May 26, 2008
Over all life here is good as I develop relationships.
I don’t think I have shared some amazing news: well, the cell group I was in grew, and after a bit they multiplied. So Sylvia, my one good Brazilian friend here, asked me to be a helper. I am so excited to be able to to take part ownership in this group. It is kind of across town, where it looks a tad bit rough. There seems to be a lot of bars around. So we are meeting in the back yard of a home. Don’t think back yard like yours, think more like a junkyard in the states. Dirt bricks, wood, a few dogs, a few chickens, and yes a few ducks, throw in some music and you got it. So far it has not rained on us. YEAY. We have grown every week with someone new coming each time. Right now it is a mixture of young girls and older women. I look at the young girls and get excited about training them up with the Lord. Now is the time. I look at the older women and think how awesome it will be to shower them with love, the love of Christ. I can’t wait to see what God has in store, it feels like a blank canvas. What a privilege to be the paintbrush. The tool that makes the beauty.
A prayer request is that the father of this household is not so cool with us meeting there. You see, he doesn’t like Christians. So last week as we started off our meeting with some worship music he decided to match us and crank up his. As we prayed and worshiped, the others seemed to not be as distracted as I was. One reason they grew up with this constant noise that South America has. And it was 80s toons that were being played. So as you can imagine I was having a hard time even keeping a straight face. Why? Cause these were songs I played to or danced around to having fun when I was younger.
Well, things have now changed as I returned from my trip to find out that we are not allowed to meet at that home anymore due to the father. So we are moving our cell group to Sylvia’s house. It is good and bad as I was seeing real potential to pour into these young girls' lives. But the good news is that there are no cell groups in our new location. So it is literally untouched. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has planned there.
I don’t think I have shared some amazing news: well, the cell group I was in grew, and after a bit they multiplied. So Sylvia, my one good Brazilian friend here, asked me to be a helper. I am so excited to be able to to take part ownership in this group. It is kind of across town, where it looks a tad bit rough. There seems to be a lot of bars around. So we are meeting in the back yard of a home. Don’t think back yard like yours, think more like a junkyard in the states. Dirt bricks, wood, a few dogs, a few chickens, and yes a few ducks, throw in some music and you got it. So far it has not rained on us. YEAY. We have grown every week with someone new coming each time. Right now it is a mixture of young girls and older women. I look at the young girls and get excited about training them up with the Lord. Now is the time. I look at the older women and think how awesome it will be to shower them with love, the love of Christ. I can’t wait to see what God has in store, it feels like a blank canvas. What a privilege to be the paintbrush. The tool that makes the beauty.
A prayer request is that the father of this household is not so cool with us meeting there. You see, he doesn’t like Christians. So last week as we started off our meeting with some worship music he decided to match us and crank up his. As we prayed and worshiped, the others seemed to not be as distracted as I was. One reason they grew up with this constant noise that South America has. And it was 80s toons that were being played. So as you can imagine I was having a hard time even keeping a straight face. Why? Cause these were songs I played to or danced around to having fun when I was younger.
Well, things have now changed as I returned from my trip to find out that we are not allowed to meet at that home anymore due to the father. So we are moving our cell group to Sylvia’s house. It is good and bad as I was seeing real potential to pour into these young girls' lives. But the good news is that there are no cell groups in our new location. So it is literally untouched. I can’t wait to see what the Lord has planned there.
I have been writing updates in emails at random and realize this is probably no the way to go. I need to be more efficient. Well, let’s see, last I left off I had experienced some spiritual oppression. I thankfully can say it has not continued. Ben, Chrystal, and I have continued to pray for one another and it has been a blessing to have them here during my 6 month stay. And such a blessing to know that I have the prayers of people back home. It is so good to know that you are lifted up.
For an update: We have received many new visitors here at the base in Santrém. We have had yet another friend from Iris Ministries (Mozambique) come as a short termer for a few weeks. She is a delight, and actually from Ireland, we love listening to her speak and then trying to figure out what exactly she said. Haha. She is a big ball of energy and eager after the Lord. Her name is Grace.
Along with our Grace (N. Ireland) we have received two teams, one from ORU and Trinity (both colleges). One is a team of 5 and the other maybe 8 or so. Not quite sure. Anyways, they are young and full of energy and ready to get started on work.
Both groups left for two different locations. I went with the ORU team of 5 to little town called Monte Alegré (Happy Mountian).
