Final Party, Talent Show

Our final LST party was held on July 14th, I know I am still waaaaay behind in my blogging. So in order to remedy that this will be short and to the point and you can all just enjoy the pictures. We began the evening with a talent show. We didn't have many acts but the ones we did have were steller! Then Lucas, Katie and I presented each of our readers who were present with certificates of participation. After the presentations we enjoyed some good food and visiting. It was a pretty sad evening for me, saying good-bye to all of my readers. Many tears were shed as we wrapped up the evening. I've always said that the one thing that I don't like about LST projects is saying good-bye. After six weeks of reading scripture one on one with someone it is really hard to just leave them. I need to remind myself frequently that God has used me to help plant seeds and that He will provide others to water those seeds and that He himself is the one who will bring the growth. What a mighty God we serve!

Lucas's reader, Stefano singing and playing guitar.

Lucas's reader, Matheus playing his trumpet.

Ivan and Davi.

Davi is a very talented musician.

The captivated audience.

This was taken after the talent show as people were eating and visiting.

Here we are with some of our readers.

Me with Magda and her kids, Matheus and Anna.

Lunch at Dona Isabel and Senhor Jorge's House

Dona Isabel Mack is maybe the greatest Brazilian cook I have ever had the pleasure to dine with! Dona Isabel also has the biggest heart I have ever encountered. Her home is always open and she is always prepared to feed an army. Dona Isabel and Senhor Jorge are parents to my friends Jorge and Luis. An entire family of genuinely great people. Dona Isabel had been inviting Katie, Lucas and I to have lunch at her house for weeks and it just never worked out. Finally on the Saturday before Lucas and Katie left we were able to have lunch at her house. I have many fond memories of meals shared in her kitchen! Obrigada Dona Isabel por tudo que você já fez pra mim. Eu já estou com muitas saudades de você!

Here is Dona Isabel making lunch, enough to feed an army!

Here is Marusia, Ivan, Lucas, Katie and Jorge enjoying the wonderful meal.

Needing To Catch Up

Ok, so it's been two weeks since my last post and they've been busy! Just so you know I am still alive. I am back in Canada and it looks as if plans are changing once again...not that I've shared what those plans were on this blog but I did hint at something a while back. I'm not exactly ready to tell that story yet either. I just wanted to let you all know that I didn't disappear down in Brazil and as much as I would have liked to have stayed there I am now back in Canada. Hopefully over the next few days I'll post my stories from my last week and a half in Brazil. Blogging was therapeutic for me when Victor left Canada and went back to Brazil so maybe it will serve in the same way as I deal with my emotions over leaving Brazil. Once I've caught up on the last two weeks I'll share about what my plans were and the way that they are changing and will probably continue to change. If you have a free moment please say a prayer for me as I go through another difficult time of transition back into Canadian culture. I promise more pictures and stories within the very near future. Blessings.

Pedreira

I have known Mauricio for about four years. He was my reader for 2 years when I lived in Itu. He signed up to read with me again this time but it never really worked out with his work and college schedules. We have hung out quit a bit though and I know that he has really enjoyed getting to know Lucas and Katie and I've enjoyed spending time with my old friend. Monday this week was a holiday in São Paulo and so Mauricio didn't have to work. He and his sister, Paula, took Katie, Lucas, Vitinho and I to a place called Pedreira. Literally that means rock quarry and that is exactly what it was. As they were digging in this quarry they must have hit some kind of underground river because the pit began to fill up. Apparently its deepest point is 80 meters. Now people like to go there to jump off the cliffs and swim. I think everyone had a really great time. I know I did, even if it took me about 30 minutes to work up enough courage to actually make the jump. I have this nasty fear of heights and it was only when I finally quit thinking about it that I was able to jump.

Here is Lucas getting reading to jump.

Paula and Vitinho swimming in the cold water.

It was a very beautiful place.

Another shot of the great scenery.

The following is a video of Mau, Lucas and Katie jumping off the cliff at Pedreira.




This video is Vitinho jumping off. It was more of a stepping off rather than a jumping off but I was proud of him because I didn't think he would actually do it. It took me longer to get up the courage than it did for him.




This video is of Lucas doing a flip.




This one is of Mauricio doing a back flip...more courageous than me that's for sure!




