Week Two

It is so hard for me to believe that we have already completed two weeks here in Brazil. The time is going by so quickly. We all have full reading schedules. We start our days with a devotional and team meeting time at 10 am. Two of us take the 11 o'clock hour to go grocery shopping and prepare lunch. The third one of us spends that time in a reading session. Our afternoons tend to be long. We read from 1pm until 8pm. Each reading session is supposed to last 45 minutes so that we can have 15 minutes between sessions to make notes on our previous session and use the bathroom or get a drink of water and pray for our next reader. I often find it difficult to end my sessions after only 45 minutes. I often find myself having such great conversations that I don't want our time to be up. I know that Lucas and Katie are running into the same problem. I think it is a good problem to have.

Here is Lucas having a reading session with Jandira. Jandira is a member of the church here. Because there has been such great interest in the conversation classes we have had to stop reading with church members and give priority to non-church members.

This is me and my reader Magda. Magda is a sweet heart! Her English level is pretty good and we have had such wonderful conversations. Her daughter Ana is reading with Katie and her son Matteus is reading with Lucas.

June 16th was Lucas's 20th birthday. Ivan, who works in the church office, celebrated his 25th birthday on the 15th. So, on Friday night we had a joint surprise party for the two of them. There was lots of food and lots of people. I hope that it was a memorable birthday for Lucas.

This is Lucas and Ivan cutting their very yummy birthday cake.

Saturday evening we had our second party. Lucas planned this party. It had a pirate theme. I honestly think that it was the best LST party I have ever been a part of!

Here is the 3 of us, pre-party and ready to go. Do you see the parrot on my shoulder?? :)


Lucas and his sweet crayola tat.

These brothers, Marcos Paulo and Artur won the trophy for best costumes...the trophy was actually a curling trophy, go figure.

Here is Lucas cooking us some chicken in the back area of the church building. This old gas stove makes for an interesting cooking experience.

It has been a busy week which I am thankful for. God is blessing us in so many ways! Every day I am thankful to be here. This place is where my heart lives when I am not here. I have missed it. Please keep us, our readers and the congregation here in your prayers.