living in Brazil, the situation about Sandy Brook elementary and guns.  I was amazed that in the midst of our discussion on guns that this Brazilian, non-believer could see that the true problem doesn't lie with guns per say, but with the individual. 

Needless to say as I was leaving the salon Dalton said he was looking forward to future conversations with me.  You know, you never can predict  where a conversation will lead and the possibilities it will unveil for future conversations and seeds to be planted.

So.......buy those opportunities to plants seeds and then watch to see what God does next.

it's been a long time......

friends......I know.....I know......it's been too long........way too long.

I had the best of intentions a few months back when my folks were here to post about their time here......yet with them being here there just wasn't the time.  Then they left....and time got away.....then I just felt uninspired to write about anything.

You see I've been fighting some difficult things which I'm not going to go into because I don't believe the internet is the place where we share everything.....there are just somethings that are meant to be shared face to face with people who are closest to us.

But let me say this.......I've been passing through some sad and difficult moments and would appreciate prayer as I continue to battle through these things.  However in spite of my circumstances I can honestly say that I have never felt God so closely as I hear Him whisper from time to time in my spirit...."You're not alone in this"........"I'm right here with you in the middle of this."  I know I'm not alone......even though there are times when I feel alone.....He's right here in the middle of what I'm going through. 

God with us.......Immanuel.....sound familar??

Isn't this what we are looking towards??  Isn't this what we are celebrating??

Immanuel.....God with us.

Do you really believe it??  God with us....right here.....right now.....in the middle of everything....the good....the bad.....and the ugly??

I pray that as we start our journey toward Bethlehem......that this phrase has new and immense impact on your heart and the hearts of those around you......because.....

He is with us......and is waiting to be invited into our circumstances.......whatever they may be.

a quote for your monday........

"One of these days some simple soul will pick up the Book of God, read it, and believe it.  Then the rest of us will be embarrassed.  We have adopted the convenient theory that the Bible is a Book to be explained, whereas first and foremost it is a Book to believed (and after that to be obeyed)."      

   - Leonard Ravenhill  Why Revival Tarries

the exploding oven door......well the glass part.....

I had just put the chicken I was preparing for lunch in the oven and was back at my desk doing some things online when all of a sudden I heard the sound of something hitting glass and when I went out to the kitchen I found broken black and clear glass down on the floor in front of my oven.  I was a bit shocked to say the least.  I couldn't imagine how in the world it had happened.  I was just thankful that I hadn't been in front of the oven cooking something on the stovetop when it happened.

So now my stove has no glass front and as you can see what's left of the insulation is now exposed.......so for now no baking or cooking........until we decide what we are going to do.

The sad remains of the front of my oven door.....now it's just a pile of broken black and clear glass......in the garbage.

I might end up with a new stove.....because quite frankly we don't know if there are people here who can rebuild a glass front for an oven door.....we simply have never had to deal with anything like this before. 

But man..........some times doesn't it seem that when it rains.....it pours?????

prayer update.....

6 viewed apartments and two days of waiting later.......

we found out today that we will be able to rent the apartment I looked at two weeks ago and for a good price.

While I am extremely grateful.......now the real work begins for there will be two apartments to clean and paint and clean again.....and of course pack up all my belongings for the move.  Doing this under normal circumstances is challenging enough but we are up against a time deadline.  Not the deadline of my parents arrival but the expiration of the contract on the apartment I'm currently living in.  Everyday after the 10th of August that the apartment remains not ready to be handed over to the owner we will have to pay a certain amount until it is.  Asking for prayer that the process will go smoothly and quickly.  Promise to post pictures of the new place but first I want to clean it up first.

another prayer request..........

It was about a year ago that I moved into my apartment here on Rua Nossa Senhora da Lapa and now it looks as if I will be saying goodbye.  We found out late this afternoon that the owner is not willing to negotiate price with us and now we have no other alternative but to seek other housing for me.

I looked at an apartment about a week and a half ago that I really liked and when I walked past the place Sunday afternoon I saw the for rent sign still in the window.  Tomorrow Aaron and I will be heading down to the real estate office to speak with them and hopefully contact the owner.  Please be in prayer for this.  We really need a quick and smooth transaction especially because my parents will be arriving here in Brazil for their visit in 5 and a half weeks.  We are hoping to have the move completed by then.  So please be in prayer for all aspects of this situation.  I know that God is in control and I told Him last week that I was ok with whatever He has in mind.  So I'm trusting Him in this situation........but honestly I hate moving.......maybe He can help me with my attitude as well. 

prayer request........

Just a short post asking for prayer for our Brazilian friends here.  Robberies and muggings have been on the rise as of late.  A nephew of one of the owners of Life English Center was robbed right outside of the English School Monday evening.  This afternoon we received a strange call from one of my private English students telling us she would need to cancel all her English classes for the next month.  Then I found out that the dentist office where she works was robbed today.  Please be in prayer for everyone's safety and vigilance as we go about our daily lives.  It just shows we are living in evil times and people are becoming increasingly desperate and brazen.  Yet we know who is still in control as we entrust ourselves to Him and continue to do good.

it was a perfect day.........

.........for going to the mall.

The skies were cloudy and the weather forecast was for rain.

This day had been planned for many months and now after all the preparations it was a reality.  God really blessed us with everything falling into place and coming together so perfectly.  Yes....perfectly.

First of all I had my doubts about the bus showing up at all much less on time.....and believe it or not it showed up.....early.....and was a nicer bus than any of us expected.......and we didn't have to pay a red cent for it.   Who loves free??  I sure do.