And this one is of Lucas jumping from a much higher point than the rest of us jumped. Mau also jumped from a high place like this but I didn't get a video.

Saying Good-Bye

Sunday morning we said good-bye to a number of different people. The group of Americans from San Angelo left on Sunday evening and so did the LST team from Oklahoma Christian University. They have been working in the nearby city of Salto. Sunday morning was a bilingual worship service and many public thank-yous and good-byes were said. It made me glad that my team still had one more week here to continue reading and also glad that for me it would be another two weeks before I would have to say good-bye to my church family here in Itu. After worship was over my little friend, Ligia, came running up to give me a hug and was saying, "Please don't go! I don't want you to go away! Please stay!" It practically made me cry! When I told her that I wasn't leaving yet and that I was going to be staying for two more weeks her eyes lit up and she squeezed my neck even harder. I can remember when I first came to Itu 4 years ago and she would try to talk to me and I didn't understand anything she said. Over the years we have become good buddies and we talk with each other a lot!

Here I am with my little buddy Ligia. She makes my heart smile!

After church Katiie, Lucas, Vitinho and I went to Regina's house for lunch. Regina is a sweet, sweet woman from the church. She has to children, Iara who is studying architecture in University and Alexandre who is still in high school. After lunch a lot more people came over for desert and fun.

Iara, Brooke and Katie in the kitchen getting Iara's special desert ready.

The boys playing cards in the backyard.

I love this picture of Brooke and I. She is probably the sweetest person I have ever met in my life. I think God broke the mold when he made her. We are eating Iara's special desert which I dubbed "Milagre Na Minha Boca" or in English, "Miracle in My Mouth." It was fantastic. If you invite me to your house when I get back maybe I'll make it for you. :)


This is Regina and I and the dog, Biba. I love Regina so much. She has taught me so much over the years about being a woman of faith. She holds a very special place in my heart. Biba may look sweet but don't let looks deceive you!

Week Five, Mini-Olympics

It is so hard to believe that we have finished our fifth week here in Itu and that we are half way through our sixth already. I am way behind in blogging but please bare with me and I will get caught up. There are so many things to share that I may end up revisiting my time here over the weeks after I leave. What an awful word that is...leave. blah!

This week was our second last week and so the task of saying good-bye to some of our readers has already started. It is not a pleasant thing to say good-bye to these people who have become our friends. I am able to say good-bye in faith that the God who brought me here is going to continue to care for these dear people after I leave. I trust that He will bring others who will water the seeds that have been planted in their hearts and that He Himself will bring the growth that is needed in their lives.

This is Amanda. Unfortunately she and I had our last reading session during our fifth week as she will be traveling during our last week of reading sessions. I will miss you Amanda!


Here I am in a reading session with Eduardo. I also have been reading with his brother Ricardo who is a new child in Christ!

This week our LST party was a wacky olympics. We invited all of the kids who had been at camp to come out. We were prepared for a huge turn out of church members, readers, and campers. Five o'clock came and went and this is what you could see:

No one showed up. We were getting quite discouraged. I took my place in the middle of the auditorium on the cold floor and waited. I think it was around 5:30 when some of the group from San Angelo showed up. So at least we had a few people. more people trickled in and eventually we had a sufficient number to at least break into two teams of six and have a little bit of a competition. We started out by naming our teams and creating flags.

We then had an opening ceremony where the torch was carried through the auditorium and the Brazilian national anthem was played.


The first event was a toilet paper relay. Over, under, over, under. My team finished first but we broke the toilet paper.


The opposing team didn't tear the toilet paper but they finished second. It ended up being a tie for points.


The second event was a three legged race. Stephano and I kicked butt, but in the end our team lost.

We had a number of other events as well, a water relay, which my team lost, a game called snatch the bacon, which my team also lost! But at the end of the day winning is not what counts. It's the fun you had during the experience that creates memories to last a lifetime!

Here is the losing team, the Pencil Necks.

After the party was over and we got everything cleaned up we headed back to the hotel with the people from the San Angelo group. Some of us then went to a Festa Junina put on the the Brazilian military here in Itu. They host this party every year and it is said to be one of the best in Itu. This is the fourth year I have been here during Festa Junina season and this was the first time I ever went to this Festa Junina. It was a long night and a bit adventurous to say the least. This picture was taken while we were there. I absolutely love it!

Jessica, me and Katie eating BIG pastel! Yummy!