We are going different places. It should be fun. Paul and Isaiah will be leading the team I am on (two of my friends here who are long-term missionaries, both missionary kids born in Brazil and continuing in missions). They said I have a good enough grasp on the language, they feel confident letting me help out in some easy translations. I laughed of course. But I actually did alright I have to say. I found myself translating quite a bit. I am excited because I actually want to learn Portuguese. You see, this was one of my prayers. Because I was so used to Spanish I thought Portuguese sounded ugly. But the lord is good and diligent to take care, and change my heart. But please feel free to continue to pray for language learning. My bit of Spanish has helped me a ton but I want to communicate more. As time goes by I meet more people and remember more names and faces. Sounds silly, but when you come to a new environment faces all look the same and names all sound the same until you adjust and start to see the little details.
Please continue to pray as to where the lord is leading. I have some days I absolutely love it here and other days I feel so alone. It feels like your being tossed about in a ship at sea. But Jesus calls us to be steady. I am learning again and again how I can do nothing without Christ. And pleading for His help and strength because only through His strength can I make it.
For an update: We have received many new visitors here at the base in Santrém. We have had yet another friend from Iris Ministries (Mozambique) come as a short termer for a few weeks. She is a delight, and actually from Ireland, we love listening to her speak and then trying to figure out what exactly she said. Haha. She is a big ball of energy and eager after the Lord. Her name is Grace.
Along with our Grace (N. Ireland) we have received two teams, one from ORU and Trinity (both colleges). One is a team of 5 and the other maybe 8 or so. Not quite sure. Anyways, they are young and full of energy and ready to get started on work.
Both groups left for two different locations. I went with the ORU team of 5 to little town called Monte Alegré (Happy Mountian).
We are going different places. It should be fun. Paul and Isaiah will be leading the team I am on (two of my friends here who are long-term missionaries, both missionary kids born in Brazil and continuing in missions). They said I have a good enough grasp on the language, they feel confident letting me help out in some easy translations. I laughed of course. But I actually did alright I have to say. I found myself translating quite a bit. I am excited because I actually want to learn Portuguese. You see, this was one of my prayers. Because I was so used to Spanish I thought Portuguese sounded ugly. But the lord is good and diligent to take care, and change my heart. But please feel free to continue to pray for language learning. My bit of Spanish has helped me a ton but I want to communicate more. As time goes by I meet more people and remember more names and faces. Sounds silly, but when you come to a new environment faces all look the same and names all sound the same until you adjust and start to see the little details.
Please continue to pray as to where the lord is leading. I have some days I absolutely love it here and other days I feel so alone. It feels like your being tossed about in a ship at sea. But Jesus calls us to be steady. I am learning again and again how I can do nothing without Christ. And pleading for His help and strength because only through His strength can I make it.
There are two new videos for you all to check out. I hope you do. They are both made by a friend that is down here in Brazil for about the same duration of time as me helping out. One is on cell groups. You see the Paz church that was planted here has a vision and its focus is on cell groups. And for those cell groups to multiply. People invite their friends to cell groups where they can get plugged in and have fellowship. After people come to the Lord the groups eventually grow and need to multiply. So this video is once a year where they all get together and celebrate and encourage to continue to make disciples of Christ. It is so cool to see God at work.
The other video is a sloth that they found on the road driving back from the country. So I had to share it too. I wasn't there during the filming but I can assure you no sloths were hurt in the making of this film. I actually did get to go to the wildlife reserve and was able to see two sloths there. They are quite cute. But I have to say holding the baby monkeys was the highlight. :)
The other video is a sloth that they found on the road driving back from the country. So I had to share it too. I wasn't there during the filming but I can assure you no sloths were hurt in the making of this film. I actually did get to go to the wildlife reserve and was able to see two sloths there. They are quite cute. But I have to say holding the baby monkeys was the highlight. :)
May 2, 2008
So what to say, so much ....Ben, Chrystal and I are in charge of morning prayer Monday through Thursday so we have been doing worship music from an ipod so we can worship also. I have enjoyed it, especially the worshiping. Ben, Chrystal and I have been talking about God and crazy stories and praying and even got together and worshiped one afternoon. And the night before I had and awful dream and when I awoke I heard drums in the distance, and I just knew it was drums. Just new. At 4:30 in the morning I was pretty wigged out and wanted to go wake up Ben and Chrystal. But I didn't, I laid back down "to sleep in the storm" (as Jesus did), (trust and know that I am God), ya know. Well I told Ben and Chrystal and then last night they came over and woke me and said "Are you okay". It was like 5AM I was like "Yeah, why?" and Chrystal said she had a bad dream (intense) and they felt like they needed to come and pray for me too. I felt so loved. We are up to something, seeking more of God and it is not being received in the darkness here to well. But that means we are on the right path. So my heart is getting excited, that is what life is about, seeking after God . SEEEKKKKKINNNNGGGG. ahhhhhh. I want to know him. I have had more joy since our worship in the morning. I want to be that kind of Christian: intense, extreme. That's my quick little update.