Next we arrived at the mall just in time for lunch and were blessed in the way of there not being a lot of people in the food court.  This made it much easier to corral and guide 23 students up to the counter at McDonald's and place our orders.   Not only did we have plenty of time to eat and buy our tickets for Brave but we also had tons of time to walk around and look at things.   The majority of the kids found the Parks & Games fun center and spent most of their time in there.  The movie was good and everyone enjoyed it.   Afterwards I sent the kids on a mall scavenger hunt and there were a few unexpected surprises they discovered while doing the activity.   We ended our time with ice cream cones from McDonalds.

This day was truly a blessing in so many ways.   First of all an excursion of any kind hasn't been done for these classes since the end of 2008.......yes, 2008.  Being able to do this trip was largely in part to a) the classes I taught at Life English Center and b) the fact that the owners jointly decided they would pay me for my time with the understanding that the money earned would go directly into our field budget to the ministry in the favelas.   So you know what that means??  Extra monies coming in which allow me to do extra special things for the kids.....such a blessing.   Secondly, as I said everything came together in ways which I can only describe as being directed by God.   Finally.....I was blessed with the help of Menezes, Luciana and Ana Lucia with whose help I simply would not have been able to have executed all the parts of this day trip.

Isn't it wonderful when God blesses us with these kinds of days??

 

cleaning day.......

Last week Menezes and I took one good look around the classroom in Vila Esperança and decided it was high time we gave it the cleaning it deserved.  So we roped in the help of our students and had cleaning day this morning......followed by snacks afterward.

I picked up some supplies for the classroom at the end of last week.....now they have everything needed to keep the room spic and span.

We were greeted by a new friend who was hanging around outside the classroom and just decided to come in and make himself at home.  He was very friendly......and I so wanted to take him home with me because I love cats.  Unfortunately I don't think I can have a pet in my apartment.....but.....fortunately one of the students took him home with her so he gets a new home.......yay!!

Here they are.....hard at work......the great thing about these kids.....they are not afraid to roll up their sleeves and do some work.....such a refreshing attitude.  Also, this way they are taking ownership of their classroom by keeping it clean.

 

 

......and as always we discover new innovative ways to do cleaning.....as in this case....new ways to clean the floor.

Finally before I sign off....I'd like to share a little something I've been keeping to myself for about 2 months.  Some time back I received a message on Facebook from a man at my church.  He and his wife are very active in missions and well......they had been in conversation with my folks.  They were unaware of what was going on with my mom.  You can read about it here  Anyway the gentleman basically told my folks that it was time they visited me in Brazil and that he and his wife were going to spearhead the effort to make it happen.  So needless to say they have put this endeavor before the church in Yakima to raise funds to send my parents here to visit me.  I am beyond excited....to say the least.  Honestly after my mother's diagnosis I basically came to a place where I thought it just wasn't going to happen given my parent's situation......but God obviously has other ideas.  Isn't it amazing when God steps into the middle of difficult situations and does something so wonderful?

Really.....it's been that long since I posted anything??

I just looked at the date on my last post.....

February 26......sheeeesh.

Really.....it's been that long since I posted anything?  Oh boy.  I guess I've been going through a too tired, too busy and too uninspired to write a blog post phase.....and I hope it passes soon.

You would think that because last year I took two on-line blogging workshops that I would be a pro at this by now and have all kinds of ideas just waiting to make their debut in a blog post.....unfortunately that hasn't been the case.  I must admit it's been hard being motivated to write here and I know I need to find a way back to being motivated because there has been so much going on.  However when tiredness and lack of motivation get together......watch out......because it's a combination which is difficult to overcome.

Anyway.....I thought I would share what's been going on as of late and I'm particularly excited to share a few changes with the ministry in Ilha Bela and Vila Esperança.  Last year I noticed how the kids weren't really paying attention to the weekly Bible stories so I decided to switch things up and now I do brief discussions based on topics.  Thus far we have talked about cheating, friends, encouragement, respect, forgiveness and trust.  It's been really good and I usually get good interaction with the students and......some have really been listening so I'm greatly encouraged by all of this.  I conclude each "discussion" with our weekly memory verse which coincides with the week's topic.  Please be in prayer for these kids because I can see God is moving.  Secondly, due to the selling of my car I've been without wheels for little over a month so Menezes graciously comes and picks me up for the classes.  This means I've been getting up an hour earlier on Tuesdays and Wednesdays to be out to the classes by 8 am and then I return with him in the afternoons to be there by 2.  Granted being without a car can be a bit of a pain but in this situation it has provided me the opportunity to spend more time with each of the classes.  Instead of only being with each group for an hour I've been spending two hours with them.  I've been enjoying it so much that even when we are able to get another car for me I plan to continue spending two hours with each group.  We have only been in session for about 7 weeks and as I said I can see God moving.  I'm already looking at next year and the possibility of doing a reward retreat in July.......it will take a lot of planning and preparing....but I can see it is very doable.

Then there is the English school and my three which is to soon become four private students.  It has been a blessing to be able to help these people improve a skill that is very important to them and at the same time have "discussions" with them from time to time.  It is amazing to me how many times opportunities are given to us to "engage" others in a way where some seeds can be planted.  I'm enjoying these classes as well as the ones with the kids and I find it very interesting that in this particular season of time God would bring me back to be so heavily involved in English once again.  It makes me wonder what He's up to and just where all of this will lead.

I must say even though we are only in the fourth month of 2012 this year I find myself involved in more things than I ever have been here in Brazil and if all of these things were not enough I'm also working on a "special project" in my spare time....which many times I have to specifically arrange for in order to get anything done on it.  I'm not going to come out with what it is but as it develops and takes shape I will definitely share more about it.....so I ask please be in prayer because I have never ever taken on anything like this before and I know without a doubt it is something God is leading me to do.

Well there you have it......and I promise not to wait another month and half before I post again......just need to get motivated and put some ideas down on paper.