It has been a busy week. Please keep us in your prayers as we enter into our sixth and final week here working in Itu.

Acampamento da Vitória, Camp Victory

Two years ago I went to my very first bilingual camp here in Brazil. It was put on cooperatively by a group of Americans from the Highland Church of Christ in Abilene, Texas and a group of Brazilians from the Church of Christ here in Itu. Last summer while I was here in Itu I got to go to another bilingual camp again put on by people from Abilene and from Brazil. Both of those years I acted as a leader and translator for my small group. This summer a group from San Angelo, Texas came to Itu to help put on the bilingual camp. Lucas and Katie and I were not able to participate in the entire camp but we chose to spend our days off from reading sessions out at camp. We went out with the group Sunday afternoon after morning worship and stayed until bright and early Wednesday morning. Anyone who has ever participated in any kind of summer camp knows that every year is different. This year was no exception. This years camp was especially different from previous years because it was put on by a completely different group of people. Lucas and Katie and I all really enjoyed camp a lot. Katie emphasized to me that it was so nice to get away from Itu and our regular daily schedules to a place with such beautiful surroundings where we were doing something completely different for a change. Lucas shared with me that he loved the fact that while we were at camp he felt as if we weren't separated by nationalities or language barriers and that everyone seemed to be on an even playing field.

Two of my LST readers, Camila and Ana Carolina, came to camp. They brought their friend Ana Carolina with them... And no that is not a mistake, they both have the exact same name. One of my favorite things about the bilingual camp here in Brazil is that it is so evangelistic. It is great to see Christians and non-christians coming together and learning about and experiencing God's love for them. This year was no exception and I was especially thankful that Camila and both Ana Carolina's were able to be a part of it. Camp has opened up entirely new areas of conversation between Camila, Ana Carolina and myself.

I'm a firm believer that pictures speak louder than words so I'm going to share with you some of my favorites from our short time at camp.

Ivan and Marusia getting ready to serve supper.

Jessica, Jandira, me (Go Riders), Soraya, Mel,
Iara, Marusia and Bruna.

Watching the soccer game.

Paul translating for Kevin.

Me, Jessica, Katie and Miriam.

Me and Soraya

Jessica, Soraya,
Rebecca, Katie, Miriam, me and Marusia.

Everyone trying to pop everyone else's balloons without getting their own popped...good times!

An interesting new game that I don't know the name of.

Lucas and Josh finger jousting.

The aftermath of the finger jousting.

Brooke, Katie and Vitinho enjoying some delicious watermelon.

Me and Iara dressed for the Festa Junina

The ladies all dressed up for the Festa Junina.

Me and Antenor

My readers, Ana Carolina and Camila dancing at the Festa Junina night.

Photos don't do justice to the beauty of God's creation. The campground we rent from the Presbyterian church is simply breathtaking!

Week Four And Our Canada Day Celebration

Once again it has been too long since I have posted a blog. This is again a catch up blog. This last week was a busy one as always, filled with lots of reading sessions and preparation for Saturday's party.

Here I am with my reader Karla. She is a very sweet girl and I love spending time with her! She studies here in Itu but her family lives about 1 and a half hours away.


Lucas in a reading session with Vera.


Katie reading with Adelino.


Here I am with André. André is married and has a son. He works a lot but I am so happy that he makes coming to our reading sessions a priority. André has many good insights into the biblical texts that we are reading together. I enjoy our sessions together very much!

Saturday was June 30th and so we decided to have an early Canada Day celebration. During this Saturday's party we had lots of Canadian trivia with prizes for those who got the most correct. We did face painting and gave out rub on tattoos. We shared a yummy cake and ended the evening with the Canadian anthem and some fireworks in the street. We'll just say that we only set off one of the fireworks because it was traffic stopping to say the least. :)

Katie, Lucas and Myself before the festivities began.

I ordered this cake to be a white cake with strawberry filling and to be iced in white. Then I picked it up and transformed it into a Canadian flag using fresh, chopped up strawberries. It wasn't my original plan but I had to improvise and I guess it turned out all right in the end.

Katie and her stylish rub on tats.

Getting some hints for the Canadian trivia games.

Katie and Jessica looking oh so cute!

Bruno and myself.

Canada Day fun.

After the fireworks were given up on we played with red and silver sparklers.